Name: Baked Apple Cider Donuts with Brown Butter Maple Glaze
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups apple cider; 2 tablespoons salted butter (melted, plus more for the pan); 2 large eggs (room temperature); ¼ cup apple butter; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; ½ cup packed dark brown sugar; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg; ¼ teaspoon ground ginger; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; 1 Honeycrisp apple (chopped small (about ½ cup)); 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar; 4 tablespoons salted butter; ⅓ cup maple syrup; ¾ to 1 cup powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon instant coffee; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

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If fall had a flavor, it would taste like these baked apple cider donuts. They’re soft and tender, full of warm cinnamon and nutmeg, and packed with real apple flavor from boiled-down cider, apple butter, and little bits of fresh apple. Then they get dipped in a brown butter maple glaze that’s so good, you’ll want to eat it with a spoon.

And the best part? They’re baked, not fried. No pot of hot oil, no greasy mess, and they’re ready in about 40 minutes. Just a donut pan, a couple of bowls, and your kitchen will smell like a fall apple orchard.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These donuts are cozy, easy, and full of fall flavor. Here’s why they’re a must-bake this season:

Baked, not fried. No hot oil and no mess, just simple baking.
Big apple flavor. Boiled cider, apple butter, and chopped apple all work together in every bite.
Soft and cakey. A tender, moist crumb that’s just right with a cup of coffee.
That glaze! Brown butter, maple syrup, and a pinch of cinnamon make a glaze that tastes like caramel.
No donut pan? No problem. A muffin pan works too.

What Are Apple Cider Donuts?

Apple cider donuts are a classic fall treat in America. You’ll often find them at apple orchards and farm stands, fresh and warm, rolled in cinnamon sugar. They’re made with apple cider in the batter, which gives them a gentle apple flavor and keeps them soft.

Traditional cider donuts are fried, but this baked version is much easier to make at home. Boiling the cider down first is the secret. It turns into a thicker, stronger apple flavor, so every bite really tastes like apples.

Ingredients You Need

Here’s a closer look at the ingredients that make these donuts so special.

For the donuts:

Apple cider: Use real apple cider, not apple juice. You’ll boil it down until it’s thick and full of flavor.
Apple butter: Adds even more apple flavor and keeps the donuts soft and moist. Look for it near the jams and jellies.
Dark brown sugar: Gives a deep, caramel-like sweetness.
Salted butter: Melted, for a rich flavor.
Eggs: Room temperature eggs mix in more evenly.
Vanilla extract: Rounds out all the warm flavors.
All-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda: Give the donuts their soft, fluffy shape.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger: The cozy fall spice mix.
Honeycrisp apple: Chopped small and tossed with cinnamon sugar for little sweet bites of apple.

For the glaze:

Salted butter: Browned in a pan for a toasty, nutty flavor.
Maple syrup: Use real maple syrup for the best taste.
Powdered sugar: Thickens the glaze.
Instant coffee: Just a little bit makes the maple flavor stronger. You won’t taste coffee, I promise!
Cinnamon: A little extra warmth.

Equipment You Need

You only need a few simple tools to make these baked donuts at home. Here’s what I use:

Donut pan: A nonstick 6-cavity donut pan gives you that classic donut shape. Since this recipe makes about 14 donuts, two pans make baking go faster.
Small saucepan: For boiling down the apple cider and browning the butter. A light-colored pan makes it easier to see when the butter turns golden.
Mixing bowls: One large bowl for the batter and a small one for tossing the apples with cinnamon sugar.
Whisk: For mixing the batter and making a smooth glaze.
Pastry brush: For brushing melted butter into every corner of the donut pan.
Wire cooling rack: Gives the donuts a place to cool and lets the extra glaze drip off.

How to Make Baked Apple Cider Donuts

These donuts come together quickly once your cider is ready. Just follow these steps.

1. Heat the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Brush a 6-cavity donut pan (or a 12-cup muffin pan) with melted butter so the donuts don’t stick.

2. Boil down the cider. Pour the apple cider into a small pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat down and let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until it cooks down to about ½ cup. Take it off the heat and let it cool.

3. Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, stir together ½ cup of the boiled cider, the melted butter, eggs, apple butter, vanilla, and brown sugar until smooth.

4. Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Stir just until everything is mixed and you don’t see any dry flour. Don’t overmix, or the donuts can turn out tough.

5. Add the apples. In a small bowl, toss the chopped apple with the cinnamon sugar. Then gently stir the apples into the batter.

6. Fill the pan. Spoon the batter into the donut pan, filling each spot about ½ to ⅔ full. A zip-top bag with the corner snipped off makes this super easy and less messy.

7. Bake. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, until the donuts spring back when you gently touch them.

8. Cool and remove. Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges, then turn the pan upside down to pop them out.

9. Bake the rest. If you’re using a 6-cavity donut pan, re-butter the pan and bake the rest of the batter the same way.

10. Make the glaze. Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Keep cooking it for 2 to 3 minutes, swirling the pan, until it turns golden brown and smells nutty and toasty. Take it off the heat right away and whisk in the maple syrup, powdered sugar, instant coffee, and cinnamon until smooth.

11. Glaze the donuts. Dip the top of each donut into the glaze, or drizzle it over the top. Let the extra drip off.

12. Enjoy! These are best eaten warm, so go ahead and have one (or two) right away.

Debbie’s Tip

Watch your butter closely. Brown butter can go from golden and nutty to burnt in just a few seconds. Use a light-colored pan so you can see the color change, and take it off the heat as soon as you see golden brown bits and smell that toasty, nutty smell. If it turns black, start over. Burnt butter will make the glaze taste bitter.

Variations & Substitutions

This recipe is easy to make your own. Here are a few ideas:

Cinnamon sugar coating: Skip the glaze, brush the warm donuts with melted butter, and roll them in cinnamon sugar for a classic orchard-style donut.
Muffins instead: Bake the batter in a muffin pan and add a few minutes to the baking time.
Different apple: Gala, Fuji, or Granny Smith all work in place of Honeycrisp.
No apple butter? Use unsweetened applesauce instead.
Skip the coffee: Leave out the instant coffee if you’d like. The glaze will still be delicious.

Storage & Freezing

These donuts are best the day they’re made, but they keep well with a little care.

Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Fridge: Keep for up to 5 days. Let them come to room temperature or warm them for a few seconds in the microwave.
Freeze: Freeze unglazed donuts in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter, then glaze before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the questions I hear most about these baked apple cider donuts.

Can I use apple juice instead of apple cider?
I don’t recommend it. Apple cider has a deeper, richer apple flavor. Apple juice is sweeter and lighter, so your donuts won’t taste as appley.

Why do I need to boil the cider?
Boiling the cider cooks out the extra water and makes the apple flavor much stronger. If you skip this step, the donuts will taste more like spice cake than apple.

Do I need a donut pan?
No! A muffin pan works great. You’ll just have apple cider muffins instead of donuts, and they’re just as tasty.

Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes! Bake the donuts a day ahead and keep them in an airtight container. Make the glaze fresh and dip them right before serving.

More Recipes You’ll Love

If you love cozy fall baking, try these next:

From My Kitchen to Yours

There’s nothing better than a warm apple cider donut on a crisp fall day. With the whole kitchen smelling like apples, cinnamon, and brown butter, these little treats are pure fall comfort. Bake a batch, share them with the people you love, and maybe save one just for yourself

Enjoy every bite,