Homemade apple cider donuts are cakey, dense, and intensely flavored. Baked, not fried, these fall treats come together quickly and easily—a convenient recipe with no mixer required. The trick for big flavor is to use concentrated apple cider. Make the morning less hectic by reducing the apple cider the night before. Read on for all the tips you need to make this Fall favorite!
I love those delicious donuts that you get at the bakery…they’re rich, dense, and smell absolutely amazing. If you’ve ever tried my chai spice donuts, pumpkin donuts, or cinnamon sugar donuts, you know that those bakery beauties definitely inspired my donut recipes. They are somewhat dense and very muffin-like. These baked apple cider donuts are no exception, though they are a little heavier with a more substantial and moister crumb.
Tell Me About these Apple Cider Donuts
- Texture: If you like cakey, moist, and dense donuts with a crumbly cinnamon-sugar coating, then look no further than this recipe.
- 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! Simply add the batter to a donut pan—I use and love this one. If you only have 1 pan, just bake a batch at a time.
- Time: In less than an hour, you’ll have an entire plate stacked high with homemade apple cider donuts.
This Trick Changes Everything
The trick to apple cider donuts is to flavor them with concentrated apple cider. Apple cider that has been reduced down on the stove is thick and potent, adding big flavor without excess liquid. Apple cider, either store-bought or this homemade apple cider, is certainly delicious to drink but it won’t add enough flavor to baked goods. Taking 20 minutes to reduce the cider down transforms regular donuts into amazing apple cider donuts. If you like to keep things simple in the morning, reduce the cider the night before. That will save you cooling time, too, because the cider must cool for a few minutes before you add it to the batter.
To reduce your apple cider, simply follow these simple steps:
- Pour 1½ cups apple cider into a small saucepan. We will reduce this to ½ cup.
- Place on low heat and set a timer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Begin checking at 10 minutes, and then every 3-5 minutes after that until you have ½ cup of cider reduction (approximately 20 minutes).
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before using in the batter.
It’s that easy! If you have leftover apple cider, use it in my honeycrisp apple sangria or apple cider sangria—or drink it plain.
Here’s my reduced down apple cider:
Choosing the Right Ingredients: Melted Butter & Apple Pie Spice
- Melted butter. The crown jewel of these donuts is the dip in melted butter, then a dunk in granulated sugar, cinnamon, and apple pie spice. Not only is it delicious, but the melted butter helps the sweet coating stick to the donut.
- Apple pie spice. If you don’t have access to store-bought apple pie spice, you can make your own with cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg.
By the way, if you’re a fall baking fanatic like me and love pumpkin treats, you might try making your own pumpkin pie spice blend, too! Use it in pumpkin-inspired favorites like pumpkin cookies, pumpkin cake, pumpkin bars, mini cinnamon sugar pumpkin muffins, pumpkin coffee creamer, and of course, pumpkin pie.
Overview: How to Make Baked Apple Cider Donuts
These couldn’t be easier to make—no mixer required. Leave yourself enough time (at least a half hour) to reduce down the apple cider before beginning. I like to do this step the night before so it’s ready to go in the morning.
- Reduce the apple cider. In a small saucepan over low heat, simmer the apple cider until you’re left with about 1/2 cup. Begin checking at 10 minutes, then every 3-5 minutes after that until you have 1/2 cup of cider reduction. Mine takes about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes (or complete this step ahead of time).
- Combine the dry ingredients together.
- Combine the wet ingredients together, except for the apple cider.
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients together. Add the apple cider. Whisk everything together until smooth and combined. You’ll notice the batter will be slightly thick. We want thick batter for cakey and dense donuts.
- Fill the donut pan. Fill each donut cup about halfway. My trick for this? Use a zipped-top bag. Add the batter to the bag, cut off a corner, and pipe it into the donut pan filling only about halfway. This trick makes transferring the batter neat, quick, and easy.
