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Perfect Baked Apple Cider Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar

baked apple cider donuts - featured image
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These baked apple cider donuts are tender, cakey, and coated in cinnamon sugar. Made with reduced apple cider for intense flavor, they’re a cozy fall treat without the mess of deep frying.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup fresh apple cider
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • ¼ cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Reduce the apple cider: Pour 1 cup fresh apple cider into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about ¼ cup (15-20 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool completely.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a standard 6-cavity donut pan thoroughly with non-stick spray or butter.
  3. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt until evenly distributed.
  4. Mix wet ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together egg, melted butter, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and cooled reduced cider until smooth.
  5. Combine wet and dry ingredients: Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients. Fold gently with a spatula or wooden spoon just until no streaks of flour remain (10-12 strokes). Do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine.
  6. Fill donut pan: Transfer batter to a piping bag or zip-top bag with corner snipped off. Pipe batter into prepared pan, filling each cavity about ¾ full.
  7. Bake: Place pan in preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, until donuts spring back when touched and edges are lightly golden. A toothpick inserted into thickest part should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  8. Cool in pan: Let donuts cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
  9. Coat with cinnamon sugar: While donuts are still warm, brush each generously with melted butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated.
  10. Repeat with remaining batter: Let pan cool slightly, re-grease, and pipe in remaining batter. Bake and coat as before.

Notes

Don’t skip reducing the cider—it concentrates the apple flavor. Room temperature ingredients matter for proper mixing. Overmixing batter makes donuts dense. Use a piping bag for clean filling. Coat donuts while warm, not hot, for best sugar adhesion. For make-ahead, coat just before serving to maintain crunch. Store uncoated donuts in freezer for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

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

Find it online: https://twinkletaste.com/perfect-baked-apple-cider-donuts-with-cinnamon-sugar/