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Best Baked Apple Cider Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar

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These baked apple cider donuts are soft, tender, and coated in a crunchy cinnamon sugar topping. Made with reduced apple cider for intense flavor, they’re a cozy fall treat that’s ready in about 30 minutes without any deep frying.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 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
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for coating)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (for coating)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon (for coating)

Instructions

  1. Reduce the apple cider: Pour 1 cup apple cider into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about ¼ cup. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a standard 6-cavity donut pan thoroughly with butter or non-stick spray.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt until well combined.
  4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together egg, melted butter, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and reduced apple cider until smooth.
  5. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are okay.
  6. Transfer batter to a piping bag or zip-top bag with a corner snipped off. Pipe batter into prepared donut pan, filling each cavity about ¾ full.
  7. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until donuts are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
  8. While donuts are still warm, brush each generously with melted butter. Dip into cinnamon sugar mixture (½ cup sugar + 1½ teaspoons cinnamon), turning to coat both sides and edges. Serve immediately.

Notes

Don’t skip reducing the apple cider—it concentrates the flavor and prevents soggy donuts. Use room temperature ingredients for best texture. Coat donuts while still warm so the cinnamon sugar sticks well. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, use melted coconut oil and dairy-free milk with lemon juice.

Nutrition

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

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