Homemade Apple Cider Donuts with Warm Cinnamon Glaze

Why You’ll Love These Apple Cider Donuts

• Orchard flavor at home. If you can’t get to the orchard, store-bought cider reduced down concentrates that familiar apple flavor right in your kitchen.
• Seasonal spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice combined with apple cider create a warm autumn profile in every bite.
• Fresh and homemade. These donuts come out of your oven warm and tender—far better than one that’s been sitting under heat at a bakery.

Baked, Not Fried!

Baking keeps things cleaner and lighter while producing a tender, cake-like texture. You’ll skip the oil and standing over a stove, and still get soft, flavorful donuts with great crumb and a quick bake time.

What You’ll Need

These donuts require simple pantry ingredients plus apple cider. The full amounts and printable recipe are shown in the recipe card below.

• Butter – unsalted, softened for the batter; some melted for the topping.
• Sugars – granulated sugar and light brown sugar for the batter; more granulated sugar for the topping.
• Apple Cider – fresh or store-bought, then reduced for concentrated flavor.
• Egg – one large, at room temperature.
• Vanilla Extract – pure vanilla or vanilla bean paste.
• Buttermilk – or a milk plus vinegar substitute to add lightness.
• Dry Ingredients – all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of salt.
• Spices – ground nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice for both batter and topping.

How to Make Apple Cider Donuts

Overview of the process:

• Reduce the cider. Simmer 3 cups of apple cider until it reduces to about 1/2 cup (15–20 minutes) to intensify the apple flavor, then cool.
• Cream butter and sugars. Beat softened butter with granulated and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
• Stir in liquids. Add the cooled reduced cider, egg, vanilla, then gently mix in the buttermilk.
• Whisk dry ingredients. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice in a separate bowl.

• Combine batter. Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined—avoid overmixing.
• Fill the pan. Use a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped to fill each well about 3/4 full.
• Bake. Bake at 350°F (about 10–12 minutes) until donuts spring back lightly. Cool briefly in the pan, then transfer to a rack.
• Prepare the topping. Mix granulated sugar with cinnamon and allspice in a shallow bowl and melt butter separately.
• Coat the donuts. Brush each donut with melted butter and roll in the spiced sugar to coat both sides.

Tips for Perfect Homemade Donuts

• No cider? Use apple juice. Apple juice works fine—reduce it the same way to 1/2 cup.
• Don’t overmix. Fold until no dry streaks remain; overworking the batter yields dense donuts.
• Stop when they’re slightly moist. A toothpick with a few crumbs indicates they’re done; avoid overbaking to keep them tender.
• Use a piping bag. It ensures even filling of the donut wells. A zip-top bag with a corner cut off works as a DIY option.

How to Store

Allow donuts to cool completely before storing to prevent sogginess.

• Counter – Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• Fridge – Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freezer – Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months; thaw in the fridge before serving.