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Welcoming the weekend with Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Glaze. Made with boiled-down spiced cider, apple butter, and cinnamon. Then baked and dipped in a sweet brown butter glaze flavored with coffee and cinnamon. There’s really nothing not to love about these cute (and sweet) autumn spiced doughnuts. The true secret? Boiling the apple cider down to really concentrate its flavor. The perfect way to celebrate the autumn apple season!
The first apple recipe of the season and I could not be more excited. Every fall I’m so excited, but this year even more so than ever before. I think it’s because the world is in what feels like a very unsettled place, turning on any news source usually leaves you feeling frustrated.
Because of this, I am really embracing the things I love the most. I’m focusing on all the good that the world does have to offer. My goal this fall is to really go all out. I’m 100% grabbing more pumpkins than I need, making pumpkin spice lattes, and come October 1 – decorating for Halloween. I’m already plotting out my “spooky” desserts and cocktails for October.
Embracing all the good things and leaving the rest behind, you know?
And today that means we’re focusing on September apples and making some of the best baked apple cider donuts.
The Inspiration
Do any of you remember last year’s cinnamon spiced apple fritters? Well, those were the initial inspo for this recipe. I just loved those so much, especially the vanilla coffee glaze. I planned to remake them at least once this month, but the frying part really gets me. It’s just messy and not my favorite task.
That got me thinking about new recipes I could make that highlighted the same flavors but didn’t involve any frying.
And that’s where these baked doughnuts come in. They’re a cross between a really delicious apple cider doughnut and a sweet apple fritter. Totally delicious in every way possible.
On to the details – start with the doughnuts
If you love a classic apple cider doughnut, these are for you. If you can make a basic cupcake or muffin, you can certainly make these. There’s nothing fancy about them.
The key to these doughnuts? It’s all in the cider. I recommend finding the best spiced cider with no added sugars. If you can, pick up some fresh apple cider from your local farmers’ market. Or even better, go apple picking at an apple orchard and pick some up! Nothing quite beats a really good apple cider. It’s always so flavorful this time of year.
To help intensify the apple cider flavor throughout the doughnuts, I decided to boil down the cider on the stove until reduced. Boiling the cider will concentrate the flavors and make the cider that much more flavorful. It’s an extra step, but one that I think is worth it.
Once you have the reduced apple cider, the rest is quick. Just mix the cider with apple butter, eggs, melted butter, vanilla, plus dark brown sugar. Then add in all the dry ingredients and stir in a chopped Honeycrisp apple. Adding the apple makes them kind of like apple fritter doughnuts.
Divide the batter between doughnut pans (or just a cupcake pan). As the doughnuts bake, the kitchen will start to smell like your favorite autumn candle, it’s perfection.
Make the glaze
I took inspiration from my Cinnamon Spiced Sugar Cookies and apple fritters, and decided on a buttery maple glaze with cinnamon and a touch of coffee throughout. It’s just some browned butter, maple, powdered sugar, instant coffee, and cinnamon.
Not too strong, not too sweet, but just right. Especially when spread on top of a warm doughnut.
Delicious!
And with that, here’s my recommendation for the coming weekend…apple picking and doughnut baking – of course!
And if not this weekend, sometime soon. I promise you guys, these doughnuts are so good and such a great fall treat.
Looking for September apple recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Brown Butter Apple Blondies with Cinnamon Maple Glaze
Salted Maple Apple Tarte Tatin with Cinnamon Pumpkin Seeds
Cinnamon Spiced Apple Fritters with Vanilla Coffee Glaze
Lastly, if you make these Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Glaze, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Glaze
Servings: 14 doughnuts
Calories Per Serving: 251 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup apple butter
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 honeycrisp apple, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar
Brown Butter Cinnamon Maple Glaze
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 3/4-1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 6-cup doughnut pan or 12-cup muffin pan with melted butter2. Bring the apple cider to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer 10-15 minutes or until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Remove from the heat. Let cool.3. In a large mixing bowl, stir together 1/2 cup boiled cider, melted butter, eggs, apple butter, vanilla, and brown sugar until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt, mix until just combined. Toss the apples with the cinnamon sugar mix, then stir the apples into the batter.4. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pan, filling 1/2-2/3 the way full. Bake 12-13 minutes, until just set. Remove and let cool 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to release and invert the pan. 5. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Add the butter to a small pot set over medium heat. Allow the butter to brown slightly until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the maple syrup, powdered sugar, instant coffee, and cinnamon. Dip or drizzle the doughnuts into the glaze. Highly recommend eating a few of these warm.
