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Home » Recipes » Fall

Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts

Published: Oct 25, 2016 · Modified: Nov 21, 2020 by Coley · This post may contain affiliate links.

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This recipe for Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts is healthier than traditional cider doughnuts because they're baked instead of fried. They're warm, doughy and just sweet enough. So easy to make and perfect for fall! 

*This post contains some affiliate links which means I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase (at no additional cost to you).

Over the summers when I was in highschool, I worked at a little place that sold fresh homemade apple cider doughnuts. They were famous for them, and they were incredible (actually, they still are). These doughnuts... are not those doughnuts. But they do come pretty close.

Do they taste like fried apple cider doughnuts?

Yes! They really do. They're slightly crisp on the outside, cake-like on the inside, and rolled in butter and cinnamon sugar for that irresistible doughnut taste. Once you try these, you'll never go back to fried doughnuts again! Well, unless they're hot and fresh - there's no resisting that.

baked apple cider doughnuts cooling on a wire rack on a dark wooden table with apples and spices in the backgroundStack of four baked apple cider doughnuts covered in cinnamon sugar.A wood table with doughnuts, apples, and cinnamon sticks around a doughnut on a small white plate.close up of apple cider doughnuts on a rack over a brown wood table

How to make baked apple cider doughnuts

This recipe is incredibly simple. First, mix up a basic batter with flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, egg, melted butter and apple cider. The key is to stop mixing as soon as the flour is incorporated - this will help the doughnuts stay light and tender. Overmixing can result in tough doughnuts, so avoid at all costs! Next, spoon the batter into a greased doughnut pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the doughnuts cool slightly, then dip them in melted butter (I love salted here) and then roll in cinnamon sugar and devour. My mouth waters just thinking about them!

Can apple juice be substituted for the apple cider?

I don't recommend it. Apple juice is much lighter and doesn't have the same amount of flavor or sweetness as apple cider. The cider is what makes these doughnuts taste like fall!

Should the apple cider be concentrated first?

A lot of apple cider doughnut recipes call for concentrating the cider by reducing it in a pan before adding it to the batter. It will give your doughnuts a slightly more cider-y flavor, but in my opinion, it's too fussy of a step for the minimal difference it makes. That said, if its something you would like to try, go for it!

baked apple cider doughnuts in a doughnut pan sitting on a rack on top of a dark wooden table with apples and cinnamon sticks around the borderclose up of apple cider doughnuts in a doughnut pan stack of baked apple cider doughnuts on a light gray plate with a red-orange napkin, an apple in the background and a cinnamon stick in the foreground

Is a doughnut pan necessary?

If you want to achieve the traditional round doughnut shape with a hole in the middle, then yes, you need a doughnut pan. The good thing is that they're inexpensive and can be used to make all kinds of healthier, baked doughnuts.

But if you're just looking to bake up something delicious and don't care what it looks like, a muffin tin will work just as well. You can even make these in a mini muffin tin for smaller, bite sized doughnut "holes". That said, if baking in a muffin tin, you will need to adjust the baking time. It will take longer for them to bake in a full sized muffin tin, and slightly less for mini muffins. Always keep an eye on them and check with a toothpick to make sure there is no raw batter in the center.

Can this recipe be made gluten free?

Yes! This recipe works great with an all purpose gluten free flour blend. I recommend the Cup4Cup brand, as I've found it to produce results closest to wheat flour out of all the brands I've tried.

Close up of broken apple cider doughnut on a gray plate with a red-orange napkin on a dark wood table with a stack of more doughnuts, apples, cinnamon sticks and a jar of cinnamon in the background

Here are some more awesome apple recipes to try!

Apple Almond Shortbread Bars
Apple Butter Quesadillas 
Blue Cheese Tartines with Apples, Arugula + Walnuts
Brown Butter Apple Crisp
Apple Custard Bars
Grandma's Apple Pie

Print
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Vertical stack of four baked apple cider doughnuts on a small plate.

Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts

  • Author: Nicole Gaffney (ColeyCooks.com)
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 6 doughnuts 1x
  • Category: doughnuts
  • Method: baked
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian
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Description

This recipe for Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts is healthier than traditional cider doughnuts because they're baked instead of fried. They're warm, doughy and just sweet enough. So easy to make and perfect for fall! 


Ingredients

Scale

For the Doughnuts:

  • 1 cup all purpose flour or an all purpose gluten free blend, such as Cup4Cup
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ cup apple cider
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • Non-stick cooking spray

For the Topping:

  • 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Combine the melted butter with the apple cider and sugar, then add to the dry ingredients along with the egg and whisk until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix or it will cause the doughnuts to become tough.
  3. Spray a doughnut pan or muffin tin with cooking spray, then carefully spoon the batter into the pan. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until the a toothpick inserted into the center of a doughnuts comes out clean (this will take longer for muffins). Allow to cool for a minute or two before turning out of the pan.
  4. Pour the remaining melted butter into a shallow bowl, then combine the sugar and cinnamon in another. While the doughnuts are still warm, carefully dip them in the butter on both sides, then roll in the cinnamon sugar until coated. These doughnuts are best served when they're still warm.

Keywords: fall, breakfast, healthy, apples

Did you make this recipe?

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Matt @ RoughEats

    October 26, 2016 at 7:57 am

    These look yummy, love baked doughnuts. Kudos on the addition of apple cider.

    Reply
    • Coley

      October 27, 2016 at 9:18 am

      Thanks, Matt!

      Reply
  2. Julia Librone

    October 26, 2016 at 12:40 pm

    Hey Nick, think I could double the recipe and make a cake from this?

    Reply
    • Coley

      October 27, 2016 at 9:19 am

      I don't see why not. You'd just have to adjust the baking time.

      Reply
  3. Rod Thorell

    October 23, 2017 at 4:02 pm

    Going to try these this week.
    Could we reduce the cider ahead of time and return to the refrigerator for next day use?

    Reply
    • Coley

      October 24, 2017 at 12:46 pm

      yes! they will definitely have a more pronounced apple cider flavor that way. go for it!

      Reply

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Nicole Gaffney, aka Coley, is a professionally trained chef, recipe developer, tv host and food writer. Learn More about Coley…

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