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Baked Apple Cider Donuts Recipe

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4.2 from 5 reviews

These Baked Apple Cider Donuts are tender, spiced, and perfectly coated in a cinnamon sugar blend. Made by reducing fresh apple cider to concentrate its flavors and infused with apple butter, sour cream, and warm spices, these donuts offer a delightful fall treat without the deep-frying mess. Finished with an optional drizzle of rich homemade salted caramel sauce, they're a sweet, cozy dessert or breakfast favorite that yields 16 delicious servings.

Ingredients

For the Apple Cider Reduction:

  • 7 and 3/4 cups apple cider

For the Donut Batter:

  • 1/2 cup salted butter, melted (113 grams or 8 tablespoons)
  • 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp vegetable oil (80 mL)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar (158 grams)
  • 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp light brown sugar, packed (124 grams)
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup reduced apple cider (240 mL)
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp apple butter, at room temperature (106 grams)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup full fat sour cream, at room temperature (60 grams)
  • 2 and 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled (347 grams)
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • Pinch of ground cloves

For the Coating:

  • 1/4 cup reduced apple cider (80 mL)
  • 3 tbsp apple butter (53 grams)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (210 grams)
  • 5 and 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Additional:

  • 1 batch salted caramel sauce (recipe linked in original instructions)

Instructions

  1. Reduce the Apple Cider: Pour the apple cider into a pot and heat it over medium-high heat until it reaches a rolling boil. Stir occasionally as it cooks down for 35-50 minutes until the volume is reduced to 1 cup. You'll use 3/4 cup of this reduction in the donut batter and reserve 1/4 cup for brushing the baked donuts. Alternatively, you can use store-bought boiled cider to eliminate this step.
  2. Prep the Oven and Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Thoroughly spray your donut pans with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking. Have a couple of cooling racks placed on baking sheets ready to catch any cinnamon sugar crumbs. Also, spray the cooling racks with nonstick spray before using.
  3. Make the Batter: In a large bowl, melt the butter. Whisk in the granulated and brown sugars until well combined. Add the eggs, reduced apple cider, apple butter, vanilla extract, sour cream, and vegetable oil; whisk until just incorporated. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Fold the dry ingredients gently into the wet mixture using a spatula until just blended with no flour streaks. Transfer the batter into a piping bag or a zip-top bag with a snipped corner.
  4. Bake the Donuts: Pipe the batter evenly into the prepared donut pans, filling each mold about 2/3 full. Bake for 8-9 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the donuts comes out with moist crumbs but no wet batter. Remove the pans from the oven, run a butter knife around the edges to loosen the donuts, and let them rest for 2 minutes in the pans. Then invert the donuts onto the greased cooling racks.
  5. Coat the Donuts: While the donuts bake, mix the reserved 1/4 cup reduced apple cider with 3 tablespoons apple butter to make the brushing glaze. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves for the coating. When the donuts are warm but cool enough to handle, brush them with the cider-apple butter mixture, then immediately dunk each donut into the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat thoroughly.
  6. Serve and Store: Serve the donuts warm, optionally drizzled with the homemade salted caramel sauce for an extra indulgent treat. Store cooled donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. If topped with caramel sauce, keep them refrigerated to maintain freshness.

Notes

  • Make sure to distinguish apple cider from apple cider vinegar as they are different ingredients.
  • Spraying the cooling racks with nonstick spray before placing the donuts on them prevents sticking and makes removal easier.
  • Using boiled cider purchased from a reputable source can save significant time instead of reducing cider yourself.
  • Donuts should be filled only about two-thirds full in the pans to allow room for rising.
  • Brush and sugar coat the donuts while they are still warm for optimal flavor adherence.
  • Salted caramel sauce enhances the flavor but needs refrigeration to keep it fresh once applied.

Find it online: https://recipefeastful.com/baked-apple-cider-donuts-recipe/