Description
These Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Glaze combine the warm flavors of apple cider, cinnamon, and maple syrup to create a deliciously moist and tender treat. Baked instead of fried for a lighter alternative, these doughnuts are infused with spices and topped with a rich brown butter cinnamon maple glaze that adds a perfect sweet and toasty finish, making them an ideal autumn dessert or breakfast indulgence.
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 with melted butter to prevent sticking.
- Reduce apple cider: Pour the apple cider into a saucepan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Remove from heat and allow it to cool completely.
- Make the doughnut batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled 1/2 cup boiled cider, melted butter, eggs, apple butter, vanilla extract, and dark brown sugar. Stir until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, and kosher salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Toss the chopped honeycrisp apple in cinnamon sugar, then fold them gently into the batter.
- Fill and bake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared doughnut or muffin pans, filling each cavity about halfway to two-thirds full. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until the doughnuts are just set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and invert the pan to release the doughnuts.
- Prepare the glaze: While the doughnuts cool, melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Continue cooking until the butter browns lightly and emits a nutty, toasted aroma (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from the heat and whisk in the maple syrup, powdered sugar, instant coffee, and cinnamon until smooth and well combined.
- Glaze and serve: Dip or drizzle the doughnuts generously with the brown butter cinnamon maple glaze. Serve immediately for best flavor, enjoying the doughnuts warm for a melt-in-your-mouth experience.
Notes
- Be sure to reduce the apple cider fully to concentrate the flavor; this step adds depth to the doughnuts.
- Use room temperature eggs to ensure the batter mixes evenly.
- If you don’t have a doughnut pan, you can use a muffin pan as a substitute.
- Adjust the powdered sugar in the glaze to achieve your preferred sweetness and glaze thickness.
- For a stronger coffee flavor in the glaze, increase the instant coffee slightly, but do so cautiously to avoid bitterness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 doughnut
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
