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Homemade baked Salted Apple Maple Munchkins. Made with boiled-down spiced cider, apple butter, maple syrup, and a mix of warming cozy autumn spices. Glaze each doughnut in a salty-sweet maple glaze. There’s really nothing not to love about these bite-size apple maple doughnut holes! The boiled-down apple cider creates a concentrated flavor. And the spiced apple butter provides a boost of even more delicious apple flavor! You will be baking these over and over this fall!
I’m loving this fall more than any other. Something about this time of year just feels so welcoming and special. But this year, more so than ever. I think it’s because spring and summer weren’t great. So I’m really leaning into fall. I love this season SO MUCH.
And I just adore fall/holiday baking more than anything. I’ve been having fun with fall recipes this year. Today I’m sharing the cutest little apple munchkin doughnut holes.
I love these and yes, I totally took the word munchkins from Dunkin Donuts. It’s the cutest name!
Now that it’s October, I’ve been seeing so much pumpkin. And I too have been using more pumpkin than ever before. But I wanted to bring back an apple recipe, because fall is still apple season too!
Apple cider doughnuts are always a fall favorite. These are just a simple variation on the classic fall treat.
It’s the sweet maple glaze that keeps everyone reaching for more!
The details
Step 1: butter and sugar the mini muffin pan
This is important. You must butter each muffin cavity, then sprinkle with a little cinnamon sugar. While the doughnuts bake, the sugar caramelizes on the outside and gives each doughnut a bit of crispness.
Step 2: boil the cider
Start by boiling down the cider. I’ve been doing this for pretty much every sweet apple recipe I’ve shared. Boiling the cider gives you an even more concentrated flavor that really comes through in the end.
When the cider has boiled and reduced, let it cool.
Step 3: mix the batter and bake
This goes fast. Mix the boiled cider, with the eggs, apple butter, maple syrup, and vanilla.
For the dry ingredients, I use a mix of all-purpose flour and white whole-wheat flour. You can use one or the other, or half and half. Then, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Mix to just combine. Now bake the batter into mini muffins or just make regular muffin doughnut “munchkins”.
Step 4: make the glaze
This is not fancy. Mix powdered sugar with maple syrup, a pinch of cinnamon, and a generous pinch of flaky sea salt. Thin the glaze with apple cider.
Dip, toss to coat, and dunk again in the maple glaze. I do this while the bits are just a little warm. Then, ideally, you eat one, two, three, or more!
Serve these with coffee or hot cocoa or even a steaming mug of cider. A real fall treat!
Looking for fall recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Soft Pumpkin Spice Ginger Cookies with Brown Butter Icing
Haunted Chocolate Peanut Butter Bark
Pumpkin Butter Cinnamon Roll Bread
Brown Butter Apple Blondies with Cinnamon Maple Glaze
Haunted Pumpkin Patch Margarita
Cinnamon Crunch Apple Butter Soft Pretzel Knots
Salted Maple Apple Tarte Tatin with Cinnamon Pumpkin Seeds
Cinnamon Spiced Apple Fritters with Vanilla Coffee Glaze
Baked Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cider Doughnut Holes
Lastly, if you make these Salted Apple Maple Munchkins, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Salted Apple Maple Munchkins
Servings: 24 doughnut holes
Calories Per Serving: 105 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- salted butter, softened
- 1/3 cup cinnamon sugar
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider
- 1/3 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (optional, see note)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup apple butter
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour or white whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Maple Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2-4 tablespoons apple cider
- 1 pinch cinnamon
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter a 24-cup mini muffin pan or 12-cup regular pan. Sprinkle the inside of each with cinnamon sugar. 2. Bring the apple cider to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the cider is reduced to 3/4 cup. Remove from the heat. Let cool.3. In a bowl, stir together the boiled cider, ricotta, eggs, apple butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add the flour/whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until just combined.4. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pan, filling 1/2-2/3 the way full. Bake 10-12 minutes for mini doughnuts or 18-20 for regular muffins, until just set. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes, then remove from pan.5. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of cider, a pinch of cinnamon, and salt. If needed, thin with additional cider. 6. Dip or drizzle the doughnuts into the glaze. I highly recommend eating a few of these warm!
Notes
Ricotta: I have since tested these omitting the ricotta and found the doughnut does come out much lighter and less dense. You can include or omit the ricotta, it’s your choice.
Made these yesterday and they were absolutely delicious!!! So moist and flavorful. The flaky sea salt in the glaze was such a perfect pop of flavor/saltiness.
Loving all of your apple recipes, as my pumpkin loving daughter is away at college!!
Thank you so much for trying out the recipe! Have an awesome weekend! xT
I love me some munchkins but…Isn’t the munchkin name trademarked by Dunkin Donuts? Doesn’t seem right that you can call these munchkins.
Just an FYI…only trademark for Munchkin is a baby bottle company🤷🏻♀️ and really who cares what they are called…they are delicious!
Actually you’re wrong. Dunkin clearly has the name trademarked. This is from their website.
Munchkins® Donut Hole Treats. Try Our Munchkins® Donut Hole Treats, Made in a Wide Variety of Flavors.
Honestly not one of my favorites from you. Too dense and on the bland side. However, I think the flavor wasn’t there because the quality of apple cider and apple butter I used wasn’t there. On another note, why are you receiving so many disrespectful and hateful comments lately? Is this what our society has become? Or is it that old adage that the more successful you become the more people want to tear you down? It’s easy to hide behind a screen and attack someone but it takes guts to put yourself out there for the whole world to see every day and you are clearly very talented! Lastly, just because I didn’t care for this recipe it doesn’t mean I’m not a fan. Your honey buffalo chicken & broccoli and spicy pesto pasta alla vodka are on repeat in my house!
Hey Yvonne! Thank you so much for the feedback! I really appreciate it. And thank you for your kind message! Thanks for trying out the recipes! xT
People are criticizing this blog for taking this recipe from another creator and for having a misleading name. Is that really “disrespectful” or are things on the internet not allowed to be evaluated?
These look yummy. My boys r dairy free what can I replace the ricotta with? For the butter I can use either coconut oil or earths balance. Plz lmk about the ricotta!
Thx tons!!
Hmmm maybe dairy free greek yogurt would work! xT
Hmmm was slightly disappointed with this one. I found that the consistency of these “doughnuts” more closely resembled muffins. Maybe this recipe is die for a rebranded name.
Has potential with some tweaking – muffin is actually pretty bland. I’m topping mine with crumbled bacon to give it a little extra pizzazz.
Why is the recipe called munchkins? They are mini muffins. It’s misleading to use the wrong word in the recipe title.
Munchkins is also a trademarked name. Cant just call things whatever you want.
Thank you for the feedback. Yes this is much more of a muffin, it’s the size and glaze that makes them similar to doughnut. But yes, this is technically a muffin. Sorry for any confusion with the name. Xx
If it’s a muffin then it would be wise to change the name of the recipe to reflect that. Continuing to call them “munchkins” is inaccurate. Or are you calling them munchkins because it’s a recognizable name trademarked by Dunkin’ that could yield more clicks?
These are not donuts, munchkins from Dunkin’ are donut holes. Completely different consistency than these mini muffins.
Tieghan, what makes these donuts and not muffins? Curious!
Just made these and they are so reminiscent of Apple fritter donut holes – really yummy bites! I didn’t have ricotta so used cottage cheese. Turned out great. Agree with Linda- your food is amazing.
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try! I appreciate you leaving a comment! 🙂 xT
Unfortunately, my munchkins were just mini cupcakes, very cake like. Love HBH but this recipe was not for me.
Hey Lisa! Thank you for the feedback! Anything I can do to help? xT
Any thoughts on how these would turn out with gluten free flour?
Hey Carrie! I haven’t ever tried this with GF Flour! So sorry! xT
Just FYI, it’s Dunkin’ Donuts (not Doughnuts!) and they have “Munchkins” under a restricted trademark. So maybe call these something else to avoid a legal thing.
Can I substitute ricotta for something else? Maybe Plain Greek yogurt?
I want to bake this right now but I don’t have ricotta. :/
Hi there! I haven’t ever tried this without the ricotta, but greek yogurt should be an okay sub! Let me know if you give it a try! xT
Tieghan,
Just know the nasty comments are from jealousy. You are an incredible cook and so genuine! I love everything I’ve ever made of yours❤️
Honestly young lady, your content and recipe development is unmatched. As a retired chef (high end catering…Julia Child protege) I am very discerning. I don’t gush often. Remain undaunted!!
Wow thank you so so much Linda!! Such a compliment! xT
Ma’am, be serious.