Fluffy Baked Apple Cider Donuts are spiked with apple cider and rolled in cinnamon spiced sugar. They're baked rather than fried and I promise you won't miss it!
Even though it’s technically not Fall anymore, who says you can’t still enjoy apple cider?! This donut recipe is one of my absolute favorites and I’m always transforming it using different flavors - like these regular cinnamon sugar and pumpkin. It’s always a winner every time! The donuts come out super moist, perfectly tender and have so much delicious spice flavor with a little sweetness from the apple cider.
Ingredients needed to make baked donuts
- Unsalted butter melted: Used in both the donut batter and to dip the donuts in after baking so cinnamon sugar will adhere properly.
- Light brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Buttermilk: If you'd like too make your own, you can add ¾ tablespoon of lemon juice or distilled white vinegar to the milk. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes before using in recipe.
- Apple cider: To enhance the flavor of the donuts to create a true apple cider taste, the liquid gets reduced down.
- Baking powder
- All-purpose flour
- Cinnamon & nutmeg: Used in both donuts and spiced sugar topping.
- Salt
To make these donuts you’ll need a donut pan. When I first bought my donut pan I thought I would never use it but I use it all the time. There’s just nothing like homemade donuts! If you don’t have a donut pan, you can use a mini muffin pan and make donut “holes”.
Instructions for apple cider donuts
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray donut pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Before you begin, you'll need to reduce the apple cider. Pour apple cider in a small saucepan a simmer on low-medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until the cider reduces down to ¾ cup. Once it is reduced, set it aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, pinch of salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix the melted butter and sugars together until smooth. Add in the eggs and vanilla and stir until completely combined. Pour in the buttermilk and reduced apple cider and mix until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture.
- Pour batter into prepared pan about ¾ to the top of each well.
- Bake for 14-15 minutes or until the tops are firm and spring back slightly when you touch them. Do not over bake!
- When done, remove donuts from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, melt butter in the microwave. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar.
- Dip the tops into the melted butter and then quickly into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Repeat for the entire batch.
Donut Making Tips:
- Do not over bake them or you will have dry donuts!
- To get the batter into the wells of the donut pan easily, pour the batter into a ziploc bag and cut off one corner. Squeeze the batter out into each one. This makes it MUCH easier and more efficient.
The smell of these apple cider donuts is so intoxicating, I dare you to stop at just one! I know I can’t. Especially when they’re warm straight out of the oven.
Baked Apple Cider Donuts
Fluffy Baked Apple Cider Donuts are spiked with apple cider and rolled in cinnamon spiced sugar. They're baked rather than fried and I promise you won't miss it!
Ingredients
Donuts
- 10 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 2 cups apple cider reduced to ¾ cup
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons nutmeg
- pinch salt
Topping
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a donut pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Before you begin, you will need to reduce the apple cider. Pour apple cider in a small saucepan a simmer on low-medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until the cider reduces down to ¾ cup. Once it is reduced, set it aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, pinch of salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix the melted butter and sugars together until smooth. Add in the eggs and vanilla and stir until completely combined. Pour in the buttermilk and apple cider and mix until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Do not over mix or donuts will be tough.
- Pour the batter into a ziploc bag and snip off one corner. This makes it much easier to pour into the donut wells. Pour batter into prepared pan about ¾ to the top of each well. Bake for 14-15 minutes or until the tops are firm and spring back slightly when you touch them. Do not over bake or you will have dry donuts.
- When done, remove donuts from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes then remove them carefully and place on a wire rack to cool until they are warm to the touch so you are able to handle them. While they are cooling, get your butter + cinnamon sugar topping ready.
- In a small bowl, melt butter in the microwave. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.
- Once donuts are cool enough to be handled, dip the tops into the melted butter and then quickly into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Repeat for the entire batch of donuts.
- These Apple Cider Donuts are best served fresh the same day, but will stay soft for up to 2 days stored in an airtight container. If they get a bit firm, you can reheat in the microwave for a few seconds to soften them up and they are good as new.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Pearl says
Can the donut mix be made ahead of time..like overnight and refrigerated?
Jessica says
I have never tried but I don't see why not!
Bev says
The Apple cider is it Apple cider vinegar?
Jessica says
No! Please use apple cider juice. 🙂
Elizabeth says
Just made these--delicious! I added some spices to the dry ingredients to make the flavors a little more complex--a bit of cardamom and some ground ginger. Son and husband devoured them; they're really delicious and tender, even without the topping!
Jessica says
Sounds relish!
Erin says
Hi! I'm wanting to make these for thanksgiving but I don't have a donut pan yet. What brand do you recommend. Also, I know someone else asked about refrigerating the batter and baking the next day but has anyone tried it? If so did it turn out fine? Thank you!
Jessica says
I use Wilton. I have not tried refrigerating the batter, but I am sure it will be just fine! Just allow it to sit out for about 15 minutes before piping into the donut pan.
Mary Ann says
Can you use boiled apple cider instead of the apple cider? What would be the measurement?
Jessica says
I'm sorry, I don't understand your question. :/
Amy D says
Only two years after your comment, but I just recently learned there is a difference between boiling regular apple cider and buying a bottle of boiled apple cider which is super molasses-thick cider. You would definitely need to add some water with the boiled cider to thin it out. I would make regular cider from your boiled cider by following the directions on the bottle by adding it to water to make 2 cups worth. Then boil this until you are down to the 3/4 cup this recipe calls for. I read you can add 1 tablespoon of boiled cider to 3/4 cup water to make regular cider so you may just be able to just add those straight to the recipe. I've never used boiled cider and I'm not sure how concentrated the flavor is compared to regular cider.
Dawn says
Just made these today as we are living overseas nowhere near an apple orchard... these are soooo delicious!! Perfect donuts!
Do you think these can ne made in a mini muffin pan as donut holes?
Jessica says
That's awesome!! I don't see why not!
Ellen says
These are killer. Light, and delish.
Heather says
These were really good! Definitely going to make again. Next time I am going to add more nutmeg and cinnamon to the mix. I also managed to make 18 donuts! Crazy! Now, if they last an hour isn't he question of the day.
Christine Manning says
I have a scone pan. I wonder about making scones.
Jessica says
These cannot be made as scones.
Barbara says
So the donuts take 10 tablespoons of butter and topping takes 4 making it a total of 14 tablespoons needed. Correct?
Suzie says
How much sugar for the donuts? It only says 1/2 granulated sugar
Andrea says
I don't have any cider. Would it work to reduce Apple Juice?
Jessica says
Sure!
Denise says
Hello, could you swap whole milk or 2% with the butter milk?
Jessica says
Yes, that should be fine!
- Jessica
Jean Cashman says
My husband has liver problems and diabetes and should avoid white flour products. Has anyone used wheat flour, coconut flour, or almond flour? I also wou!d like to use honey instead of sugar. Any comments?
Jessica says
I have not tried, but I believe you could use wheat flour in place of all-purpose. The texture and flavor will be a little different, though.
Madison says
Could these be made in a donut maker? If so, how would it need to be modified? Thanks! Excited to try these 🙂
Maureen L DeLosa says
Honestly, I was excited to try this recipe but I was a little disappointed. The donuts were more cake-like. They came out great and tasted very good but I prefer them to be a but more dense.
Maureen L DeLosa says
Update. They are much better cold if you like a more dense donut. They tasted much better the next day!
Honestly, I was excited to try this recipe but I was a little disappointed. The donuts were more cake-like. They came out great and tasted very good but I prefer them to be a but more dense.