Spiced Apple Cider Baked Donuts Recipe
These Spiced Apple Cider Baked Donuts are a delightful fall treat with warm spices, a rich apple cider reduction, and a tender crumb. They’re baked to perfection, then coated in cinnamon sugar for an irresistible flavor and texture balance.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Yield: 8 donuts 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Donuts
- 1 cup fresh apple cider
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cake flour (or more all-purpose if needed)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- Pinch of allspice
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Optional: 1 tbsp grated apple for extra moisture and apple flavor
Topping
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Reduce the cider: Pour the apple cider into a small saucepan and gently simmer over medium heat until reduced to about ⅓ cup, approximately 15–20 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
- Brown the butter: In a small pan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Continue cooking until it foams and turns a rich golden brown with a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
- Prep the pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease your donut pan thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, fine sea salt, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of allspice until evenly combined.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk browned butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, large egg, cooled cider reduction, buttermilk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in grated apple if using.
- Combine wet and dry: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; the batter should remain thick and slightly lumpy.
- Fill and bake: Transfer batter to a piping bag or zip-top bag with a corner snipped. Pipe the batter into the donut cavities, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 10–12 minutes or until the donuts spring back lightly when touched.
- Add topping: While the donuts are still warm, brush each with melted butter, then toss or dip in a mixture of granulated sugar and cinnamon until fully coated.
Notes
- Make sure the cider reduction is fully cooled before mixing into the batter to prevent cooking the egg.
- Using cake flour adds tenderness but can be substituted with all-purpose flour if unavailable.
- Do not overmix the batter to ensure light, fluffy donuts.
- Donuts are best served warm but can be stored at room temperature for 2 days or frozen for longer storage.
- For extra apple flavor, the grated apple is a great optional ingredient.
Keywords: apple cider donuts, baked donuts, spiced donuts, fall recipes, cinnamon sugar donuts, homemade donuts
