Baked Apple Cider Donuts

I’ve had a donut pan in my possession for about 3 years, and can you believe that I haven’t used it once? Like not ever. Not even when I first bought it and had a “new gadget excitement” that make you try out recipes you wouldn’t normally do. I bought it, cleaned it, stored it, and moved it from house to house.

With it being almost mid-September and 100% fall in my mind (regardless of what these temperatures are telling me!!😓), I wanted to start busting out all my favorite fall recipes. When I was at the store this weekend, I saw Target was stocked with apple cider and it all came together. It was like the moon and the stars aligned and these baked apple cider donuts came to be!

Donut Ingredients

1 1/2 cups apple cider

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon apple pie spice (can be made homemade with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves)

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 egg

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Sugar Coating Ingredients

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon apple pie spice (can be made homemade with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves)

Directions

To get the strongest apple cider taste to these donuts, it’s important to first reduce your apple cider in a small saucepan. Pour in the 1 1/2 cups, cook on low for roughly 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, and reduce down to about 1/2 cup. Let it sit as you combine the remaining ingredients to allow it to partially cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray your donut pan with nonstick baking spray and set aside.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and salt. Set aside.

Whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, egg, sugar, milk and vanilla extract until well combined. Slowly whisk in your dry ingredients. Finally, pour in your reduced apple cider and whisk until smooth. Batter will be slightly thick.

To easily transfer batter into donut pan, I find it easiest to pour into a large storage bag, cut the corner of your bag and slowly pipe it into your donut pan. Fill each donut to about 3/4 full.

Place in center rack of preheated oven and bake for 10-11 minutes. You’ll know the donuts are done when the tops are slightly brown and the donut bounces back when you gently touch the tops.

Let cool for about 2 minutes before transferring to wire rack.

When you’re ready to coat, melt unsalted butter in a shallow dish. Combine dry ingredients in a second shallow dish. Dip donut in melted butter on all sides and gently dip in sugar and spice coating, using as much or as little as you desire.

Store in airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months!

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