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.
2cups(250grams)all purpose flourspooned and leveled
1teaspoonbaking soda
¾teaspoonbaking powder
½teaspoonsalt
½teaspoonground cinnamon
1teaspoonapple pie spice
2tablespoons(30grams)unsalted buttermelted
1eggroom temperature
½cup(100grams)brown sugarpacked
½cup(100grams)granulated sugar
1teaspoonvanilla extract
½cup(120grams)yogurtroom temperature
3tablespoonsunsweetened applesauceroom temperature
Coating
1cup(200grams)granulated sugar
¾teaspoonground cinnamon
¾teaspoonapple pie spice
½cup(113grams)unsalted buttermelted
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.