Tender Apple Cider Donuts (Printable)

Soft, cake-style donuts infused with apple cider and coated in fragrant cinnamon sugar.

# What You'll Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 1 cup apple cider
02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 1/2 cup whole milk
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

06 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Coating

12 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
13 - 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
14 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Simmer the apple cider in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
02 - Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a standard donut pan thoroughly.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until evenly distributed.
04 - Whisk the reduced apple cider, melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl until fully blended.
05 - Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and gently fold together until just combined, avoiding overmixing to preserve tenderness.
06 - Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared donut pan cavities, filling each approximately three-quarters full.
07 - Bake the donuts for 12 to 15 minutes or until the surface springs back when lightly pressed.
08 - Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for five minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Combine sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Brush each warm donut with melted butter and coat thoroughly in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
10 - Serve the donuts warm or at room temperature for optimal flavor and texture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're tender and cake-like, not dense or greasy, because we skip deep frying for a gentler oven method.
  • The reduced apple cider gives an honest, concentrated sweetness that doesn't need heavy flavoring—just cinnamon and nutmeg supporting the star.
  • They come together in about 35 minutes, so you can have fresh donuts on a weekday morning without feeling like you're taking on a project.
02 -
  • Reducing the apple cider is non-negotiable—if you skip this, the batter becomes too wet and the donuts turn out dense and bland instead of tender and flavor-forward.
  • Don't overmix once the wet and dry ingredients come together, because those few extra stirrings turn delicate crumb into something rubbery and sad.
  • Coat them while they're still warm enough to make the butter cling but not so hot it causes the sugar to slide right off.
03 -
  • If you can't find good apple cider, use unsweetened apple juice, but reduce it down even further—to about 1/4 cup—because the flavor will be more delicate.
  • Invest in a good donut pan that conducts heat evenly; cheaper pans often have hot spots that cause uneven browning.
  • Toast your cinnamon and nutmeg in a dry skillet for 30 seconds before adding to the dry mix—it wakes up their oils and makes the whole recipe taste more vibrant.
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