Go Back
Baked Apple Cider Glazed Donuts
Carolina Gomez

Baked Apple Cider Glazed Donuts

5 from 1 vote
Soft, tender cake-style donuts packed with concentrated apple cider and cozy fall spices, finished with a smooth cider glaze. Baking them in a donut pan delivers all the classic apple cider donut flavor without frying or dealing with hot oil.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

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
 

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.

Notes

Nutrition Facts:
  • 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)