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    Home > Easy Snacks

    Published: Aug 29, 2022 by Denise Browning · "This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission." · 59 Comments

    Apple Cider Baked Donuts


    Jump to Recipe ↓
    close up of a pile of baked donuts glazed on top

    Apple Cider Baked Donuts are perfect for portion control, containing only 74 calories per donut, and way less fat than fried donuts. They are quick and easy to make and super delish.

    glazed baked donuts piled up on a surface

    Fall is my favorite season... and nothing tastes like it as apple cider!

    But instead of drinking it only, how about taking bites of it? 🙂

    Yep! Have these apple cider donuts for both breakfast and a snack with a cup of coffee...

    Baked Donut Recipe

    The recipe for these baked donuts has been adapted from Apple Cider and Cinnamon Baked Donuts by We Heart Vegan.

    Brittany makes her vegan baked donuts with coconut flour, egg replacer, and vegan butter but I replace them with all-purpose flour, real eggs, and unsalted butter respectively.

    Instead of only tossing these baked donuts in a premixed mixture of cinnamon and sugar as Brittany did, I drizzled them with maple glaze.

    Well, although my donuts are not vegan, they are guilt-free and let's say healthy too (small and baked which means they are both lower in calories and less fattening).

    You can have them at home, or take them to school or work.

    Enjoy the season and many of our fall goodies such as our Candied Sweet Potatoes Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Topping.

    Happy Fall!!!

    several glazed apple cider baked donuts on a surface

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    To make our baked donut recipe, you will need these simple ingredients:

    For the Apple Cider Baked Donuts:

    • 1 cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, (for a gluten-free version, use an equal amount of gluten-free all-purpose flour and add ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum to the recipe)
    • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1 large egg, at room temperature
    • ½ cup fresh apple cider, reduced or not. I didn't reduce mine which resulted in donuts with a more subtle flavor)
    • ½ cup white sugar (do not replace with brown sugar)
    • ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (For a dairy-free version, use an equal amount of dairy-free butter or vegetable oil)

    For the Maple Glaze:

    • 1¼ cups confectioner's sugar
    • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
    • 1 tablespoon dark corn syrup, or Karo syrup
    • ½ tablespoon water
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon maple flavoring, optional

    Or For the Cinnamon Sugar Mixture (Optional)

    • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted (It is optional, but without it, the sugar-cinnamon mixture won't stick on the donuts as much)
    • 1 cup of granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    ingredients on a surface

    HOW TO MAKE APPLE CIDER BAKED DONUTS

    1. Preheat the oven to 350 º F (180º C). Lightly grease the donut pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside!
    2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sea salt, and cinnamon. PIC. 1 In a small separate bowl, whisk the egg. Set both aside.
    3. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the apple cider, sugar, and butter, stirring often until the butter has just melted. PIC. 2 Remove from heat, let cool for 2 minutes, and stir in the apple cider vinegar, vanilla, and whisked egg.
    4. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients; stir well with a whisker until combined and almost no lumps are visible. PIC. 3 & 4
    5. Using a piping bag (or a tablespoon or a cookie scooper), pipe (spoon/scoop) the batter into a donut pan (¾ full). PICS. 5 & 6
    6. Bake in the oven for 12-14 minutes (standard-size, yielding about 10-13 donuts) or for 6-7 minutes (mini baked donuts, yielding about 26), or until light golden brown and cooked through.
    7. Let cool for 2-3 minutes on a rack. Then, remove baked donuts from the pan and place them directly on a rack to cool completely before dipping them into the glaze.
    8. Meanwhile, prepare the Maple Glaze: Whisk everything together in a small bowl until smooth. PICS. 7 & 8 Set a rack of donuts over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Dip the top of the baked donuts into the maple glaze, turning to coat well. Let baked donuts rest on the rack until glaze sets. PICS. 9 & 10
    9. Alternatively, you can brush the apple cider donuts with melted butter and then coat them with cinnamon sugar.
    image collage showing the step by step of the recipe

    How many calories are in baked donuts?

    These mini-baked donuts have about 74 calories per donut and contain less fat than fried donuts. If you make them standard-size, they will contain the double calories.

    A doughnut sitting on top of a table

    What Type of Apple Cider Should I Use?

    I use a fresh pressed apple cider, but you can use any brand you enjoy. However, make sure to buy plain cider, not spiced cider.

    Do I have to reduce the apple cider?

    No, you don't! If you decide to reduce it, your baked donuts will have a rich and more concentrated flavor of apple cider. Because I didn't reduce mine, they have a subtle apple cider flavor!

    Can I use apple juice instead of apple cider?

    Although you can technically replace apple cider with apple juice, these apple cider donuts won't have the same flavor for obvious reasons.

    What's the difference between apple cider and apple juice?

    Apple juice is apple cider that has been filtered. This means apple cider has a much more concentrated flavor.

