Baked Apple Cider Donuts
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There’s something magical about the fall air, and nothing captures that magic like a batch of freshly baked apple cider donuts! These fluffy, flavorful donuts have the perfect balance of warm spices and apple goodness, making them an irresistible treat.
More Fall Baked Donuts? You’ll love these Delicious Baked Biscoff Donuts, these Easy Baked Apple Donuts and these Baked Pumpkin Cake Donuts!
Why You’ll Love This Fall Apple Cider Donut Recipe
- Baked instead of fried, making them a lighter and healthier treat.
- Ready in just about 30 minutes, perfect for busy mornings or quick snacks.
- Rich apple flavor from reduced apple cider, with the perfect blend of fall spices.
- Soft, fluffy texture with just the right amount of sweetness.
- Easy to customize with a glaze, cinnamon-sugar coating, or other toppings.
- Great for freezing and enjoying later.
- A cozy fall recipe that pairs perfectly with coffee or tea
Gather Your Ingredients
Apple Cider reduction
- 1 ½ cups apple cider – reduced down to ½ – ⅔ cup, divided, use ⅓ cup of reduced apple cider for cider donuts and remaining 3-4 tablespoons for apple cider glaze
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
fall Baked Apple Cider Donuts recipe
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup milk of choice, I used unsweetened almond milk
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened apple sauce
Apple Cider Glaze recipe
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons of reduced apple cider
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- Optional: milk or apple cider, if needed for thinning
Instructions How to Make Baked Apple Cider Donuts
Apple Cider Reduction
- In a small saucepan, simmer the apple cider and cinnamon on low for about 20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally. Once the cider is reduced down to 1/2 cup, remove from heat and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Use it once it’s warm to the touch, but not hot.
Apple Cider Donuts
- Prepare a doughnut pan for 12 large donuts or 24 mini donuts. Spray with a non-stick cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices together, set aside.
- In another medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, sugar, egg, oil, vanilla, warm cider, milk and applesauce.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together using a whisk, spoon or spatula, without overmixing.
- Pour the batter into a piping bag, or a large ziplock bag, and snip off the tip or corner.
- Pipe the batter into each cavity, filling each about 3/4 full and using up all of the batter.
- Pipe or spoon the batter into the doughnut cavities and bake immediately, for 8-10 minutes until the tops are golden. Touch the tops of the doughnuts with your fingers to test if done. If the doughnut bounces back, they’re done.
- Cool in the pan no longer than 3 minutes. Spray the pan and bake the remaining batter.
- Place the doughnuts on a cooling rack. Make the glaze.
Make the Dreamy Apple Cider Glaze
Apple Cider Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and add the reduced apple cider glaze until you get a thick glaze. Add ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and mix together.
- If you need more thickness, add more powdered sugar, if you need glaze thinner, add a little milk or more apple cider.
Dip Those Delicious Fall Baked Donuts!
- One at a time, dip the tops of the each of the donuts into the apple cider glaze and place back on cooling rack. Let glaze firm up and serve! So soft and fluffy!
Storing Donuts
- To keep your baked apple cider donuts fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you’d like them to last a little longer, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Just pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds before enjoying, and they’ll be just as soft and flavorful as when they were first baked!
Freezing Donuts
- If you want to make a big batch and save some for later, freezing these apple cider baked donuts is a great option. Once your donuts have cooled completely, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for about 1 hour. After that, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep for up to 2 months. To enjoy, let them thaw at room temperature or give them a quick warm-up in the microwave.
More Variations
Love to mix things up? Here are a few fun variations you can try:
- Apple Cider Glazed Donuts: Stick with the classic glaze for a sweet, tangy finish.
- Cinnamon Sugar Coating: Instead of glaze, roll your warm donuts in a cinnamon-sugar coating for that iconic fall flavor.
- Maple Glaze: Swap out the apple cider glaze for a maple glaze to give your donuts a touch of extra sweetness.
- Toasted Coconut & Lemon Glaze: Add a tropical twist by dipping your donuts in a zesty lemon glaze and sprinkling them with toasted coconut. The bright citrus combined with the sweet, nutty coconut creates a refreshing contrast to the warm fall spices.
