Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts Recipe (2024)

By Erin Jeanne McDowell

Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts Recipe (1)

Total Time
About 35 minutes
Rating
5(5,536)
Notes
Read community notes

This recipe yields the classic flavor of baked cider doughnuts. For the most traditional result, a doughnut pan is recommended, but you can also bake these off in a muffin pan.

Featured in: Bring the Apple Cider Doughnuts to You

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Ingredients

Yield:12 doughnuts or muffins

  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • cup/225 grams all-purpose flour
  • teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1cup/225 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
  • ¾cup/165 grams light brown sugar
  • ¾cup/150 grams granulated sugar
  • 2large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½cup/120 milliliters apple cider

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

333 calories; 17 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 42 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 27 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 198 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 (6-cavity) doughnut pans (or a 12-cup muffin tin) with nonstick spray. In a medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and nutmeg and whisk to combine. Set aside.

  2. Step

    2

    In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream 10 tablespoons/140 grams butter, brown sugar and ¼ cup/50 grams granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until well incorporated after each addition, scraping the bowl as necessary. Beat in the vanilla extract.

  3. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated. With the mixer running, add the apple cider in a slow, steady stream and mix to combine. Scrape the bowl well to make sure the batter is hom*ogeneous.

  4. Step

    4

    Spoon the batter into prepared doughnut pans, filling them about ⅔ of the way. (You can also do this using a disposable piping bag or a resealable plastic bag with a ½-inch opening cut from one corner.) Bake until evenly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the thickest portion comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through baking. (If you are making muffins, divide batter evenly between the prepared cups and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating halfway through.)

  5. Step

    5

    While the doughnuts bake, whisk the remaining ½ cup/100 grams granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon together in a small bowl to combine. In a separate small bowl, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in the microwave. Let the doughnuts cool for 5 minutes after baking, then unmold them from the pans, brush with the melted butter and dredge them in the cinnamon sugar while they are still warm. Serve immediately, or let cool to room temperature.

Ratings

5

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5,536

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Roberta

I used 1/2 cup of cider that I’d reduced so that there was more cider flavors. Wonderful.

VicRos

These were absolutely delicious! I used apple cider from my local farmer’s market and followed the recipe exactly. I made muffins (because I was not patient enough to wait for my donut tin to arrive) and found that they needed closer to 20 min than 15. They came out moist and full of flavor, and barely made it out of my kitchen.

Bibi

Here is how I transcribed the recipe onto my doc. I also numbered the steps. INGREDIENTSNonstick cooking sprayFor the Batter1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder¾ teaspoon fine sea salt1 teaspoon ground cinnamon½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg10 tablespoons unsalted butter ¾ cup light brown sugar¼ cup grams granulated sugar2 large eggs, at room temperature1 teaspoon vanilla extract½ cup apple ciderFor the Topping6 T butter1 tsp cinnamon½ c sugar

Melissa

Add a quarter teaspoon of cardamom to the sugar topping. Over-the-moon good.

Alan

If it’s pale and yella, you’ve got juice there, fella. If it’s tangy and brown, you’re in Cider Town!

MK

Doughnuts make me happy therefore in my opinion they are healthy.

Heidi

Would love to see this recipe *edited* to separate the butter & sugar needed to coat the baked doughnuts. (I.e. a section with ingredients “For the batter” and another with ingredients “For the coating”.As it is written, unless you read the text of the recipe very carefully you can add the extra 1/2 cup sugar and an extra 6 tablespoons of butter to the batter! Also you don’t need to melt all 6 tablespoons of butter to brush on the baked doughnuts; about 3 T. works fine to coat the top.

Jane

I made these in a Madeleine pan. Made 24. Absolutely gorgeous. I reduced 1 cup of apple cider to 1/2 cup as suggested. I ate 4 the second I finished dredging the first batch in sugar.

Allison

Delicious! Will be using this a LOT!Baked these in mini donut pans, made 48 minis.Reduced 1 cup cider to 1/2 cup for concentrated flavor.Baked 9 minutes.For minis, just needed 4 Tbsp melted butter (not 6 Tbsp) for brushing after baking.

dimmerswitch

If you are reducing apple cider it concentrates the sugar in the apple cider. So a half cup of the reduction will be sweeter than a half cup of apple cider. How much sweeter will depend on how far you reduce it. But if reducing it to maple syrup'ish thickness, as Martha Gonzalez suggests, be aware you likely will need to reduce the sugar content of the donuts to avoid over sweet outcome. And redux in sugar can change baking chemistry for volume and texture of finished product.

