Easy Homemade Baked Apple Cider Donuts

Nothing says fall is here like baked apple cider donuts! Perfectly spiced and fluffy, these tender cake donuts make the most delicious taste of the season. Dipped in melted butter and dunked in cinnamon sugar, reduced apple cider along with my favorite warming spices gives these easy homemade donuts plenty of flavor!

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Baked doughnuts are my favorite way to enjoy the taste of apple cider donuts without the mess of deep frying or any special equipment (no mixer required!).

From start to finish, these stir together donuts come together in about 30 minutes and taste just like all the cozy flavors of fall: apple, cinnamon, butter, and spice!

Make your own apple cider at home (guidance included below) or use organic apple cider (often available at the farmers’ market).

Love apple cider desserts? Try my popular apple cider bundt cake or apple cider layer cake with caramel frosting next!

Make Homemade Apple Cider

To make your own apple cider, combine 2 cups pure apple juice with 1 apple, cut into 1/2-inch wedges and 4 teaspoons of mulling spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes. Strain into a glass bowl or measuring cup.

Return 1 cup apple cider to the saucepan and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup. Let cool to room temperature before using in the doughnut batter.

Tips for Easy Baked Donuts

For easy baked doughnuts, transfer the batter to a large piping bag and fill each donut cup 3/4 full. Bake doughnuts until golden and the tops spring back to the touch. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool, and then it’s time to dunk!

Melt the butter in one bowl, and combine the sugar and cinnamon in a second shallow bowl. Dip the donut tops lightly in melted butter, then dunk in cinnamon-sugar. Repeat with the other side.

For really delicious donuts, give the tops a second dunk in cinnamon-sugar, then enjoy!

Craving more baked donuts?

• Fudgy Baked Chocolate Donuts
• Baked Maple Doughnuts
• Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts
• Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

Easy Homemade Baked Apple Cider Donuts

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Laura Kasavan
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 9 minutes
• Total Time: 34 minutes
• Yield: 12 doughnuts
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Baked apple cider donuts make the best fall treat! Perfectly spiced and tender, you’ll love these easy cake doughnuts made with apple cider!

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Ingredients

Donuts

• 1 cup apple cider
• 2 cups cake flour (see note below)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Topping

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon

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Instructions

1. Reduce apple cider: Add apple cider to a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 425°F and spray a standard donut pan with nonstick spray.
3. Make doughnuts: Whisk together cake flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Combine buttermilk, cooled apple cider, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla in a medium bowl; add to flour mixture and fold in just until incorporated. Spoon batter into a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip and fill each doughnut cup 3/4 full.
4. Bake doughnuts for 8 to 9 minutes, until golden brown and the tops spring back when touched. Turn doughnuts out on a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter, allowing pan to cool completely and spraying with nonstick spray in between batches.
5. Coat in cinnamon sugar: Set rack with cooled doughnuts over a piece of waxed paper. Heat butter in a microwave-safe bowl until melted. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Dip doughnut tops lightly in melted butter, and dunk in cinnamon sugar; repeat with other side. If you have extra cinnamon sugar, dunk tops again.
6. Doughnuts taste best the first day – store leftover doughnuts at room temperature and warm briefly before serving or wrap well and freeze up to 2 months.

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Equipment

Doughnut Pans

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Mixing Bowls

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Notes

Homemade Apple Cider: Combine 2 cups pure apple juice with 1 apple (cut into 1/2-inch wedges) and 4 teaspoons of mulling spices in a heavy saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes. Strain into a glass bowl or measuring cup. Return 1 cup apple cider to the saucepan and reduce as directed in step 1.

To make your own cake flour: Place 2 tablespoons cornstarch in an empty 1-cup measure, then top up with all-purpose flour. Sift the mixture several times to evenly distribute the cornstarch.

Spices: For ease, you can also use apple pie spice.