- Crushed Pretzels & Caramel Drizzle: For a salty-sweet combo, top your apple cider donuts with a drizzle of caramel and a sprinkle of crushed pretzels. The crunchy, salty pretzels add an unexpected texture that perfectly complements the rich caramel and spiced donut.
- Matcha Glaze with Crushed Pistachios: Give your donuts a vibrant twist by glazing them with a sweet matcha icing and sprinkling crushed pistachios on top. The earthy matcha paired with the crunch of pistachios adds a totally unique flavor and texture!
Want A Cinnamon Sugar Coating?
Sugar Coating
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- Melt the butter, set aside. In a bowl, add the sugar and cinnamon and mix together.
- Dunk the doughnuts in melted butter and coat with the sugar mixture. Place on cooling rack.
In conclusion, our baked apple cider donuts recipe is one you’ll want to make again and again! With a soft, tender crumb and a deliciously spiced apple cider glaze, they’re the perfect cozy treat for crisp fall mornings or as a snack with a hot cup of coffee. Best of all, they’re easy to bake, freeze well, and can be customized with your favorite toppings.
So grab your favorite cozy sweater, brew a fresh pot of coffee, and enjoy the warm, comforting flavors of fall with a batch of these delightful baked apple cider donuts!
More Breakfast!
- Apple Cider Pound Cake
- Ultimate Oreo Chocolate Cake Donuts
- Delectable Glazed Blueberry Donuts
- Lemon Glazed Lemon Donuts
- Glazed Fluffy Chocolate Donuts
- Chocolate Sprinkle Donuts
Baked Apple Cider Donuts
These baked apple cider donuts are the perfect fall treat! Made with a reduced apple cider for rich flavor and warm spices, they’re soft, fluffy, and finished with a sweet apple cider glaze. Easy to make and baked, not fried, they’re a lighter yet satisfying option for breakfast or dessert. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea!
Ingredients
Apple Cider Reduction
- 1 ½ cups apple cider reduced down to ½ - ⅔ cup, divided
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Fall Baked Apple Cider Donuts Recipe
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg or flax egg for vegan option
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup milk of choice e.g., unsweetened almond milk
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- ⅓ cup reduced apple cider from the reduction
Apple Cider Glaze Recipe
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons reduced apple cider from the reduction
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Optional: milk or apple cider if needed for thinning
Cinnamon Sugar Coating (Optional)
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
Apple Cider Reduction
- In a small saucepan, simmer the apple cider and cinnamon on low for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once the cider is reduced to ½ to ⅔ cup, remove from heat and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Use ⅓ cup for the donut batter and reserve 3-4 tablespoons for the glaze.
Apple Cider Donuts
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a donut pan by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, oil, vanilla, ⅓ cup of the warm reduced apple cider, milk, and applesauce.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag (or a large ziplock bag with the tip snipped) and pipe it into the donut cavities, filling each about ¾ full.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the tops are golden and spring back when touched.
- Let the donuts cool in the pan for about 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Spray the pan and bake any remaining batter.
Apple Cider Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and 3-4 tablespoons of reduced apple cider until smooth and thick.
- If the glaze is too thick, add a bit more cider or milk to thin it out; if it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar.
Glazing the Donuts
- Once the donuts have cooled, dip the tops into the apple cider glaze and place them back on the cooling rack. Let the glaze set before serving.
Cinnamon Sugar Coating (Optional)
- Melt the butter in a small bowl.
- In another bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.
- Dip each donut in melted butter, then coat in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Let cool on the wire rack.
Notes
- Apple Cider Reduction: Simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
- Vegan Option: Replace the egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water) and use a plant-based milk.
- Donut Pan Size: Makes 12 large or 24 mini donuts. Mini donuts may bake faster, so check around the 6-minute mark.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat briefly in the microwave.
- Freezing: Cool completely before freezing. Freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a container. Thaw at room temperature or microwave to warm.
Nutrition
Serving: 1large donutCalories: 405kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 3gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 153mgPotassium: 121mgFiber: 1gSugar: 53gVitamin A: 268IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 1mg
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