Baked Apple Cider Mini Donuts Recipe
These baked apple cider mini donuts get their flavor from real reduced cider instead of a splash of juice and a lot of cinnamon. No fryer, no donut shop trip, just a tray of warm little donuts rolled in butter and cinnamon sugar.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 556kcal
Ingredients
For the Donuts
- 2 cups apple cider
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup milk
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the Topping
- 6 tablespoons salted butter melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
Instructions
- Bring the apple cider to a gentle boil in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until reduced to ⅓ cup, 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two mini donut pans with butter or nonstick spray, or work in batches.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt in a large bowl.
- Whisk the egg, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar in a separate bowl until smooth. Whisk in the melted butter, reduced cider, milk, and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the batter into the donut cavities, filling each about halfway.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the donuts spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- Combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a shallow bowl.
- While the donuts are still slightly warm, dip both sides in the salted melted butter, then generously coat with the cinnamon sugar.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
Notes
Recipe Card Tips
- Reduce the cider until it's thick and syrupy, about a third of a cup. Stop too early and the donuts taste like a plain spiced cake donut instead of a cider one.
- Fill the cavities only halfway. These rise a lot in the oven, and overfilled cavities turn into mushroom-topped donuts that stick to the pan edges.
- Dip and coat while the donuts are still warm. Once they cool and firm up, the butter and sugar won't stick the same way.
Nutrition
Serving: 4mini donuts | Calories: 556kcal | Carbohydrates: 95g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 452mg | Potassium: 180mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 65g | Vitamin A: 563IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 2mg