These apple cider donuts are soft, fluffy, and bursting with apple cider flavor and warm spices, then rolled in spiced sugar. Baked, not fried, they’re the perfect fall treat! Even if you can’t visit an apple orchard, these homemade donuts will make you feel like you did.
Why You’ll Love These Apple Cider Donuts
- Full of Fall Flavor: They have the perfect blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice to complement the apple cider.
- Super Soft and Moist: Thanks to the sour cream and buttermilk, these donuts are incredibly moist.
- Easy to Make: No need to deal with hot oil or a deep fryer.
- Delicious as Fried Donuts: Seriously, they are!
Apple Cider Donuts
Ingredients
#### For the Donut Batter
- 3 cups apple cider
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk at room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream at room temperature
#### For the Spiced Sugar Topping
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Instructions
#### For the Apple Cider Donuts
- **Reduce the Cider**: Pour the apple cider into a saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer until reduced to ½ cup, stirring occasionally. This will take about 20-30 minutes. Cool before using.
- **Preheat Oven**: Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- **Dry Ingredients**: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice.
- **Cream Butter and Sugars**: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on high speed to cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- **Add Eggs and Vanilla**: Mix in the eggs and vanilla on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute.
- **Add Wet Ingredients**: On low speed, mix in the buttermilk, sour cream, and reduced cider until combined.
- **Combine Dry and Wet**: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined.
- **Prepare Pan**: Grease a donut pan with nonstick spray. Transfer the batter to a piping bag and cut a ½-inch opening at the bottom. Pipe the batter into the donut pan, filling each well a little more than ¾ full.
- **Bake**: Bake for 12-13 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
#### For the Spiced Sugar Topping
- **Melt Butter**: Add the melted butter to a small bowl.
- **Mix Spiced Sugar**: In a separate bowl, mix together the granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
- **Coat Donuts**: Brush each donut with melted butter, then roll in the spiced sugar mixture. Serve immediately!
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days.