Fall isn’t complete without the sweet, spicy aroma of freshly baked apple cider donuts. These soft, tender donuts are infused with rich cider flavor and coated in a perfectly spiced sugar mixture, bringing the orchard right into your kitchen.
What You’ll Need
For the donuts:
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3 cups apple cider
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6 Tbsp butter, melted
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4 tsp canola oil
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6 Tbsp light brown sugar, packed
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1/4 cup sugar
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2 large eggs, room temperature
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
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2 tsp baking powder
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1/2 tsp baking soda
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1/2 tsp cinnamon
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1/2 tsp nutmeg
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3/4 tsp salt
For the spiced sugar coating:
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1/4 cup butter, melted
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1/2 cup sugar
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2 tsp cinnamon
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1 tsp apple pie spice
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1/4 tsp salt
How to Make It
1. Reduce the Cider
Bring cider to a boil over medium-high heat, then simmer until reduced to 1 cup. Let cool.
2. Make the Batter
Whisk together butter, oil, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and cooled cider in a large bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until smooth.
Coat donut pans with cooking spray. Transfer batter to a piping bag or measuring cup with a spout and fill each pan about 3/4 full.
4. Bake
Bake at 350°F for 12–14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack over a sheet pan to cool completely.
5. Coat with Spiced Sugar
Combine sugar, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and salt in a small bowl. Brush donuts with melted butter and coat evenly in the sugar mixture. Flip to coat the other side.
Serving Suggestions
Serve warm with coffee, cider, or tea for a classic fall treat.
The texture was perfect, packed with flavor but not dense at all. You could taste the cider in the donut and then the spiced sugar outside just put them over the top.
Tried these Apple Cider Donuts? Leave a comment or rating below, I’d love to hear how yours turned out!
Be sure to go and check out what the other bloggers are making for National Cookbook Month by using the links down below!
Apple Cider Donuts

Ingredients
- 3 cups apple cider
- 6 Tablespoons butter, melted
- 4 teaspoon canola oil
- 6 Tablespoons light brown sugar (packed)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 large room temp eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Over medium high heat bright apple cider to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and then reduce the cider to 1 cup. Let cool.
- Heat oven to 350º. Whisk together butter, oil, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, vanilla and cider in a large bowl until smooth.
- Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Whisk until the batter is smooth. Transfer to a piping bag or large glass measuring cup with a spout.
- Coat donut pans with cooking spray. Divide batter between pans, filling each about 3/4s full. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean.
- Let cool in pans 10 minutes and then turn out onto wire rack over a sheet pan to cool completely.
- Make the spiced sugar coating by combining the sugar, cinnamon, apple pie spice and salt in a small bowl. Brush the donuts with melted butter then place into sugar mixture. Flip to coat the other side.
Notes
Source: The Easy Baked Donut Cookbook, Sara Mellas
October is National Cookbook Month! I know that there are a lot of
digital ways to get recipes out there nowadays, but I still love the
feeling of sitting with a cookbook and paging through to find new dishes
to try.
- Pears with Chocolate Crumble by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Pumpkin Ice Cream, Jeni Style by Art of Natural Living
- Brussel Sprouts and Gnocchi in a Rosemary Butter Sauce by Jen Around the World
- Apple Cider Donuts by Jolene's Recipe Journal
- Finnish Pulla Bread by Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Madame Wu's Barbecued Spare Ribs by Palatable Pastime
- Tomato Basil Biscuits by Shockingly Delicious










Oh good. Now I have a reason to pull out the donut pans that I bought and have only used once LOL. Thanks Jolene.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to check out that cookbook! These look wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThere is something so special about reading a cookbook. I am glad you found these donuts! Apple is my favorite fall flavor!
ReplyDeleteI really need to get on the homemade donut bandwagon! These look amazing! I love reading cookbooks too!
ReplyDeleteI've never made them but love apple cider donuts. I wouldn't have thought to reduce the cider but it makes so much sense!
ReplyDeleteWhat is the reason for reducing the cider?
DeleteConcentrates the flavor and preserves the texture of the donut.
DeleteJolene these look absolutely PERFECT! Thank you for sharing! :)
ReplyDelete- Sara Mellas