Baked Apple Cider Donuts

These homemade, easy baked apple cider donuts use a combination of reduced apple cider (using the microwave) and melted butter in both the donut batter and the cinnamon sugar coating for maximum apple cider flavor. No need for a special trip to the apple orchard – recipe makes 8 soft and crispy apple cider donuts in your own kitchen!

If you want more apple cider recipes or if you don’t have a donut pan, try my apple cider donut muffins and apple cider donut bars!

Why you’ll love this easy apple cider donut recipe

Raise your hand if you go to the apple orchard ENTIRELY for the crispy, deep-fried apple cider donuts at the farm store (ok, and maybe for Instagram). Me too. There’s no point in denying it.

There’s more to this classic fall donut than spices and sugar, however! It has to have distinct apple cider flavor WITH the spices to compliment. I can’t stand tasteless, too-sweet, not-apple-cidery donuts. I had one from a donut shop here in Chicago that was so bland I couldn’t finish more than a couple bites!

Strong apple flavor: I knew I had to come up with a recipe for homemade apple cider donuts that reliably delivered fall flavors. I did the research and the hard work of testing, testing, testing, and discovered that reduced apple cider (aka boiled apple cider) in both the batter AND the glaze is necessary to achieve a strong apple flavor.

Baked, not fried: I created this recipe for an easy, healthier, baked version of the apple cider donuts we all love so you don’t have to brave wasps and crying children at the local apple orchard just to get your fix. You know, I’m always looking out for you.

What makes this recipe easier than others?

• Uses the microwave to reduce the apple cider and melt the butter. I’ve found using a glass measuring cup like a Pyrex in the microwave is the easiest way to ensure the cider has reduced by exactly half (1 cup to 1/2 cup of cider). No guesswork involved and no additional pans to clean! Of course, you can use a saucepan on the stove if you prefer.
• Simple method: the same apple cider reduction is used in both the donut batter and the glaze, and there’s no mixer needed — just a couple bowls and a whisk.
• Uses the same pastry brush to both grease the donut pan and brush the baked donuts with the apple cider/butter glaze before coating them in cinnamon sugar. I’m all about efficiency.
• Makes just 8 soft cake donuts, so you aren’t spending all morning standing by the stove AND no fear of burning yourself while deep frying.
• Adaptable: if you don’t have a donut pan, you can use a muffin pan and make my Apple Cider Donut Muffins (the same recipe but in muffin form) or my Apple Cider Donut Bars.

Ingredients

Here’s what you need:

• Fresh apple cider. Not apple cider vinegar, not hard cider or alcoholic cider. There really is no substitute for this; it’s essentially unfiltered apple juice. I know it’s seasonal and isn’t generally available outside the United States, so if you can’t find it, apple juice is your best bet. We’re going to boil it down by half to concentrate the flavor and we’ll use it in both the batter and the glaze.
• Unsalted butter. It will be melted in with the reduced apple cider and used in the batter and glaze.
• Granulated sugar. Not much, only 1/4 cup in the batter and a light coating on the outside of the donuts. You could use brown sugar or coconut sugar if you prefer.
• Egg. For binding.
• Greek yogurt. For moisture. You can substitute sour cream or plant-based Greek-style yogurt if you’d like.
• Vanilla extract. Flavor!
• All-purpose flour. You can substitute a gluten-free 1:1 mix if needed.
• Baking powder and baking soda for the rise and fluffy texture.
• Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Cozy, warm fall spices. You could use apple pie spice if you prefer.
• Salt. Because baked goods don’t taste right without it.

How to make baked apple cider donuts, step by step

Reduce the apple cider

1. Boil the apple cider until it is reduced by half. The easiest way to do this is in a microwave using a glass measuring cup like a Pyrex. I recommend using a 2-cup measuring cup so the cider has enough room to boil, and covering it with plastic wrap with a couple holes poked to prevent the cider from getting all over the inside of your microwave.
2. Note: You can also reduce the cider in a small saucepan on the stove if you prefer. This extra step of boiling the cider yields ALL the flavor, so it’s worth your time.

Make the donut batter

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease one or two donut pans (recipe makes 8 donuts). I do this by dipping a pastry brush in melted butter and swirling it through each donut well.
2. Mix the hot reduced cider with butter so it melts, then set aside 2 tbsp of that mixture for the glaze later.
3. Whisk 1/2 cup of the cider/butter mixture (cooled slightly so it doesn’t cook the egg) with the rest of the wet ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the wet and stir with a rubber spatula just until a batter forms with no remaining pockets of flour.
4. Add batter to a doughnut pans with a spoon, or pipe it in using a pastry bag or piping bag. You want each donut well to be about 2/3 full. This recipe makes 8 donuts so you’ll either need 2 pans or just use one twice.
5. Bake for 9-11 minutes until puffed and golden brown on the edges.

Make the apple cider glaze and cinnamon sugar coating

1. While the donuts bake, melt 3 more Tablespoons of butter and mix it with the remaining 2 Tablespoons cider/butter mixture you set aside earlier. Make sure you use a bowl large enough to dip the donuts in (or you can just brush the glaze over them with a pastry brush).
2. Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a separate medium bowl for coating the donuts.

Glaze and coat the donuts in cinnamon sugar

1. Remove the hot baked donuts to a wire rack or parchment paper using oven mitts and a flexible spatula. When cool enough to handle, dip each donut in the apple cider mixture or brush on with a pastry brush, then dip the buttered side in the cinnamon sugar and swirl to coat.
2. You can coat both sides of the donut but I find it easiest to handle them when only one side is coated!
3. ENJOY WARM APPLE CIDER DONUTS YOU MADE YOURSELF. No crowds, no wasps, no problems.

