Baked Apple Cider Donuts

Here’s an easy baked apple cider donuts recipe made right at home with simple ingredients in just about 30 minutes. These donuts are rolled in a delightful spiced cinnamon sugar coating. They come out soft, moist, and tender with a lovely cake-like crumb that feels just right with every bite.

I love homemade donuts — they always taste way fresher and are so comforting! These baked apple cider donuts are perfect for fall mornings, Thanksgiving brunch, or even a cozy dessert. Plus, they’re a fantastic way to use up extra apples or apple cider you might have sitting around.

Notes

• Feel free to experiment with different spices for a unique twist on these donuts.
• Reducing the apple cider to a thick syrup is a must—it’s what packs in the rich apple flavor.
• Make sure the apple cider syrup is completely cooled before incorporating it into the batter, or it might cook the egg and ruin the texture.
• I went with a spiced sugar coating, but you can switch it up—try plain granulated sugar, powdered sugar, or a light glaze instead.
• Scroll up for more tips and creative variations to customize these donuts your way.
• These donuts taste best served warm right after baking. Leftovers store nicely at room temperature or in the fridge for 2-3 days and warm up well in the microwave.

Nutrition

Please note: Nutritional information is automatically calculated, so I can’t guarantee 100% accuracy for this or any recipe on my site.

These baked apple cider donuts pack a big punch of fall flavor while keeping things super simple. You can pull them together in about 30 minutes with basic pantry ingredients. Plus, because they’re baked, not fried, they come together faster and feel lighter than traditional apple cider donuts made in hot oil.

• Powerful apple taste: By reducing the apple cider to a thick syrup, these donuts have a real, concentrated apple flavor that shines through.
• Soft, cakey texture: They’re tender and moist without being heavy or dense, more like a muffin than a bread donut.
• Easy and family-friendly: This recipe only needs one egg and a handful of spices, so even beginner cooks or busy families can whip it up with no stress.
• Flexible toppings: The classic spiced cinnamon-sugar works great, but you could also try a vanilla glaze, chocolate drizzle, powdered sugar, or even baked donut holes or muffins.
• Stays fresh and stores well: You can keep these at room temp for a couple of days, in the fridge for three, or freeze the uncoated donuts to enjoy later (just thaw, coat, and warm them up!).

Why You’ll Love Them

These baked apple cider donuts hit all the right notes: deep fall flavors, a tender, cakey texture, and super easy steps that don’t involve frying or messing with yeast. If you love cozy spices and a fresh-baked sweet that’s fuss-free, these will quickly become a favorite. You might also enjoy our baked pumpkin donuts.

• Genuine apple flavor: Cooking down the apple cider to syrup makes sure every mouthful bursts with that fresh apple cider taste, not just sugar or watered-down juice.
• Quick to make: Ready from start to finish in about 30 minutes—perfect for busy mornings or spontaneous baking sessions. No yeast, no frying, no fuss.
• Soft, light cake-like bites: The texture is moist and tender, more like a muffin crumb, which is just right for breakfast, snacks, or dessert.
• Simple pantry staples: Just one egg, basic sugars, butter, milk, and warming spices. No fancy ingredients needed.
• Great for family and cooks of all skill levels: Straightforward recipe steps make it easy to bake with kids or your cooking newbie friends (and nobody will believe it’s baked, not fried!).
• Customizable finishing touches: Roll ’em in cinnamon sugar, drizzle a glaze, dip in chocolate, or serve with caramel sauce for a fun twist.
• Perfect seasonal treat: Ideal for autumn breakfasts, Thanksgiving, or putting those extra apples and cider bottles to good use. For another crowd-pleasing fall dessert, try our easy homemade apple pie recipe.
• Prep ahead and store like a pro: Make them a day or two in advance or freeze uncoated donuts for up to a month to enjoy fresh anytime.

What You’ll Need

• 1.5 cups Apple cider
• 1 Egg Large
• ⅓ cup Granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup Brown sugar
• 3 tablespoon Butter Unsalted, Melted, Can also use melted coconut oil
• ½ cup Milk Whole or 2%
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
• 1 ¾ cups All-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking powder
• ½ teaspoon Baking soda
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon powder
• ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg powder
• ⅛ teaspoon Cardamom powder
• 1 cup Granulated sugar (for spiced sugar topping)
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon powder (for spiced sugar topping)
• ½ teaspoon Nutmeg powder (for spiced sugar topping)
• ½ teaspoon Cardamom powder (for spiced sugar topping)
• ½ cup Butter Unsalted, Melted (for spiced sugar topping)

Batter, Bake, and Finish

1. Pour apple cider into a nonstick saucepan and simmer uncovered over medium heat until reduced to about ⅓ cup; set aside and let cool completely.
2. Whisk together egg, granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth.
3. Sift together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom in a separate bowl.

4. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, stir in the cooled apple cider syrup, and gently stir until the batter just comes together (do not overmix).

   

5. Grease a donut pan and spoon or pipe batter into each cavity, filling about halfway.
6. Bake in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
7. Let the donuts cool for about 5 minutes at room temperature, then gently remove them from the pan.
8. Whisk granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom together in a wide bowl to make the spiced sugar coating.
9. Brush or dip each donut with melted butter and roll in the spiced sugar mixture to coat.

Key Tips and Tricks

• Don’t skip reducing the cider: This is a key step! Reducing 1.5 cups of cider down to about ⅓ cup concentrates the apple flavor, making these donuts truly stand out. If you’d like a clear walkthrough on reducing the cider, see Sally’s Baking’s baked apple cider donuts. Without this, the flavor can be watery and bland.
• Homemade or store-bought: Both types of apple cider work just fine here, so use what you have.
• Cool your syrup: The apple cider syrup must be at room temperature before going into the batter or it might cook the egg and mess with the donut texture.
• Always use unsalted butter: This keeps the flavors balanced without turning the donuts too salty.
• Mix with care: Overmixing will make the donuts tough. Stir just until the ingredients come together, lumps and all.
• Spices are flexible: I love cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom here, but you can tweak these to your taste or leave one out if you prefer.
• Use both sugars: The combo of granulated and brown sugar gives the best flavor and texture—you wouldn’t want to swap or omit either.
• Don’t swap baking powder for baking soda: Using both leaveners is important to get the perfect rise and tenderness.

• Grease your pan well: Use cooking spray or butter so the donuts don’t stick and come out easily.

Mix-Ins, Toppings, and Swaps

• Topping twists: Try vanilla glaze, melted chocolate drizzles, powdered sugar dusting, or stick with the classic cinnamon sugar.
• Donut holes: Use a mini donut pan to bake small bite-sized treats that are a great snack or party dessert.
• Dipping sauces: Serve with caramel, dulce de leche, chocolate fondue, or whipped cream — or set out an apple pie dip with cinnamon sugar chips for an extra-special touch.
• Switch to coconut oil: Swap butter for melted coconut oil for a mild coconut flavor twist.
• Go gluten-free: Use a gluten-free cake mix to make these donuts safe for gluten-sensitive friends and family.
• Add crunch: Fold in chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, or peanuts for texture and a nutty boost.
• Customize your spices: Feel free to adjust cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom quantities to suit your family’s favorite flavors.
• Simpler cinnamon sugar: For an easy spin, just toss the donuts in cinnamon sugar, skipping the other spices.
• Make muffin-style: No donut pan? No problem! Bake the batter in a lined muffin tin for the same great flavor in a different shape.

Store, Freeze, and Reheat

• Room temperature: Store these donuts in an airtight container for up to 2 days and they’ll still be soft and tasty.
• Refrigerate: Keep in a sealed container for up to 3 days to extend freshness.
• Freeze: Freeze uncoated donuts in a sealed container for up to a month. Lay wax paper between layers so they don’t stick. When ready to eat, thaw, coat in sugar, and reheat.
• Make ahead: You can bake these a day or two early and store at room temperature or in the fridge. Warm them quickly in the microwave before serving. For another make-ahead fall dessert that holds well, try Caramel Apple Layer Cake.
• Reheat: Just zap each donut in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to regain that fresh-baked warmth.

Common Questions Answered

What do these donuts taste like?

Unlike classic fried donuts with a chewy, bread-like texture, these baked apple cider donuts are soft, moist, and tender with a moist cake-like or muffin-like crumb. They’re bursting with real apple cider flavor and warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom, making them truly comforting and cozy.

How are apple cider donuts different than regular donuts?

The biggest difference is texture and cooking method. Apple cider donuts are baked and have a softer, cake-like texture, while regular donuts are usually fried and have a denser, bread-like texture.

How to reduce apple cider to make syrup?

Simply simmer apple cider in a nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat, uncovered. This lets the water evaporate out and leaves behind a thick, concentrated syrup. This process usually takes around 20-30 minutes.

What can I use instead of a donut pan?

If you don’t have a donut pan, you can use a cupcake or muffin pan instead. The donuts will bake up like muffins but have the same delicious apple cider flavor. Just bake for about 18-20 minutes at 350°F or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. You should get around 10 muffins with this method. Prefer a seasonal muffin instead? Try our Maple Pecan Muffins.