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This baked apple cider doughnuts recipe makes donuts that are moist, full of apple flavor, and sweetly scented with warm spices. You can top them with apple cider glaze or coat them with melted butter and cinnamon sugar. And this recipe takes just 30 minutes to whip up from start-to-finish!
It’s the weirdest thing ever. I don’t eat doughnuts/donuts all year long until autumn rolls around!
January through August, they don’t cross my mind even once. They’re a non-issue as far as temptation goes. Then September hits and all I can think about is how badly I want an apple fritter, bear claw, Boston cream, or my all-time favorite, a French cruller.
I know there’s no rhyme or reason to it; it’s just one of my quirks.
So instead of fighting the urge, I usually just go with it and have some fun in the process
Homemade vs Bakery Donuts
I’m going to make the case for homemade vs. bakery-bought donuts with this recipe!
First, these apple cider doughnuts whip up fast. And if you go with the cinnamon sugar coating option instead of glaze, you don’t even need to wait for them to cool.
Also, as far as doughnuts go, this homemade version is a bit healthier. These are baked, so that right there is a plus! And if you leave off the apple cider glaze or cinnamon sugar coating, they’re relatively low in sugar. Think of them as muffin batter baked in a donut pan.
Additionally, of course making your own doughnuts is cheaper than buying them from a bakery.
And maybe the best thing of all, these apple donuts will make your home smell like fall as they bake.
Are you sold yet? ;)
Apple Cider Doughnuts Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Light brown sugar – This is the sweetener in our baked doughnuts.
- Egg – Helps yield a fluffy, light texture.
- Vegetable oil – Or canola oil, avocado oil, melted coconut oil, or melted butter.
- Fresh 100% apple cider – You can’t have apple cider donuts without apple cider! For the best flavor, use fresh apple cider (this is a seasonal item that’s usually available in the produce area of the grocery store during the fall months). When it’s not in season, you can substitute with apple juice.
- Apple – Use a crisp, sweet/tart apple that you enjoy eating out of hand (Honeycrisp is my favorite). You can peel the apple or not, it’s up to you.
- Vanilla – For flavor and aroma.
- All-purpose flour – The base of our donuts.
- Baking powder – The leavening agent.
- Salt – A natural flavor enhancer.
- Cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger – Or simplify and use apple pie spice.
Pro Tip: Use Apple Pie Spice Mix Instead of a Bunch of Different Spices
For this recipe, you can either use 1 1/2 teaspoons of apple pie spice mix, or the combination of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger listed in the recipe card below.
Step-by-Step Instructions: How to Make Baked Apple Donuts
- Wash the apple. You can choose to peel it or not. Then grate it on the large side of a box grater.
- Whisk together the brown sugar, egg, oil, apple cider, grated apple, and vanilla in a large bowl.
- Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger all at once and use a wooden spoon to stir just until combined, being careful not to over-mix.
- Spoon the batter into greased donut pans (you should get about 10 doughnuts).
- Bake at 350F until a toothpick inserted inside comes out clean or with just a couple crumbs, about 8 to 12 minutes, rotating the trays once halfway through baking.
- Once the doughnuts are cool, mix together the glaze ingredients. Dip the top of each doughnut in the glaze and let it set before serving. Or you can roll them in cinnamon sugar if you prefer (see the recipe card below for instructions).
Storage Tips
Once the glaze is set, you can store the donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. After the first day (or if they’ve been refrigerated or frozen), I like to heat these donuts for about 15 seconds in the microwave before eating.
Pro Tips For Success
- If you don’t have all the spices on hand and don’t have apple pie spice mix, you can use pumpkin spice mix instead. And in a pinch, just use 1 3/4 teaspoons of ground cinnamon!
- This recipe makes about 10 small donuts. However, note that the yield will vary based on the size of your donut pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Apple cider doughnuts (also spelled donuts) are a form of “cake donut” that contains apple cider and warm spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg. Cake donuts are leavened with baking powder instead of yeast, and are either fried or baked.
