Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Maple Glaze

Our Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts are perfect for Fall! Plump, soft, and golden doughnuts flavored with apple cider and topped with a sweet maple glaze, they are truly irresistible! 

Fall Favorite Apple Cider Donuts

These sweet doughnuts are this season’s must-have. That spiced and fruity flavor of apple cider baked into fluffy doughnuts?! OMG YAHSSS! 🙌

In fact, my kids call these doughnuts, “yahsiffied donuts”. 😁 TikTok-talk.

But, still, I mean, of course they are yahsiffied! Who can resist these apple-y amazing goodies?

Freshly baked apple cider donuts sure do satisfy a sweet tooth. You’ll smell these lovely creations before you see them! Grab a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy a leisurely breakfast or brunch. Dinner, too! We’re adults, we can do that now. 

Apple cider, though, adds more than just flavor. The acidity makes the doughnuts more tender, enhances the flavor of other ingredients, and balances the sweet and tangy. 

A bit of cinnamon and nutmeg give the right Fall flavors to complement the doughnuts’ sweetness. Then, after baking them, we gave our doughnuts a quick dip in maple glaze to add a final layer of flavor and texture. Best idea, ever!

And now YOU can also make them AT home! And, make them a bit healthier by baking the donuts instead of frying them. Tadahm! 🥁

Ingredients for Apple Cider Doughnuts

• All Purpose Flour
• Baking Powder & Salt
• Ground Cinnamon & Ground Nutmeg
• Butter
• Light Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla
• Apple Cider (NOT Apple Cider Vinegar!)

For the Maple Glaze:

• Maple Syrup
• Milk
• Vanilla Extract or Maple Extract
• Powdered Sugar

What Can I use in place of Apple Cider

• If you can’t find apple cider, you can use apple juice. Apple cider is a less-filtered version of apple juice.

I don’t have a Donut Pan, Can I use a Muffin Tin?

• Yes, absolutely! Prepare the batter as directed, then spoon the batter into lined muffin cups. Bake at 350˚F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean.

How To Make Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Maple Glaze

Unlike classic fried donuts, this recipe doesn’t involve any yeast. The dough is very simple to make, and you can bake them up right away. Baked, NOT fried, these Fall goodies come together quickly and easily. 

• Lightly grease 2 doughnut pans.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs and mix until well incorporated. Then, add in the vanilla.
• Add in the flour mixture; mix until incorporated.
• Mix in the apple cider in a slow, steady stream and continue to mix until combined.
• Spoon the batter into previously prepared doughnut pans.
• Bake in a 350˚F oven for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the doughnut comes out with just a few crumbs. 
• If you are making muffins, bake them for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating halfway through.
• Remove from oven and let the doughnuts cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan and place them on a rack to cool completely.
• While the doughnuts are cooling, whisk together the ingredients for the maple glaze until completely smooth. 
• Dip the top of the cooled donuts into the maple glaze, turning to coat well.
• Let the donuts rest on a wire rack set over parchment paper until glaze sets.

Tips for the Best Baked Donuts

• Use a Piping Bag: Spoon the batter into a piping bag or plastic ziploc bag to pipe the batter into the molds. Also, DO NOT overfill the baking pan.
• Avoid Dry Doughnuts: Baked donuts have a tendency to be dry, so you want to have a few moist crumbs attached to your toothpick after poking it into the center of the donut.
• Baking: Whether it’s this recipe, or your very own, make sure the recipe you’re using is designed for baking doughnuts in the oven, and NOT for making them in a fryer.
• Baked vs. Fried: PLEASE keep in mind that baked doughnuts will not resemble deep-fried doughnuts in flavor or texture, mkay? This is a wonderful alternative if you want a healthier and simpler way to make doughnuts. 

How to Store Baked Doughnuts

• Refrigerate: These donuts are best eaten right away. Any leftovers you can keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 days. Just make sure they are completely cool before putting in a container. This will keep them from steaming and getting soggy. 
• Freezing: If you can’t enjoy them right away, doughnuts keep well in the freezer. Frozen donuts are not as good as they are when freshly made, but thawed out donuts are better than NO donuts. Amiright?! Exactly.

More Fall Favorite Baked Goodies

• Apple Pie
• Monkey Bread
• Pumpkin Muffins