Description
These baked apple cider donut muffins capture all the flavor of classic orchard donuts without the mess of deep frying. Made with reduced apple cider for intense apple flavor and rolled in cinnamon sugar, they’re the perfect fall treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups apple cider
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Reduce the apple cider: Pour 2 cups of apple cider into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to about ½ cup, about 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease each cup thoroughly.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, melted butter, and eggs until smooth and slightly thickened, about 30 seconds. Add buttermilk, cooled cider reduction, and vanilla extract. Whisk until fully combined.
- Combine wet and dry: Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined—about 10-12 strokes. A few lumps are fine. Do not overmix.
- Fill muffin cups: Divide batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
- Bake: Place muffin tin in preheated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, until tops are golden brown and spring back when lightly touched. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool slightly: Let muffins rest in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. They should be warm but not hot when coated.
- Prepare coating: While muffins cool, mix ½ cup sugar with 1½ tablespoons cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small dish.
- Coat muffins: Working one at a time, brush each warm muffin all over with melted butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar until fully coated. Place coated muffins back on the cooling rack. Repeat with all 12 muffins.
- Let set: Allow coated muffins to sit for about 10 minutes so the coating adheres. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Don’t skip the cider reduction step—it concentrates the apple flavor and prevents soggy muffins. Watch the reduction carefully toward the end to avoid burning. Room temperature ingredients help the batter come together smoothly. Coat muffins while warm (not hot) for best adherence. For extra coating, roll twice after a second light butter brush.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 245
- Sugar: 21
- Sodium: 210
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 36
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
Keywords: apple cider donut muffins, baked donut muffins, fall baking, cinnamon sugar muffins, apple cider recipe