Description
These Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts are a delightful autumn treat featuring a tender, spiced apple cake doughnut base infused with reduced apple cider and fresh chopped Honeycrisp apples. Topped with a luscious brown butter cinnamon maple glaze enhanced with a hint of instant coffee, these doughnuts are perfectly moist and flavorful, ideal for enjoying warm with a cup of coffee or tea.
Ingredients
Scale
Doughnuts
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup apple butter
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 honeycrisp apple, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar
Brown Butter Cinnamon Maple Glaze
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 3/4-1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 6-cup doughnut pan or a 12-cup muffin pan thoroughly with melted butter to ensure easy removal of the doughnuts after baking.
- Reduce the apple cider: Pour the apple cider into a saucepan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes until the cider reduces to about 1/2 cup. Remove from heat and allow it to cool completely.
- Mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled reduced cider, melted butter, eggs, apple butter, vanilla extract, and brown sugar. Stir until well mixed. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and kosher salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Add apples to batter: Toss the chopped honeycrisp apple pieces with the cinnamon sugar to coat evenly. Fold the coated apples gently into the batter, distributing them throughout.
- Fill pans and bake: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pan cavities, filling each about halfway to two-thirds full. Place in the oven and bake for 12-13 minutes, or until the doughnuts are just set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to loosen and invert the pan to release the doughnuts.
- Prepare the brown butter cinnamon maple glaze: While the doughnuts bake, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook the butter until it starts to brown lightly and emits a toasted aroma, approximately 2-3 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the maple syrup, powdered sugar (start with 3/4 cup and add more for desired thickness), instant coffee, and cinnamon until you achieve a smooth glaze.
- Glaze the doughnuts: Dip or drizzle the warm doughnuts with the prepared glaze for a rich, flavorful finish. It’s highly recommended to enjoy these doughnuts warm for the best taste and texture experience.
Notes
- You can substitute Honeycrisp apples with other crisp apple varieties like Gala or Fuji if unavailable.
- Adjust the powdered sugar in the glaze to reach your preferred consistency — thicker for dipping, thinner for drizzling.
- Make sure not to overmix the batter to keep the doughnuts light and tender.
- Use a small instant coffee amount to add subtle depth to the glaze without overpowering the sweetness.
- To store, keep doughnuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Refresh by warming slightly before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 doughnut
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