- Bake. Only about 10 minutes of bake time—told you they were quick. To test doneness, poke your finger into the top of the donut. If the donut bounces back, they’re done. Once they are out of the oven, let them cool for 2 minutes, then invert the pan to release the donuts. You can then re-grease the donut pan and bake the remaining donut batter. (If you have 2 donut pans, go ahead and bake both trays at once.)
- Coat the donuts. Combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and apple pie spice together in a medium bowl. Once cool enough to handle, dunk both sides of each donut in the melted butter, then coat generously in the apple spice topping.
Look at this beautiful caramel-colored batter! So much apple flavor hiding in here:
More Apple Recipes
- Apple Cinnamon Scones
- Baked Apple Cider French Toast
- Apple Bundt Cake & Apple Cake
- Apple Cinnamon Crumb Muffins
- Apple Turnovers with Salted Caramel
And apple pie, of course!
Print
Baked Apple Cider Donuts
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12-14 donuts
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Baked, cakey, and delicious apple cider donuts are made with apple cider reduction to intensify its flavor. Warm and dipped in cinnamon sugar and apple pie spices, this fall treat will become your new favorite too.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) apple cider
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice*
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (120ml) milk, at room temperature*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon apple pie spice*
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Reduce the apple cider: Stirring occasionally, simmer the apple cider in a small saucepan over low heat until you’re left with about 1/2 cup. Start checking at 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, etc until you have 1/2 cup (120ml). Mine takes about 20 minutes. If there are any spices or solids on top of your reduced apple cider, leave them. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray donut pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- Make the donuts: Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk the melted butter, egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, and vanilla extract together. Pour into the dry ingredients, add the reduced apple cider, and whisk everything together until smooth and combined. Batter will be slightly thick.
- Spoon the batter into the donut cavities—for ease, I highly recommend using a large zipped-top bag. Cut a corner off the bottom of the bag and pipe the batter into each donut cup, filling about halfway.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes or until the edges and tops are lightly browned. To test, poke your finger into the top of the donut. If the donut bounces back, they’re done. Cool donuts for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Re-grease the pan and bake the remaining donut batter.
- Coat the donuts: Combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and apple pie spice together in a medium bowl. Once cool enough to handle, dunk both sides of each donut in the melted butter, then generously in the apple spice topping.
- Donuts are best served immediately. Leftovers keep well covered tightly at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: You can freeze the donuts, coated or not coated in the toppings, for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm up to your liking in the microwave. I usually just zap ’em for a couple seconds.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Saucepan | Donut Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Large Zipped-Top Bag | Cooling Rack
- Apple Pie Spice: Do you have apple pie spice where you live? It’s pretty standard here in the US. If you don’t have access to store-bought apple pie spice, you can make your own with cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg.
- Milk: I usually use buttermilk, but I’ve found that any milk (dairy or nondairy) works pretty well. For a denser crumb, you can use 1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream instead.
- No Donut Pan? Make donut muffins in your standard 12-cup muffin pan. Grease your pan or use muffin liners, fill each 3/4 full, then bake at 350°F (177°C) for about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Makes about 10-12 apple cider donut muffins.
- Minis: Want to make mini donuts or mini apple cider donut holes in a mini muffin pan? Grease your pan, add the batter to the pan only about 3/4 of the way full. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for about 8-9 minutes.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi Sally, I appreciate the muffin pan instructions! Do you feel using a spiced cider instead of apple pie spice powder at the end will change the flavor profile too much? The spices in both are about the same but I’m curious if the taste will be lost if it’s in the spiced cider only.
Have you found it matters what brand or type of apple cider you use, such as whether or not it was sweetened?
Hi Michelle! The cider won’t have enough spice without the added spices. We like to use a fresh cider (refrigerated) – usually they’re sweetened! Here’s our recipe for homemade apple cider.
