Cider Doughnuts, Apple Style

Fall = apple cider doughnuts!

Every fall, everyone at the table asks me to make my apple cider doughnuts. It’s a recipe that’s not only straightforward, but the results are memorable. The key to making these is to take time to reduce the apple cider. It truly concentrates the flavor and gives these doughnuts extra wow factor. It also doesn’t hurt that once baked, these doughnuts are dipped in melted butter and tossed in a cinnamon and apple pie spice sugar coating.

Surely one of my regular kitchen-made baked doughnut recipes ever.

To Make These Apple Cider Doughnuts Gather:

for the doughnuts:

• apple cider – Try to look for fresh pressed apple cider (NOT apple cider vinegar). We’re lucky and live around the corner from a cider mill.
• unbleached all-purpose flour – The base for the cake batter.
• baking powder – Will create lightness in the batter, which makes it rise.
• fine salt – Helps balance the sweetness and enhances all the flavors in this dish.
• cinnamon (ground) – Lends a distinct warm and woodsy flavor.
• apple pie spice – The dependable blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and allspice.
• unsalted butter – Adds richness, moisture and flavor.
• light brown sugar – Lends subtle caramel notes and sweetness.
• granulated sugar (white) – For sweetening and flavor.
• eggs – Adds richness and flavor.

for the sugar coating:

• granulated sugar (white) – For sweetening and flavor.
• cinnamon (ground) – Lends a distinct warm and woodsy flavor.
• apple pie spice – The dependable blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and allspice.
• unsalted butter (melted) – Adds richness and flavor and helps the sugar coating stick.

MAKE THE DOUGHNUTS:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease 2 (6 doughnut wells each) pans with nonstick spray. I like to use one that has flour in it.

In a smalls saucepan, bring 1 cup apple cider (not apple cider vinegar) to a boil over hight heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup. I check periodically by pouring it into a liquid measuring cup until I’ve reached the 1/2 cup mark. Let cool ( it can be slightly warm when eventually adding but do not add hot apple cider to the batter)

In a mixing bowl, measure and add 1-3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 1-1/4 teaspoons each baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon fine salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice, and then whisk well to combine.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, add 10 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter, 3/4 cup light brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated white sugar.

Mix on medium to low speed for 1 minute, then increase the speed to high and mix for 2 more minutes.

Next, add in 2 eggs – one at a time, mixing well after each egg.

Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl.

With the mixer on low speed, gradually add in the dry ingredients.

Mixing until simply combined. Once again, scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl.

While your mixer is on low speed, pour in the reduced apple cider.

Mix until incorporated. The batter will not be overly thick.

Spoon batter into a piping back or large gallon-size resealable bag. Snip the corner and pipe the batter into the prepared pan, dividing the batter equally among each doughnut cavity. (I did ad more batter to each than you see in this photo)

Bake on the middle rack of your preheated oven for 14 to 15 minutes or until a tester comes back clean with maybe a few crumbs attached.

Allow the doughnuts rest in the pan before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool until safe to handle.

COAT THE DOUGHNUTS:

In a bowl, add 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter.

In a second bowl, add 1 cup granulated white sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1 teaspoon apple pie spice.

Dip both sides of the doughnuts in the melted butter, letting excess drip back into the bowl.

Then transfer it to the bowl with the spiced sugar and coat on all sides.

Repeat with the remaining doughnuts.

Pro Tip: If your baked doughnuts come out without a defined hole in the center, use a 1-inch round cookie cutter or biscuit cutter (I’ll link mine below in the printable recipe) and cut out the center. DO NOT THROW THOSE AWAY!

Toss those scraps in any leftover butter and cinnamon sugar. We call them belly buttons in our house 😂

Hands down the go-to apple cider doughnuts! Well-seasoned, moist and addictive!

How Should You Store Baked Doughnuts?

Store the doughnuts in an air-tight container at room temperature.

How Long will Baked Doughnuts Last?

If stored properly, these doughnuts should last for 1 to 2 days or longer.

Enjoy! And if you give this Apple Cider Doughnuts recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!