Maureen

Too tender. I would recommend cutting the butter in the batter to 5 TBSP, and using 1/2 cup of sugar (mix of brown and white) and just one egg in the batter.Agree with the suggestion to reduce melted butter to 3 TBSP; that and 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon is enough for the coating.Donut pan should be well greased and floured. Just using cooking spray was not enough, even with a "non-stick" pan.

Deborah

Oh. My. God. These are heavenly, and I live in Vermont where apple cider doughnuts are ubiquitous in the autumn at rural farm stands. These are (shhhh!) better. I made the recipe exactly as described, except for replacing a splash of the cider with King Arthur Flour’s boiled cider syrup, which gives (roughly) the same effect as those who opted to reduce their cider by half before incorporating 1/2 cup of it into the batter. The texture remains light, tender, and delicious. A keeper!

Lizibet

At high altitude (this worked GREAT at 7,000 ft)*Adjust flour to scant 2 cups*Reduce sugar by 2 T. total IN the RECIPE MIXTURE (I used 3/4 C brown sugar + 2 T granulated)*Reduce butter by 2 T. IN the RECIPE MIXTURE (I used 8 T butter, or 1 stick, instead of 10 T.)*Increase apple cider by about 3 T (I used 2/3 C. cider, or 10-2/3 T., instead of 1/2 C, or 8 T.)Follow recipe directions (with amended ingredients). Bake at 350;15-20 min. Finish as originally directed.

Sally

We made them with an electric hand mixer. They come out just fine.

CookinTheBooks

I made this recipe this weekend - with a couple tweaks - and the result is AMAZING. Firstly, I boiled down a half gallon of apple cider to about 2 1/2 cups and used the reduced apple cider for the recipe. I cut down on each sugar slightly, just because I ran out of sugar, and it was still incredibly delicious. I'll be making this again VERY soon.

Caitlin

So so so good. I reduced 2 cups apple cider down to 1/2 cup. Added just 3/4 c brown sugar to batter. I made the batter, put it in the (muffin) pan, and left in the fridge overnight so all I would have to do for breakfast is bake them. In the morning I put the pan directly from fridge to oven while it was preheating. Once the oven reached 350 I set the timer for 15 minutes. Turned out amazing!!!

EHSMD

We were out of AP flour so I subbed kodiak hi protein pancake mix for the flour/baking powder. Otherwise followed the recipe as written, baked in a mini donut pan (the only donut pan I have)…tasty even before the butter/sugar/cinnamon dredging, but truly delish with the bells and whistles per the recipe. Will make again.

Doughnut

Use baking spray with flourMake more than 12 donuts, so the hole doesn’t fill in

Doughnut Do’s

Make more than 12, so doughnut hole doesn’t fill inSpray pans with baking spray with flour

Ijus Kann

SO good.

becky

I used 150 g brown sugar instead of 165 and didn’t miss the extra. I’ll keep reducing it until I notice a bad change. Also, these made more than 12 donuts for me. Probably at least 18.

Drew

I made this with King Arthur gluten-free flour and it's the best gluten-free donut I've ever eaten.

Tamra

Wonderful! I a half cup of reduced cider....very flavorful!

Betty Watson

Remember to read the whole recipe first so you don’t add the ingredients in the order listed and find out later half the butter, sugar, and cinnamon belong in the topping.

KT

My donuts have double the cinnamon because of this. I caught it before the butter and sugar were added. Usually, recipes state "divided" in the ingredients list if portions are added in separate steps.

Montanna

Love this recipe! I peel and chop up 2 apples into small pieces and add to the batter for extra apple taste. These are always a hit!

Elizabeth

Super easy and quite tasty! I drizzled a teeny bit of caramel on top of the warm doughnuts for fun. Not bad. Will definitely make these little delectables again! Happy Holidays!

Nellie

Made as directed, there’s not much of apple cider flavor. Tasty but not as expected.

Denise

How long do they last in the fridge? I'm making them for the grandkids for TG and trying to see what I can bake early. thanks!

Elly

Just made these. Very good as written, but next time I will be heavy-handed on the spices and reduce the cider for a bit more fall flavor. The pans I used were new and were non-stick. The doughnuts popped right out. I didn’t need all of the melted butter, so next time I’ll use less as others have suggested.

Trev

First crack at this recipe replaced the apple cider with caffe coretto with the short blacks adjusted with homemade Nocino. Other versions have included Irish Whiskey in the coffee. For some reason I have an aversion to Apple Cider so have not used it. I have compromised though by grating some Apple, sprinkling with cardamon and drying off in a low oven before mixing in the batter.

