Homemade Apple Cider Doughnuts will have you wishing for fall! These cake doughnuts are full of apple cider flavor and coated in cinnamon sugar.
Good morning guys! (Or afternoon! Or evening!) I made doughnuts!
Last year I was super excited because I realized we had an apple farm, like, 15 minutes from our house. Yep, took me 4 years to realize it.
The website advertised apple cider doughnuts and I was sold. Sure, picking apples and pumpkins sounds like fun but doughnuts? I will go pretty much anywhere if doughnuts are promised.
I’m very motivated by food.
Just like my dogs.
Anyway, we got there and the doughnuts were baked.
I know.
The kids took one bite and said, “Nope.”
Apple Cider Doughnuts!
Honestly, I like a baked doughnut when I’m at home and maybe I don’t want to consume 10,000 calories that day. You know?
But baked apple cider doughnuts at an apple farm should be a crime.
Seriously.
So almost a full year later, I made Apple Cider Doughnuts!
I hate frying. We all know this. But omg, these are so worth it.
They’re cake doughnuts which are my fave and you reduce apple cider to get a really strong cider taste. And then you roll them in cinnamon sugar. Or you could make a glaze if you wanted!

- 2 cups apple cider
- 3 cups flour
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 large eggs
- 6 tablespoons butter melted and cooled
- vegetable oil for frying
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
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In a small saucepan, bring cider to a boil and cook until reduced by about half. Remove from heat and cool completely.
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Whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, butter, and cider. Stir into the dry ingredients. It will be sticky. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
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Make the cinnamon sugar: stir together sugar and cinnamon.
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Divide dough in half on a well floured surface. Roll each portion to 1/2" thickness and cut with doughnut cutter.
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Heat oil to 365F. Fry doughnuts, a few at a time, for 1 - 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Toss hot doughnuts with cinnamon sugar mixture.
Things you may need for this recipe:
- Doughnut Cutter
- Skimmer
- Dutch Oven
Want more apple recipes?
Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Crumble
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
Baked donuts at an apple farm?! What even!! That is totally a crime- these look delish and worth the frying :) Pinning!
Amy @Very Culinary says
Anything with a cinnamon sugar topping!! I’ll take the full dozen.
nicole @ i am a honey bee says
These are my biggest weakness!
When I was pregnant we went apple picking and got some fresh from the fryer at the orchard and that was the only real time I pulled the “Not sharing! Eating for 2!!!!”
I will have to be making my own in FL… waaaahhh!!!
Cookbook Queen says
I love that these are baked and not fried!! Count me in.
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
oh my gawd, these doughnuts look soooooo good! hooray for fall and apple cider everything!
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
I can’t resist apple cider doughnuts this time of year!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
These are the perfect little treats for the beginning of fall. I love doughnuts and am wishing for one of these to devour now.
amanda says
Can’t wait to try these, my family will gobble these up!!!