Apple Cider Baked Donuts

Baked Apple Cider Donuts are tender and fluffy, and made with either a cinnamon sugar coating or apple cider glaze for maximum apple flavor. 

These donuts are delicious by themselves but if you're feeling allll the apple feelings, have it with Apple Cider Punch.

Baked Apple Cider Donuts Recipe

Apple Cider donuts are my new favorite thing, right after Apple Cinnamon Scones. This is an old fashioned apple cider donut recipe, with no mixer, rolling pin, donut cutter, or yeast required. Say WHAT. The texture of apple cider donuts are muffin-esque, cake-ish. They are soft and tender, with just the right amount of cinnamon spice.

While apple cider is delicious, it is not quite enough by itself to flavor the donuts. The best way to ensure you get the delicious apple flavor is to concentrate the apple cider by boiling it on the stove to reduce the volume. Imagine the best apple cider you've ever had. Now it's a smaller, powerful flavor baby ready to be the star in the best ever baked donuts.

Ingredients needed:

Here are the basic ingredients for apple cider donuts. You will also need donut pans, it is 100000% worth it to invest in these. You might need a fall candle and some hot chocolate, and also some sizeable lounge pants.

• Apple cider - store bought or homemade
• All purpose flour
• Brown sugar  - light
• Baking powder & soda
• Ground cinnamon, ginger, & nutmeg
• Sour cream  - can sub plain greek yogurt
• Large egg
• Salted Butter - melted & cooled
• Vanilla 

How to make Baked Apple Cider Donuts:

How do you make baked donuts anyway? Here's an overview! I like to start with the apple cider so that I can speedily assemble the other ingredients while it's boiling and cooling. You can also prep the apple cider the night before and refrigerate it before using for a deliciously sweet (but not overly) breakfast!

1. Boil the apple cider over medium heat to reduce the volume by half. Less liquid but more flavor! Cool to room temperature before mixing into wet ingredients.
2. Mix dry ingredients: flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder & soda, and spices together in a mixing bowl.
3. Mix wet ingredients: sour cream, egg, vanilla extract, and melted and cooled butter together in separate bowl. Add in reduced/cooled apple cider.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients together, transfer to piping bag or plastic bag with tip cut off. Pipe into prepared donut pans.
5. Bake at 350 F for 11-13 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
6. Glaze by mixing powdered sugar, apple cider, and cinnamon and drizzling over warm donuts.

Optional: brush donuts with melted butter and sprinkle with a sugar/cinnamon mixture, measurements can be found in recipe card below.

This is essentially a sour cream baked donut recipe, flavored with apple cider. They're best served fresh and warm, but you can easily store them if you need to (you won't, they will disappear).

Can you freeze Apple Cider Donuts?

Yes! To freeze: cool them completely after baking and transfer to an airtight container before placing in the freezer.

To thaw: You can warm individually in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or leave out at room temperature until thawed. Glaze or coat in sugar/cinnamon to serve.

In our house, we have no problem eating all of them. As in two adults (and two babies) eating all 12 donuts. One here, one there, two after lunch, and oh boy it's time to make some more donuts!

More autumn desserts:

Need a few more fun fall baking ideas? I got you covered!

• Caramel Stuffed Snickerdoodles
• Butterscotch Chip Cookies
• Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
• Cream Cheese Pie Crust

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4 from 3 votes

Baked Apple Cider Donuts

Baked Apple Cider Donuts are cake like and fluffy, and made with either a cinnamon sugar coating or apple cider glaze for maximum apple flavor. 

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time11 mins

Total Time31 mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Apple Cider Baked Donuts, Apple Cider Donuts

Servings: 12

Calories: 230kcal

Author: Sara

Ingredients

For the Donuts:

• 1.5 cups apple cider, reduce to ¾ cup
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup salted butter, melted and cooled

For the icing

• 1½ cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons apple cider
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• optional alternative: ½ cup white granulated sugar + 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare 2 donut pans with baking spray.

For the Donuts:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, boil apple cider for 20-25 minutes until reduced by half, to equal ¾ cup. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile in a mixing bowl combine dry ingredients: flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
• In a separate bowl whisk together wet ingredients: sour cream, egg, vanilla, and melted butter. Add in cooled apple cider and mix well.
• Add wet ingredient mixture into dry ingredients, mix until no flour pockets are left and batter is smooth, careful not to overmix. Transfer to piping bag or plastic bag with tip cut off and pipe batter into prepared donut pans.
• Bake for 11-12 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

For the icing:

• Mix together powdered sugar, apple cider, and cinnamon. Drizzle over warm donuts.

  Alternatively: brush donuts with melted butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar mixed with cinnamon.

Notes

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Best served warm and fresh. 

Nutrition

Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 179mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 199IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1mg

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