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Best Baked Apple Cider Donuts with Easy Cinnamon Sugar

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These baked apple cider donuts with cinnamon sugar are the recipe I kept coming back to until I got them exactly right. They taste like a trip to the orchard, but you can make them in your own kitchen without the mess of frying.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup apple cider (reduced to ¼ cup)
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (210g)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
  • 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)
  • ⅓ cup light brown sugar (packed, 70g)
  • ¼ cup buttermilk (60ml)
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled, 57g)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100g) (for coating)
  • 1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon (for coating)
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter (melted, 57g) (for coating)

Instructions

  1. Reduce the Apple Cider: Pour the 1 cup of apple cider into a small saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Let it bubble gently, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to about ¼ cup. This takes roughly 12-15 minutes. Set it aside to cool.
  2. Preheat and Prepare the Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease the cavities of your donut pan thoroughly with butter or non-stick spray.
  3. Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt. Whisk for about 20 seconds. Set aside.
  4. Combine the Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the egg until it is light and frothy, about 30 seconds. Add the light brown sugar, buttermilk, melted butter, vanilla extract, and the cooled reduced apple cider. Whisk until smooth.
  5. Combine Wet and Dry: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold them together gently. Stir only until you no longer see streaks of flour. A few small lumps are fine.
  6. Fill the Donut Pan: Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a zip-top bag. Snip off the tip (about ½ inch wide). Pipe the batter into the prepared donut cavities, filling each one about ¾ full.
  7. Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. The donuts are done when they are golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  8. Cool Briefly: Let the donuts cool in the pan for 2-3 minutes. Then, turn them out onto a cooling rack.
  9. Prepare the Cinnamon Sugar Coating: While the donuts are cooling, mix the ½ cup granulated sugar and 1½ tablespoons ground cinnamon in a shallow dish. Melt the ¼ cup unsalted butter in a small bowl.
  10. Coat the Donuts: While the donuts are still warm, use a pastry brush to coat both sides with melted butter. Immediately dip the buttered donut into the cinnamon sugar mixture, turning to coat both sides and the edges. Place the coated donuts back on the cooling rack to set.
  11. Repeat with Remaining Batter: If you have more batter, wipe out the donut pan, re-grease it, and repeat the process. This recipe makes about 10-12 donuts.

Notes

Don’t skip reducing the cider—it concentrates the flavor and removes excess moisture. Room temperature ingredients matter; let them sit out for 20-30 minutes. Don’t overmix the batter. Grease the pan thoroughly. Coat the donuts while they are still warm for the best sugar adhesion. Bake in batches if you only have one pan, letting it cool completely between batches.

Nutrition

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

Find it online: https://leilameals.com/best-baked-apple-cider-donuts-with-easy-cinnamon-sugar/