Apple Cider Doughnuts
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When I spotted a recipe for Apple Cider Doughnuts on Tastespotting, I couldn’t resist giving it a whirl. A Bowl of Mush shared it, and I was especially intrigued because I’ve only ever made yeast-raised doughnuts—this cake-style version felt like venturing into totally new territory.
The dough itself reminded me of sugar cookie dough: soft, easy to handle, and perfect for rolling out. I skipped making doughnut holes and instead added those bits back into the dough when I re-rolled. The recipe mentioned a yield of 12, but I ended up with closer to 17 doughnuts—always a happy surprise when a batch stretches further than expected!
Flavor-wise, these were tender and delicious, but I was hoping for a bolder apple presence. The cider didn’t really come through, at least not noticeably, which was a bit of a letdown. Still, they reminded me a lot of the French Breakfast Puffs I’ve raved about before—soft, spiced, and coated in that irresistible cinnamon sugar coating.
Ingredients for Apple Cider Donut Recipe
- APPLE CIDER
- GRANULATED SUGAR
- BUTTER
- EGGS
- BUTTERMILK
- ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
- BAKING POWDER
- BAKING SODA
- CINNAMON
- SALT
- NUTMEG
- OIL
- CINNAMON-SUGAR
Instructions for Homemade Apple Cider Donuts
Reduce the Cider: Pour the apple cider into a small saucepan and simmer until it reduces to about ¼ cup. This will concentrate the flavor, so don’t skip it! Set the concentrated apple cider aside to cool completely.
Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Set this mixture aside while you prepare the wet ingredients.
Cream the Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until fully incorporated. Pour in the buttermilk and cooled cider and blend until smooth.
Combine and Knead: Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. The donut batter will resemble sugar cookie dough—soft and easy to handle. Turn it out onto a well-floured surface and knead gently a few times to ensure everything is well mixed.
Cut the Doughnuts: Pat or roll the dough into a ½-inch thick circle. Using a 3-inch round cutter (or a doughnut cutter), cut out as many circles as you can. For the centers, you can make doughnut holes or gather the scraps, re-roll, and continue cutting. I ended up with about 17 doughnuts this way!
Fry to Golden Perfection: In a heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven, heat about 3 inches of oil until it reaches 350°F (you can test with a thermometer or a small scrap of dough). Fry a few doughnuts at a time, making sure not to crowd the pan. Cook until golden brown, then gently flip and brown the other side. These are delicate, so turn them carefully!
Finish and Serve: Transfer the fried doughnuts to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. While still warm, dip both sides in a cinnamon sugar mixture. Enjoy immediately—these doughnuts are best eaten the same day they’re made!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes! You can prepare the dough a day in advance and refrigerate it, tightly wrapped. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15–20 minutes before rolling and cutting.
Do I need a donut cutter?
Nope! A 3-inch round biscuit cutter works just fine. Use a smaller cutter or even a bottle cap for the center holes.
How do I know when the oil is hot enough?
Aim for 350°F (175°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a small piece of dough into the oil—if it bubbles and rises to the top, it’s ready.
What kind of oil should I use for frying?
Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, like canola, vegetable, or peanut oil.
Can I bake these instead of frying?
This recipe is designed for frying, but you could experiment by baking them at 375°F for about 10–12 minutes. Just know the texture will be more like cake and less like classic doughnuts.
What’s the best way to store leftovers?
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, freeze and reheat as needed.
FOR MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS, TRY:
- 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Donuts
- Halloween No Yeast Ghost Beignets
- Apple Cider Donut Cake
- Mini Chocolate Baked Donuts
Apple Cider Doughnuts
Real Mom Kitchen
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup of butter softened
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 3 ½ cups unbleached white flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- oil for frying
- 1 cup cinnamon-sugar for coating fried doughnuts
Instructions
- Boil cider until it reduces to 1/4 cup, allow it to cool completely. Mix 3 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a bowl. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, and mix until blended. Add buttermilk and reduced cider, blend until incorporated. Add flour mixture gradually, until just incorporated.
- Turn dough out on a well floured board, knead it a few times to make sure ingredients are well-mixed. (The dough to me looked just like sugar cookie dough) Pat or roll into a 1/2 inch thick circle. Using a 3″ round cutter (or doughnut cutter), cut as many circles as you can. Cut smaller hole in center. Set aside centers to make doughnut holes, or collect them along with dough around the larger circles, form a ball, flatten to 1/2 inch and repeat the cutting of doughnuts (This is what I did and I got like 17 doughnuts).
- Heat appox 3 inches of oil in a high-sided pan or Dutch oven. When oil is hot, place as many doughnuts/holes as will fit into pan without crowding them. Allow the doughnuts to brown, then turn them over and brown the other side. Turn carefully, these babies are delicate. Remove them from the oil and set them on a paper towel.
- When all of the doughnuts are fried, coat them in the cinnamon sugar mixture and serve. Doughnuts are best eaten the day they are made.