If you like sweet apples paired with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, you will love these donuts!
Like most cake donuts, these apple doughnuts are best if you eat them the first day they’re made. However, once the glaze is set you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. PRO TIP: After the first day (or if they’ve been refrigerated or frozen), I like to heat these donuts for about 15 seconds in the microwave before eating.
Baked and fried donuts taste different, but they’re both delicious in their own way.
Fried donuts are crispier outside and have a darker color. Additionally, fried donuts sometimes have an oily taste or texture.
On the other hand, baked doughnuts have a softer texture outside with no oily taste. I find that baked donuts taste similar to muffins.
Coffee, tea, and hot chocolate are all good options!
However, for maximum fall effect, I think these donuts are best served with crisp apple cider, either ice-cold in a glass or spiced and steaming-hot in a mug.
More Sweet Apple Treats to Bake This Fall
- Caramel Apple Cake Recipe
- Sweet Apple Hand Pies with Cheddar Shortcrust
- Szarlotka (Polish Apple Pie)
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Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts Recipe with Glaze or Cinnamon Sugar
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Equipment
Ingredients
Apple Doughnuts:
- 4 tablespoons light brown sugar lightly packed (or coconut palm sugar)
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil, avocado oil, or melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup fresh 100% apple cider
- 1 small apple washed, peeled (if desired), cored, and grated (about 160 grams before peeling and coring)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 150 grams all-purpose flour (slightly scant 1 1/4 cups)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Apple Cider Glaze Option:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh 100% apple cider
Cinnamon Sugar Option:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Other:
- Butter to grease the donut pans
Instructions
For the Doughnuts:
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F. Generously grease 2 doughnut pans with butter. (Or cook the doughnuts in 2 batches if you only have 1 pan.)
- Make the batter. Whisk together the brown sugar, egg, oil, apple cider, grated apple, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger all at once and use a wooden spoon to stir just until combined, being careful not to over-mix.
- Bake. Spoon the batter into the prepared doughnut pans (you should get about 10 doughnuts). Bake until a toothpick inserted inside comes out clean or with just a couple crumbs, about 8 to 12 minutes, rotating the trays once halfway through baking.
- Cool. Let the doughnuts cool for 10 15 minutes in the tray, then run a paring knife along the outside of each doughnut. Invert the tray onto a wire rack and the doughnuts should come right out. Let the doughnuts finish cooling on a wire rack.
For the Apple Cider Glaze Option:
- Once the doughnuts are cool, mix together the glaze ingredients. Dip the top of each doughnut in the glaze and let it set before serving.
For the Cinnamon Sugar Option:
- While the doughnuts are still warm, brush them with the melted butter. Stir together the sugar and cinnamon, and roll the buttered donuts in this mixture to coat the outside.
Video
Notes
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes 10 small donuts; each serving is 1 donut. However, note that the amount of donuts will vary based on how big your pan is.
- Nutritional Information: The nutrition information for each donut was calculated without the optional apple cider glaze or cinnamon sugar coating.
- Apple Pie Spice Mix: You can use 1 1/2 teaspoons of apple pie spice instead of the cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
- Whole Wheat Flour Substitution: Instead of using 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, you can use 1 cup whole wheat flour.
- Storage: Like most doughnuts, these are best eaten the same day they’re made. However, once the glaze is set you can store these in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. After the first day (or if they’ve been refrigerated or frozen), I like to heat these donuts for about 15 seconds in the microwave before eating.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on October 8, 2014, and updated on September 29, 2025.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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Fall is definitely the time for doughnuts, love that apple cider glaze!
I’m with you – definitely doughnuts are for fall! Pinned!
I’m not a doughnut (or donut…I think dunkin donuts screwed up the spelling of doughnut forever ;))fan, but these sound just perfect. I want to bake a batch up to eat while I give out candy!!
Beautiful and tempting!
Cheers,
Rosa
Perfect fall baked good. These sound lovely!