Homemade apple cider donuts are cakey, dense, and intensely flavored. Baked, not fried, these fall treats come together quickly and easily—a convenient recipe with no mixer required. The trick for big flavor is to use concentrated apple cider. Make the morning less hectic by reducing the apple cider the night before. Read on for all the tips you need to make this Fall favorite!
I love those delicious donuts that you get at the bakery…they’re rich, dense, and smell absolutely amazing. If you’ve ever tried my chai spice donuts, pumpkin donuts, or cinnamon sugar donuts, you know that those bakery beauties definitely inspired my donut recipes. They are somewhat dense and very muffin-like. These baked apple cider donuts are no exception, though they are a little heavier with a more substantial and moister crumb.
Tell Me About these Apple Cider Donuts
- Texture: If you like cakey, moist, and dense donuts with a crumbly cinnamon-sugar coating, then look no further than this recipe.
- Flavor: Flavor-wise, they’re APPLE and CINNAMON and SPICE all over. They taste like they’re straight from the bakery!
- Ease: A simple mix of wet and dry ingredients plus the apple cider concentrate makes these a snap to prepare for crisp fall mornings. No mixer, rolling pin, or donut cutter required! Simply add the batter to a donut pan—I use and love this one. If you only have 1 pan, just bake a batch at a time.
- Time: In less than an hour, you’ll have an entire plate stacked high with homemade apple cider donuts.
Apple Cider Donuts Video Tutorial
This Trick Changes Everything
The trick to apple cider donuts is to flavor them with concentrated apple cider. Apple cider that has been reduced down on the stove is thick and potent, adding big flavor without excess liquid. Apple cider, either store-bought or this homemade apple cider, is certainly delicious to drink but it won’t add enough flavor to baked goods. Taking 20 minutes to reduce the cider down transforms regular donuts into amazing apple cider donuts. If you like to keep things simple in the morning, reduce the cider the night before. That will save you cooling time, too, because the cider must cool for a few minutes before you add it to the batter.
To reduce your apple cider, simply follow these simple steps:
- Pour 1½ cups apple cider into a small saucepan. We will reduce this to ½ cup.
- Place on low heat and set a timer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Begin checking at 10 minutes, and then every 3-5 minutes after that until you have ½ cup of cider reduction (approximately 20 minutes).
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before using in the batter.
It’s that easy! If you have leftover apple cider, use it in my honeycrisp apple sangria or apple cider sangria—or drink it plain.
Here’s my reduced down apple cider:
Choosing the Right Ingredients: Melted Butter & Apple Pie Spice
- Melted butter. The crown jewel of these donuts is the dip in melted butter, then a dunk in granulated sugar, cinnamon, and apple pie spice. Not only is it delicious, but the melted butter helps the sweet coating stick to the donut.
- Apple pie spice. If you don’t have access to store-bought apple pie spice, you can make your own with cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg.
By the way, if you’re a fall baking fanatic like me and love pumpkin treats, you might try making your own pumpkin pie spice blend, too! Use it in pumpkin-inspired favorites like pumpkin cookies, pumpkin cake, pumpkin bars, and of course, pumpkin pie.
Overview: How to Make Baked Apple Cider Donuts
These couldn’t be easier to make—no mixer required. Leave yourself enough time (at least a half hour) to reduce down the apple cider before beginning. I like to do this step the night before so it’s ready to go in the morning.
- Reduce the apple cider. In a small saucepan over low heat, simmer the apple cider until you’re left with about 1/2 cup. Begin checking at 10 minutes, then every 3-5 minutes after that until you have 1/2 cup of cider reduction. Mine takes about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes (or complete this step ahead of time).
- Combine the dry ingredients together.
- Combine the wet ingredients together, except for the apple cider.
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients together. Add the apple cider. Whisk everything together until smooth and combined. You’ll notice the batter will be slightly thick. We want thick batter for cakey and dense donuts.
- Fill the donut pan. Fill each donut cup about halfway. My trick for this? Use a zipped-top bag. Add the batter to the bag, cut off a corner, and pipe it into the donut pan filling only about halfway. This trick makes transferring the batter neat, quick, and easy.
- Bake. Only about 10 minutes of bake time—told you they were quick. To test doneness, poke your finger into the top of the donut. If the donut bounces back, they’re done. Once they are out of the oven, let them cool for 2 minutes, then invert the pan to release the donuts. You can then re-grease the donut pan and bake the remaining donut batter. (If you have 2 donut pans, go ahead and bake both trays at once.)
- Coat the donuts. Combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and apple pie spice together in a medium bowl. Once cool enough to handle, dunk both sides of each donut in the melted butter, then coat generously in the apple spice topping.
Look at this beautiful caramel-colored batter! So much apple flavor hiding in here:
More Apple Recipes
- Apple Crisp
- Homemade Apple Cider
- Apple Cinnamon Bread
- Baked Apples
- Apple Cinnamon Muffins
- Salted Caramel Apple Galette
Baked Apple Cider Donuts
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 donuts
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Baked, cakey, and delicious apple cider donuts are made with apple cider reduction to intensify its flavor. Warm and dipped in cinnamon sugar and apple pie spices, this fall treat will become your new favorite too.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) apple cider
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice*
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (120ml) milk, at room temperature*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon apple pie spice*
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Reduce the apple cider: Stirring occasionally, simmer the apple cider in a small saucepan over low heat until you’re left with about 1/2 cup. Start checking at 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, etc until you have 1/2 cup (120ml). Mine takes about 20 minutes. If there are any spices or solids on top of your reduced apple cider, leave them. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray donut pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- Make the donuts: Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk the melted butter, egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, and vanilla extract together. Pour into the dry ingredients, add the reduced apple cider, and whisk everything together until smooth and combined. Batter will be slightly thick.
