These Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts capture the essence of fall with their tangy apple flavor and cinnamon-sugar coating. Baked instead of fried, they offer a lighter take on the classic.
It may seem a smidge early, but this recipe marks the beginning of my fall baking this year. And gosh, are these ever good. Baked apple cider doughnuts are the perfect welcome to September, which is peak apple season.
I’m eager for fall and its comforts. Summer has been an absolute blur. July was hard. Sometimes life goes so fast, I struggle to feel present in the season I’m living in. But there’s one sure-fire way I can always connect with fall. (Spoiler alert: It’s not pumpkin spice.) I like to keep a big jug of apple cider on hand, for mulling and baking. Gallon jugs are popping up at the market – some filtered to a glowing amber, others cloudy with pulp. Both will work in this recipe. You’ll need a doughnut pan to bake the batter into shape. However, if you don’t have one, you can always use a greased muffin pan for Apple Cider Doughnut Muffins.
The Dry Ingredients
This is a cake doughnut recipe, so frequent cake bakers will find this batter formula familiar. Combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, fine grain sea salt, ground cinnamon, and apple pie spice in a big bowl. Whisk well to combine the mixture, then set it aside.
Apple Pie Spice Substitute: If you don’t have a bottle of apple pie spice, combine 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon round allspice for the 1 teaspoon needed for this recipe. (This info will be in the recipe notes as well.)
The Wet Ingredients
Next, in the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat together room temperature unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Whip until well combined. This will take about 3 minutes. Once fluffy, add the eggs one at a time. Beat well after each addition. You should see the mixture increase in volume and become even fluffier.
Make a Cohesive Batter
When everything is looking nice and uniform, add the flour and mix on low. I used the paddle attachment but nothing bad will happen if you continue with the whisk attachment on low speed. Once the mixture is thick and just moistened, add in the apple cider with the mixer running on low. Stop to scrape down the beater and the bowl as needed. When it’s looking mostly incorporated, scrape down the bowl and mix together with a large rubber spatula. There’s no better way to feel if the batter is still hiding lumps than by hand mixing.
Spoon or pipe the batter into the cavities of a greased standard size doughnut pan. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown and risen. Turn the doughnuts out on a wire rack to cool.
Butter is Key
After the doughnuts cool, brush each one – back and front- with melted butter. This adds flavor and helps the sugar coating to stick. Immediately toss in cinnamon-sugar.
These baked apple cider doughnuts are so tender and the cinnamon-sugar coating gives a satisfying crunch. This recipe makes about 2 dozen doughnuts if baked in a standard size doughnut pan. Since I have three sizes of doughnut pans, I couldn’t help myself! I just had to make them in all sizes. And I’ll tell you this – those mini doughnuts are dangerously easy to eat one after another!
Here are the doughnut pans I used: Nordic Ware Formed French Twist Donut Pan, Wilton Donut Pan 2-Piece Set.
I must say, the Nordic Ware French Twist pan is quickly becoming a favorite. It never ever sticks and creates a beautiful twist doughnut reminiscent of a cruller.
The texture is so gorgeous – it’s fluffy, cakey, crunchy with cinnamon sugar. The flavor is buttery, spiced, with lingering apple notes. I think you’re going to love this recipe.
Related recipe: Apple Fritter Bread with Boiled Cider Glaze
Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts
These Baked Apple Cider Donuts are the perfect fall treat, bursting with the flavors of apple cider and warm spices. This recipe makes 2 dozen donuts, so there’s plenty to share! No donut pan? No problem — just use muffin tins instead. Check out the recipe notes for easy instructions.
Cider doughnuts
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice *see notes for sub
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup apple cider
Sugar coating
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter melted
Cider doughnuts
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spritz one or more 6 cavity doughnut pans with nonstick cooking spray.
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Place the flour, baking powder, fine salt, cinnamon, and apple pie spice in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
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In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes on high speed. Reduce speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. After all the eggs are incorporated, scrape the bowl down and beat again briefly.
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Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat on low speed until just incorporated. (Batter will be thick.) With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the apple cider. Mix until the batter loosens considerably; scrape down the bowl and beat again briefly. Use a rubber spatula to fold in any visible pockets of flour or butter. When consistent throughout, place half of the batter in a disposable piping bag with the end snipped. Or, place it in a large zip-top bag with the corner snipped. Cover the remaining batter in the mixing bowl with a damp towel.
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Pipe the donut pan(s) cavities about 2/3 full of batter. Bake them for 15-17 minutes, or until the doughnuts are risen and golden. A toothpick tester inserted into the thickest part of the doughnuts should come out clean. Repeat process with remaining batter.
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Turn the doughnuts out on a wire rack to cool 5-7 minutes, or until still warm but cool enough to handle.
Sugar coating
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Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk well to combine.
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Working one at a time, brush the doughnuts with the melted butter, front and back. Immediately roll/coat the doughnuts in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
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Serve warm or at room temperature. Doughnuts will keep about 3-4 days in an airtight container. Let them cool completely before storing.
Up the apple flavor: If you have bottled boiled cider on hand, stir 1 tablespoon into the apple cider before adding it to the batter. Boiled cider imparts pure concentrated apple flavor. You can find it on King Arthur Baking‘s website.
Bake as muffins: Divide the batter evenly between two 12 cavity standard size muffin tins. Bake as directed for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick tester inserted in their centers comes out clean. Brush with butter and roll in cinnamon-sugar. Store air-tight. Mini muffins are also good – bake for 10-12 minutes, or until they test done.
Bake different sizes of doughnuts: I have three sizes of doughnut pans – one is large with a decorative fluting motif, another is standard size with no decoration, and I also have a plain mini doughnut pan. The large fluted doughnuts baked in 15-17 minutes. The plain standard size pan baked in 12-15 minutes. The minis bake in about 7-10 minutes. Only fill the pans 2/3 full of batter for best results.
Apple Pie Spice Substitute: If you don’t have a bottle of apple pie spice, combine 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon allspice for the 1 teaspoon of apple pie spice needed for this recipe.
This recipe was created with research and recipes from King Arthur Baking’s website and New York Times cooking.
