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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
This has so much potential! These are the second ‘muffin’ type baked good I’ve made from Half Baked Harvest and they were so bready and bland. I’ll try to make them again and cut the amount of flour or up the amount of spices and apples.
The coffee maple glaze was very good.
Hey Beth,
Sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe, thanks for giving it a try. xTieghan
These were SO GOOD, and a huge hit with everyone in my house. And that’s even though I just now realized I forgot the apple butter. That’s my kind of recipe – delicious even when I lose track of an ingredient!
Hey Kristin,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Crazy pants excited for this recipe, but am wondering if it’s possible to make it into one large bundt pan instead? If so, do you recommend any adjustments to the recipe/bake time? Thanks so much!
Hey Jamie,
I would probably do this in a loaf pan and increase your baking time to at least 45 minutes. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Another winner! These are so delicious!
Hey Melissa,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Could Postum be substituted for the instant coffee?
Hey Maggie,
I have I never worked with postum, you could certainly give it a try, otherwise it’s totally fine to omit the instant coffee. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Oh gosh, one more question. Do you think Stonewall Carmel Apple Butter would work?
Hey Cari,
Sure, I bet that would be yummy. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Score!! I am a kitchen person so I appreciate all the extra steps that really bring out the flavor. Reducing the cider and browning the butter, totally worth the effort. Everyone raved about them. Next up a gluten-free batch so I can enjoy them.
Hey Cari,
Thanks a lot for trying out this recipe. I love to hear that it was enjoyed and hope you have the best week! xTieghan
Hi! Can I just clarify a point? I am going to reduce my apple cider. When all is said and done I only want to add 1/2 a cup of apple cider so even if I can’t reduce the 1 1/2 cup to a 1/2 cup that is all I should use right? Thanks!
Hey Cari,
Yes, that is correct, you are only going to use 1/2 cup of the reduced apple cider. I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Can the apple be peeled? Or does it matter?
Planning on making these tomorrow! 🙂
Hey Kayla,
I didn’t peel my apples, but you totally can if you want. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan!
If I used a cupcake pan, would you recommend using cupcake liners or just greasing the pan with butter?
Thank you!
Hey Emily,
You could really do either one, it’s totally up to you! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Is there a substitute for the instant coffee in the recipe? We do not drink coffee…and actually don’t like the taste.
Hey Crystal,
You can skip the instant coffee. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Can’t wait to try this! Is there a substitute for the Apple butter? I had trouble finding that in my grocery store
If you have a slow cooker, apple butter is pretty easy to make 🙂
Hey Bridget,
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. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
These sound and look so good.
Can I just check that cider is juiced apples? Here in the UK, we have apple juice and cider (the cider being alcoholic).
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. Being excited for seasonal things feels so good, especially when worldwide there is such turmoil. Feeling grateful and happy to be making apple recipes and looking forward to pumpkin season too. ?
Making these soon, even have the pans already! ?xx
Hey Kelly-Jane,
Yes, that is correct. For this recipe I used non-alcoholic cider, so apple juice will also work for you. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Hi Kelly-Jane,
I hope you don’t mind me asking as I also happen to live in the UK – what did you u se as a substitute to apple butter? I sometimes find with these recipes that the ingredients do not exist in the same form here so I sometimes have to improvise – though less keen to do so when it comes to baking! Thanks a million and hope they turned out delicious!
This sounds delicious! Do you think this could be made in a bread loaf pan?…and turn out good?
Hey Susan,
Sure, I think that would work well for you. I would increase your baking time to about 45 minutes. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
So going to try this for our mabon morning breakfast.
I hope you love the recipe Charles!
I was wondering how would recommend altering this recipe for donut hole pans.
Hey there,
I would probably just reduce the baking time since the donut holes would be smaller. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
These look amazing and I’m thinking of trying them out this weekend! I am a long-time admirer of your blog and I’ve recently started my own website dedicated to all things eating, cooking, and baking. I would be honored if you would check it out at https://threepeasinapodfoodblog.com
I’ve recently posted several Autumn-inspired recipes- including Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon-honey butter and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette- that I think you and your followers would enjoy. Thanks so much for being such an incredible inspiration! Happy baking!
Thanks so much Kate! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan