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Homemade Baked Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cider Doughnut Holes. Made with boiled-down spiced cider, apple butter, maple, and a mix of warming cozy autumn spices. Toss each doughnut in brown butter and sweet cinnamon sugar. Thereโs really nothing not to love about these cinnamon sugar cider doughnuts. There are two secrets to this recipe. The first is to boil down the apple cider to really concentrate its flavor. The second is spiced apple butter, it provides even more delicious apple flavor! The coziest treats to enjoy with a steaming mug of hot chocolateย or your favoriteย latte.
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Happiest Friday from New York! What a special time to be here in the city, itโs just beautiful and so full of color right now. Very much what I am all about โ so happy to be here!
And I have the most perfect recipe to celebrate the weekend, it screams, โAutumn in New York!โ. As I walk around the city and take in all of the fall sights, Iโm reminded of just how wonderful the season is. The other fun thing Iโve noticed is the major presence of pumpkin spice anything and apple anything. Pumpkin and apple are all throughout the city.
Every corner you turn thereโs some kind of bakery serving up pumpkin spice lattes or sweet apple pastries. It really is the season!
I made these fun apple cider donut holes last week and weโve been enjoying them throughout the day. Theyโre so simple to bake up and the flavor is just beyond delicious.
Iโve been so excited to share the recipe!
Here are the details
Start by boiling down the cider. Iโve been doing this for pretty much every sweet apple recipe Iโve shared. Boiling the cider gives you an even more concentrated flavor that really comes through in the end.
When the cider has boiled and reduced, I mix in the butter for the batter and let it melt.
Next, make the batter. Itโs a simple muffin-style batter, start with the wet ingredients, made with vanilla, eggs, apple butter, and, of course, apple cider. Then, I love to add the dry ingredients: mix in whole wheat flour and a combination of warm autumn spices. The whole wheat flour gives these doughnut holes a nice bite and heartiness. But you can also use all-purpose flour. Either is a great option.
Now bake the batter into mini muffins or just make regular muffin โdoughnutsโ.
The final step is fun. Brown the butter and then dip each doughnut through the nutty, vanilla-infused butter. And then, just like a classic apple cider doughnut, dredge through a sweet cinnamon sugar mixture.
Is there anything more wonderful in the fall? Perfection.
Serve these with coffee or hot cocoa or even a steaming mug of cider for the quintessential fall treat!
Looking for apple recipes? Here are a few ideas:ย
Brown Butter Apple Blondies with Cinnamon Maple Glaze
Haunted Pumpkin Patch Margarita
Cinnamon Crunch Apple Butter Soft Pretzel Knots
Salted Maple Apple Tarte Tatin with Cinnamon Pumpkin Seeds
Cinnamon Spiced Apple Fritters with Vanilla Coffee Glaze
Lastly, if you make these Baked Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cider Doughnut Holes, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, donโt forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Baked Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cider Doughnut Holes
Ingredientsย
Spiced Doughnuts
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup apple butter
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Cinnamon Sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructionsย
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350ยฐ F. Butter a 24-cup mini muffin pan or 12-cup regular pan.2. Bring the apple cider to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer 10-15 minutes, until reduce to 1/2 cup. Remove from the heat and and stir in the melted butter. Let cool. 3. In a large bowl, stir together the boiled cider, eggs, apple butter, maple, and vanilla until combined. Add the flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until just combined. 4. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pan, filling 1/2-2/3 the way full.ย Bake 10-12 minutes for mini doughnuts or 18-20 for regular muffins, until just set. Remove and let cool 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to release.5. Meanwhile, melt 6 tablespoons butter in a skillet. Allow the butter to brown until it smells toasted, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and mix in the vanilla.6. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Brush each doughnut with butter, then roll through the cinnamon sugar. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Hi Tieghan! I do not have whole wheat flour on hand. Would they still taste as good if I subbed all purpose flour, so a total of 2 cups all purpose flour?
Thank you!
Hi Barbie,
Yes, that would be okay for you to do! I hope you love these doughnut holes. Have a great weekend!
Thank you!! You too!
Hi Tieghan!
I am making these little muffins right now, but my apple cider has not reduced to half a cup after almost 20 minutes. Do I just use it and measure out half a cup? Is it still supposed to be rather liquidy or should it be more of a syrup?
Thank you!
Hi Barbie,
I would go ahead and reduce it for 10 minutes longer and then use 1/2 cup. Let me know how they turn out!
Thank you! I did! Still not real syrupy but I was getting impatient, lol.
They turned out great!
Can you freeze these?
Hi Jenna,
Totally, you can freeze after step 4 and then complete steps 5 and 6 once thawed. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Can these be put in a mini bundt pan?
Hey Victoria,
Sure, I don’t see why not!
Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it!
I made these for work and they only lasted from 8AM – 10:28AM. I even doubled the recipe and made them using a mini-muffin size pan. I had over 50 little muffins! The best thing I can say about them is what my co-worker so eloquently exclaimed after eating one…. “IT’S LIKE FALL PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE!”
Lol thanks so much, Sarah!! Love to hear this recipe was such a hit, I appreciate you making it! xx
Could I turn this into a loaf cake recipe? If so what would change for cook temp and time? I made the donuts once and loved them but a loaf would be a great holiday gift! ๐
Hi there,
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Sure, that would work nicely, I would do 350F for 40ish minutes. I hope this helps! xx
These are so so good. Moist, not too sweet and perfect
Hi Mindy,
Wonderful! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for trying it! Have the best autumn weekend! xT
These are so good! A perfect fall treat. Thank you!
Hey Ashvini,
Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for sharing your notes! Have a great fall weekend! xT
Hi Tieghan,
Love your recipes. Do you happen to have a recipe for baked “applesauce” donut holes?
Essie
Hi Essie,
So sorry, I don’t. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xT
These are SO good. My family loves them.
Hey Mindy,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was a winner! Have a great Thursday! x
Do you have a recipe for Apple butter?
Hey Leza,
I sure do! Here you go:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/homemade-slow-cooker-maple-apple-butter/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT