Apple Cider Donuts

I first discovered apple cider donuts (or doughnuts😉) on a visit to an apple orchard in New York. Apple picking was fun, but my favorite part of the visit was at the end. They served us the most irresistibly delicious apple cider donuts and a mug of steaming hot cinnamon apple cider! When I returned home, I set about creating my own apple cider donuts so I could enjoy them whenever a craving hit. Since I moved to the States, one of my favorite fall activities has been curling up on a chilly night with a mug of hot cider and a melt-in-your-mouth apple cider donut. What a great time of year!

Recipe Ingredients

How to Make Apple Cider Donuts

Reduce the Cider – Pour your apple cider into a small pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil until reduced to ⅓ cup and syrupy, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. If the cider over-reduces to less than ⅓ cup, add enough water to make up the measurement. (Photos 1-2)Combine Dry Ingredients – Place all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl: all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Whisk until thoroughly combined. (Photo 3)Combine Wet Ingredients – Whisk melted butter and granulated sugar in a medium-sized mixing bowl using a hand mixer until the sugar dissolves, 3-5 minutes. Then add buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, and reduced cider. Mix until fully combined and smooth. (Photos 4-6)Mix the Dry and Wet Ingredients – Next, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon gently just until fully moistened. Do not overmix. (Photos 7-8)Knead the Dough – Transfer the dough to a generously floured work surface, and dust the top of it and the rolling pin with flour. Then knead the dough a few times until it comes together. Add 1-2 tablespoons of flour if the dough is too sticky to handle. Form the dough into a ball and roll it out using the rolling pin so it’s ½-inch thick. (Photos 9-10)Form the Donuts – Cut out rounds with a 3-inch floured donut cutter (or use 2 round cookie cutters—a 3-inch one to form the donut and a 1-inch for the donut holes). The dough may be a bit sticky, so it’s fine to twist the cutters as you push them to get a clean cut. Transfer the donuts and donut holes to a floured baking sheet. Then gather the scraps and form them into a ball. Roll it out until ½-inch thick, repeating the process until you have at least 12 donuts and 12 donut holes. Cover them with plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator to rest for about an hour. (Photos 11-12)Make the Sugar Coating – While the dough is chilling, make the cinnamon sugar by mixing the sugar and ground cinnamon in a wide, shallow mixing bowl until fully blended. Set aside. (Photos 13-14)Heat the Oil – Fill a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot with vegetable oil (about 1½ inches deep) and place the pot over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350℉/177℃.Fry the Donuts – Working in batches, gently place four donuts at a time in the oil and fry, flipping once, until puffed, golden brown, and crispy, 1-2 minutes on each side. (Photo 15)Coat Donuts – Use tongs or a slotted spoon to carefully remove the donuts from the hot oil, holding them over the pot for a few seconds so the excess oil can drain off. Then transfer your doughnuts to a paper towel-lined plate for about 30 seconds. Roll them while still warm in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat and place them on the wire rack to cool. (Photo 16)Repeat the frying process with the remaining doughnuts, adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain an oil temperature of 350ºF/177℃. Toss each batch in the cinnamon sugar 30 seconds after they cool on the paper towel-lined plate.Fry the Donut Holes – Fry the donut holes in 2 batches (about 1 minute on each side) and coat them with cinnamon sugar.

Recipe Variations

Tips and Tricks

Make-Ahead Instructions

Apple cider donuts are best hot and fresh! But to reduce prep time, you can simmer and reduce the apple cider the night before and keep it in the fridge. Or you can make them ahead, freeze them, and reheat them in the oven or air fryer. If you prefer making the dough ahead, you can store it uncooked in an airtight container and refrigerate it for a day. Then bring it to room temperature before frying.

Serving and Storage Instructions

It’s hard to imagine you’ll have leftovers when you serve these guys! But just in case, you store them in an airtight container in the fridge for a week. Reheat them in an oven, toaster oven, or air fryer to revive their crispiness.

What to Serve With Apple Cider Donuts

What goes better with apple cider donuts than a warm and cozy fall beverage like the ones below?

More Decadent Fall Apple Recipes to Try

Conclusion

This decadent apple cider donut recipe will make you the hero of breakfast or snack time! Are you looking for more goodies to celebrate fall? Sign up for my newsletter to catch all my new recipes!

Watch How to Make It

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”kZs6ztgR” upload-date=”2022-10-14T16:34:43.000Z” name=”APPLE CIDER DONUTS.mp4″ description=”Apple Cider Donuts – Crispy on the outside and deliciously moist on the inside, these apple cider donuts are the perfect fall treat!” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”]