Apple Cider Tender Donuts (Printable)

Tender cake-style treats flavored with spiced apple cider and cinnamon-sugar coating.

# What You'll Need:

→ Apple Cider Reduction

01 - 1 1/2 cups apple cider

→ Dry Ingredients

02 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
03 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

09 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
10 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
11 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
12 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
13 - 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
14 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
15 - Reduced apple cider, about 1/2 cup

→ Coating

16 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
17 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
18 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

# How To Make:

01 - Simmer apple cider over medium heat until reduced to approximately 1/2 cup, about 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.
02 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a donut pan thoroughly.
03 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt in a medium bowl.
04 - In a large bowl, whisk melted butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition. Stir in cooled apple cider reduction, milk, and vanilla extract.
05 - Gently fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain tender texture.
06 - Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared donut cavities, filling each about three-quarters full.
07 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until donuts spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Let donuts rest in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Combine sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Brush donuts with melted butter on both sides, then dip into the cinnamon-sugar mixture until coated evenly.
10 - Serve donuts warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They taste like autumn in a single bite—tender cake donuts soaked with spiced apple cider that keeps them impossibly moist for days
  • The cinnamon-sugar coating becomes irresistible the moment you brush it with melted butter, creating that perfect crunch-then-soft texture
  • You don't need special equipment or advanced skills; a simple donut pan and basic pantry items deliver café-quality results
  • They're vegetarian, ready in under an hour, and pair perfectly with your morning coffee or a mug of hot apple cider
02 -
  • Don't skip the apple cider reduction step or try to substitute with bottled apple juice; the reduction concentrates the flavor in a way that bottled juice simply cannot match, and it's the secret to why these taste so special
  • Room temperature eggs and milk emulsify into the batter smoothly, preventing a greasy or curdled texture that cold ingredients can cause
  • Overmixing is the single biggest reason donuts turn dense and tough; mix just until the flour disappears, then stop—those tiny lumps will bake out
  • Cool your reduced cider completely before adding it to the wet ingredients; warm cider can cook the eggs and throw off your texture
03 -
  • If your donut pan is older or darker (non-stick), reduce your oven temperature to 325°F to prevent over-browning the bottoms
  • The cinnamon-sugar coating will stay crunchier if you coat the donuts while they're still warm; once they cool, the sugar softens into the cake
  • Use a pastry brush for the butter step—it distributes it evenly and ensures the coating sticks everywhere

Go Back