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 (spoon & 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 (30g) 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): Glass Mixing Bowls | Measuring Cups | Whisk | Donut Pan
- 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
Hey, Only 2 tablespoons of butter in the batter? That doesn’t seem like it’s enough.
That’s correct.
Can I use salted butter instead?
Sure! We would reduce the added salt to 1/8 tsp or leave it out depending on your taste. Hope you love them!
These are delicious. Could you freeze the concentrate to use later??
I’ve made these several times and they are a favorite!! However… it always take much longer than the recipe indicates for reducing the apple cider. Nothing like a fresh apple cider donut and a cup of coffee in the morning!!
★★★★★
I have cooked and baked professionally for over 25 years. I made these today and they are out of this world good! I don’t usually have dark brown sugar on hand, but I always have light brown sugar. I had bought the apple cider back in the fall with the intention to make these but life got hectic when mom was diagnosed with stage one lung cancer and my father who lost a leg in a motorcycle accident had his knee replaced and because I am there full time caregiver there just weren’t enough hours in a day so I drank a glass of cider and then froze the rest of it. So today I had a sweet tooth craving and it hit me that I still had the cider in my stand up freezer. Besides the light brown sugar I only added one other thing to this recipe: One packet of powdered hot apple cider mix (I put one teaspoon into the apple cider reduction and the rest of the packet went into the cinnamon sugar topping). My official taste tester is my mom (she got me started baking and dad, a trained chef, gave me my love of cooking) so I called her out to the kitchen and we split one. She said she thought she died and went to heaven and told me to save this recipe that they are better than her favorite cider doughnuts from Lyman Orchard here in CT. So thank you for this recipe!!!!
★★★★★
We’re thrilled these donuts were such a hit for you and your family, Heath! Thank you for giving them a go.
We love this recipe. it’s quick and easy. We had some unsweetened apple sauce and reduce the milk. So good!
★★★★★
Lovely recipe , very easy to follow– thanks to the specific details from Sally on each of her every recipe. I used the muffin pan as well, adding a rigatoni pasta at the center of the muffin cup gave the donut the required hole! I had to reduce the portion ( half instead of 3/4) to each muffin cup though.
★★★★★
Great recipe. Made these today. I used Boiled Cider that I purchased from King Arthur Flour Co. This is a keeper. Delicious with cup of hot tea
★★★★★
Love love love this recipe.. sometimes I add a few chips in.. but it’s terrific! Tu Sally!!!
★★★★★
Could I do all the mixing and the apple cider reduction the night before and bake the next morning?
Hi Stacey, You can reduce the apple cider the day before but once the batter is mixed it should be baked right away.
I made these once and they were great. It also took me over an hour to reduce the apple cider. I was wondering if I can freeze the reduced apple cider in half cup batches so I can save what’s left of the cider for a future batch of donuts rather than drink the left over cider?
Hi Donna, Yes that should work!
Thank you very much Trina. I want to make this today.
B
Hello, just a small question. I have Boiled Cider that I purchased from King Arthur flour. Can I use that in this recipe? Thank you
Hi Bonnie, using that should be fine in this recipe.
I just made these and Ohmygosh so good!! I replaced the milk with Ellenos apple cinnamon greek yogurt. I did make the mistake of dipping both sides in the butter/sugar which was overly sweet. I think next time I’ll use powdered sugar, no butter. But there will definitely be a next time!
★★★★★
Excellent donut recipe. I didn’t bother with the butter for dipping and plenty of the sugar and spice mix stuck. I enjoyed them and will make them again.
★★★★★
Great recipe! I modified it for my lactose intolerant family – almond milk instead of dairy, and Greek yogurt instead of butter. I don’t often find baked donuts worth the effort, but I’ll be making these again!
★★★★★
Amazing and so tender and delicious! Quick and easy. Recipe is great! A definite keeper.
★★★★★
These were amazing! I had to turn the heat up to reduce the cider, but no other issues. So good, they are dangerous!
