Baked Apple Cider Donuts

Delicious, baked apple cider donuts. The perfect way to celebrate the fall season! Make a fresh batch in 35 minutes.

This classic apple cider donut recipe boasts the irresistible flavor of donuts sold at apple-orchard bakery stands. Brushed with butter, and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, they’re light and flavorful with the perfect crumb!

ABOUT APPLE CIDER DONUTS

When the leaves change color, our family heads to Apple Hill in Northern California. We visit wineries, apple orchards, and on-site bake shops. We pick apples and pumpkins, and bring home jugs of fresh apple cider.

These cider donuts are filled with the rustic flavors and scents of fall in the foothills. Your kitchen will smell like an apple-orchard bakery!

MORE FALL RECIPES: GLAZED PUMPKIN HAND PIES, delicious PUMPKIN MUFFINS, classic ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS, and easy PUMPKIN PIE DIP.

INGREDIENTS FOR BAKED APPLE CIDER DONUTS

Here’s what you’ll need for this easy apple cider donut recipe:

DONUT BATTER

• Butter
• Granulated sugar
• Light brown sugar
• Large eggs
• Vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Sea salt
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground mace OR ground nutmeg
• Apple cider

DONUT COATING

• Melted butter
• Granulated sugar
• Ground Cinnamon

APPLE CIDER DONUT RECIPE

Follow these easy-step-by-step instructions for this apple-orchard favorite!

• STEP 1: This first step is OPTIONAL, but will give your donuts a greater depth of gorgeous apple flavor! On the stovetop, reduce one cup of apple cider down to one-half cup. Cool the liquid before beginning this recipe.
• STEP 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, one by one, mixing well after each addition.
• STEP 3: Add flour, salt, baking powder, and spices. Mix on low speed until all ingredients are well incorporated. As needed, stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
• STEP 4: With the mixer running, slowly stream in the apple cider.

BAKED APPLE CIDER DONUTS

These delicious fall favorites are baked not fried! Continue following this easy recipe for apple cider donuts:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Grease 2 donut pans with butter, or spray them with cooking spray.
3. Fill the donut pan cavities to 2/3 full. Do not overfill!
4. Bake for 15 minutes or until done. Cool in pan for 4-5 minutes.

COAT THE DONUTS

1. Melt the butter.
2. In a bowl, mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon.
3. Brush each donut with butter.
4. Dredge in sugar/cinnamon mixture.

EXPERT TIPS FOR BEST RESULTS

• • FOR THE ROBUST FLAVOR OF JUST-PICKED APPLES: Reduce one cup apple cider down to 1/2 cup. On the stovetop, simmer the cider in a small saucepan over low heat for 15-20 minutes. Transfer the liquid to a freezer-safe bowl. Cool it in the freezer for 10 minutes before adding it to the donut batter. Another option: use thick, pourable, apple cider concentrate (boiled cider syrup).
  • USE GROUND MACE if you have it! After all, it’s the primary flavor of donut-shop favorites. Because nutmeg is pretty close, it’s a great substitute for mace in most donut recipes, including this one.
  • HOW TO FILL DONUT PANS: Transfer batter to a large zip-top bag. Snip a corner of the bag. Pipe batter into donut pan cavities.
  • HOW TO KEEP SURFACE OF BAKED DONUTS SMOOTH: After removing donuts from the pan, cool on a baking tray. A cooling rack would leave unwanted marks across the surface!
  • CAN APPLE CIDER DONUTS BE FROZEN? Yes! This is the perfect recipe for freezing. Store them in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.
  • NO DONUT PAN? NO PROBLEM! Prep two muffin pans with cupcake liners. Fill each cavity 3/4 full. Bake at 350°F for about 18 minutes, or until a cake tester run through the middle of two separate muffins comes out clean. Makes one dozen apple cider donut muffins.
  • HOW TO BAKE APPLE CIDER DONUTS IN MINI DONUT PANS: Grease the pans. Fill the cavities 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350°F for 8-9 minutes. Makes 48 mini donuts.

  

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  I WANT WHAT SHE HAS

  It’s happiness in the kitchen when you have beautiful, high-quality kitchen tools! Here’s what I used to make this scrumptious recipe:

  • STAND MIXER
  • RUBBER SPATULA
  • DONUT PAN
  • RECIPE BOX
  • RECIPE CARDS

  RATE THIS RECIPE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

  This recipe produces the best apple cider donuts. They’re so darn tasty! Rate this recipe in the comments below.

  

  Print
  

  Baked Apple Cider Donuts

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  ★★★★★

  5 from 17 reviews

  • Author: Denay DeGuzman
  • Prep Time: 20 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 Minutes
  • Total Time: 35 Minutes
  • Yield: 15 Donuts 1x

  Print Recipe

  Pin Recipe

  Description

  Apple cider donuts are a fall favorite! Baked not fried, they’re lightly brushed with butter then sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. These are the farm-style donuts sold apple-orchard bakeries throughout the country.

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  Scale 1x2x3x

  Ingredients

  DONUT BATTER

  • 10 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup light-brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mace OR ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup apple cider*

  COATING FOR DONUTS

  • 6 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

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  Instructions

  RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the wells of two donut pans with butter, or spray them with cooking spray.

  1. Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs one by one, mixing well after each addition.
  2. Add flour, salt, baking powder, and spices. Mix on low speed until all ingredients are well incorporated. As needed, stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
  3. With your mixer running, slowly stream in the apple cider.
  4. Fill the donut pan cavities to 2/3 full. Bake for 15 minutes or until done. Allow donuts to cool in the pan for 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a baking tray.
  5. Melt 6 tablespoons butter. In a bowl, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon. While the donuts are still warm, brush them with melted butter. Dip them into the cinnamon sugar.

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  Notes

  EXPERT TIPS FOR BEST RESULTS

  • FOR THE ROBUST FLAVOR OF JUST-PICKED APPLES: Reduce one cup apple cider down to 1/2 cup. On the stovetop, simmer the cider in a small saucepan over low heat for 15-20 minutes. Transfer the liquid to a freezer-safe bowl. Cool it in the freezer for 10 minutes before adding it to the donut batter. Another option: use thick, pourable, apple cider concentrate (boiled cider syrup).
  • USE GROUND MACE if you have it! After all, it’s the primary flavor of donut-shop favorites. Because nutmeg is pretty close, it’s a great substitute for mace in most donut recipes, including this one.
  • HOW TO FILL DONUT PANS: Transfer batter to a large zip-top bag. Snip a corner of the bag. Pipe batter into donut pan cavities.
  • HOW TO KEEP SURFACE OF BAKED DONUTS SMOOTH: After removing donuts from the pan, cool on a baking tray. A cooling rack would leave unwanted marks across the surface!
  • CAN APPLE CIDER DONUTS BE FROZEN? Yes they can! This is the perfect recipe for freezing. Store them in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.
  • NO DONUT PAN? NO PROBLEM! Prep two muffin pans with cupcake liners. Fill each cavity 3/4 full. Bake at 350°F for about 18 minutes, or until a cake tester run through the middle of two separate muffins comes out clean. Makes one dozen apple cider donut muffins.
  • HOW TO BAKE APPLE CIDER DONUTS IN MINI DONUT PANS: Grease the pans. Fill the cavities 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350°F for 8-9 minutes. Makes 48 mini donuts.

  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

  Keywords: Apple Cider Donuts, Baked Apple Cider Donuts

  

  BAKED APPLE CIDER DONUTS > JOIN THE CONVERSATION

  When was the last time you enjoyed a freshly-baked apple cider donut? Was it from a rural road-side stand? Share your favorite fall traditions in the comments below!