- Spoon the batter into the donut cavities—for ease, I highly recommend using a large zipped-top bag. Cut a corner off the bottom of the bag and pipe the batter into each donut cup, filling about halfway.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes or until the edges and tops are lightly browned. To test, poke your finger into the top of the donut. If the donut bounces back, they’re done. Cool donuts for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Re-grease the pan and bake the remaining donut batter.
- Coat the donuts: Combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and apple pie spice together in a medium bowl. Once cool enough to handle, dunk both sides of each donut in the melted butter, then generously in the apple spice topping.
- Donuts are best served immediately. Leftovers keep well covered tightly at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: You can freeze the donuts, coated or not coated in the toppings, for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm up to your liking in the microwave. I usually just zap ’em for a couple seconds.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Saucepan | Donut Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Large Zipped-Top Bag | Cooling Rack
- Apple Pie Spice: Do you have apple pie spice where you live? It’s pretty standard here in the US. If you don’t have access to store-bought apple pie spice, you can make your own with cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg.
- Milk: I usually use buttermilk, but I’ve found that any milk (dairy or nondairy) works pretty well. For a denser crumb, you can use 1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream instead.
- No Donut Pan? Make donut muffins in your standard 12-cup muffin pan. Grease your pan or use muffin liners, fill each 3/4 full, then bake at 350°F (177°C) for about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Makes about 10-12 apple cider donut muffins.
- Minis: Want to make mini donuts or mini apple cider donut holes in a mini muffin pan? Grease your pan, add the batter to the pan only about 3/4 of the way full. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for about 8-9 minutes.
Keywords: Baked Apple Cider Donuts
Oh my goodness! These are incredible! Thank you for the recipe!
★★★★★
Best donuts ever!
Tried the powdered sugar ones too, will be trying all the donut recipes. Thank you for the amazing recipes!
If you reduce the cider the night before, do you put it in the fridge or just leave it on the counter?
Hi Kat, we would cover and refrigerate overnight, then bring to room temperature before using.
My family loved these wonderful donuts. I would like to know if you can make these same donuts with a pumpkin component to it. Not sure what substitutions to try. Please let me know. Another fantastic recipe by Sally.
★★★★★
Hi LorS, we’re so glad these were a hit with your family! Here is our pumpkin donut recipe. Instead of the frosting there, you could use the topping from these apple cider donuts and swap the apple pie spice with pumpkin pie spice. Let us know if you try it!
I love this recipe and the apple rolls with salted caramel glaze. Your recipes never fail to amaze me. The only problem with them is that they are so good they disappear quickly.
These were just amazing! Your recipes, never disappoint!
★★★★★
Your recipes never disappoint! These donuts came out perfectly. Thanks again for bringing out my inner baker! 10 out of 10. ♥️
★★★★★
I LOVE these donuts! I make them for a fundraiser and they sell out every single time. Then, I need to make more for my family!!! Question-do you have any other baked donut recipes-I apologize if it’s clearly written somewhere! I’ve tried other baked donuts and they don’t even come close to yours!
★★★★★
Can you used boiled apple cider? How much would I use in place of the apple cider?
Absolutely! You’ll need 1/2 cup boiled apple cider.
Made these as my first time introduction to making homemade donuts. Wow!wow! Wow! Easy and absolutely delicious! Will definitely make these again, and I’m checking out your other donut recipes. Thank you for sharing!
Hi! I want to make these for brunch for some friends. Would the dough be okay in fridge over night?
Hi Riley, we don’t recommend it. The leaveners are activated when the wet and dry ingredients are mixed together, and it’s best to bake off the batter shortly thereafter. You could bake the donuts through the night before, and then rewarm them in the microwave. Hope they’re a hit!
Can you purchase apple cider?
Hi Rita, absolutely! Or here is our homemade apple cider if you’re interested.
Hi Sally. I made these donuts today and they were delicious. Even my son who hardly eats dessert had two. Thanks for the great recipe.
When my husband saw I had bought apple cider he said, “time to make the donuts!” Yummy as always! Thanks for this keeper recipe.
★★★★★
You have the BEST recipes! Your page is so inviting!!
Thank you so very much, Jeanette!
I might make this for my roller derby team, but there are dairy free and gluten free folks. Will coconut oil, almond milk, and almond flour work? Or, any other substitutions? Thank you so much for any advice!
Hi Marie, we haven’t tested these donuts with those substitutions, so we’re unsure of how they might work. While the coconut oil and almond milk may be fine substitutions (although slightly changing the final outcome, of course), we do not recommend using almond flour. It has very different baking properties than all purpose flour and absorbs wet ingredients differently. You might try a 1:1 gluten free flour blend, but again, we’re unsure of the results. If you’re interested, here are our dairy free recipes and gluten free recipes. Hope you find something to enjoy!
I tried these today using a 1:1 Bobs Red Mill GF flour, almond milk, and the country crock vegan butter and they came out AMAZING!
★★★★★
I’d love to try this recipe once the weather gets cooler by cutting it in half since the donuts would be for me personally. Could I use unsweetened applesauce in place of the egg? Dividing an egg seems a bit complicated…
Hi Maegan, we haven’t tested any egg substitutes in this recipe, so we’re unsure of what might work best. To halve an egg, simply crack it, whisk, and then use half. Or you can make a full batch and freeze the extras!
I don’t have a donut pan, what to do?
They sound wonderful! I hate to purchase a pan for only once to make them
Hi Cam! You can use a muffin pan instead – see recipe notes for details 🙂