When cool weather arrives, I make baked apple cider donuts for an easy breakfast or afternoon treat. You get the warm spice and apple flavor of classic cider donuts without frying or handling hot oil.
This baked apple cider donut recipe uses reduced cider for rich apple flavor and finishes each donut with a smooth sweet glaze. You’ll learn how to mix the batter, bake tender apple donuts, and adjust the ingredients when needed.
I also share simple serving ideas, storage tips, and nutrition details, so your homemade apple cider doughnuts stay fresh and fit smoothly into your plans.
Why You Will Love Baked Apple Cider Glazed Donuts
These baked donuts bring apple cider, warm spices, and a simple sweet glaze into one easy fall treat. You get the soft texture of cake-style baked doughnuts without frying oil or dealing with a messy stovetop.
After apple picking, I often use fresh cider for a batch while the apples are still on the counter. You can make these for a weekend breakfast, an afternoon snack, or a casual fall gathering.
- Baked, not fried: Your oven does the work, and cleanup stays simple.
- Full cider flavor: Reducing the cider first gives the donuts a stronger apple taste.
- Warm fall spices: Cinnamon and nutmeg pair well with the cider and glaze.
- Easy to serve: The glaze sets as the donuts cool, so you can stack or pack them easily.
You only need a donut pan, basic baking ingredients, and apple cider. If you don’t have a donut pan, bake the batter in a muffin tin instead; the flavor stays the same.
These are a practical choice for fall baking when you want a homemade treat without a long process. Serve them slightly warm for a tender crumb and a smooth cider glaze.
How to Make Baked Apple Cider Glazed Donuts
You bake these soft, cake-style donuts in a donut pan, then finish them with a smooth apple cider glaze. Reducing fresh apple cider first gives both the donuts and glaze a stronger apple taste without making the batter thin.
Ingredients
For the donuts, use all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and kosher salt. Baking powder and baking soda help the donuts rise while keeping the crumb tender.
You’ll also need reduced apple cider, unsalted butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and a large egg. Brown sugar adds a mild caramel note, while the egg holds the batter together.
For the apple cider glaze, mix powdered sugar with a small amount of concentrated apple cider. Add a pinch of cinnamon if you’d like a spiced finish.
- Apple cider: Start with 1 1/2 cups and reduce it to about 1/2 cup.
- Spices: Use cinnamon and nutmeg for a warm, balanced flavor.
- Optional finish: Make a cinnamon-sugar coating with granulated sugar and ground cinnamon instead of, or in addition to, the glaze.
Instruments
Use a standard 6-cavity or 12-cavity donut pan for classic donut shapes. Grease each well before filling so the baked donuts release easily.
You’ll need a small saucepan for the cider reduction. Simmer the apple cider over low heat until it reduces, then cool it before adding it to the eggs or milk.
Keep these tools nearby:
- Large and medium mixing bowls
- Whisk and rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Piping bag or zip-top bag
- Wire cooling rack
- Small bowl for cider glaze
A piping bag gives you clean, even rings. If you don’t have donut pans, bake the batter in a greased mini muffin tin for donut holes.
Step-by-Step Instruction
Pour fresh apple cider into a small saucepan. Simmer it over low heat, stirring now and then, until about one-third of the original amount remains. This cider reduction usually takes about 20 minutes, so let it cool for 10 minutes afterward.
Heat your oven to 350°F. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in one bowl. In another bowl, whisk melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, vanilla extract, egg, and cooled reduced apple cider.
Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients just until no dry flour remains. Fill each greased donut pan cavity about halfway with a piping bag.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Cool the donuts in the pan for 2 minutes, then move them to a wire rack.
Whisk powdered sugar and apple cider until the glaze falls in a thick ribbon. Dip cooled donuts into the apple cider glaze, or brush it on. For a cinnamon-sugar coating, brush warm donuts with melted butter and roll them in cinnamon sugar.
Tips & Tricks
Reduce the apple cider before mixing the batter. Simmer it until it becomes syrupy and measures about ½ cup. This gives your donuts a clearer apple flavor without adding too much liquid.
I learned early on that overmixing creates dense donuts. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients only until no flour streaks remain. A few small lumps are fine.
- Fill pans evenly: Pipe the batter into greased donut wells, filling each about two-thirds full. This keeps the rings neat and helps them bake at the same rate.
- Try mini donuts: Use a mini donut pan and start checking them after 7–9 minutes. They work well for parties or snack trays.
- Use fresh fall spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger lose strength over time. Fresh spices give the batter a balanced, warm flavor.
Let the donuts cool for a few minutes before glazing. I glaze them while they’re still slightly warm, so the coating clings well but doesn’t melt away.
If the glaze seems too thick, add cider one teaspoon at a time. If it runs off the donuts, whisk in a little more powdered sugar.
Ingredient Substitute
When I bake these donuts, I use what I have on hand without changing the basic method. Small swaps work well, but keep the batter thick so your donuts hold their shape.
- Apple cider: Use fresh, unfiltered cider for the strongest flavor. Apple juice works in a pinch, but reduce it the same way and expect a lighter apple taste. Don’t replace cider with applesauce.
