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Easy Baked Apple Cider Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar

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These easy baked apple cider donuts with cinnamon sugar are a quick and delicious fall treat, made with reduced apple cider for intense flavor and a perfect cinnamon-sugar coating. Ready in about 30 minutes, they’re a crowd-pleaser that tastes like a trip to the orchard.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup apple cider (fresh, unfiltered preferred)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk (room temperature; or 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice)
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for coating)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (for coating)
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (for brushing donuts)

Instructions

  1. Reduce the apple cider: Pour 1 cup apple cider into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1/3 cup (10-12 minutes). Set aside to cool slightly.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 6-cavity donut pan well with butter or non-stick spray.
  3. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
  4. Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 eggs, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and the reduced apple cider until smooth.
  5. Combine wet and dry: Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined (a few lumps are fine; do not overmix).
  6. Fill donut pan: Transfer batter to a piping bag or zip-top bag with a corner snipped off. Pipe batter into prepared pan, filling each cavity about 2/3 full.
  7. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until donuts spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out clean.
  8. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for another 5 minutes (donuts should be warm but not piping hot).
  9. Prepare coating: In a shallow bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a separate small bowl.
  10. Coat donuts: While still warm, brush each donut generously with melted butter, then dip into cinnamon sugar mixture, turning to coat all sides. Tap off excess. Place on wire rack.
  11. Repeat with remaining batter (if using a 6-cavity pan, bake in batches, letting pan cool slightly and re-greasing between batches). Makes about 12 standard donuts.

Notes

Don’t skip reducing the apple cider—it concentrates the flavor. Use room temperature ingredients for best results. Don’t overmix the batter to avoid tough donuts. Coat donuts while warm for the cinnamon sugar to adhere properly. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, use dairy-free butter and buttermilk substitute (e.g., oat milk + lemon juice).

Nutrition

Keywords: apple cider donuts, baked donuts, cinnamon sugar donuts, fall baking, easy donut recipe

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