Would it be possible to add some apple to the batter? If so, would I have to coat them in a little bit of flour to keep them suspended, or could I place them in the batter in the donut pan? Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Jeff, we haven’t tested it, but you could try adding some small chopped apples to the batter. It may let off some additional liquid, so you may want to extend the bake time by just a bit. Coating them in flour is a good idea. Let us know if you do give it a try.
Hello, this is an update ftmrom my last post. I added some chopped apples to the batter, after coating them in flour. I took your advice about the added moisture, and cut the milk by a quarter cup( this is after trippeling the recipe). I also baked them for about 15 minutes. They came out pretty good, at least according to my family. Thanks for all the great recipes on your site. You are the first one that I look to, and usually the last.
Can I freeze the batter?
Hi JoAnn, no, we do not recommend freezing this batter, however, you can freeze the donuts, coated or not coated in the toppings, for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm up to your liking in the microwave.
I am needing to multiply this recipe in order to yield approx. 60 donuts. My question is what you would suggest for reduction time for the apple cider. I believe my calculations is approx. starting with 60 oz of apple cider. I have made this with the posted ingredient amts and was very successful for the grandson/s hockey teams/families. Thanks
Hi Kat, we’re unsure of the exact time to reduce that much apple cider as we’ve only made single batches before—we find that best to prevent over or under mixing the batter.
So would you simply suggest I reduce till volume is equivalent to what the concentration would have been for a single batch or you saying I need to make 5 individual batches? ♀️
Could you cut this recipe in half? It contains one egg so perhaps not. I only have one 6-donut pan and don’t want to make more than a dozen donuts. Thanks in advance for your response.
Hi Aly! If you wanted to halve the recipe, you could. Our general rule for halving an egg is to crack it open, beat the yolk and white together with a fork, measure the volume (should be a few Tbsp), then use half. Or you could make a whole batch and freeze the extras for another time.
My mom and I have been making these donuts every fall for the last 5 years. They are a wonderful tradition for us. Thank you!
I made these for an Octoberfest party. Recipe was easy, however, reducing apple cider was time consuming. I tripled the recipe. I felt that the flavor of the cider overpowered the donut and maybe the cider ratio was too high for the rest of the ingredients. I didn’t like the cardamom either. It overpowered the cinnamon. A few others told me the same thing.
My family loved this recipe. So delicious warm. The next day when the donuts weren’t as fresh, my daughter-in-law cut them up and put them in a greased casserole. She added apple chunks and cinnamon, poured an egg and milk mixture over top, and baked the casserole. Apple cider donut French toast casserole. My granddaughters loved it.
My husband and I made the apple cider donuts yesterday. They are delicious.
Hi. These were yummy. Though, I used cake flour and some came out underbaked. I am sure the errors are mine. I am not a great baker, but find Sally’s recipes easier to navigate than others. I will try this again. Can this be made as a cake? Thank you!
Hi ABJ, we haven’t tested this recipe as a larger Bundt cake, but this batter should work. Bake time will vary based on the exact size of your Bundt pan. You may also enjoy this apple Bundt cake instead.
Recipe was so good!! There not too sweet, perfectly cakey, and just so fall! My family and Grandparents love them. I didn’t do the sugar coating and there still great. I will save this recipe! Thank you!
Amazing – they taste so good
Oh Sally, these donuts were perfect! I made them for our neighborhood get together and they were a big hit. I’m sharing your site information because of the requests for the recipe. They have so much flavor and were pretty easy to make. I never would bake or cook much, as I’ve not been good at it. But my daughter got me hooked on your website and everything I’ve made so far has been excellent!
I have made these several times. I use the boiled cider from King Arthur’s. These are the only cider donuts with a pronounced cider flavor. I would however, like to know if anyone uses anything other than butter to keep the spiced sugar on, or can the butter be left out all together?
Hi Maureen, we’re so glad these are a favorite! Some readers like to dip the warm donuts right into the cinnamon sugar mixture without dipping in butter first.
Can I make the batter ahead and keep in the fridge for a few days?
Hi Taylor! We don’t recommend that.
I purchased a mini donut maker. The recipe was a hit and I will be making more with fall weather or anytime.
My first time and it will NOT be the last!!! I did donut and muffin. Reviews were excellent, my question is can I add grated apple? How much do you think and a choice of apple? My daughter loves your recipes, too! Thanks, Sally!
Hi Debbie! Some readers have found that added shredded apple (about 1 cup) to the batter helps bring out the apple flavor. If doing so, reduce the milk down to 1/4 cup. Here’s our post about the Best Apples for Baking.
Well i made two dozen donuts for my work. I had two marriage proposals from the flavor and texture of the donuts!
Well the reducing the apple cider down boosted the flavor. It took me longer to reduce the cider, but perhaps my stoves “low” setting is lower than Sally’s.
how many calories are in these?
Hi Emily, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
I make so many of Sally’s recipes, and as always, this did not disappoint. I wasn’t sure when or if I’d make it up to the orchard this year to get some, but making them at home is even better because I know what’s in them. Such an easy and delicious recipe!
I bought two donut baking tins at an estate sale. This is my first attempt at using them. These apple cider donuts are light, sweet, and crazy delicious!
A favorite treat in our house is apple cider donuts so I couldn’t wait to make these. These were easy to make and are delicious! I tried a piece shortly after baking, another a couple hours later and then the next morning to compare the flavor. The flavor was always delicious, but when I waited to the next morning- it was outstanding!! I accidentally rolled these in too much sugar mix. I had organic granulated sugar, and the consistency was too large for the coating. Next time I will use regular fine sugar. These are another new favorite!!
Loved this recipe! I have two sons and they adored it as well. Will be making this more often before school as it is easy and quick (and it tastes amazing). Highly recommend!
Just made this and reducing the apple cider is a game changer as you 100% taste it. Apple and Fall in a bite. Delicious. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Will definitely make it again as it was very easy.
The only thing I would do different next time is maybe sugar only one side… they were almost better as a plain donut!
I agree, I tried both ways and the donuts gave more apple cider flavor when sugared on only one side.
I used silicone baking molds and these did not bake up as expected. Any tips?
Hi Taylor, we don’t have much experience baking with silicone pans, so unfortunately can’t offer much advice. Metal does conduct heat faster, and we’ve never had an issue with baking these donuts in a metal pan. Let us know if you give them another try!
I had the same issue in my silicone pans. If I make these again I will either buy a metal donut pan, or use my metal mini muffin pan.
Love all of your recipes and great advise. Thank you
They were easy and tasty but I was hoping for a cakey texture, this are very fluffy and soft. Not a bad thing but wanted more of a cake donut texture.
Made this recipe and added a package of powdered apple cider mix to the coating it was delicious.
These tasted great but they came out looking like the tops of a muffin. I won’t make them as a doughnut in the future. I would say this yields 18 donuts if only filling the cavity 1/2 way. I used two 6 mold donut pans=muffin tops. I almost threw them out I was so upset and disappointed
Hi Denise, we’re sorry you were disappointed in the appearance of these donuts. They can overflow and look like muffin tops as you mention when the cavities are overfilled (see step 5: “Spoon the batter into the donut cavities—for ease, I highly recommend using a large zipped-top bag. Cut a corner off the bottom of the bag and pipe the batter into each donut cup, filling about halfway.”). We do have a similar apple cider spiced muffin recipe if you’re interested in that instead. Thanks for giving these a try!
They weren’t quite as good as the ones we get at the pumpkin patch each autumn, but they were still extremely tasty (and saved me the $100+ that a trip to the pumpkin patch would have cost
They were good, but after dunking them in the butter, they just tasted super buttery. I coated some while they were warm without butter and they tasted a lot better.
Made Sally’s Apple cider and used that to make the reduced cider. Took over an hour but kept temperature low. We felt the butter dip made them too buttery and did better with a brushed amount.
Fantastic recipe Sally!Best apple cider doughnut I’ve ever had!