Name: Apple Cider Donuts
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups apple cider ((355 ml), reduced to 1/2 cup); 2 cups all-purpose flour ((250 g)); 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1/2 cup granulated sugar ((100 g)); 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar ((110 g)); 2 eggs (large, at room temperature); 6 tablespoons unsalted butter ((85 g), melted and slightly cooled); 1/2 cup buttermilk ((120 ml), at room temperature); 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 6 tablespoons unsalted butter ((85 g), melted); 1 cup granulated sugar ((200 g)); 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

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There’s a particular magic to apple cider donuts — that first crisp bite through the cinnamon-sugar crust into a tender, apple-kissed crumb that tastes like a fall orchard. For years, the only way to get one was a pilgrimage to an apple orchard cider mill. Not anymore. These baked apple cider donuts capture everything you love about the original — deep apple flavor, warm spices, that crackly cinnamon-sugar coating — without a fryer, without the mess, and in about 40 minutes.

The secret is a simple one: reduce the cider. Simmering 1 1/2 cups of apple cider down to 1/2 cup concentrates all that orchard flavor into a syrupy reduction that bakes right into every donut. Skip it and you get bland cake donuts. Do it and you get bakery-level flavor at home. Let’s make them.

Close-up of a baked apple cider donut coated in cinnamon sugar

Why This Recipe Works

Real apple flavor, guaranteed. The cider reduction is the non-negotiable step. Plain apple cider bakes out and disappears; reduced cider is concentrated apple essence that survives the oven and perfumes every bite.

No fryer, no fuss. A standard donut pan and your oven do all the work. Baked donuts are lighter than fried, cleanup is a breeze, and there’s zero hot-oil anxiety.

The classic cinnamon-sugar crust. Warm donuts get brushed with butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar, creating that signature crackly coating — the whole reason apple cider donuts exist, honestly.

Foolproof texture. Buttermilk and melted butter keep the crumb tender and moist, while baking powder plus baking soda give a perfect rise with a delicate, cake-like bite.

Ingredients

For the Apple Cider Donuts

1 1/2 cups apple cider (reduced to 1/2 cup) — the flavor engine. Use fresh, unfiltered cider for the deepest apple notes. Reduce it to a dark, syrupy 1/2 cup before baking.
2 cups all-purpose flour — spoon and level for accurate measuring; too much flour makes dense donuts.
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon baking soda — the lift. Together they give a tender, even crumb.
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon — in the batter, plus more in the coating.
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg + 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves — the warm spice trio that makes donuts taste like fall. Measure the cloves carefully — a heavy hand dominates.
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt — balances the sweetness and sharpens the apple flavor.
1/2 cup granulated sugar + 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar — the brown sugar adds moisture and a subtle caramel note that pairs beautifully with apple.
2 large eggs, at room temperature — for structure and richness. Room-temp eggs incorporate more smoothly.
6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter — richness and tenderness in the crumb.
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature — the acidity keeps the crumb soft and reacts with the soda for extra lift.
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract — rounds out the spices.

For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating

6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter — the glue that makes the coating stick.
1 cup granulated sugar + 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon — the classic crackly coating. Mix it well so the cinnamon distributes evenly.

How to Make Apple Cider Donuts

Piping apple cider donut batter into a greased donut pan

Step 1: Reduce the cider

Pour 1 1/2 cups of apple cider into a small saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Let it bubble away, stirring occasionally, for 15–20 minutes, until it reduces to about 1/2 cup — dark, syrupy, and intensely apple-scented. Set aside to cool to lukewarm. This step is what separates real apple cider donuts from imposters.

Step 2: Prep the pan and oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease a 12-cavity donut pan with butter or nonstick spray — get into every curve so the donuts release cleanly.

Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Whisking (rather than just stirring) distributes the leaveners and spices evenly.

Step 4: Mix the wet ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until pale and slightly thickened. Whisk in the melted butter, buttermilk, vanilla, and the cooled reduced cider until completely smooth.

Step 5: Combine gently

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain. A few small lumps are fine — overmixing develops gluten and makes tough, dense donuts.

Step 6: Pipe into the pan

Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a zip-top bag with a corner snipped off (this is the cleanest way to fill a donut pan). Pipe each cavity about two-thirds full. The batter rises as it bakes, so don’t overfill.

Step 7: Bake

Bake for 12–14 minutes, until the donuts spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. The tops will look set and lightly golden. Start checking at 12 — overbaking is the enemy of a moist donut.

Step 8: Coat while warm

Cool the donuts in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack. While they’re still warm, brush each donut lightly with melted butter, then toss in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until fully coated on all sides. The warmth is what makes the coating cling — work quickly.

Pro Tips for Perfect Apple Cider Donuts

Lukewarm cider only. Hot reduced cider can scramble the eggs when you whisk them together. If it’s too hot to touch comfortably, give it another few minutes.
Pipe, don’t spoon. A piping bag (or a snipped zip-top bag) fills donut cavities fast and evenly. Spooning works, but it’s messier and slower.
Coat them warm. The cinnamon sugar sticks best in the first 5 minutes out of the oven. Cold donuts shed the coating like a jacket.
Don’t overbake. Set a timer for 12 minutes. A dry, overbaked donut won’t absorb the butter properly and the coating won’t cling.
Measure the cloves. Ground cloves are potent — the full 1/8 teaspoon is plenty. Too much and it tastes medicinal instead of cozy.

Delicious Variations

Maple Glaze Instead of Sugar: Skip the butter-and-toss. Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons maple syrup and 1 tablespoon milk, dip the tops of the cooled donuts, and let set for a crackly maple glaze.

Pumpkin Spice Version: Replace the cinnamon in the coating with 1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice, and add 1/2 cup pumpkin puree to the wet ingredients (reduce the buttermilk to 1/3 cup). Peak fall.

Apple Cider Donut Holes: No donut pan? Pipe or spoon the batter into a greased mini muffin pan and bake for 8–10 minutes. Toss in cinnamon sugar the same way — perfect poppable bites.

Caramel Drizzle Finish: After the cinnamon-sugar coating sets, drizzle the donuts with warm salted caramel sauce. Decadent, bakery-case level.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The cinnamon-sugar coating is at its crispest the day they’re baked.

Freezer: Freeze uncoated donuts in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, warm in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes, then brush with butter and toss in fresh cinnamon sugar.

Make-ahead: You can reduce the cider up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it — one less step on baking day. The batter should be baked immediately once mixed, though.

These apple cider donuts are fall in edible form: concentrated apple flavor, warm spices, and that irresistible cinnamon-sugar crust. Whether you’re baking for a weekend breakfast, a fall party, or just because the orchard run isn’t happening this year, this recipe brings the cider mill to your kitchen. Happy baking!