Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts
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Nothing says fall is (almost) here than baked apple cider doughnuts! Perfectly spiced and fluffy, these tender cake doughnuts 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 baked apple cider doughnuts plenty of flavor!
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 Doughnuts
For easy baked doughnuts, transfer the batter to a large piping bag and fill each doughnut cup 3/4 full. Bake doughnuts until golden and the tops spring back to the touch. Turn doughnuts 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 doughnut tops lightly in melted butter, then dunk in cinnamon-sugar. Repeat with the other side. For really delicious doughnuts, give the tops a second dunk in cinnamon-sugar, then enjoy!
Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 minutes
- Total Time: 34 minutes
- Yield: 12 doughnuts
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Baked apple cider doughnuts make the best fall treat! Perfectly spiced and fluffy, you’ll love these easy cake doughnuts for breakfast or brunch!
Ingredients
Doughnuts
- 1 cup apple cider
- 2 cups cake flour (see note below)
- 3/4 cup 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 sugar
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Add apple cider to a 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.
- Preheat oven to 425°F and spray a standard doughnut pan with nonstick spray. 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. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, until 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Notes
The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products I use and love!
To make your own cake flour: place 2 tablespoons cornstarch in an empty 1-cup measure, then top up with flour. Sift the mixture several times to evenly distribute the cornstarch.
Keywords: Apple Cider, Doughnut, Baked Doughnut, Breakfast
Craving more baked doughnuts?
Baked Maple Doughnuts
Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts
Baked Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts
These doughnuts are so delicious with homemade apple cider. Highly recommend!
★★★★★
So happy to hear that, thank you Lisa! 🙂
This year we were robbed from enjoying apple cider donuts from the orchards. We didn’t feel safe taking the kids out during this pandemic. But WOW!!! You made our family memories live on. I made these today for an after school snack and they taste better than the ones we get at the orchards. Everyone loved them. Thanks so much for such an amazing recipe!!!
★★★★★
That makes my day! Thank you so much, Sandra! So glad these doughnuts could bring your family some baking joy this season. 🙂
We love these doughnuts for the weekend! They’re light and fluffy, and the cinnamon sugar topping is such a hit!
★★★★★
The cinnamon sugar coating is the best part! 🙂
These doughnuts are the perfect way to start the weekend! I love how light and fluffy these bake up from the buttermilk, and bonus – no oil splatters to clean up!
★★★★★
Absolutely! Have a great weekend, Steph! 🙂
These doughnuts are so easy and delicious, the whole family loved them!
★★★★★
So glad you tried this recipe, Allie! 🙂
These donuts were so delicious! I shared these with friends and they loved the flavors too! Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Yay, I’m so glad you tried these! Have a great weekend, Ana! 🙂
These are great! I didn’t have a doughnut pan so used a mini-muffing tin. The cooking time was the same. I reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup and used a gluten-free flour mix, and they came out great. Thanks.
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Kate! So glad to hear that! 🙂
These doughnuts baked up perfectly soft and pillowy. Great recipe!
★★★★★
Oooh, that cinnamon sugar! I’d love to give these a try this fall.
Thanks Abby! The cinnamon sugar definitely makes them irresistible! 🙂
Any way to make these gluten free?
Hi Karen, I would try using a cup for cup gluten-free flour.
Yum! I’d almost be afraid to take a bite as I think I could eat at least a half dozen! These sound terrific!
★★★★★
And since they’re baked, that half dozen is totally guilt free! 🙂