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Best Baked Apple Cider Donuts Recipe (Easy & Homemade)

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These baked apple cider donuts deliver that orchard-stand flavor without the deep fryer. Lighter and more cake-like than fried versions, they feature a reduced apple cider base and a crackly cinnamon-sugar coating that actually sticks.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup apple cider (fresh, not from concentrate if possible—boiled down to ½ cup)
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature (or ½ cup milk + ½ tablespoon lemon juice, let sit 5 minutes)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (for coating)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon (for coating)
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (for brushing)

Instructions

  1. Reduce the apple cider. Pour 1 cup apple cider into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Let it cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to about ½ cup. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
  2. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease your donut pan generously with butter or nonstick spray.
  3. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until evenly distributed.
  4. Mix the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and egg until smooth and slightly lighter in color, about 1 minute. Add the melted butter, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and the cooled reduced apple cider. Whisk until combined.
  5. Combine wet and dry. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold together gently until no streaks of flour remain. The batter will be lumpy—do not overmix.
  6. Fill the donut pan. Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the batter into each donut cavity, filling about ¾ full.
  7. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the donuts spring back when lightly touched and the edges are golden brown. A toothpick inserted into the thickest part should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let them cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
  8. Coat with cinnamon sugar. While the donuts are still warm but not hot, brush each one generously with melted butter. Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl. Roll each buttered donut in the cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated.

Notes

Don’t skip cooling the reduced cider—adding hot cider to the egg mixture can scramble the eggs. Room temperature ingredients matter for even baking. Pipe the batter for better control. Watch baking time closely to avoid dry donuts. Coat while warm for best sugar adhesion. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, use melted coconut oil or vegan butter and almond milk with lemon juice. For a maple glaze option, whisk 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon milk. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Freeze uncoated for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: baked apple cider donuts, easy donut recipe, fall donuts, cinnamon sugar donuts, homemade donuts, apple cider donuts

Find it online: https://grubella.com/best-baked-apple-cider-donuts-recipe-easy-and-homemade/