Donuts, Breakfast, Sweet-treatsJenna Brock

Apple Cider Donuts

Donuts, Breakfast, Sweet-treatsJenna Brock
Apple Cider Donuts
 

Fall has so many amazing flavors, from pumpkin and pecan, to warm cinnamon and nutmeg, with this recipe celebrating the crisp, fresh from the orchard taste of spiced apple cider.

Apple cider donuts are the ultimate fall donut, and the perfect addition to any brunch. Our household has a bit of a love affair with donuts, so no matter the occasion, they are always enthusiastically welcomed. By the way, “Monday” counts as an occasion (I think we can all agree that a sweet little treat to get the week going is always a good idea).

I instantly fell in love with this recipe from Katie Bird Bakes. It not only tastes incredible, but it makes your house smell like a Fall wonderland. Fun tip: you can choose your own adventure when it comes to the cinnamon sugar topping; you can cover them fully, half, or not at all. I am a big fan of cinnamon, so I went all-in on the topping. I’m talking, totally doused my donuts in it and am very happy with that life choice.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, be sure to check out Katie’s other fabulous treats!

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Ingredients

Recipe yields approximately 10 donuts.

Apple Cider Donuts

  • 1 cup apple cider

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1/4 cup sugar

  • 1 large egg, room temperature

  • 2 tablespoons full-fat Greek yogurt (4-5% milk fat)

  • 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

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 2-3 tablespoons reduced apple cider (see instructions below)

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

Apple Cider Donuts

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two donut pans.

  2. In a small saucepan, heat the apple cider over medium heat until it comes to a simmer. Reduce heat and continue cooking at a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until the liquid is reduced by about half. The goal is to cook down the apple cider to concentrate the flavor.

  3. Remove reduced apple cider from heat and whisk in the butter until it is melted and combined. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.

    You will need 1/2 cup of the cider/butter mixture for the donuts and 2-3 tablespoons for the glaze.

  4. In a large bowl or KitchenAid mixer, whisk together 1/2 cup of cider/butter mixture, sugar, egg, yogurt, and vanilla until well-combined.

  5. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, baking soda, and baking powder).

  6. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until the ingredients are just combined (over-mixing will make the donuts tough).

  7. Scoop the batter into a pipping bag or plastic freezer bag. Cut the tip off the bag and squeeze batter into the donut pan. Each donut cavity should be approximately 2/3 full.

  8. Bake for 9-11 minutes, until the edges start to turn golden brown. All ovens are different, so keep an eye on your donuts for the last few minutes.

  9. Set aside to cool for 2-3 minutes, then remove from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool further.

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

  1. While the donuts are baking, whisk together 2-3 tablespoons of the reduced cider/butter mixture with 3 tablespoons melted butter in a small bowl.

  2. In another small bowl, whisk together sugar and cinnamon.

  3. Once the donuts have cooled, one-by-one dip the donuts in the butter/cider mixture, then into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Coat the donuts with as much cinnamon sugar as desired.

Recipe Notes