Description
These baked apple cider donuts are soft, tender, and coated in a crackly cinnamon sugar coating. Made with reduced apple cider and browned butter, they deliver intense fall flavor without the mess of frying.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for coating)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (for coating)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (for coating)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray your donut pan with non-stick spray.
- Reduce the apple cider: Pour the 1 cup of apple cider into a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer until it’s reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Brown the butter: In the same saucepan (or a clean one), melt the 1/2 cup of butter over medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally as it melts. The butter will foam up, then the foam will subside, and you’ll start to see brown specks forming at the bottom. This takes about 5-7 minutes. Once it smells nutty and the specks are a golden brown, remove it from the heat immediately and pour it into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking. Let it cool for a few minutes.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the browned butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract and the reduced apple cider.
- Combine wet and dry: Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir gently with a rubber spatula. Add the buttermilk and stir again. Add the remaining dry ingredients and fold until just combined. A few lumps are okay.
- Fill the donut pan: Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the batter into the donut cavities, filling each about 2/3 full.
- Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the donuts spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- Make the coating: While the donuts are cooling (but still warm), mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl or plate. Melt the 1/4 cup of butter in a small bowl.
- Coat the donuts: Working one at a time, brush each warm donut with melted butter, then dip it into the cinnamon sugar mixture, turning to coat all sides. Tap off any excess. Place on the wire rack to set.
- Repeat: If you’re baking in batches, let the pan cool completely before re-greasing and filling with more batter.
Notes
Don’t rush the cider reduction; low and slow is best. Room temperature ingredients matter for a smooth batter. Don’t overmix the batter to avoid tough donuts. Coat the donuts while they are still warm for best results. Use a light hand with the butter brush to avoid a soggy coating.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 donut
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 200
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 3
Keywords: baked apple cider donuts, cinnamon sugar donuts, fall donuts, apple cider donuts, baked donuts, easy donut recipe