As we approach the November holiday season, here is a fitting seasonal recipe that you should try at home. Baked apple cider doughnuts with cinnamon maple glaze are a great seasonal dessert, since they feature the season’s star ingredient: apples. Moist and rich with a touch of cinnamon, these doughnuts are enough to make anyone’s mouth water! The smell will float through your house faster than any Pumpkin Spice Latte candle can.
One of the best things about this recipe is that you don’t need to deep fry the doughnuts; instead, you simply bake them in the oven, though you might need to buy a doughnut pan. These doughnuts are also a great way to bond and spend time with your loved ones, and to take a well-deserved break from all the hard work during school. Even without the glaze, they remain delicious! Perfect for dessert after cozy fall dinners, family and friends will be begging you to remake these for your next gathering.
Ingredients
- 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 (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Well in advance of baking, set out eggs and butter to warm to room temperature. This prevents lumps in the batter later on. Preheat your oven to 350° F (177° C) and grease a 6-cup doughnut pan with melted butter or a non-stick spray.
- Boil the apple cider over high heat. Then, reduce the heat and let it simmer until reduced to about 3/4 cup. Remove from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the reduced cider, melted butter, eggs, apple butter, vanilla, and brown sugar until blended.
- In the same bowl, add the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Mix until fully combined.
- Dice the apple and toss it in the cinnamon sugar mix (about 1 tablespoon cinnamon and 2–3 tablespoons sugar). Then stir the apples into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the doughnut pan, filling each cup just before overflowing. Bake for 14 minutes, until the doughnuts are cooked through. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a plate.
- While the doughnuts bake, prepare the glaze. In a small pot over medium heat, melt the butter and allow it to brown slightly until it smells toasted, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the maple syrup, powdered sugar, instant coffee, and cinnamon.
- Coat the cooled doughnuts in the glaze.
These doughnuts are best kept at room temperature for up to one week for maximum freshness!