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Baked Cinnamon Crunch Apple Cider Doughnuts – made with boiled-down spiced cider, apple butter, and cinnamon. Before baking, the doughnut batter is topped with homemade cinnamon CRUNCH topping. Once baked, each warm doughnut is coated in cinnamon sugar, just like a classic apple cider doughnut—but even more delicious. The cinnamon crunch adds a little something special to each spiced cider doughnut that’s so delicious. They’re the perfect way to celebrate the autumn apple season!
If there was ever a fall recipe to bake, it has to be these doughnuts. I know everyone has an obsession with pumpkin, but I’m happy to be the girl shouting out to embrace the fall apple season too.
Don’t get me wrong—I love pumpkin, but apples always fly under the radar every season. And the truth is, a fresh, crisp apple is my favorite!
Apparently, it’s many of your favorites, too, because you’ve all been loving our apple cider candle. It’s been so fun to see so many of you burning your candles this season!
So when I said I was excited to bake these doughnuts, I really meant it. I’ve been waiting for weeks to share them. My hope is that you’ll be baking these throughout the holiday season. They’re that good!
As mentioned above, the cinnamon crunch adds the sweetest little bit of crunch with every bite, making these just like the classic cider doughnut but even better. You’re going to love them—or at least that’s my hope!
The Details You Should Know
Ingredients
- apple cider
- salted butter
- vanilla extract
- eggs
- dark brown sugar
- flour
- baking powder, baking soda, salt
- cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
- Honeycrisp apples
- cinnamon sugar
Special Supplies
- doughnut or muffin pan
Steps
Step 1: boil down the apple 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 and pick some up! Nothing quite beats really good apple cider. It’s always so flavorful this time of year.
To help intensify the apple cider flavor throughout the doughnuts, we’re going to boil down the cider on the stove until reduced.
Boiling the cider will concentrate the flavors and make it that much more flavorful. It’s an extra step, but one that I think is worth it. You can also add cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, or cardamon pods to the cider for even more flavor.
Step 2: make the doughnut batter
Mix the cider with melted butter, apple butter, eggs, vanilla, and dark brown sugar. Then add all the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
Next, stir in a chopped Honeycrisp apple. Adding the apple makes these kind of like apple fritter doughnuts.
Step 3: make the cinnamon crunch
The cinnamon crunch topping consists of brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and butter mixed together until clumps form.
Step 4: bake
Divide the batter between doughnut pans (or just a cupcake pan). Then, divide the cinnamon crunch between the doughnuts, lightly pressing the CRUNCH into the wet batter to adhere.
As the doughnuts bake, the kitchen will smell like your favorite autumn candle, it’s perfection.
Step 5: the cinnamon sugar
Remove the doughnuts from the pan while they’re still warm. Dredge them in sweet cinnamon sugar, just like a classic apple cider doughnut.
Is there anything more wonderful in the fall?
Serve these with coffee or hot cocoa, or even a steaming mug of cider for the quintessential fall treat!
Looking for apple recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Glaze
Baked Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cider Doughnut Holes
Brown Butter Apple Blondies with Cinnamon Maple Glaze
Haunted Pumpkin Patch Margarita
Cinnamon Crunch Apple Butter Soft Pretzel Knots
Salted Maple Apple Tarte Tatin with Cinnamon Pumpkin Seeds
Cinnamon Spiced Apple Fritters with Vanilla Coffee Glaze
Lastly, if you make these Baked Cinnamon Crunch Apple Cider Doughnuts, 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 Cinnamon Crunch Apple Cider Doughnuts
Servings: 16 doughnuts
Calories Per Serving: 231 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
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup apple butter
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 Honeycrisp apple, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar (1/2 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon cinnamon)
Cinnamon Crunch
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 6-cup doughnut pan or 12-cup muffin pan with melted butter.2. 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. Mix in the butter. Let cool.3. In a large mixing bowl, stir together 1/2 cup boiled cider, the 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 1 tablespoon of cinnamon sugar, then stir the apples into the batter.4. To make the crunch. Mix the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter. 5. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pan, filling each slot halfway. Cover the batter with cinnamon crunch. Bake 13-14 minutes, until just set. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to release and invert the pan.6. Coat the warm doughnuts in cinnamon sugar, tossing back and forth in the sugar to generously coat them. These are best eaten slightly warm, so enjoy!