Additions and Substitutions

• Apple cider: American unfiltered apple cider is best here. If you don’t have access to apple cider, unfiltered apple juice is the best substitute. Do not use alcoholic apple cider.
• Make it gluten-free: In place of the all-purpose flour, substitute an equal volume (1 cup) or equal weight (125g) of a gluten-free all-purpose flour mix that contains xanthan gum. I tested and like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Baking Flour.
• Dairy-free: use a plant-based butter and plant-based Greek-style yogurt.
• Muffins: if you don’t have a donut pan, this recipe will make 6 regular muffins. Follow the directions in my apple cider donut muffins recipe.
• Donut holes: this recipe will make 12 mini muffins aka donut holes; if making mini muffins, follow all the same directions as the donuts but bake for 5 minutes at 425F (to make them rise tall) and then 5 more minutes at 350F WITHOUT opening the oven door (check often for doneness).

Storage

These baked apple cider donuts can be stored:

• At room temperature: Donuts are best eaten the same day, although they will keep for up to two days in an airtight container.
• In the refrigerator, for up to 5 days, although they will go stale fairly quickly so I’d recommend freezing them instead (below).
• In the freezer, wrapped tightly and stored in a freezer bag, for up to 3 months.  Thaw donuts at room temperature for an hour or in the microwave for 15-20 seconds and enjoy.

More Fall Breakfast Recipes

• Apple Cider Muffins
• Apple Cider Donut Bars
• Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze
• Easy Pumpkin Spice Muffins

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4.93 from 13 votes

Baked Apple Cider Donuts

No need to make a special trip to the apple orchard – these homemade baked apple cider donuts are the real deal. The recipe uses reduced apple cider in the batter and the glaze for maximum flavor, and the entire donut is coated in cinnamon sugar for the perfect crunch.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple cider, baked donuts

Servings: 8 donuts

Author: katiebirdbakes.com

Ingredients

For the Baked Apple Cider Donuts:

• 1 cup (236 ml) apple cider (see instructions below)*
• 3 Tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 Tablespoons (40g) plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• Pinch ground cloves
• Pinch salt

For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

• 3 Tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter
• Remaining reduced cider (see instructions below), about 2 tbsp
• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

For the Baked Apple Cider Donuts:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 6-cup donut pans (or one, you'll just have to re-use it for the last couple donuts).
• Reduce the apple cider: In the microwave in a 2-cup glass measuring cup or bowl covered in plastic wrap or wax paper, heat cider on high for 8-10 minutes until reduced to 1/2 cup (118 ml). Alternatively, on the stove, heat the apple cider over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a gentle boil.  Continue to simmer, stirring every minute or two, until it is reduced by about half, around 10 minutes. 
• Once cider is reduced, whisk in the butter until it is melted and combined, and set mixture aside for a few minutes to cool.  It will be a little syrupy in texture.  You need 1/2 cup (118 ml) of this reduced cider/butter mixture for the donuts, and 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) for the glaze.
• In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup (118 ml) of the reduced cider/butter mixture, sugar, egg, yogurt, and vanilla until well-combined. 
• In a separate medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients – flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
• Pour the dry ingredients into the wet, and stir to combine with a large spoon or spatula. Stir until the ingredients are just combined, with no big patches of flour. Do not over mix – if you do, the donuts will be tough, and no one wants that.
• Spoon the batter into the donut cavities, or pipe them in by filling a gallon-sized bag with the batter, then snipping off a corner for a makeshift pastry bag. Fill each cavity about 2/3 of the way full, or else your donuts won’t have holes in the middle! The recipe yields 8 donuts, so if you only have one donut pan, you’ll have to bake the first 6 and then the other 2 afterwards.
• Bake for 9-11 minutes, until risen and browned on the edges (mine were done at 10). Set aside to cool for 2-3 minutes, then remove to a wire rack set over parchment paper or a baking sheet. Bake the remaining two donuts now if you only have one pan.

For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

• While the donuts are baking, melt 3 Tablespoons (42g) of butter in a small bowl (big enough to dip the donuts in).  Whisk in the remaining 2 Tbsp of reduced cider/butter mixture from the beginning of the recipe. In another similar-sized bowl, whisk together sugar and cinnamon.
• One by one, dip one side of the warm donuts (you should be able to handle them easily) into the butter/cider mixture, then into the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Make sure to coat the donuts with as much cinnamon sugar as desired!

Video

Notes

Storage: Donuts are best eaten the same day, although they will keep for up to two days, covered tightly and stored at room temperature.  Baked donuts can also be frozen, wrapped tightly in plastic, for up to 3 months.  Thaw at room temperature for an hour or in the microwave for 15-20 seconds and enjoy.

Substitutions and Customizations:

• Apple cider: American unfiltered apple cider is best here. If you don’t have access to apple cider, unfiltered apple juice is the best substitute. Do not use alcoholic apple cider.
• Make it gluten-free: In place of the all-purpose flour, substitute an equal volume (1 cup) or equal weight (125g) of a gluten-free all-purpose flour mix that contains xanthan gum. I tested and like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Baking Flour.
• Dairy-free: use a plant-based butter and plant-based Greek-style yogurt.
• Muffins: if you don’t have a donut pan, this recipe will make 6 regular muffins. Follow the directions in my apple cider donut muffins recipe.
• Donut holes: this recipe will make 12 mini muffins aka donut holes; if making mini muffins, follow the same directions as the donuts but bake for 5 minutes at 425F (to make them rise tall) and then 5 more minutes at 350F WITHOUT opening the oven door (check often for doneness).

Here are the donut pans I use and love.  They’re dishwasher-safe!

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