- Milk: Replace regular milk with buttermilk for a slightly richer, softer crumb. You can also make cider donut muffins with plain milk, oat milk, or another unsweetened milk.
- Applesauce: Use unsweetened applesauce in place of part of the oil or butter if your recipe includes it. Choose plain applesauce, not sweetened or spiced, so you can control the flavor.
- Spices: Replace apple pie spice with cinnamon plus small amounts of ground cardamom, ground ginger, allspice, and ground cloves. Pumpkin pie spice also works, though it gives the donuts a warmer, more clove-forward taste.
- Glaze: For a maple glaze, use maple syrup instead of part of the cider in a simple powdered sugar glaze. Add it slowly so the glaze stays thick enough to coat the donuts.
If you don’t have a donut pan, bake the batter as donut muffins, mini muffins, or apple cider donut holes. Mini muffins and donut holes bake faster, so start checking them early.
What to Serve with Baked Apple Cider Glazed Donuts
I like to serve these warm donuts with simple sides that balance their sweet apple glaze. Set out a few choices and let everyone build their own plate.
- Vanilla ice cream: Add a small scoop beside a warm donut for a cool, creamy contrast.
- Caramel sauce: Drizzle it lightly over the donut or serve it in a small bowl for dipping.
- Apple butter: Spread a thin layer on a sliced donut for extra apple flavor.
- Honeycrisp apples: Serve crisp apple slices for a fresh, slightly tart bite.
- Pecans or walnuts: Toast them first, then scatter them over ice cream or offer them in a bowl for crunch.
For drinks, pour hot coffee, black tea, or chilled apple cider. Coffee works especially well because its roasted flavor cuts through the sweet glaze.
When I make these for a fall breakfast, I set out apple slices, toasted nuts, and caramel sauce. You can keep the serving simple or turn each donut into a small dessert plate.
How to Store Baked Apple Cider Glazed Donuts
Let the glaze set fully before you pack the donuts. I learned this after placing warm glazed donuts in a container and finding the tops stuck together.
For the best texture, keep the donuts at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 day. Place parchment paper between layers so the glaze stays in place.
- Avoid refrigerating them unless your kitchen is very warm. The refrigerator can dry out cake-style donuts.
- Keep them away from foods with strong smells, such as onions or spicy leftovers.
- Use a zip-top bag only if you press out most of the air and place the donuts in a single layer. A firm container protects the glaze better.
If you need to freeze them, freeze the donuts without glaze whenever possible. Wrap each cooled donut, then place them in a freezer-safe zip-top bag for up to 3 months.
Thaw frozen donuts at room temperature, then warm them briefly before adding fresh glaze. This helps the donuts taste softer and keeps the glaze from turning watery.
Nutritional Value
You can expect a baked apple cider glazed donut to provide carbohydrates from flour, cider, and sugar. The glaze adds most of the added sugar, while baking avoids the extra oil used in fried donuts.
- Calories: About 180–230 per donut, depending on size and glaze amount
- Carbohydrates: Usually 25–35 grams
- Protein: About 3–5 grams
- Fat: Often 7–10 grams
- Fiber: Around 1–3 grams when you use whole-wheat flour
You can lower the sugar slightly by using a thin layer of glaze. A smaller donut pan also helps control portion size.
Greek yogurt, applesauce, or whole-wheat flour can add protein, moisture, or fiber to the batter. These changes affect the final nutrition values, so calculate them from the exact ingredients you use.
Baked Apple Cider Glazed Donuts
Ingredients
- Cider Reduction:
- 1 ½ cups fresh unfiltered apple cider (simmered down to ½ cup)
- Donut Batter:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Kosher salt
- Unsalted butter melted
- Light brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Milk or buttermilk / unsweetened plant milk
- Pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- Apple Cider Glaze:
- Powdered sugar
- Concentrated apple cider
- Pinch of ground cinnamon optional
- Optional Cinnamon-Sugar Alternative:
- Melted butter for brushing
- Granulated sugar and ground cinnamon for tossing
Equipment
- Standard 6-cavity or 12-cavity donut pan (or mini muffin tin)
- Small saucepan (for simmering the cider reduction)
- Large and medium mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Piping bag or zip-top bag
- Wire cooling rack
- Small bowl (for whisking glaze)
Method
- Reduce the Cider: Pour 1 ½ cups fresh apple cider into a small saucepan. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes until reduced by two-thirds (yielding roughly ½ cup). Let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Preheat & Whisk Dry Ingredients: Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease your donut pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and kosher salt.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, vanilla extract, egg, and cooled reduced cider until smooth.
- Mix the Batter: Gently stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients just until no dry flour streaks remain. Avoid overmixing to keep the crumb tender.
- Fill the Pan: Transfer batter into a piping bag (or zip-top bag with the corner cut) and pipe evenly into the pan cavities, filling each about ½ to ⅔ full.
- Bake & Cool: Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
- Glaze: Whisk powdered sugar with reserved reduced cider until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Dip or brush onto slightly warm donuts and allow the glaze to set.
Nutrition
Notes
- Calories: ~180–230 kcal per donut
- Carbohydrates: 25–35 g
- Protein: 3–5 g
- Fat: 7–10 g
- Fiber: 1–3 g (higher if using whole-wheat flour)
Great recipe
I love it