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+ servings

Baked Apple Cider Donuts

If the first fall recipe you are baking this year isn't these baked apple cider donuts, what are you even doing? These donuts are super fluffy, stay soft for days, have the best apple flavor, and are topped with an apple pie spice sugar coating.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 16 regular sized donuts

Ingredients
 

Apple Pie Spice

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

Batter

  • 1 ½ cups (360 mL) apple cider
  • 2 cups (250 grams) all purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
  • 2 tablespoons (30 grams) unsalted butter melted
  • 1 egg room temperature
  • ½ cup (100 grams) brown sugar packed
  • ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (120 grams) yogurt room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce room temperature

Coating

  • 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¾ teaspoon apple pie spice
  • ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter melted

Instructions

Apple Pie Spice

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground cardamom. Set aside.

Batter

  • Reduce the apple cider: in a saucepan over low-medium heat, simmer the apple cider until you're left with about ½ cup (120 mL). Start checking after 10 minutes, then after 5 minutes, then after 3 minutes, etc., to see if it's done. Set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes. It can be luke warm when you add it to the batter, you just don’t want it to be piping hot.
  • Preheat your oven to 350F and lightly grease a donut pan with nonstick spray.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon and apple pie spice. Set aside.
  • In a separate large bowl, whisk the melted butter, egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, yogurt, applesauce, and reduced apple cider until smooth and combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until combined. The batter will be thick - a few lumps are okay. 
  • Gently spoon the batter into the donut pan, or pipe them in using a piping bag/ziplock bag with the tip cut off (preferred method). Bake for 11-12 minutes until they are golden brown. To test, gently press your finger into the donut. It is ready if the donut bounces back.
  • Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Coating

  • While the donuts are baking/cooling, make the sugar coating. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and apple pie spice.
  • In a separate bowl, melt your butter.
  • Once the donuts are cool enough to handle, coat the donut in the butter, then immediately coat it generously in the sugar mixture. Enjoy! Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
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