Apple Cider Donuts

I love donuts - cinnamon sugar donuts to be exact. So when I stumbled upon this recipe for apple cider donuts, which is basically a cinnamon sugar donut infused with apple cider, I knew I had to make these. Besides, what else says fall like apple cider, right? Best part, these baked beauties are easy-to-make. If you’re a donut fan like me, you won’t be disappointed!

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Ingredients

Makes approximately 8 donuts.

For the Baked Apple Cider Donuts:

• 1 cup apple cider (see instructions below)

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1 large egg

• 2 tablespoons yogurt (I used whole milk yogurt)

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• Pinch nutmeg

• Pinch cloves

• Pinch salt

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

For the Cinnamon Sugar topping:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• Remaining reduced cider (see instructions below), about 2 tbsp

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

For the Baked Apple Cider Donuts:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Grease two 6-cup donut pans.

2. In a small saucepan, heat the apple cider over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a simmer. Continue to simmer, stirring every minute or two, until it is reduced by roughly half, around 10 minutes.  Take off the heat and whisk in the butter, stirring until its melted and combined. Set mixture aside to cool for a few minutes.  It should be a little syrupy in texture.  Note that you need about 1/2 cup of this reduced cider for the donuts, and a couple tablespoons for the glaze.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the reduced cider/butter mixture, sugar, egg, yogurt, and vanilla until well-combined. 

4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients: flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, baking soda and baking powder.

5. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet, and stir to combine with a large spoon or spatula, stirring until the ingredients are just combined. Make sure you have no flour patches but be careful not to over mix - if you do, the donuts will be on the tough side.

6. Spoon the batter into the donut cavities, using a spoon or by piping using a pastry bag. Fill each cavity about 2/3 of the way full. The recipe makes roughly 8 donuts, so if you only have one donut pan, you'll have to bake the first 6 and then the other 2 afterwards.

7. Bake donuts for 9-11 minutes, until risen and browned on the edges. You should be able to pierce the donuts with a fork and it come out clean. Set aside to cool for 2-3 minutes, then move to a wire rack placed over parchment paper or a baking sheet. Bake the remaining two donuts if you only have one pan.

For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

1. While the donuts are baking, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the reduced cider with 3 tablespoons melted butter in a small bowl. Make sure your bowl is big enough to dip your donuts in!  Whisk together sugar and cinnamon in another similar sized bowl.

2. Dip one side of the warm donuts (you should be able to handle them easily) into the butter/cider mixture, then into the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Coat the donuts in as much cinnamon sugar as you like - and enjoy!

All photography by Jonathan Stiers ©2019 | Original recipe from Katie Bird Bakes