Recipe

Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts

Cake-style, cider-forward doughnuts baked not fried, then rolled in cinnamon-sugar while warm for that classic fall breakfast vibe.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

Freshly baked apple cider doughnuts in a metal doughnut pan on a wooden counter, coated in cinnamon sugar with a small bowl of apple cider nearby

Jump to Recipe

Apple cider doughnuts are one of those fall foods that makes you feel like you have your life together, even if you are wearing mismatched socks and running on coffee fumes. The good news: you do not need a fryer, a thermometer, or a sink full of oil to get that cozy, cinnamon-sugar magic.

These are baked apple cider doughnuts with a tender, cake-style crumb. The secret is reducing the cider first so the flavor actually shows up instead of whispering from the background. While they are still warm, we give them a quick butter brush and roll them in cinnamon-sugar so the coating sticks like it means it.

Apple cider simmering in a small saucepan on a stovetop, reduced and slightly darker in color with gentle steam rising

Why It Works

Big cider flavor without frying: reducing the cider concentrates apple notes, so baked doughnuts taste like apple cider doughnuts.
Tender cake texture: a simple batter with sour cream or yogurt keeps the crumb moist and soft.
Crisp, clingy cinnamon-sugar: a quick brush of melted butter while warm helps the coating stick evenly.
Flexible pans: works in a doughnut ring pan or as muffin tin “doughnut muffins” if that is what you have.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

How to Store Them

Best day to eat: like most doughnuts, these are at their peak the day they are baked, especially for the cinnamon-sugar crunch.

Coating note: the cinnamon-sugar will soften and can get a little patchy as they sit. Still delicious. If you want to revive the vibe, warm briefly and give them a quick re-roll in cinnamon-sugar (or add a fresh pinch on top).

Room temperature

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Line the container with a paper towel and add another paper towel on top to absorb excess moisture.

Refrigerator

Not my first choice because it can dry them out, but they will keep up to 4 days in a sealed container.

Freezer (best make-ahead move)

Freeze uncoated doughnuts on a sheet pan until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
Thaw at room temp, warm briefly, then brush with butter and roll in cinnamon-sugar right before serving.

How to rewarm

Microwave 10 to 15 seconds for soft and cozy.
Or warm at 300°F for 5 to 7 minutes to perk them up without drying.

Common Questions

Do I really have to reduce the cider?

I strongly recommend it. Regular cider has a lot of water, and baked goods can only handle so much liquid before the flavor gets diluted. Reducing takes about 10 to 20 minutes (depending on your pan and simmer) and makes the doughnuts taste like apple cider doughnuts, not cinnamon cake in disguise.

Can I use apple juice instead of apple cider?

You can, but cider is usually more apple-forward and richer (often unfiltered), so the flavor reads more “cider doughnut.” If you only have juice, still reduce it and consider adding an extra pinch of cinnamon plus a tiny pinch of clove or allspice to help it lean “fall.”

What if I do not have a doughnut pan?

No problem. Use a muffin tin and bake them as doughnut muffins. Same batter, same cinnamon-sugar finish, just a different shape.

Can I make these gluten-free?

Often, yes. A 1:1 gluten-free baking blend with xanthan gum included usually works well for cake-style doughnuts, but results vary by brand. Expect a slightly more delicate crumb, and avoid overbaking. Let them cool 5 minutes before turning out.

Why did my baked doughnuts turn dry?

Most commonly: too much flour (scoop-and-pack) or overbaking. Use spoon-and-level for flour, and pull them when the tops spring back and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Warm baked doughnut being rolled in a shallow bowl of cinnamon sugar on a kitchen counter

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Doughnut pan (6-count or 12-count) or a standard muffin tin
Small saucepan (to reduce cider)
Mixing bowls
Whisk and rubber spatula
Measuring cups and spoons
Piping bag or zip-top bag (for clean pan filling)
Wire rack
Pastry brush (for melted butter)

I love a recipe that feels like a weekend treat but behaves like a weeknight plan. That is exactly what these doughnuts do. The first time I made apple cider doughnuts at home, I expected a whole project. Instead, I realized the real move is reducing the cider, then letting the oven do the work. You get that fall bakery smell, the cinnamon-sugar on your fingertips, and the kind of breakfast that makes everyone wander into the kitchen “just to see what is going on.”

Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 12 doughnuts

Ingredients

For the reduced cider

2 cups apple cider

For the doughnuts

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup neutral oil (canola, vegetable, or avocado)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup reduced apple cider (from above), cooled

For the cinnamon-sugar coating

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt (optional, but highly recommended)

Instructions

Reduce the cider

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring 2 cups apple cider to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer and cook until you have 1/2 cup, about 10 to 20 minutes depending on your pan and stove. You are looking for cider that is darker and a little syrupy.
Pour into a heat-safe measuring cup and let cool while you prep the batter. (Warm is fine. Hot is not.)

Mix the batter

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a doughnut pan very well (or a muffin tin). Nonstick spray plus a quick wipe of oil in the wells is my low-drama method.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and eggs until smooth. Whisk in the sour cream, oil, vanilla, and 1/2 cup reduced cider.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and fold gently with a spatula just until no dry pockets remain. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick, which is exactly what you want for a tender, cake-style doughnut.

Bake

Spoon or pipe the batter into the pan, filling each cavity about 3/4 full. (A zip-top bag with the corner snipped makes this tidy.)
Bake until the tops spring back lightly when touched, about 9 to 11 minutes for doughnut pans. For muffin tins, fill wells about 2/3 full and bake 12 to 15 minutes.
Cool in the pan for 3 to 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Cinnamon-sugar finish

In a shallow bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, and optional pinch of salt.
While the doughnuts are still warm (aim for within 5 to 10 minutes of baking), brush all over with melted butter, then roll in cinnamon-sugar. Coat once for a light layer, or twice if you want that bakery-style snowstorm.
Serve warm, preferably with coffee and zero interruptions.

Pan options and quick notes

Yield and pans: makes about 12 standard doughnuts. If you have a 6-count pan, bake in two batches.
No doughnut pan: bake in a muffin tin and treat them exactly the same after baking. The cinnamon-sugar does not care about shape. (You will usually get about 10 to 12 muffins, depending on how full you fill the wells.)
Want extra apple spice: add a tiny pinch of ground clove or allspice to the batter. Tiny. We are not making potpourri.

Cake-style doughnut batter being piped from a zip-top bag into a greased metal doughnut pan on a kitchen counter

Nutrition information is estimated.

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