Baked Apple Cider Donuts

Written by on in Donuts

These Baked Apple Cider Donuts are easy to bake and delicious to eat. They are moist and tender and loaded with flavor. They are the perfect treat on a fall day.

Every year my family goes apple picking. We have been going to the same farm for years. When we go, there is always a display of Apple Cider Donuts. My kids would always look at them and ask if we could get a bunch. Of course I would give in and buy them a bag. Now as you would expect they were very tasty.

After tasting these donuts I felt that I could replicate them. The only thing is that these donuts were fried. To be honest I don’t usually fry anything so I had to come up with a recipe that was baked but had the same great flavors of the fried donuts we just enjoyed.

These donuts had to have great apple cider flavor but also include the toasty spices of fall. With several different tries I think I accomplished the task. This donut may not have the same texture of a fried donut but the flavor was outstanding and with the sugar coating, they were as close to the fried donuts we got at the farm as I was going to get.

Ingredients For Making Baked Apple Cider Donuts:

To make these donuts you will need a few simple ingredients, most of which are probably all ready in your pantry.

  • Apple Cider: I really enjoy the Trader Joe’s Apple Cider. It’s spicy and has great apple flavor.
  • All Purpose Flour: I have tried many flours but King Arthur is my favorite.
  • Baking Powder:
  • Baking Soda:
  • Ground Cinnamon:
  • Ground Apple Pie Spice:
  • Salt:
  • Granulated Sugar:
  • Brown Sugar:
  • Egg:
  • Unsalted Butter:
  • Milk:
  • Apple Sauce:
  • Pure Vanilla Extract: If you can spend a little extra, pure vanilla extract rather then imitation vanilla extract is the way to go.

Tips For Making Baked Apple Cider Donuts:

  • The most important ingredient for making these Apple Cider Donuts is the Reduced Apple Cider. Plain Apple Cider will not have that intense apple flavor that your looking for. When Apple Cider is cooked down and reduced, the flavors become more concentrated giving you a more intense spicy apple flavor.

How To Make Baked Apple Cider Donuts:

Start by reducing your apple cider down to a concentrated syrup. Pour the Apple Cider into a small pan and place over medium low heat. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cider is reduced to 1/4 cup. Pour reduction in a glass bowl to cool.

Preheat oven to 350º. Coat a donut pan with baking spray and set to the side.

To a large mixing bowl add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, apple pie spice and salt and whisk to combine.

To a separate medium bowl add the melted butter, egg, granulated sugar, brown sugar, reduced apple cider, apple sauce, milk and pure vanilla extract and whisk together to combine.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold to combine.

Pour batter into a large pastry bag. Cut the tip off the bag and fill each cavity of the prepared donut pan to 3/4 full. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 8 to 9 minutes or until when you lightly press down on a donut it bounces back. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Meanwhile melt butter in a microwave safe bowl. To a separate bowl add the granulated sugar, cinnamon and apple pie spice. Lightly dip each donut in the melted butter then roll in the granulated cinnamon sugar, shaking off the excess and place on a serving platter and serve.

Baked Apple Cider Donuts

Ingredients:

For The Donut:

  • 1 1/2 Cups apple cider
  • 2 Cups all purpose flour
  • 1 Teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 Teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 Teaspoon apple pie spice
  • 1/4 Teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 Egg
  • 1/2 Cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 Cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 Cup milk
  • 1/4 Cup apple sauce
  • 1 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For The Sugar Coating:

  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 1 Cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 Teaspoon apple pie spice

Instructions:

  1. Pour the apple cinder into a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until reduced to 1/4 cup. Pour into a glass bowl to cool completely.
  2. Preheat oven to 350º. Spray two donut pans with cooking spray and set to the side.
  3. To a large mixing bowl add the all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, apple pie spice and salt. Whisk together to combine.
  4. To a separate medium mixing bowl add the melted butter, egg, granulated sugar, brown sugar, milk, reduced apple cider, apple sauce and pure vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
  5. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined.
  6. Pour batter into a large pastry bag, snip the tip off the bag and fill each cavity of the prepared donut tray to 3/4 full. Place trays in the preheated oven and bake for 8 to 9 minutes or until when lightly pressed on they bounce back. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
  7. Place butter in a microwave safe bowl and melt. To a separate bowl add the granulated sugar, ground cinnamon and allspice and whisk to combine. Lightly dip each donut in the melted butter then roll in cinnamon sugar, shaking off the excess. Place on a serving platter and serve.
  8. Enjoy.