These apple cider donuts are amazing! They’re soft, fluffy, and packed with apple cider flavor and warm spices, all rolled in spiced sugar.
These baked cake donuts are the perfect fall treat. If you can’t make it to an apple orchard this year, no worries—these homemade donuts are even better!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS APPLE CIDER DONUT RECIPE:
- Full of Fall Flavor: The perfect blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice complements the cider flavor wonderfully.
- Super Soft and Moist: Thanks to the sour cream and buttermilk, these donuts are incredibly moist.
- Easy to Make: No need for hot oil or a deep fryer, making these donuts simple to prepare.
- Better than Fried Donuts: Seriously, they are just as good, if not better!
Apple Cider Donuts
Ingredients
**For the Apple Cider Donut Batter:**
- 3 cups apple cider
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk at room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream at room temperature
**For the Spiced Sugar Topping:**
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Instructions
**For the Apple Cider Donuts:**
- **Reduce the Apple Cider**: In a saucepan over medium-low heat, simmer the apple cider until it reduces to ½ cup, stirring occasionally. This will take about 20-30 minutes. Let it cool before using.
- **Preheat Oven**: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- **Mix Dry Ingredients**: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice. Set aside.
- **Cream Butter and Sugars**: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- **Add Eggs and Vanilla**: Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute.
- **Combine Wet Ingredients**: Add the buttermilk, sour cream, and reduced cider to the mixture, mixing on low speed until combined.
- **Mix in Dry Ingredients**: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined.
- **Prepare Donut Pan**: Grease a donut pan with nonstick spray. Transfer the batter to a piping bag, cutting a ½ inch opening at the bottom. Pipe the batter into the pan until each well is slightly more than ¾ full.
- **Bake**: Bake the donuts for 12-13 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- **Cool**: Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool until they can be handled.
**For the Spiced Sugar Topping:**
- **Melt Butter**: Melt the butter in a small bowl.
- **Mix Spiced Sugar**: In a separate bowl, mix the granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
- **Coat Donuts**: Using a pastry brush, brush each donut with melted butter, then roll them in the spiced sugar mixture. Serve right away!
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days.