    Do I have to brush the baked apple cider donuts with melted butter?

    No, but it will help the sugar-cinnamon mixture stick to the donuts. If you are trying to keep the fat content lower, you can simply dip the hot donuts right into the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Keep in mind the mixture won't stick on them as much as when you coat them in butter first.

    Can these baked donuts be made dairy-free?

    Yes! For this, replace regular butter with an equal amount of dairy-free butter or vegetable oil.

    donuts on a napkin

    Can I make these healthy donuts gluten-free?

    Yes! For this, replace the all-purpose flour with Bob's Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose flour and add ¼ teaspoon of xanthan gum.

    baked donuts both whole and partially eaten

    STORAGE

    Store baked donuts in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature, or for u to 4 days in the fridge.

    Freeze them in layers for up to 2 months without the glaze. Make sure to place a sheet of parchment paper in between each layer of donuts.

    Thaw them over the counter and glaze them.

    OTHER APPLE TREATS:

    • Fried Apple Cobbler Bars
    • Apple Baked Oatmeal
    • Salted Caramel Apple Cider
    • Apple Cider Coffee Cake
    • Ruby Apple Pie
    • Apple Almond Skillet Cake
    • Apple Crumble Muffins

    PIN & ENJOY!

    Low calorie apple cider baked donuts
    a pile of apple cider baked donuts.
    Print SAVE Saved Recipe! Pin
    4.67 from 6 votes

    Apple Cider Baked Donuts

    Apple Cider Baked Donuts are perfect for portion control, containing only 74 calories per donut, and way less fat than fried donuts. They are quick and easy to make and super delish.
    Course:Snack
    Cuisine:American
    Keywords:apple cider donuts, baked donuts, quick recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 7 minutes
    Total Time 22 minutes
    Servings 26 mini donuts
    Calories74.5 kcal
    Author Denise Browning
    Cost $ 0.33 per donut

    Equipment

    • 1 oven
    • 1 Foyer
    • 3 bowls
    • 1 pan

    Ingredients

    For the Apple Cider Baked Donuts:

    • 1 cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for a gluten-free version, use an equal amount of gluten-free all-purpose flour and add ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum to the recipe)
    • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1 large egg at room temperature
    • ½ cup fresh apple cider reduced or not. I didn't reduce mine which resulted in donuts with a more subtle flavor)
    • ½ cup white sugar do not replace with brown sugar
    • ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter For a dairy-free version, use an equal amount of dairy-free butter or vegetable oil

    For the Maple Glaze:

    • 1¼ cups confectioner's sugar
    • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
    • 1 tablespoon dark corn syrup or Karo syrup
    • ½ tablespoon water
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon maple flavoring optional

    For the Cinnamon Sugar Mixture (Optional)

    • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter melted (It is optional, but without it, the sugar-cinnamon mixture won't stick on the donuts as much)
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350 º F (180º C). Lightly grease the donut pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside!
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sea salt, and cinnamon. In a small separate bowl, whisk the egg. Set both aside.
    • In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the apple cider, sugar, and butter, stirring often until the butter has just melted. Remove from heat, let cool for 2 minutes, and stir in the apple cider vinegar, vanilla, and whisked egg. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients; stir well with a whisker until combined and almost no lumps are visible.
    • Using a piping bag (or a tablespoon or a cookie scooper), pipe (spoon/scoop) the batter into a donut pan (¾ full). Bake in the oven for 12-14 minutes (standard-size, yielding about 10-13 donuts) or for 6-7 minutes (mini baked donuts, yielding about 26), or until light golden brown and cooked through.
    • Let cool for 2-3 minutes on a rack. Then, remove baked donuts from the pan and place them directly on a rack to cool completely before dipping them into the glaze.
    • Meanwhile, prepare the Maple Glaze: Whisk everything together in a small bowl until smooth. Set a rack of donuts over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Dip the top of the baked donuts into the maple glaze, turning to coat well. Let baked donuts rest on the rack until glaze sets.
    • Alternatively, you can brush the apple cider donuts with melted butter and then coat them with cinnamon sugar.

    Recipe Notes

    STORAGE
    Store baked donuts in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature, or for u to 4 days in the fridge.
    Freeze them in layers for up to 2 months without the glaze. Make sure to place a sheet of parchment paper in between each layer of donuts.
    Thaw them over the counter and glaze them.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 74.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 0.7g | Fat: 2.1g | Saturated Fat: 1.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 10.9mg | Sodium: 30mg | Potassium: 32.4mg | Fiber: 0.6g | Sugar: 10.2g | Vitamin A: 63.5IU | Vitamin C: 0.05mg | Calcium: 17.1mg | Iron: 0.2mg

    ** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.

    Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.

    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Comment and rate the recipe. Also follow us on Pinterest at @easyanddelish for more delish recipes.

    Post first published on September 22, 2013. 

