Baked Apple Cider Donuts
Baked apple cider donuts made with fresh apple cider, milk, and apple pie spice are soft, flavorful treats that the prefect way to welcome fall in your home. Easy to make with kids!
Nothing says “Welcome fall!!” like the return of apple cider season! Apple cider might be one of my most favorite fall flavors, and I am always overly excited when I see it return to stores. Whether you serve it hot, or cold, or include it in all the baked goods, its just so delicious!
Fresh apple cider donuts at orchards and pumpkin patches are my favorite – but my family is often so busy that we don’t have time to drive an hour away for a full day trip to the farm. And then standing in the line to get a fresh donut? Ugh.
Thank you to AE Dairy for sponsoring this post. And thank you, dear reader, for supporting the brands that support me and allow me to continue to grow this site. All opinions, recipe and photographs are my own.
I love using AE Dairy milk in these donuts because I know that the milk is always so fresh, and you can really taste the difference. They have super high standards for quality, which makes me feel good about what I’m using in my recipes and giving my family. Plus, the creaminess of their milk gives the donuts this perfect, rich texture that pairs so well with the warm apple cider and spices. It’s just one of those little things that makes a big difference!
Ingredients needed for this recipe:
Here is a brief rundown on ingredients for you to check out. As always, please remember to scroll down to the actual recipe card to get specific amounts and directions!
- Spiced Apple Cider – Use a good quality local cider here with great flavor. Substituting with apple juice is not going to work, you won’t get the same flavor.
- Milk – Milk adds structure and texture to our donuts, and helps with the richness of the flavor. Use the best quality milk you can get – I suggest AE Dairy whole milk for this recipe!
- Sugar – We are using half brown sugar and half granulated white sugar to give us the best texture and taste in the donuts.
- Apple cider vinegar – This is going to combine with the other chemical leavening agents to create soft, fluffy donuts with just a hint of a tang.
- Melted Butter – We are using unsalted butter that has been melted to help us control the texture of the donuts.
- Flour – We are using all purpose flour here, nothing fancy!
- Apple Pie Spice and Vanilla – For that just right fall flavor!
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda – we are using a combination of these in order to get a nice
- Salt – This helps to deepen the flavors of the recipe.
- An Egg
How to make these baked donuts:
This recipe is simple to make! For the full set of directions, please scroll down to the recipe card below. This is just a general overview on how to make it to help you plan.
- In a medium sized sauce pan, add the cider and simmer on low heat until it has reduced to about 1/2 cup. This will take about 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
- Preheat the oven to 350 and spray a donut pan with nonstick spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
- In a large sized mixing bowl, whisk together the liquid ingredients.
- Pour the mixed liquids into the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Do not over mix or your donuts will be tough.
- Fill the donut molds 2/3 full. Do not over fill or you will loose the holes when baking.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden and set.
- While the donuts are baking, melt the butter and mix together the cinnamon sugar for the topping.
- When the donuts are done, allow them to cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
- Carefully remove the still warm donuts from the pan and quickly dunk them into the melted butter and then roll them in the spiced sugar mixture to coat.
- Place on a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Enjoy!
Storage Information
These donuts are best when eaten the same day they are made. However they will last for up to 3-4 days in a covered container on the counter. A paper box or paper bag are the best options, but a plastic container will also work as long as the lid isn’t completely air tight. You can place it in an airtight container but know that the spiced sugar mixture will get moist.
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Baked Apple Cider Donuts
Ingredients
For donuts:
- 2 cups spiced apple cider
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons apple pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For topping:
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
Instructions
- Simmer the apple cider in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, until reduced to ½ cup, about 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool another 15-20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Spray a donut pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk the milk, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg, melted butter, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, apple pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Fold the flour mixture into the milk mixture, then stir in the cooled reduced cider. Stir until everything is just combined.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan, filling each donut well about ⅔ of of the way full. Do not overfill.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the tops are set.
- Allow the donuts to cool for 5 minutes in the pan.
- Prepare for topping the donuts by melting the butter in one bowl and mixing the sugar and apple pie spice in a second bowl.
- Remove the donuts from the pan and dip in the melted butter and then roll in the spiced sugar.
- Set on a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Repeat with remaining batter.