★★★★★
I made these today and they turned out very well! I used a cupcake pan and baked them about 16-17 minutes. One thing I will do different next time is, once you dip the tops in the melted butter, allow the doughnut/muffin to sit about 4-5 minutes and then dip them in the sugar topping. Also, after I tried one I wondered what it would taste like if I added some brown sugar to the topping mix. I did the last few this way and will update my comments later. Another thing, I have an awesome oatmeal raisin cookie recipe that calls for the raisins to be marinated in the eggs and vanilla for at least one hour prior to making the cookies. I want to try this with this recipe. I can almost taste them already! WOW!!! This would really kick up the flavor and moistness. More like an applesauce raisin cake. This is a keeper recipe as it is, but I’m always looking to enhance any recipe, if I think I can improve on it. Some recipes you just don’t mess with!
★★★★★
I substituted gluten free flour and these were great! I had to turn up the heat and cook the cider longer to cook it down enough. Thanks for the recipe!
Amazing recipe!
Absolutely delicious. We had fantastic warm cider donuts a few years ago while vacationing in Vermont, and these were just as great. Used Zeilgler’s Old Fashioned variety of Cider which worked well. Believe it took a little over 20 minutes with a gas stove at 2 or 3, but worked well. Only thing I would change is using a spicier cider, and only coating the tops of the donuts with the topping. Still, a definite winner!!
★★★★★
I used a donut pan that makes 12 donuts. I filled each one full before I saw you note about filling half way, but your recipe said it made 12 donuts so I thought I was okay. The donuts rose to cover the center. Next time I’ll fill each just half way. I am sure my donut pan is standard, so not sure why the recipe came out this way.
These are yummy, but don’t taste like cider donuts to me. All I taste is butter and granulated sugar. Do you think they’d taste more like cider if I started with 2.5 cups of cider down to .5? Will that work?
★★★★
Hi Carol, Thank you for trying this recipe. Make sure you are using a spiced cider for the best flavor (I’m not sure 2.5 cups would reduce to .5 but you can try). Also you can skip the butter and just dip the warm donuts into the sugar and spice mix for a lighter coating.
The donuts were tasty! However, for the topping, I really didn’t like how it turned out. It was saturated with butter and got waaaay too much sugar and made them soggy. After the first two I just rolled the warm donuts in the sugar mixture and that worked much better. Did I misunderstand something?
★★★
Hi Ryan, Thank you for trying this recipe! A quick dip in the butter is all they need, but you can absolutely skip the butter and just dip the warm donuts right into the sugar coating so that less of it sticks as you did!
These are really delicious! Best donuts I’ve made. I would say they rival the apple cider donuts at our local cider mill, which have a cult following here! Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Very delicious. I added one pealed, chopped apple. No topping. The reduction of apple cider took longer than 20 minutes. Turned heat up a little bit. Took closer to 35 minutes in reduction. Will definitely make again.
★★★★★
How do I substitute coconut flour for the all purpose flour?
Made these last weekend with all purpose flour and they were a hit! Such a hit, I had a request to make them again this weekend!
★★★★★
I’m guessing the answer will be the same as the loaf pan question, but has anyone tried this in a Bundt pan like one big donut? Wondering if it worked out and what the recommended cooking instructions would be? Thanks!
Hi Lauren, There isn’t enough batter for a Bundt cake, but you could try making the batter twice (as opposed to doubling it) and see if that works. My recommendation, though, is to make this apple bundt cake. Instead of the glaze, you can generously sprinkle the batter with cinnamon/apple pie spice/sugar before baking.
Hi Sally’s team,
I was wondering, could I bake these on an air fryer? If so, for how long and at what temperature?
Hi Andi, These need to be baked in a pan and we have never tried using an air fryer for them so I’m unsure of the results. A dough that holds its shape without a donut pan, like these Glazed Doughnuts, may be better to try but again, we haven’t tested it!
These look soooo amazing! Is it possible to make this recipe inside a loaf pan and get the same delicious results?
Hi Poppy, I can’t see why not! We haven’t tested it so we are unsure of the bake time needed. Let us know how it goes!