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    Filed Under: American Recipes, Easy And Delish, Easy Dessert Recipes, Easy Snacks, Quick & Easy Recipes Tagged With: Fall

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kumar's Kitchen says

      September 24, 2013 at 12:44 am

      such an elegant and perfect way to welcome autumn....love those cute donuts 🙂

      Reply
    2. Sugar et al says

      September 24, 2013 at 6:31 am

      I want them NOW! Spring or Fall, I know I could eat at least 10 a day. Just gorgeous!

      Reply
    3. Liz says

      September 24, 2013 at 10:13 am

      Perfect treat to user in the fall! Your donuts look delish!!!

      Reply
    4. Deb says

      September 24, 2013 at 1:28 pm

      I like your thinking Denise! I'll gladly have an Apple Cider Baked Donut with the fabulous Maple Glaze for both breakfast and snack time! An irresistible recipe to welcome fall!

      Reply
    5. Daniela says

      September 24, 2013 at 1:43 pm

      What a delicious way to welcome the new season,Denise.
      The Apple Cider donuts look so appetizing by just looking at the pictures and I'm sure they taste even better:)

      Reply
    6. Margaret says

      September 24, 2013 at 1:51 pm

      I just happen to have some cider in my fridge. Coincidence? I dont' think so!! These look soooo tasty.

      Reply
    7. Juliana says

      September 24, 2013 at 2:58 pm

      Wow Denise...these little treats look delicious, I love the combination of apple cider and the spiced glaze...they are gorgeous...I can only imagine the face of your girls looking at these donuts...
      Have a wonderful week my dear 😀

      Reply
      • Denise Browning says

        September 24, 2013 at 4:39 pm

        Tank you, Juliana! Likewise.

        Reply
    8. Mi Vida en un Dulce says

      September 25, 2013 at 5:39 pm

      I do not used to make donuts because the grease, and each time I see a recipe of baked donuts I only wish the pan...!!!

      Reply
    9. Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says

      September 27, 2013 at 1:40 pm

      I could totally use this for breakfast right now!

      Reply
      • Denise Browning says

        September 27, 2013 at 3:39 pm

        Chung-Ah:
        It's so good to have your visit. I enjoy eat them anytime of the day. Although delish, they are not too sweet. They go well at breakfast time for sure!

        Reply
    10. Nami | Just One Cookbook says

      September 29, 2013 at 8:32 pm

      After I make baked donuts for the first time this year I'm a true believer in delicious baked donuts! This apple cider donuts sounds AMAZING, and lovely combination with the maple glaze. Drool...

      Reply
      • Denise Browning says

        September 30, 2013 at 7:51 am

        Thanks, Nami! It was my first time baking donuts as well...I loved it so much that I intend to make them again and again.

        Reply
    11. sallybr says

      October 01, 2013 at 8:40 am

      Wow, donuts intimidate me to no end! What a beautiful post, and absolutely great job making these beauties!

      Reply
    12. Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says

      October 02, 2013 at 1:18 am

      What a coincidence!! I made apple cider donuts tonight!! And they are not nearly as delectable as yours 🙂

      Reply
      • Denise Browning says

        October 02, 2013 at 7:36 am

        Kiran: I am sure that yours are to die for, as everything that you make in the kitchen. xx

        Reply
    13. Candy says

      October 03, 2013 at 11:07 pm

      The donuts you gave me were just delicious! Thank you! Thank you! I am so happy that you have shared the recipe! Now I must get the mini donut pan and make some for my husband and sons. They will love them too! ~Loving your blog! 🙂

      Reply
      • Denise Browning says

        October 04, 2013 at 7:33 am

        Mrs. Miller: What a great surprise!!! Thank you for stopping by. I am glad to know that you enjoyed the donuts so much that you intend to make them for your family. Have a happy weekend!

        Reply
    14. Jenny says

      November 29, 2013 at 8:05 am

      Love these! These donuts were so delicious! I am so excited that I discovered your blog. I can't wait to try more recipes. Thank you for letting us sample.

      Reply
      • Denise Browning says

        November 29, 2013 at 8:37 am

        Thank you, Mrs. Jeske, for stopping by. I am glad that you enjoyed these donuts.

        Reply
    15. Paula B. says

      October 04, 2015 at 7:59 am

      We have a Fall gathering coming up and the hostess was searching for an apple cider donut recipe so I am sending her this one. It looks straightforward and so yummy. Living here in New England, we will love the addition of the maple glaze, oh my! Found this on Pinterest and had to stop by and comment. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Denise Browning says

        October 04, 2015 at 4:08 pm

        Hi, Paula!
        Thank you for stopping by. This recipe is pretty easy to make and yummy --a real family favorite! I hope y'all enjoy these donuts and have a very happy season.

        Reply
    16. John / Kitchen Riffs says

      August 31, 2022 at 9:19 am

      Looking forward to apple -- and maple! -- season. These donuts look just perfect -- thanks.

      Reply
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