You will go crazy over these melt-in-your-mouth baked apple cider donuts! They are filled with fall flavors, such as apple cider, and warm spices, like cardamom and cinnamon, with a hint of orange zest. The donuts are moist and fluffy, and they are one of the best apple cider recipes ever.
It was love at first bite with these donuts! I love that they are baked, just like my pumpkin, banana donuts, and blueberry donuts, and have a tender and moist texture. They are then brushed with melted butter and dipped in a cinnamon sugar mix.
The texture is soft, moist, and fluffy, and they are pretty simple to make. They make a great fall treat and are incredibly delicious paired with a warm cup of coffee, apple butter, apple cider punch, or an apple cider Moscow mule!
So this fall, when you go apple picking, pick up some fresh apple cider from the farm to make homemade apple cider donuts.
Check out all of my brunch recipes. You will also love my monkey bread muffin recipe with cardamom, the best homemade blueberry donuts, and my favorite red velvet baked donuts!
Why I Love These Donuts
- You don’t have to reduce the apple cider, making it easier than other recipes.
- The cardamom and orange flavor throughout are divine together. The perfect pairing!
- These are baked donuts, so no fussing with hot oil. They are much easier to make.
- They have a very tender, moist texture and delicious apple flavor.
- Brushed with melted butter and dipped in cinnamon, sugar, and cardamom, giving them the ultimate fall flavor.
- You can make them in less than 1 hour.
Shopping List and Ingredient Notes
The full recipe is in the recipe card below.
All-Purpose Flour – We use King Arthur all-purpose flour for this recipe.
Baking Powder – Sodium Bicarbonate helps the donuts rise.
Cinnamon, Cardamom, and Nutmeg – These spices are key for flavor. The cardamom in the dipping sugar is especially important in this recipe, so make sure you add it!
Brown Sugar – Give the donuts a molasses flavor.
Granulated Sugar – Sweetens the recipe.
Orange Zest – Adds a subtle orange flavor to the donuts.
Apple Cider – Use real apple cider for this recipe. No need to reduce it. There is nothing better than fresh apple cider for this recipe. It gives them the best apple cider flavor.
Buttermilk – Gives the donuts a super moist texture.
Vanilla Extract -Enhances the flavors in the recipe.
Butter – Unsalted butter creates a tender and moist donut and adds more flavor.
Eggs – Stabilizes the donuts and adds structure to the recipe.
How To You Keep Apple Cider Donuts Fresh
Don’t have enough room in your stomach for another apple cider donut? Fear not. There are a few ways to store your delicious treats until you’re ready for round two.
1. Store
Store your apple cider donuts in a resealable plastic bag or airtight container at room temperature. That way, your donuts will keep fresh for one to two days. Keep them out of direct sunlight and give them a quick microwave blast when it’s time to eat.
2. Refrigerate
To keep your donuts fresh for longer, store them in the refrigerator. This will give them up to five days of freshness.
Make sure the plastic bag or container is completely sealed, and there is no air is trapped inside. And when you’re ready to dig in, all they need is a quick ten-second zap in the microwave.
3. Freeze
For the best long-term storage solution, wrap your donuts in plastic wrap and place them in the freezer in an airtight container. Your donuts will stay fresh for around three months and can be enjoyed once thawed overnight or in the microwave.
Apple Cider Donut Recipe Variations
Looking for a few recipe variations? Check out these below:
- Dip them in a light glaze instead of cinnamon and sugar.
- Use lemon or lime zest to replace orange zest.
- Switch out the ground spices to the ones you love.
What donut pan do I need?
To bake the best donuts possible, you’ll need a donut pan. A donut pan ensures even baking and produces a perfectly round shape. They are available in different sizes, ranging from a tray of four to twenty.
Most donut pans are made from steel or silicone. If you are using a steel pan, make sure it’s nonstick so you can easily pop your apple cider donuts out.
And if you don’t have a donut pan, get one! If you’re like us and always bake donuts, there’s nothing better than whipping out your donut pan and baking to your heart’s content.
More Apple Recipes You’ll Love
If you love these baked donuts as much as we do, try these recipes:
- Upside-Down Apple Cake
- The Best Apple Crisp
- Carmel Apple Crumble Bars
- Apple Mountain Pies
- The Best Old-Fashioned Apple Cake
Moist, fluffy, and completely flavorsome, you’ll wow your guests (and yourself) with our easy apple cider donut recipe.
If you make this easy baked apple cider donut recipe, please leave a comment and review below. I’d love to know your thoughts!
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Baked Apple Cider Donut Recipe
Ingredients
Baked Apple Cider Donuts
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp.
Dipping
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
Instructions
- In a measuring cup combine buttermilk, apple cider and vanilla extract.
- Add flour, salt, spices, baking powder, and orange zest in a bowl.
- In a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and both sugars until combined
- Add in egg one at a time and continue to beat.
- With the mixer on low, slowly alternate the wet ingredients with the dry until the ingredients are mixed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Preheat the oven and butter the donut pan.
- Add half of the batter into a piping bag. If you don’t have a piping bag, the corner of a plastic Ziplock will work.
- Cut a 2-inch hole at the end and pipe the batter into the greased donut pan.
- Bake the donuts in a preheated 350-degree oven for 15-18 minutes.
- When the donuts are done, carefully remove them and brush melted butter over the top and bottom.
- Then, dip both sides in the sugar and spice mixture.
Notes
But if you only have sweetened apple juice, reduce the sugar you add to the mixture. Or, if you’re up for a challenge, try making your homemade apple cider.
Sounds delicious, but I am a little confused about the 10 hours and 21 minutes the recipe card says will be the total time. Am I missing something?
Yes! That was a typo in the card, it’s fixed now. Thank you!
I just made these and they are so delicious! I love how all of the flavours come through. They’re so light and moist. Definitely a keeper. Thank you!
So glad you loved them, Stephanie!
I made these and had so many compliments on them. I found them so yummy. I however didn’t use the cardamom and I still tasted the apple cider.
That is so wonderful Tammy! I am so glad you loved them!
Instruction Number 2 has the cinnamon and nutmeg left off.
Fixed, thank you!
How long should I bake them for if I’m using a mini donut tray? Thanks!
I would cut the time in half and then see if they need more.
Hi! I love any recipe with cardomom in it. Can’t wait to try your recipe but I was wondering if can be cut in half?
This recipe looks delicious. Id using sweetened apple juice, how much would the sugar get reduced? Thanks!
Hi Cathy! For this recipe, we don’t reduce the apple cider.
In the recipe notes it says: “If sweetened apple juice is all you have, reduce how much sugar you add to the mixture.” I’d be using apple juice, not cider, and would like to know how much the sugar would be reduced. Thanks.
Hi! If the apple cider is pure, no sugar added (only sweetened from the apples) then you don’t need to adjust. If there is added sugar (there usually is not) then you can leave out 1/4 cup sugar. We have not tested that though. We use Martinelli’s Apple Cider in this recipe and there is no added sugar. It works great.
Made your donuts today and they came out amazing! My family enjoyed it and wanted me to make another batch again. Thank you for the lovely recipe.
The best fall flavors! I would love one of these with my morning coffee!! SO GOOD!
All the flavors that remind me of fall!! We eat donuts all fall/winter long & these are at the top! Soft & sweet!