Baked Apple Cider Donuts

Homemade baked apple cider donuts made with fresh apple cider, and buttermilk to keep them moist they are rolled in cinnamon and sugar. No need to fry these! They taste like they came from your local orchard.

So you may or may not know this but even though this blog is called “bostongirlbakes” I actually did NOT grow up in Boston. Cue shocked face! Yes it’s true. I grew up on a farm in rural, upstate New York. And one of my fondest memories growing up is visiting the local cider mill. 

Watching the cider be pressed before my very eyes was such a joy that I looked forward to each year. But the thing I remember the most, and longed for each year, were the homemade donuts.

Behind this tiny plexiglass window homemade donuts were pressed out and fried before your very eyes. Hot, fresh donuts that were like none I’ve ever tried. 

So this apple cider donut recipe is my ode to that cider mill and those fond memories. And let me tell you what, a homemade apple cider donut that I can whip up any time in my kitchen? Let’s just say it’s dangerous friend. You’ve been warned.

For more donut recipes check out –> 90+ Donut Recipes

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Lots of apple flavor – These baked apple cider donuts are made with an apple cider reduction so maximum apple cider flavor!
• No frying required – Sure, fried donuts are amazing. Not going to argue that at all here. But frying donuts can also be lot of work! These are baked, so they are much faster to whip up.
• No yeast either! – These homemade apple cider donuts are made with baking powder and baking soda, so no yeast is needed. That means no waiting around for them to rise, no kneading, no rolling and shaping.

Ingredients needed

Ingredient Notes

• Apple cider – You need to reduce the apple cider on the stove, so it’s concentrated. This takes about 45 minutes on the stove, but you can do this a day ahead of time and refrigerate it when ready. Apple juice will not give you quite the same flavor.
• Buttermilk – Buttermilk and milk do not react the same way in baking recipes with the leavening agents. If you don’t have any buttermilk, you can make a homemade buttermilk version.

How to make these baked apple cider donuts

Make the apple cider reduction

1. Pour apple cider into a saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and let it cook, watching carefully.
2. Let it reduce until the cider is reduced to ½ cup. This took about 40-45 minutes for me. If it reduces too much, add enough cider to make ½ cup. Let it cool for about 10 minutes before using. I pop mine in the freezer to cool down faster. This can also be done the day before. Simply cover and refrigerate until ready to use the next day. 

Making the donut batter

1. Mix dry ingredients. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon,and nutmeg to a large bowl. Mix with a whisk until combined and set aside until needed.
2. Mix wet ingredients. Whisk sugar, brown sugar, milk, butter, vanilla extract, and egg together in another bowl until combined. 
3. Combine all ingredients. Add the apple cider reduction and the wet ingredients to the well. Stir together using a spatula to form a slightly thick batter; do not overmix.
4. Fill the donut pans. Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared donut pans, filling them about 1/2 of the way up. Or use a piping bag and fill the pans, which is much easier. This batter will make a little over 12 donuts (

HEATHER’S BAKING TIP: Measure your flour correctly. Too much flour which can result in a dense tough donut. For best, results measure your flour using a kitchen scale.

HEATHER’S BAKING TIP: Do not overfill the pans. You want them about half full, so they don’t puff up over the center. If you overfill them won’t look quite like donuts anymore. If you do, simply cut the center out using a piping tip.

Coating The Donuts

You have two options now to coat the donuts. With or without butter. I preferred the rolled in butter first then coated in cinnamon sugar. My husband preferred without butter. To each their own!

And then it’s time to take a bite. Devour. Hide them for yourself, so no one else can have any. I mean, err, share them. Right. Of course, share them is the correct answer. 

These donuts are so light and fluffy and bursting with apple flavor. And the cinnamon sugar coating sends them over the edge. I seriously inhaled three immediately. I wish I was exaggerating to you. But I’m so not. They are that good.

More Recipe Tips

• Do not overmix. Once you have combined the wet and dry ingredients do not overmix. Mix just until the flour has been incorporated. A streak or two of flour not mixed in is OK.
• Use room temperature eggs. Place your eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes before baking.
• Check the freshness of your baking powder and baking soda. Test baking powder by placing a teaspoon in a small bowl of warm water. Test baking soda by placing a teaspoon in a small bowl of vinegar. If it bubbles, then they are fresh and good to use!
• Use a piping bag to pipe the batter into the donut pan easily. If you don’t have a piping bag, then use two spoons to scrape the batter in the pans.

Recipe FAQ’s

More recipes to check out

• Apple Babka
• Glazed Yeast Donuts Recipe
• Chocolate Frosted Donuts
• Apple Cider Cookies
• Apple Cider Cupcakes
• Cinnamon Apple Scones