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Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to bake or fry Doughnuts? ›

While many prefer the light and crispy texture of a fried donut, leaving the deep fryer in the cabinet and baking your cake donuts instead makes for healthier, less oily donuts. It's also safer and easier to clean up, given that you don't have to deal with lots of hot oil.

What makes apple cider donuts different? ›

For starters, the TEXTURE. They're so soft and pillowy but remain really moist and tender. This is due to the fact that these donuts are made with oil instead of butter. Apple sauce is also added to further that moist texture.

Can you bake donuts instead of deep frying? ›

With these no fry doughnuts, there's no messing about with hot oil or time spent standing over a hot pan. Oven baked doughnuts have a fairly different texture to the traditional deep fried versions. You'll find that they're much more cake-like and less chewy, hence often being referred to as cake doughnuts!

Are apple cider donuts good? ›

Flavor: Flavor-wise, they're APPLE and CINNAMON and SPICE all over. They taste like they're straight from the bakery! Ease: A simple mix of wet and dry ingredients plus the apple cider concentrate makes these a snap to prepare for crisp fall mornings. No mixer, rolling pin, or donut cutter required!

Do baked donuts taste as good as fried? ›

No, baked donuts do not taste the same as fried donuts. The cooking method affects the texture, flavor, and appearance of the donuts.

Why are apple cider doughnuts so good? ›

There's something almost magical about being at an orchard or fall fair (or even your favorite doughnut shop) and taking that first bite of an apple cider doughnut. A good one is tender yet cakey, has a delicate crust, and is lightly spiced, with an apple-y tang. And it's best eaten warm.

What are apple cider donuts called? ›

Cider doughnuts are cake doughnuts that get their flavor from cinnamon, nutmeg and apple cider used in the batter. They are a harvest tradition in autumn in the northeastern United States and are sometimes sold at cider mills.

What's the deal with apple cider donuts? ›

Apple cider doughnuts are very similar to traditional cake or buttermilk doughnuts but have the additional ingredient of cider or apple juice. The doughnuts are likely associated with fall because of the harvest of apples and farm animals.

What makes doughnut soft and fluffy? ›

To make light and fluffy donuts, make sure that your dough is properly risen by allowing it to rest in a warm place until it doubles in size. Also, avoid overmixing the dough as it can lead to a denser texture. Handling the dough gently and not overworking it will help maintain the desired fluffiness.

Are Krispy Kreme donuts deep fried or baked? ›

Like most doughnuts, Krispy Kremes are fried (cooked in oil). Frying cooks the dough rapidly from the outside in to give the doughnuts their distinctive crispy texture. The flipper turns the doughnuts over midway through the oil.

Why are my baked donuts dense? ›

Use a good-quality bread flour that has a high protein content, as this will give your dough the structure it needs to rise and become light and fluffy. Make sure to use the right amount of yeast for your dough. Too much yeast will cause the dough to rise too quickly, resulting in a denser texture.

What pairs well with apple cider donuts? ›

Nothing pairs better with our apple cider donuts than a nice, creamy slathering of our Chiles Family Orchards apple butter. If you're looking to branch out into more fall flavors, try our rich and scrumptious pumpkin butter. A good tip for this dessert is to heat up your apple butter and toast your donut.

What is a fun fact about apple cider donuts? ›

Cider donuts originated with the American colonialists. With fall as the butchering season, there was a surplus of leftover fat from the animals. To use it up, colonial cooks would mix the seasonal apples with fry dough, and eventually, cider donuts became a homespun Halloween treat.

Why are they called apple cider donuts? ›

Cider Donuts are to be eaten with cider, that's where the name comes from. So if you grew up in rural New England, as I did, you have indelible memories of the smell of cider donuts at Apple Orchards this time of year.

Does Krispy Kreme bake or fry donuts? ›

Like most doughnuts, Krispy Kremes are fried (cooked in oil). Frying cooks the dough rapidly from the outside in to give the doughnuts their distinctive crispy texture. The flipper turns the doughnuts over midway through the oil.

Does Dunkin donuts bake or fry their donuts? ›

He, along with 30 other franchisees, built a central kitchen. There the donuts are “baked fresh every single night” and shipped out every morning to each location before they opened.

Why bake instead of fry? ›

The oxidised oils can cause many possible health problems including damage to the heart, kidney and lungs. Consuming oxidised oils can also lead to the increased risk of high blood pressure and atherosclerosis. As baking requires no addition of oils, it does not cause any oxidation.

Are Starbucks donuts baked or fried? ›

Starbucks is an old-fashioned doughnut (made with baking soda and baked in an oven) while Krispy Kreme uses a yeasted dough that's fried. That makes the doughnut delightfully pillowy, collapsing as soon as you take your first bite.

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