These baked apple cider donuts are just like the ones they serve at the pumpkin patches, but without the frying. Filled with the flavors of fresh apple cider and warmed spices.
WHY BAKED APPLE CIDER DONUTS
If you have ever been to a pumpkin patch in the fall where they are making fresh apple cider and apple cider donuts you know how addictive they are. It is probably one of the reasons that I love the fall so much. They smell amazing, taste so warm and full of all the spices, and are usually accompanied by some cool weather and warm cups of fresh apple cider.
A few years ago we moved to Texas and I haven’t been able to find any of these pumpkin patches or these fresh apple cider donuts, so I decided to needed to figure out a way to make them myself to help put me in the fall mood.
WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE NEEDED
- Apple Cider
- Butter
- Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Egg
- Buttermilk
- Vanilla
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Cardamom
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Nutmeg
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
- Pour cider in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce to simmer and allow to reduce to 1/2 cup, this should take aboue 15-20 minutes. Pour into measuring cup or bowl and add 3 tbsp butter and it will melt in the hot cider. Allow to cool to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 350 F and spray donut pans with cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl add apple cider and butter mixture, both sugars and egg. Whisk until combined. Add buttermilk and vanilla and mix again.
- Whisk in all dry ingredients until just barely mixed through.
- Pour batter in piping bag or ziplock and pipe batter in the donut pan, filling each about half way full.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until cooked though and springy on the top when lightly touched.
- Allow the donuts to cool down for 5 minutes at room temperature and then remove from pan.
- While the donuts are cooling, mix together sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a wide bowl.
- Brush melted butter all over each donut and roll in the bowl of sugar until fully coated.
IS IT NECESSARY TO BOIL THE APPLE CIDER AND REDUCE
To be able to get a stronger apple cider flavor it is necessary to boil and reduce the apple cider. If you didn’t want to do that I would suggest buying apple cider concentrate to keep the flavor strong.
HOW BEST TO STORE THESE DONUTS
These donuts are definitely best served warm and fresh, but they will in fact keep for a few days on the counter. Just make sure that they are stored in an air tight container and then rewarm for a few seconds in the microwave before serving.
MAKING THE DONUTS AHEAD OF TIME
These donut can also be stored in the freezer if you are wanting to make ahead of time. Just wait to brush with melted butter and roll in the sugar mixture until right before serving. Or you could also make the batter ahead of time and store in the fridge until ready to make and serve.
SOME OTHER FALL RECIPES TO TRY:
Brown Butter Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Chai Blondies with Cinnamon Chips
For more yummy treats follow me on instagram @thesaltedsweets. And be sure to tag me and comment below if you make them and love them as much as I do.
Baked Apple Cider Donuts
Equipment
- donut pan
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups apple cider, reduced to ½ cup
- 3 tbsp butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg room temp
- ⅓ cup buttermilk milk is fine too
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp cardamom
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp cloves
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
Donut Topping
- 5 tbsp melted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F and spray donut pans with cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl add apple cider and butter mixture, both sugars and egg. Whisk until combined. Add buttermilk and vanilla and mix again.
- Whisk in all dry ingredients until just barely mixed through.
- Pour batter in piping bag or ziplock and pipe batter in the donut pan, filling each about half way full.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until cooked though and springy on the top when lightly touched.
- Allow the donuts to cool down for 5 minutes at room temperature and then remove from pan.
- While the donuts are cooling, mix together sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a wide bowl.
- Brush melted butter all over each donut and roll in the bowl of sugar until fully coated.
Yum. How long would you bake for mini donuts?
I haven’t done mini before so I’m not sure. I would set the timer for maybe 6-7 minutes and then watch them after that.
Made these into muffins. Baked for about 14 mins. They were delicious and had a nice apple cider flavor to them. They were a huge hit with the family!
I’m so glad you loved them! Thanks for trying them and leaving a review!
Can’t wait to try these!! I love apple cider donuts but haven’t had them since living in Connecticut. Do you have a favorite donut pan? Metal versus silicon?
I just have a wilton one that I had ordered on amazon and its been great. I’ve never tried the silicon, but I’m sure it would be good too!
How did you make them gluten free for your father?
I just subbed cup4cup GF flour in and everything else the same!
I’ve made these twice already. So delicious. And easy.