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Easy Baked Apple Cider Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar

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These baked apple cider donuts have a light, tender crumb and a cinnamon-sugar crust that stays put. Made with reduced apple cider for concentrated flavor, they bake in under 10 minutes and taste like autumn in a bakery.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (240 ml) apple cider (not apple juice)
  • 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Reduce the apple cider: Pour 1 cup apple cider into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until reduced to about 1/4 cup, roughly 12-15 minutes, swirling occasionally. Pour into a small bowl and let cool.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 6-cavity donut pan generously with non-stick cooking spray.
  3. Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  4. Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter (6 tablespoons), granulated sugar, and brown sugar until combined. Add egg, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and cooled reduced apple cider. Whisk until smooth.
  5. Combine wet and dry: Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined—a few lumps are fine. Do not over-mix.
  6. Fill the pan: Transfer batter to a piping bag or zip-top bag with a 1/2-inch corner snipped off. Pipe batter into each donut cavity, filling about 2/3 to 3/4 full.
  7. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out clean. Donuts should spring back when gently pressed.
  8. Cool and coat: Let donuts cool in the pan for exactly 2 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. While still warm (about 2-3 minutes out of the oven), brush each donut generously with melted butter, then immediately dip into the cinnamon sugar mixture, turning to coat all sides.
  9. Repeat with remaining batter: Let the pan cool slightly, wipe clean, re-spray, and bake the next batch. Coat each batch while warm.
  10. Serve warm, preferably within an hour of baking.

Notes

Don’t over-mix the batter to avoid tough donuts. The reduced apple cider is key for concentrated flavor—let it cool before adding to batter. Brush donuts with melted butter while warm (2-3 minutes out of the oven) for the coating to stick. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days; re-crisp in a 300°F oven for 3-4 minutes. Freeze uncoated donuts for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: baked donuts, apple cider donuts, cinnamon sugar donuts, fall baking, easy donut recipe, baked donuts without frying, apple cider recipe

Find it online: https://juliamadeit.com/easy-baked-apple-cider-donuts-with-cinnamon-sugar-2/