Baked Apple Cider Donuts

• servings: 12 servings
• active time: 45 minutes
• total time: 1 hour

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

Directions

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

10/3/25 Reducing the apple cider took a bit longer than 20 minutes but watch close or too much cooks out. I made gf using same amount of flour called for (vs reducing for gf) due to high altitude. (124 g tapioca flour, 63 g millet flour, 63 g buckwheat flour) I mixed these by hand. I Used 1/2 tsp xanthan gum and 30 g extra buttermilk, reduced baking soda by 1/8 tsp for high altitude, cooking at 350. I let batter sit 10 min before putting in the pan. They fell in the donut pan so I sprinkled a little more xanthan gum and added 1/8 cup tapioca flour to remaining batter and baked at 365. They were much better but still fragile not as full as I’d have liked. I only dipped the bottom in butter and then dipped in cinnamon sugar but spooned cinnamon sugar over the top and turned them over on their top to cool further so the butter didn’t get soggy. Try only doing cinnamon sugar on the side dipped in butter.

*Next time try adding 3/4 tsp xanthan gum, 135 g buttermilk, reducing baking soda and baking powder by 1/8 tsp, baking at 365 degrees for high altitude (I’m adding more xanthan gum as if the batter were a bit more like muffins vs cake which takes less) Let batter sit 10-15 min before baking. Only fill about 1/4-1/3 vs 1/2 as recipe says. Try baking one donut and if it falls, then add 2-3 TBS flour and or more xanthan gum.

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.