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Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.1 from 84 reviews
  • Author: Ivy
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6 doughnuts
  • Category: Breakfast, Snack, Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Delight in the cozy flavors of fall with these Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts. Infused with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom, and made tender with reduced apple cider and buttermilk, these doughnuts are finished with a cinnamon sugar coating and a luscious maple syrup glaze. Perfect for breakfast or a comforting snack, they are baked to golden perfection, offering a lighter alternative to traditional fried doughnuts.

Ingredients

Apple Pie Spice

  • 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice

Doughnuts

  • 2 cups apple cider (reduced to 1/2 cup)
  • 1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice (from above)
  • 4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, melted, plus additional for buttering pan
  • 1 large egg (50 grams), room temperature
  • 1/3 cup (63 grams) light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk

Sugar-Cinnamon Topping

  • 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (25 grams) light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice

Maple Syrup Glaze

  • 1 cup (115 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2-3 tablespoons reduced apple cider (from above)
  • 6 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Make Apple Pie Spice: Combine the ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and allspice in a small bowl. Whisk together thoroughly until well blended and aromatic. Set aside; this spice blend will be used in the doughnuts and sugar topping.
  2. Prepare Sugar-Cinnamon Topping: In a small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and apple pie spice. Break up any brown sugar clumps with your fingers. Set aside for coating the doughnuts after baking.
  3. Reduce Apple Cider: Pour 2 cups of apple cider into a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the cider reduces to about 1/2 cup, watching for the bubbles to become larger as it concentrates. Pour into a heatproof measuring cup and cool to room temperature.
  4. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Lightly butter the wells of a 6-cavity doughnut pan with about 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Set aside.
  5. Melt Butter: In a small saucepan, gently melt 4 tablespoons of butter over low heat, ensuring it does not get too hot — just warm to the touch. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  6. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the prepared apple pie spice for about 30 seconds to combine thoroughly. Set aside.
  7. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk the room temperature egg until smooth. Add the light brown sugar and whisk until dissolved and no lumps remain. Add the buttermilk, 1/4 cup of the reduced apple cider, and continue whisking to incorporate. Slowly whisk in the melted butter, making sure the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
  8. Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients and gently fold using a silicone spatula, stirring from the bottom until no visible flour remains. The batter will be lumpy, which is desired for lightness.
  9. Fill Doughnut Pan: Spoon the batter into an 18-inch pastry bag, twist the top closed, and cut a 1/2-inch opening at the tip. Pipe the batter evenly into the six doughnut wells, filling them about three-quarters full.
  10. Bake Doughnuts: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through for even baking. The doughnuts are done when they spring back to the touch.
  11. Cool and Coat Doughnuts: Remove doughnuts from the oven and invert them onto a wire rack to cool completely. While still warm, toss the doughnuts gently in the sugar-cinnamon topping mixture to coat evenly. Allow to cool fully.
  12. Prepare Maple Syrup Glaze: Sift the powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of room temperature butter and use a spatula to press and smear the butter into the sugar until crumbly. Add 2 tablespoons of the reduced apple cider and 4 tablespoons of maple syrup, stirring to combine. Add extra maple syrup 1 tablespoon at a time to achieve desired glaze consistency.
  13. Glaze Doughnuts: Dip each doughnut sideways into the maple syrup glaze until the glaze covers about halfway up the side. Let excess drip off, then place on the wire rack to set the glaze before serving.

Notes

  • Reducing the apple cider concentrates its flavor, making the doughnuts richly spiced and moist.
  • Using a pastry bag ensures clean and even filling of doughnut wells for uniform shapes.
  • Baking instead of frying yields lighter doughnuts without excess oil.
  • Apple pie spice can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container for multiple uses.
  • The sugar-cinnamon coating is best applied while doughnuts are still warm for better adherence.
  • Adjust maple syrup in the glaze to reach your preferred thickness.

Find it online: https://ivysrecipes.com/baked-apple-cider-doughnuts-recipe/