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Baked Cider Donuts Recipe

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4.2 from 60 reviews

  • Author: Sophia
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 6 donuts

Description

Delight in these homemade Baked Cider Donuts, featuring a warm blend of apple cider reduction, grated honeycrisp apples, and cinnamon, all baked to golden perfection and finished with a luscious apple cider glaze. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a cozy dessert, these donuts are moist, flavorful, and easy to make with a simple piping technique and a donut pan.

Ingredients

Donut Batter

  • 1 cup Apple Cider (see notes)
  • 1 cup All Purpose Flour
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • ½ tsp Cinnamon
  • ½ tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 1/3 cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted & cooled
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 whole Honeycrisp Apple, peeled, grated & gently squeezed dry (about ½ cup) (see notes)

Apple Cider Glaze

  • 1 cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1-2 tbsp Heavy Cream (see notes)
  • 2 tbsp Reduced Apple Cider (from the reduction step)

Optional Garnishes

  • Gold Sprinkles
  • Ground Cinnamon
  • Crushed Toasted Walnuts

Instructions

  1. Reduce the Apple Cider: In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring 1 cup of apple cider to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to maintain a rapid simmer and cook until reduced by half to about ½ cup, approximately 6-10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely to room temperature. Reserve 1/3 cup for donut batter and 2 tablespoons for glaze.
  2. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Set the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a donut pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter to prevent sticking.
  3. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and kosher salt until evenly combined.
  4. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg, light brown sugar, melted and cooled butter, vanilla extract, and 1/3 cup of the reduced apple cider until smooth and homogeneous.
  5. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula until just combined, ensuring not to overmix. The batter will be thick.
  6. Add Grated Apples: Fold the grated and squeezed-dry honeycrisp apple into the batter gently until just incorporated to maintain a thick consistency.
  7. Fill the Donut Pan: Transfer the batter into a piping bag or a zip-closure bag with the tip snipped off. Pipe the batter evenly into each donut cavity, filling about ¾ full as the batter will rise during baking.
  8. Bake the Donuts: Place the donut pan in the preheated oven and bake for 14-18 minutes, or until the donuts are lightly golden at the edges and spring back when gently pressed on top.
  9. Cool Donuts: Remove the pan from the oven and let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Use a thin spatula to carefully remove them, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 10 minutes.
  10. Make the Apple Cider Glaze: In a small shallow bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, heavy cream (start with 1 tablespoon, add more if needed to desired consistency), and 2 tablespoons of the reduced apple cider until smooth and dip-ready.
  11. Glaze and Garnish: Dip the tops of the cooled donuts into the glaze and place them back on the wire rack. Sprinkle with optional gold sprinkles, ground cinnamon, or crushed toasted walnuts as desired. Allow glaze to set briefly before serving or serve immediately.

Notes

  • Apples: Honeycrisp apples are recommended for their balance of sweetness and tartness. For a tarter flavor, substitute Granny Smith, or use Pink Lady for a mix of sweet and tart.
  • Grating: Use the large holes of a box grater to grate the apple or finely dice if a grater is unavailable. Squeeze excess moisture out with paper towels or a tea towel before adding to batter.
  • Reducing Cider: The apple cider reduction can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated in a sealed container.
  • Mixing Batter: Mix wet and dry ingredients until just combined to avoid tough donuts; the batter should remain thick.
  • Piping: Using a piping bag or zip-top bag makes transferring batter easier but spooning directly into molds works too. Snip the bag tip large enough to allow grated apple through.
  • Muffin Variation: To bake as muffins, divide batter evenly in greased muffin tins and bake 16-22 minutes, rotating halfway.
  • Glaze Consistency: Adjust heavy cream in glaze starting with 1 tablespoon and adding teaspoon increments until desired thickness is reached.
  • Storage: Donuts are best fresh but can be stored in an airtight container overnight. Do not glaze until ready to serve.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://sophiasdishes.com/baked-cider-donuts-recipe/