This post was originally published on September 10, 2021
These look devine. Can the frosting be made without coffee?
Hey Chris,
Yes, you can skip the instant coffee. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
If you make them as muffins, do you bake them for the same amount over time?
Hey Valerie,
Yes, you can follow the recipe as is:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan, do you think I could substitute coconut oil along with a smidgen of salt for the salted butter? My grandson is allergic to dairy. Thank you!
Hey Debby,
I haven’t tested this, so I am unsure of the results, but that should be okay for you to do. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try! xTieghan
Can I leave the ginger out and use pumpkin spice instead of nutmeg
Hey Stacy,
I haven’t tried this, it will work, but it will obviously change the flavor profile of the recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Ahh!! Tieghan! You are tempting me! I just happen to be going apple picking tomorrow, AND I have everything I need to make these! They look amazing!
Lol perfect! I hope you love the recipe:) xTieghan
How do you glaze the donuts so they look so perfect??
Hey there,
I just dip them in a bowl:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Could these be fried if you wanted a more traditional donut?
Hey Emily,
Sorry, I would not recommend frying this batter. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Looks great! Can you recommend a sub for apple butter?
Can I use almond milk?
Hey Judy,
Sure, almond milk will work. I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
Hey Deena,
I would use 3/4 cup boiled cider in total OR 1/4 cup pumpkin puree or apple sauce in place of the apple butter. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Holy shit balls!
lol hope you love the recipe Bart!
Is there any way to make these egg-free? My daughter is allergic to eggs.
Hey Tula,
So sorry, I have not tested this recipe without the egg. Please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
These sounds delicious! Could I purée the apple instead of cutting it?
Also, my husband will not eat any fruits or veggies. It’s a texture thing (& stubbornness:) Do you have any recipes or ideas on how to hide them in dishes?
Shelly, I grated the apple on the large side of a box grater and they blended in nicely with no texture issues. When I’m making recipes for my kids I usually grate the veggies or fruit that is call for. It work like a charm. Carrots, squash, onions anything really and if I can’t grate it i.e. broccoli or kale, I finely chop it. Hiding healthy things has become my specialty.
Hey Shelly,
I would recommend dicing them super small, I think your consistency would definitely change the batter if you pureed the apple. I would try something like this recipe where I grate the zucchini and mixed it in:
https://fett-weg.today/one-pot-hamburger-helper/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
If you need apple cider and have none, you could boils down mash apples or juice older apples and condense
Thanks for the tip Michele!
Hi – wondering if I could use a 16 mini bundt/cake pan (Nordic Ware fall cakelet pan) instead of the donut pan? Would I need to adjust the baking time or make any other adjustments? Thanks!
Hey Tiffany,
Sure, that will work well for you! I would follow the recipe as is. I hope this recipe turns out amazing, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Any thoughts on how these might do using a GF 1 to 1 sub mix like KA or Cup 4 Cup?
Im hosting a Pumpkin Carving Party and these would be perfect but my BIL has recently had to go GF and I I am trying to make all selection GF friendly for him.
Of course I’ve never baked GF and have no clue but ran across C4C and KA products while trying to research how to make my apple crisp GF. My initial findings is that the GF sub reacts differently to liquids so not sure if I should venture on this for a party….maybe just for us on a Sat morning!
Hey Miriam,
I would recommend using an equal amount of GF flour, I like Bob’s Red Mill. I hope the recipe turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Thanks so much Tieghan! Will def report back when I try these!
I made these with cup4cup flour and they turned out great!!
Hey Angie,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
I have Celiac Disease and have worked with lots of GF flours/blends. My favorite are C4C and KA. I know people who use Bob’s with good results. Just make sure you pick something that is a blend and not straight up rice flour. Straight forward substitution works well. Good luck. I plan on trying these but will probably do a gluten version first. I will circle back and let you know how they turn out if I proceed with a GF version.
Thanks for the info Cari! I have Cup 4 Cup so I was going to do a test run 🙂
Thank You, can’t wait to try this yummy recipe!
I hope you love the recipe Carmen!
I’m so excited to try this, but I have one setback – I moved to the UK and they don’t really have apple cider anywhere here (why?!?!)! Do you have any substitute that might work or a recipe to make my own apple cider so I can make these beautiful doughnuts?
Thanks so much for being amazing!
I have apple cider in my fridge Lou, it’s from Tesco, their own brand. Not the best for drinking but great for cooking. Hope this helps.
Thank you! I’ve found if there is “apple cider” here it doesn’t taste anything like the US, but I’ll give it a go!! Thanks!
Hey Lou,
You could try using apple juice here. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan