Skip the traditional fried donuts and make these Apple Cider Muffins at home! With a sugary coating reminiscent of their namesake, these muffins offer a delightful twist on a beloved classic.
Apple Cider Donut Muffins
I haven’t met anyone yet who doesn’t enjoy apple cider donuts. We like to buy the donuts while they’re still warm from the apple orchard near our home.
This recipe takes that apple cider donut flavor and bakes it into these easy-to-make apple cider donut muffins. I first had this idea for apple cider donut muffins several years ago and tried to make them several different ways. Each time, they’d turn out dense and chewy or they would refuse to rise properly.
When I finally nailed this recipe down, I pretty much danced with joy. We’ve been enjoying these muffins for a while now and I don’t think there is a muffin that my kids love more than this one.
Baked Apple Cider Donuts
If you’ve had an apple cider donut, you know they are never overpowering in apple flavor. The best ones always have that sweet and subtle apple cider flavor.
Part of the issue with making really good baked apple cider donut muffins is getting a good apple cider flavor. I achieved this by reducing the fresh apple cider.
To reduce the cider, pour 1 cup of apple cider into a small saucepan over medium heat and simmer until it is reduced by half. The half cup of reduced apple cider will have much more flavor than the original plain cider.
Apple Cider Muffins
I know this may sound self-explanatory, but in my research on apple cider muffins and donuts, I came across plenty of comments and complaints that mentioned using apple cider vinegar instead of apple cider.
I want to be extra clear here, DO NOT use apple cider vinegar. This recipe requires sweet apple cider – apple cider is similar to apple juice, only much tastier and typically not quite as sweet.
Using fresh-pressed, unpasteurized apple cider is best for this recipe. One of the variables that I can’t control is what variety of apples were used in the cider and how sugary it is. The amount of sugar in the recipe will affect the final texture.
If your muffins wind up a little bit too chewy, it likely means there was more sugar in your apple cider than mine. You can reduce the sugar in the recipe by a tablespoon or two to account for this.
Apple Cider Muffin Recipe
Start by pouring the apple cider into a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Simmer until reduced by half. Let the cider cool while the oven preheats.
Meanwhile, grease and flour a regular-sized muffin tin. Stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and cooled apple cider in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients to the wet alternately with the buttermilk. Stir until just combined.
Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the pan and allow them to cool on a wire rack.
When the muffins have cooled, stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon for the topping in a small bowl. Brush each muffin with melted butter and coat with cinnamon sugar.
I can’t get enough of the awesome apple recipes this time of year. From Apple Cookies to Apple Pie, Caramel Apple Dessert Pizza to these Inside Out Caramel Apples, there’s no end to the ways we enjoy apple desserts.
Baked Apple Fritters are another easy donut shop favorite that you can make at home. These fritters are baked instead of fried, making them an easy treat to whip up on a whim.
Apple Blondies are packed with delicious fall flavors in a soft, cinnamon apple blondie topped with brown sugar frosting. And chewy edges, crazy moist blondies, and a crackling crust add up to these mouthwatering, slightly sweet Apple Brownies.
Bursting with the sweetness of fresh apples and spiced up with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg, these old-fashioned Apple Cinnamon Cookies take you right back to grandma’s kitchen.
Sweet and juicy, loaded with fresh apples, and just the right hint of spices, this Apple Cobbler is a fall and winter dessert favorite that we enjoy throughout the entire year.
Apple Cider Donut Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup apple cider reduced to ½ cup, see instructions in recipe
- ½ cup butter melted and cooled
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1¾ cup all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ cup buttermilk
CINNAMON SUGAR TOPPING
- ¼ cup butter melted and cooled
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Pour the apple cider into a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Simmer until reduced to half a cup. Let cool completely. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a regular-sized muffin tin.
- Stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and cooled apple cider in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients to the wet alternately with the buttermilk. Stir until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. They should be ½ to ⅔ full. Bake at 350°F for 16 to 18 minutes or just until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the pan and cool on wire rack.
- Stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon for the topping in a small bowl. Brush each muffin with melted butter and coat with cinnamon sugar. The muffins will keep well at room temperature for 2 days.
Nutrition
{originally published 9/19/18 – recipe notes and photos updated 2/20/24}
Jamielyn says
Perfect for fall! Love that cinnamon sugar topping!
Emily Hill says
This is actually my favorite way to eat donuts–baked in a muffin tin. Hooray for apple and cinnamon!
Kristy Denney says
Oh my gosh these sound AND LOOK divine!
Aimee Shugarman says
Donut muffins. So easy and delicious. AND who doesn’t love apple cider doughnuts? YUM.
Vicki says
Our family loved these donut muffins! Love the sugar/cinnamon crunch and the tanginess from the apple cider. My son ate six of them….the rest of us were lucky to get any at all! I had a little dab of batter left after filling the tins as much as I dared, so I put it in a ramekin and microwaved it for a few seconds. It was delicious that way too.
Cinnamom in MN says
This is a very delicious recipe, thank you! I baked them in mini muffin tins and got exactly 48. Had to almost double the cinnamon sugar mixture and butter for rolling them in. The kids loved them. I browned the butter for the batter.
Pam Dana says
This is the perfect Fall muffin! We love them.