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Ultra close up macro food photography of warm homemade baked apple cider donuts generously coated in sparkling cinnamon sugar

Cozy Homemade Baked Apple Cider Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar

Incredibly cloud-soft, cakey, and fragrant baked apple cider donuts made with reduced fresh apple cider, aromatic autumn spices, and pure vanilla, lavishly brushed with melted butter and tossed in a sparkling cinnamon sugar crunch. No deep frying required!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 12 donuts
Calories: 210
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

Apple Cider Reduction (Flavor Concentrate)
  • 1.5 cups pure apple cider
Dry Ingredients
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp ground allspice
  • 0.5 tsp fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 large egg
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup buttermilk
  • 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
Buttery Cinnamon Sugar Coating
  • 6 tbsp melted butter for coating
  • 1 cup granulated sugar for coating
  • 1.5 tbsp cinnamon for coating

Method
 

Reduce the Apple Cider
  1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring 1.5 cups fresh apple cider to a gentle boil. Simmer uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes until it reduces to exactly 1/2 cup of intense, syrupy concentrate. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Mix the Batter
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease two 6-cavity donut pans with nonstick cooking spray or melted butter.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and cooled reduced apple cider until smooth.
  4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold gently with a rubber spatula just until combined. Do not overmix; the batter should be thick and glossy.
Pipe & Bake to Golden Perfection
  1. Spoon batter into a large zip-top or piping bag and snip the corner. Pipe evenly into the prepared donut cavities, filling each about 3/4 full.
  2. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  3. Let donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then invert onto a wire cooling rack.
Coat in Cinnamon Sugar
  1. In a shallow bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. Place melted butter in a separate small bowl.
  2. While donuts are still pleasantly warm, lightly brush all sides with melted butter using a pastry brush, then immediately toss and dredge through the cinnamon sugar bowl until lavishly coated. Serve warm!

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 210kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 2.5gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5.5gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 140mgPotassium: 65mgFiber: 1.2gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 6IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1.1mg

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