Name: Baked Apple Cider Donuts
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 ¾ cup flour; 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon nutmeg; ⅓ cup oil; ¾ cup sugar; 1 egg; ½ cup apple cider; 2 cups powdered sugar; 3-4 TBS apple cider

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This quick and easy recipe for Baked Apple Cider Donuts is tried and true! I have made these cider donuts many, many times. Dip them in the Apple Cider Glaze or roll them in cinnamon & sugar both options are great!

baked apple cider donuts on wire rack with apple cider glaze as a couple dusted with fall colored sprinkles

I can vividly remember the first time I was driving through New Jersey and bought my first Apple Cider Donut from a road side farm stand. I inhaled the intoxicating scent of apple and took a big bite. It-was-heavenly and so different from any donut I had tasted.

My kids were with me that day and passed on a donut (gasp!). However, of course, once we were in the car, back on the highway, and I was happily chomping on that glorious donut, you guessed it! They changed their mind and of course I gave my donut up to my baby birds, lol! That's what us mommas do! I was driving and thinking darn it!! WHY didn't I buy a few?!

single apple cider donut dipped in apple cider glaze speckl;ed with fall colored sprinkles on a wire rack

I personally have no fear of frying. I actually love my fryer and use it about a dozen times a year, mostly for my Fried Calamari and Apple Fritters. But for replicating this Cider Donut, I wanted to find a quick and easy way for me to make something similar and I did.

I like to make the batter (which yields 2 dozen mini's) and make a dozen one day, refrigerate the remaining batter and make the other dozen the next day. Works for me, plus my family loves getting this treat two days in a row!

I decided to bake the donuts. I previously shared with you how I love my mini donut pan (I really do!) So once again I pulled that trusted kitchen friend out for this task. I figured I would go mini. Why not?. They bake up SO fast AND if one is not enough have two or three. My logic.

I use that pan for these Double Chocolate Glazed Donuts as well as these Pumpkin Donuts. Also mini Cottage Cheese Bagels too.

Table of Contents

Tips

If dipping in the apple cider glaze, allow donuts to mostly cool first.
If tossing in the my Spiced Sugar or cinnamon sugar, you want to do that while donuts are very warm. First dip donut in melted butter and then toss in sugar mixture.
These are best enjoyed the day you make them.

Pile of Apple Cider Donuts on a parchment paper lined wooden tray rolled in Spiced Sugar

Start to finish making the batter and getting the first batch out of the oven is less than 20 minutes. What's not to love about that?? Once they cool the glazing is easy. Or like I say in the recipe card below, if tossing in cinnamon and sugar do that part as soon as you can handle the donuts. Then you are ready to take a bite of fall- fresh-apple-goodness baked right into a sweet treat that I am sure your family will enjoy!

Hope you enjoy this tasty Apple Cider Donut recipe!! XO Colleen

Recipe originally published October, 2013. Updated August, 2026. This post contains an Amazon Affiliate link, which means if you purchase what I suggested, I may get a few cents as a commission.

Popular Fall Dessert Recipes

Baked Apple Cider Donuts

Colleen Kennedy

Quick & easy Baked Apple Cider Donuts. A delicious fall dessert or breakfast addition. However, tasty any time of the year! Dip donuts in Apple Cider Glaze or roll in spiced sugar, or some of each!

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings servings

Calories 389 kcal

Ingredients

Cider Donuts

1 ¾ cup flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
⅓ cup oil
¾ cup sugar
1 egg
½ cup apple cider

Apple Cider Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar
3-4 TBS apple cider

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease your donut pan or mini cupcake pan or silicone pan/mold. (You can also use a full size cupcake pan, see notes).
Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and spices in a medium bowl and whisk till blended. Set aside.
Combine oil, sugar, egg and apple cider in a bowl bowl and stir until blended.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined.
Spray/grease your pan. If using a donut pan, scoop your batter into a plastic baggie and snip off the end, swirl batter into your pan and fill each donut spot a little to a little more than half. Tap pan on counter until batter settles.
If using a cupcake pan, scoop or spoon batter into sprayed/greased pan. Filling just under ¾. Tap pan on counter till settled.
Bake for about 8 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean (as pans and altitudes vary) If you are using a mini cupcake pan, begin checking for doneness around 9 minutes (do not use a cupcake liners).
Make the apple cider glaze by combining the powdered sugar and apple cider. Adjust to your desired consistency of a thinner or a thicker glaze. If making my Spiced Sugar do so now.
If icing the donuts with Apple Cider Glaze, Allow the muffins to cool for about 10 minutes, then pop them out of the pan and onto a piece of parchment paper (hopefully you greased it well and they just pop out when you turn the pan over, if not give the pan a good whack!). Place your donuts on a cooling rack and allow them to cool a bit further as to not melt the glaze too much. Dip the tops of the cider donuts in glaze one by one and return to cooling rack. You can also double dip once glaze hardens a little. Add sprinkles, if using, once finished dipping while glaze is still wet.
If rolling in Spiced Sugar, allow to cool for 4-5 minutes, until you are just able to handle them. Melt a stick of butter in a bowl. In a separate bowl place the Spiced Sugar. Submerge each donut one by one in the melted butter. (one dip hand and one rolling hand) Drip off excess and quickly roll in the Spiced Sugar. Place on a cooling rack. Use the wet hand / dry hand method. These are AMAZING warm!!

Notes

Colleen's Notes: This is the pan I use - I am pretty sure I picked it up at Marshall's or TJ Max a couple of years ago for 6 bucks...worth every penny!

I double or even triple glaze my mini donuts. If I am in a rush and I want them to set quickly, I make the glaze thicker then pop them in the fridge for 10 minutes.

If your donut hole disappears when you glaze them, just swirl a toothpick in the center and allow the glaze to drip down.

My Spiced Sugar recipe is popular for a reason and its a fabulous homemade gift idea! It's amazing. If you choose not to use it, you can just season white sugar with cinnamon and nutmeg to your liking. Either way works.

Nutrition

Serving: 8servingsCalories: 389kcalCarbohydrates: 72gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 235mgPotassium: 59mgFiber: 1gSugar: 50gVitamin A: 30IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 55mgIron: 2mg

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