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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.
I left the ricotta out and the texture was still terrible. The glaze is watery and not good. We each ate a mini muffin and threw the rest in the trash. I am a baker and cook myself and those were the worst dessert I’ve ever made.
Terrible.
Hi Dawn! I’m so sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe! Is there anything in particular that didn’t turn out well? xT
I am giving this recipe 3 stars even though I threw them in the trash. I am a novice baker. The taste wasn’t too bad but the texture was terrible. They turned out gummy & dense. Maybe I over mixed? I used my stand mixer.
Hey Bridget! I’m so sorry these didn’t turn out, thank you for letting me know!
Being generous with the 2-stars. Agree with other review about the slightly dense texture from the ricotta. There is nothing special about this recipe, whatsoever. Hubby and I were both extremely disappointed with the taste and gummy texture. For the high altitude question- I live at 7400’ elevation; you should add 1 Tbsp MORE flour, not less as author states. Never have been rude with reviews, ever- but it takes talent to take such good ingredients and make something so awful…
Hey! I am really sorry about this! Thank you for letting me know! xT
I saw a similar recipe in a new cookbook and found these when I tried to google it. Realized they were muffins, no munchkins, tried them anyway. They were OK but kind of gummy—serves me right for trying to get a knock-off version 😉
My 12-year-old daughter found this recipe and was so excited to make them!
They were fine, though FYI for any other people hoping to make them, they’re not munchkins or donut holes, despite what the recipe says. They are mini muffins.
Hello, I am new to your blog and decided to make this recipe. Wow, these are delicious and super easy to make! I am a registered nurse and while helping to save lives is an important part of my life, it is also important to have quick, tasty and nutritious recipes for my family. May I commend you for your effort.
ps please never allow negative comments to affect you, our lives are too short and precious.
These muffins help save lives? Sure, Jan.
Thank you so so much Susie! So grateful for all you do to help the community and everyone around you! xT
Hello! How do you recommend adjusting this recipe for high altitude (5280 feet)?
Thanks!
Hi there! I would use a little less flour and underbake by a few mins! xT
I’m a bit confused. At what altitude does this blog develop recipes? I thought these were already for a high altitude. Would appreciate some clarification before trying some recipes!
I used the ricotta and still feel that they turned out light and fluffy. They do have more of a muffin texture than donut but regardless they are delicious! I used to a mini muffin tin and was able to get the batter to make about 36. Perfect easy recipe!
Hi! So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for trying it out! xT
Hi tieghan, could these be made ahead and frozen, then thawed and warmed at the time?
Hi there! I haven’t frozen these after making them, but I would imagine they should freeze well! xT
Definitely leave out the ricotta cheese. They’re very pasty using it, although I haven’t tried them without.
Can I substitute something for the apple butter?
Hi Sam! I would use pumpkin butter or you could also use applesauce as a sub for the apple butter! Hope you enjoy! 🙂 xT
Your star rating system is fraudulent. Eight reviews below filled out the star rating. They average 2.6 (3) stars total. Yet there are four stars listed next to the recipe title.
Such a fraud.
Why is every comment about the fact that this recipe was taken from Molly Baz’s cookbook being deleted? It looks way worse when you don’t even address it…
Molly is amazing and I know her recipes are so delicious. She is an incredible chef. I would highly recommend her cookbook, you should order it!
i don’t mess with steeling recipes, but if Molly Has created something even remotely similar, that is so cool! Again, i think her recipes are so great! Have the best Sunday! xx
I’m confused. Are you recommending the cookbook because you’ve read it? In that case, you would probably see she has Maple Ricotta Munchkins in them (and that they are actually donut holes, not muffins). But you’re also suggesting you don’t know this, but still decided to change the title of your recipe so it looks less similar now. Why is that? Would love some clarification!
Nancy, my lady. Who gives a hoot if she has a similar recipe to someone else. Great minds think alike. What’s more concerning is how invested you are in taking down a food blogger. There’s no crying in baking!
I thought you didn’t follow other food bloggers. You’ve said multiple times (almost bragged) that you only follow a select few on social media. So how do you know Molly is a good chef? Is she one of the people you steal from regularly so that’s how you know her recipes are good?
Your description says you can make mini muffins or muffin doughnut munchkins. What is a muffin doughnut munchkin? Those are 3 different foods.