This post was originally published on September 27, 2024
This recipe tasted SOOO yummy!! I think I had an error on my part, it tasted SO GOOD but felt a bit undercooked and I’m wondering if it’s because my donut molds are silicone. I baked for 13 minutes at 350. Would you have a suggestion for a change I could make (temp or time) that might make them a bit more solid / less doughy with silicone molds? Love your recipes and can’t wait to try this one again!!!
Hey Grace,
Awesome!! Love to hear this recipe turned out nicely for you, thanks for making it! I’ve honestly never used silicone molds, I would try increasing your bake time to 15-18 minutes. Hope you are enjoying fall! XxT
where is the butter listed in the recipe? all i see is the butter for the pan and butter for the crunch. it says to add the butter to the apple cider but i don’t see any butter there.
Hi Anna,
So sorry for any confusion, the 2 tablespoons of butter goes into the apple cider in step 2. I hope this helps! xT
Made these last night and they were delicious!!! First time I’ve made doughnuts and it will not be the last. The flavor of these was so good and I used plain old cider from the grocery store. Thank you!!!
Hey Ruth,
Awesome! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your comment! Glad to hear it was enjoyed. Have a great week! x
These doughnuts are fabulous! I followed the recipe as written…they are perfect. Full of apple cinnamon goodness with a moist, muffin- like texture. My husband’s exact words were, ‘Tastes like fall.’ I’m so glad I purchased some fun doughnut pans too – specifically for this recipe – because I’ll for sure be making these throughout the holiday season.
Hey Christel,
Yay! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for giving it a try! Happy fall weekend! xT
These were good but way too much sugar.I mean they are 5 out of 5 with the sugar as is! we loved them.
Hey Jacki,
Happy Tuesday! So glad to hear these doughnuts turned out well for you, thanks so much for making them! xT
Made these tonight with the kids and they turned out amazing! Not too sweet and a perfect flavor of fall. Very tasty, can’t wait to try a non-sugar coated one in the morning with my coffee.
Hey Allie,
Awesome! Thank you so much for trying this recipe, love to hear that it was enjoyed! x
Would this recipe work with one for one/GF flour? Thanks!
Hi Karen,
Yes, that should work nicely for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
I made these last night and they were a very big hit!! Wow! They are a perfect fall treat..sweet, crunchy, moist…just a delight!
Thanks again Tieghan, for sharing your gift of cooking!!
Hey Angela,
Happy Sunday! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your feedback, so glad it was enjoyed! xx
Is this recipe developed for sea level or higher altitude? Thanks!
Hey Charlene,
You should be able to follow this recipe as written without any issues:) Please let me know if you give it a try! xT
But I didn’t say which one I am at. Is this recipe written for high altitudes or sea level? Thanks!
No adjustments need to be made for either location. Please let me know if I can help in any other way!
What do you mean? I always have to adjust baking recipes when making them at high altitude, as does everyone else. Is this some sort of magic recipe that defies the laws of physics? I’d appreciate some clarification—thanks!
Never mind, I just saw you reply to another commenter telling them this is a high altitude recipe. I don’t think I’ll be using this one with so much conflicting information.
Can these be made in advance and frozen?
Hey Jennie,
Sure, I would just wait to do step 6 until you have thawed and warmed them. I hope this helps, please let me know if you give this recipe a try! xT
Do you bake yours at a higher temp and longer than the recipe states? I live in Park City and have to adjust recipes all the time, so just want to make sure before do my usual changes!
Hey Whitney,
You should be able to follow this recipe as written without any issues! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
So does that mean this recipe is already for high altitudes, and I don’t need to make my usual high-altitude adjustments?
Correct:)
Can I use applesauce instead of apple cider in this recipe?
Thanks
Donna
Hey Donna,
Do you mean in place of the apple butter? Yes, that will work, but do not use it in place of the apple cider. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try! xT
I’m sorry but the Pendleton ad on this page makes it incredibly difficult to scroll or even read your content. No recipe is worth this amount of fighting to get to.
Hi there,
So sorry to hear you had some issues with the ads, thanks for sharing your insight! Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xT
Thank you, Tieghan! I really appreciate that. Excited to try the recipe!!
How long do you cook them if making muffins? Can’t wait to make these, they are perfect for a fall treat.
Thanks so much, Katie!! You can follow the recipe as written and bake for 13-14 minutes. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try! xT
Do you use muffin cups if you are baking in a muffin pan?
Hi Kimberly,
I did not use any muffin liners:) Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
How many donuts does this make?
Hi Brandi,
This recipe will make 16 doughnuts. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT