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Welcoming the weekend with Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Glaze. Made with boiled-down spiced cider, apple butter, and cinnamon. Then baked and dipped in a sweet brown butter glaze flavored with coffee and cinnamon. There’s really nothing not to love about these cute (and sweet) autumn spiced doughnuts. The true secret? Boiling the apple cider down to really concentrate its flavor. The perfect way to celebrate the autumn apple season!
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The first apple recipe of the season and I could not be more excited. Every fall I’m so excited, but this year even more so than ever before. I think it’s because the world is in what feels like a very unsettled place, turning on any news source usually leaves you feeling frustrated.
Because of this, I am really embracing the things I love the most. I’m focusing on all the good that the world does have to offer. My goal this fall is to really go all out. I’m 100% grabbing more pumpkins than I need, making pumpkin spice lattes, and come October 1 – decorating for Halloween. I’m already plotting out my “spooky” desserts and cocktails for October.
Embracing all the good things and leaving the rest behind, you know?
And today that means we’re focusing on September apples and making some of the best baked apple cider donuts.
The Inspiration
Do any of you remember last year’s cinnamon spiced apple fritters? Well, those were the initial inspo for this recipe. I just loved those so much, especially the vanilla coffee glaze. I planned to remake them at least once this month, but the frying part really gets me. It’s just messy and not my favorite task.
That got me thinking about new recipes I could make that highlighted the same flavors but didn’t involve any frying.
And that’s where these baked doughnuts come in. They’re a cross between a really delicious apple cider doughnut and a sweet apple fritter. Totally delicious in every way possible.
On to the details – start with the doughnuts
If you love a classic apple cider doughnut, these are for you. If you can make a basic cupcake or muffin, you can certainly make these. There’s nothing fancy about them.
The key to these doughnuts? It’s all in the cider. I recommend finding the best spiced cider with no added sugars. If you can, pick up some fresh apple cider from your local farmers’ market. Or even better, go apple picking at an apple orchard and pick some up! Nothing quite beats a really good apple cider. It’s always so flavorful this time of year.
To help intensify the apple cider flavor throughout the doughnuts, I decided to boil down the cider on the stove until reduced. Boiling the cider will concentrate the flavors and make the cider that much more flavorful. It’s an extra step, but one that I think is worth it.
Once you have the reduced apple cider, the rest is quick. Just mix the cider with apple butter, eggs, melted butter, vanilla, plus dark brown sugar. Then add in all the dry ingredients and stir in a chopped Honeycrisp apple. Adding the apple makes them kind of like apple fritter doughnuts.
Divide the batter between doughnut pans (or just a cupcake pan). As the doughnuts bake, the kitchen will start to smell like your favorite autumn candle, it’s perfection.
Make the glaze
I took inspiration from my Cinnamon Spiced Sugar Cookies and apple fritters, and decided on a buttery maple glaze with cinnamon and a touch of coffee throughout. It’s just some browned butter, maple, powdered sugar, instant coffee, and cinnamon.
Not too strong, not too sweet, but just right. Especially when spread on top of a warm doughnut.
Delicious!
And with that, here’s my recommendation for the coming weekend…apple picking and doughnut baking – of course!
And if not this weekend, sometime soon. I promise you guys, these doughnuts are so good and such a great fall treat.
Looking for September apple recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Brown Butter Apple Blondies with Cinnamon Maple Glaze
Salted Maple Apple Tarte Tatin with Cinnamon Pumpkin Seeds
Cinnamon Spiced Apple Fritters with Vanilla Coffee Glaze
Lastly, if you make these Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Glaze, 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!
Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup apple butter
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 honeycrisp apple, chopped, (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar
Brown Butter Cinnamon Maple Glaze
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 3/4-1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 6-cup doughnut pan or 12-cup muffin pan with melted butter2. Bring the apple cider to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer 10-15 minutes or until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Remove from the heat. Let cool.3. In a large mixing bowl, stir together 1/2 cup boiled cider, melted butter, eggs, apple butter, vanilla, and brown sugar until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt, mix until just combined. Toss the apples with the cinnamon sugar mix, then stir the apples into the batter.4. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pan, filling 1/2-2/3 the way full. Bake 12-13 minutes, until just set. Remove and let cool 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to release and invert the pan. 5. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Add the butter to a small pot set over medium heat. Allow the butter to brown slightly until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the maple syrup, powdered sugar, instant coffee, and cinnamon. Dip or drizzle the doughnuts into the glaze. Highly recommend eating a few of these warm.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Since it’s just my hubs and myself I was going to halve this recipe. So I was wondering what the purpose of the apple butter is. Just more apple flavor? Rather than buying a whole jar of apple butter for just the 1/8 cup , could I just leave it out and not really miss it?
Hi Alice,
Yes, the apple butter adds a more concentrated flavor and moisture, I would use apple sauce if you don’t want to buy the apple butter. I hope this helps! xT
Great and unique recipe! The glaze is out of this world delicious! In my opinion, the instant coffee is a must as it gives the glaze an extra flavor dimension. I didn’t have a donut pan, so used a muffin pan. The recipe as written made 12 good size muffins. Mine took 20-21 min to bake through. 13 min wasn’t enough, may be because they are muffins and not donuts.
Hey Eugenia,
Thank you so much for making this recipe and your comment:) So glad it was enjoyed! Happy Friday! xT
could these be made without the chopped up apple inside?
Hey Danielle,
Totally, that would be just fine for you to do! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
These were delicious, my family loved them! We don’t drink coffee, so I omitted the coffee in the frosting and it was delicious!
Hey Mikenzie,
Awesome! Thank you so much for trying this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! Xx
Delicious 😋
Thanks so much, Patty!
I rarely bake but I was looking for a way to use up some apple butter. These are fantastic! The glaze is amazing! Easy and so flavorful. I made a few muffins with the dough as well. So good!!
Hey Susan,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was a winner! Have a great Thursday! x
Made these today and they were moist and delicious! I didn’t have instant coffee so I used some espresso powder and the glaze was also delicious.
Hi Susan,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was a winner! Have a great Thursday! x
These were simply amazing! Made them for a Halloween party Sunday and used a cup for cup Gf flour with no other adjustments. They were perfect and so moist and tender. The glaze was the last perfect touch. I’d give these 10/10!
Hi! So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for trying it out! xT
I used a gluten free flour with xantham gum included. They came out a little dry. Should I adjust any other ingredient due to using the gf flour with xantham gum?
Hi Aubrey! I haven’t ever tried this with GF flour before so I can’t say for sure! So sorry! xT
I had the same thing happen. I think when I try again I won’t use as much gluten free flour or I will not reduce the apple cider to 1/2 cup, maybe 3/4 cup instead. The flavor is delicious though!
Not sure what I did wrong but my Brown Butter Cinnamon Maple glaze came out a bit crystalized, almost like a thick syrup. It did not at all look like your creamed colored glaze that you make, mine was a dark brown maple syrup color. Any advice on what I may have done wrong?
Hmmm, is there anything you did differently? So sorry about that! xT
My glaze came out darker as well. I’m thinking it might be the maple syrup? I used a Vermont maple, and it is a bit darker. Still tasted lovely
Wondering how long to bake if you use a mini donut pan?
Thanks!
Hi there! I would maybe decrease the bake time by 5-10 mins! xT
Can I use boiled cider instead of Apple cider?
Hi there! I previously made the strawberry baked donuts & they were amazing! I have the whole grain flour leftover, though, and was wondering if I could substitute that for the all purpose flour in this donut recipe without it ruining the texture ? Thanks 🙂
Hi there! I think that should work just fine! xT
Hi Tieghan! Can I swap pumpkin butter for apple butter? It’s what I have but debating if I need to go back to the store. Thanks!
Hi there! Yes, you definitely can! xT
Hello! Can I avoid the instant coffee for the glaze? Can’t do caffeine 😅 By the way, you’re my all time favorite and the only one I go to for recipes. Keep shining!
Hi Emily! Yes, you definitely can leave out the instant coffee! xT