Description
Soft and tender Baked Apple Cider Donuts made with concentrated cider and warm fall spices. Each cake-style donut gets brushed with melted butter and rolled in a crisp cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom sugar coating.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup whole milk or 2% milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
- Nonstick cooking spray for the pan
- 1 cup granulated sugar for the topping
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon for the topping
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg for the topping
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom for the topping
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, for coating
Instructions
- Pour the apple cider into a wide nonstick saucepan. Simmer uncovered over medium heat until it reduces to 1/3 cup and develops a glossy, syrupy consistency.
- Transfer the reduced cider to a heat-safe measuring cup and cool it completely.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and coat a standard donut pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk the egg, granulated sugar, brown sugar, 3 tablespoons melted butter, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.
- Add the dry ingredients and cooled cider reduction to the wet mixture. Fold just until no dry flour remains.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag and pipe it into the donut cavities, filling each cavity halfway.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the tops spring back and a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out clean.
- Cool the donuts in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.
- Combine the topping sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom in a wide bowl. Brush each warm donut with melted butter and roll it in the spiced sugar until evenly coated. Serve warm.
Notes
- Reduce the apple cider to exactly 1/3 cup for concentrated flavor without excess liquid.
- Cool the cider reduction completely before adding it to the batter.
- Mix the batter only until the flour disappears to keep the donuts soft.
- Fill each donut cavity halfway so the center holes remain open.
- For baked donut holes, divide the batter among greased mini muffin cups and begin checking them after 7 minutes.
- The donuts taste best warm on the day you bake them.
- Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Freeze uncoated donuts for up to 2 months, then thaw, warm, butter, and coat them before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 donut
- Calories: 223
- Sugar: 23
- Sodium: 119
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 3
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 31