Skip the traditional fried version and make these Baked Apple Cider Donuts in a muffin tin at home!
Enjoy all the flavors you love in Apple Cider Donuts in these cinnamon sugar-coated Apple Cider Muffins.
Apple Cider Muffins
I haven’t met anyone yet who doesn’t like apple cider donuts. This recipe takes the traditional apple orchard apple cider donuts and turns them into a simple baked muffin recipe that can be made at home.
I have had this idea for apple cider donut muffins for several years now and have tried to make them with flop after flop. Either they were dense and chewy or tough and didn’t rise.
Each year I tried again and kept getting closer, but not quite there. This year, I have finally nailed it and I’m super excited to share it with you!
Baked Apple Cider Donuts
If you’ve had an apple cider donut, you know they are never overpowering in apple flavor. The best ones definitely 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 1/2 cup of reduced apple cider will have a great deal more flavor than plain cider.
I know this may sound self-explanatory, but in my research on apple cider donuts, I came across complaints that mentioned using apple cider vinegar instead of apple cider.
I want to be as clear as possible here, DO NOT use apple cider vinegar. This recipe is designed for the sweet apple cider that is like apple juice, only much tastier!
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 you end up with too chewy muffins, it probably means there was more sugar in your apple cider than mine. You can try and reduce the sugar in the recipe by a tablespoon or so to account for this.
Apple Recipes
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.
Baked Apple Cider Donut Recipe
- Pour the apple cider into a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup. Let cool.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a regular-sized muffin tin with 12 wells. Make sure it is well greased.
- 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 wells. They should be 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake at 350 F for 16 to 18 minutes or just until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from pan to cool on wire rack.
- Stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon for the topping in a small bowl. Dip or brush each muffin with melted butter and coat with cinnamon sugar. They keep well at room temperature for 2 days.
Baked Apple Cider Donuts
Ingredients
- 1 cup apple cider reduced to 1/2 cup, see instructions in recipe
- 1/2 cup butter melted and cooled
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
For the topping
- 1/4 cup butter melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Pour the apple cider into a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup. Let cool.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a regular sized muffin tin with 12 wells. Make sure it is well greased.
- 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 wells. They should be 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake at 350 F for 16 to 18 minutes or just until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove for pan to cool on wire rack.
- Stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon for the topping in a small bowl. Dip or brush each muffin with melted butter and coat with cinnamon sugar. The keep well at room temperature for 2 days.
Nutrition
{originally published 9/19/18 – recipe notes and photos updated 1/25/21}
Here are a few more ways to enjoy apples in the fall!
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.