Apple cider donut recipe are spiced apple cider donuts that are coated in cinnamon sugar for the ultimate cozy fall treat. The make-ahead dough makes them perfect for weekends or holiday mornings.
There’s something magical about biting into warm apple cider donuts. They’re pretty much the perfect fall treats.
These donuts are packed with plenty of apple spice flavor from the boiled cider, applesauce, and warm spices. Then, they’re rolled in a sweet cinnamon sugar coating for even more spiced flavor.
They dough can be prepped ahead so you can enjoy them anytime the craving strikes.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Apple cider: You can substitute 1/2 cup of boiled or reduced cider in place of cooking down the cider.
- Flour: To properly measure the flour either weigh it or sift or stir to break it up, lightly spoon into a measuring cup, and level. Avoid packing the flour as that will give you heavy, dry donuts.
- Spices: Feel free to substitute apple pie spice for the spices in the donut dough.
- Butter: You can use salted butter and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/4 teaspoon table salt).
- Oil: Be sure to use an oil designed for frying, like canola, sunflower, or avocado oil.
How to make apple cider donuts
Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Combine sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk together. Set aside.
Step 2: Add apple cider to a large skillet. Set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer, whisking occasionally, until it has reduced, thickened , and you’re left with ½ cup of cider (about 20-30 minutes).
Step 3: While waiting on the cider, add flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, cardamom, and allspice to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
Step 4: Add melted butter, applesauce, and milk. Stir to create a shaggy dough.
Step 5: Add eggs. Stir again until well combined.
Step 6: Using a spatula, scrape the apple cider in the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Stir again to combine.
Step 7: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Step 8: Towards the end of the chilling time, heat 2 inches of oil in a large pot. Use a candy thermometer to keep the oil between 330-345 degrees F.
Step 9: Flour a clean surface and roll out the dough to ½ inch thick.
Step 10: Using a 3¼-inch cookie cutter cut out the donuts. Then use a smaller, 1-inch cookie cutter to cut out the donut holes in the center.
Step 11: Place donuts on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Step 12: Fry donuts in batches for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, flipping carefully with a spatula or spoon. Remove donuts to a cooling rack with a paper towel-lined baking sheet underneath so the extra grease can drip off. Adjust the temperature of the stove burner to maintain a steady temperature for the next batch.
Step 13: Place each donut in the bowl with the cinnamon sugar. Coat each side of the donut until fully covered.
Recipe Tips!
- Chilling: Please don’t skip the chilling. It allows the ingredients to blend and lets the dough firm up.
- Frying: It’s important to get and keep the oil at the proper temperature. If the oil is too cool, the donuts will soak up too much oil as they cook and be greasy. If the oil is too hot, the donuts will cook outside and be doughy inside.
Storage
Store any leftover donuts and donut holes in an airtight container at room temperature. The donuts are best eaten when fresh but will keep for up to 2 days when properly stored.
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Apple Cider Donut Recipe
Equipment
- Large pot
Ingredients
Cinnamon sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
Donuts
- 2 ½ cups apple cider
- 4 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ⅓ cup cold milk
- 3 cold large eggs
- 2 quarts neutral tasting oil for frying
Instructions
- Combine sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk together. Set aside.½ cup granulated sugar, ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
- Add apple cider to a large skillet. Set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer, whisking occasionally, until it has reduced, thickened , and you’re left with ½ cup of cider (about 20 to 30 minutes)2 ½ cups apple cider
- While waiting on the cider, add flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, cardamom, and allspice to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.4 ¾ cups all purpose flour, ½ cup light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, ¼ teaspoon allspice
- Add melted butter, applesauce, and milk. Stir to create a shaggy dough.6 tablespoons unsalted butter, ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce, ⅓ cup cold milk
- Add eggs. Stir again until well combined.3 cold large eggs
- Using a spatula, scrape the apple cider in the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Stir again to combine.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Towards the end of the chilling time, heat 2 inches of oil in a large pot. Use a candy thermometer to keep the oil between 330-345 degrees F.2 quarts neutral tasting oil
- Flour a clean surface and roll out the dough to ½ inch thick.
- Using a 3¼-inch cookie cutter cut out the donuts. Then use a smaller, 1-inch cookie cutter to cut out the donut holes in the center.
- Place donuts on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Fry donuts in batches for about 2-3 minutes per side, flipping carefully with a spatula or spoon. Remove donuts to a cooling rack with a paper towel-lined baking sheet underneath so the extra grease can drip off. Adjust the temperature of the stove burner to maintain a steady temperature for the next batch.
- Place each donut in the bowl with the cinnamon sugar. Coat each side of the donut until fully covered.
Notes
- Apple cider: You can substitute 1/2 cup of boiled or reduced cider in place of cooking down the cider.
- Flour: To properly measure the flour either weigh it or sift or stir to break it up, lightly spoon into a measuring cup, and level. Avoid packing the flour as that will give you heavy, dry donuts.
- Spices: Feel free to substitute apple pie spice for the spices in the donut dough.
- Butter: You can use salted butter and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/4 teaspoon table salt).
- Oil: Be sure to use an oil designed for frying, like canola, sunflower, or avocado oil.
- Donut holes: Donut holes can also be fried. They’re a bit more buoyant so you may need to press them gently into the oil to keep them submerged. Fry for about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Nutrition values are estimates and are for 1 donut + 1 donut hole.
Nutrition
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