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Apple Cider Donuts are cake donuts packed with real apple flavor from reduced apple cider, fried until golden, and rolled in cinnamon sugar. No yeast, no rise time — just like the ones from the orchard.
Have you ever gone apple picking or visited an orchard that sells apple treats alongside the fresh fruit? I grew up in Wisconsin, where orchards always had fresh cider and plenty of apple treats to go with it, and Apple Cider Donuts were the best part of fall. They’re a cake donut through and through, fried until golden and rolled in cinnamon sugar, with real apple flavor baked right into the dough.
This recipe gets all of its apple flavor from cider that’s simmered down until it’s syrupy and concentrated, so there’s no peeling or chopping apples involved. And since there’s no yeast, there’s no waiting around for dough to rise — just a quick chill in the fridge and you’re ready to fry. They come together faster than a trip to the orchard, and they taste just as good.
Erin’s Notes
- Real apple flavor — reducing the cider concentrates the flavor so every bite tastes like apple, not just cinnamon sugar.
- No yeast required — these are cake donuts, so there’s no proofing or rising to worry about.
- Just like the orchard — the texture and flavor are a dead ringer for the donuts sold at apple orchards every fall.
- Simple ingredients — no special equipment beyond a donut cutter and a pot for frying.
Ingredient Notes
- Apple Cider: The star of the recipe. It gets simmered down until reduced by half, which concentrates the apple flavor before it goes into the dough. Use real apple cider, not apple juice, for the best flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour: Gives the donuts their cake-like structure. Spoon and level it so you don’t pack in too much, which can make the donuts dense.
- Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and a little caramel depth that pairs well with the warm spices.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Both are used together to give the donuts lift since there’s no yeast in this recipe.
- Cinnamon, Allspice & Nutmeg: The warm spice blend that makes these taste like fall. Allspice and nutmeg round out the cinnamon so the flavor isn’t one-note.
- Butter: Adds richness to the dough. Let it cool after melting so it doesn’t cook the eggs when mixed in.
- Eggs: Help bind the dough and add structure.
- Oil for Frying: Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, like vegetable or canola oil.
- Cinnamon Sugar Topping: A simple mix of sugar and cinnamon that the warm donuts get rolled through right after frying.
Apple Cider Donuts
Equipment
Ingredients
Donuts
- 2 cups apple cider
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 large Eggs
- 6 Tablespoon butter, melted and cooled
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- In a saucepan bring apple cider to a boil. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until it is reduced by half. Cool completely.2 cups apple cider
- In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda and spices. Set aside3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- In a small bowl mix together cooled cider, eggs, and melted butter.2 large Eggs, 6 Tablespoon butter
- Add apple cider mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Cover and place in fridge for about an hour until it is firm enough to roll out.
- Heat oil in a large stock pot to 325º FOil for frying
- Roll the dough on a floured surface, until about 1/2 thick. Use a donut cutter to cut into 12 donuts.
- Mix together cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.1 cup sugar, 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- Fry donuts 2-3 at a time, being sure not to crowd the pan. Donuts will take 2-3 minutes per side to cook, the donut holes will take about 1 minute per side.
- Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Once cool enough to handle roll through cinnamon and sugar mixture. Set on wire rack until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Apple Cider Donuts
- The first step is to boil the apple cider until it is half of what you started with. Bring the cider to boil and cook for about 15 minutes, or until it is reduced by half. Remove it from the heat and cool completely.
- Next you will mix the wet and dry ingredients separately. In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda and spices. Set aside. In a separate bowl mix together cooled cider, eggs, and melted butter.
- Pour the apple cider mixture to the flour and stir until just combined. Cover and place in fridge for about an hour until it is firm enough to roll out.
- Mix together cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.
- Before you roll out the donuts, start to the heat oil in a large stock pot to 325º F.
- Roll the dough on a floured surface, until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Use a donut cutter to cut into 12 donuts.
- Fry donuts 2-3 at a time, being sure not to crowd the pan. Donuts will take 2-3 minutes per side to cook, the donut holes will take about 1 minute per side.
- Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
- Once cool enough to handle roll through cinnamon and sugar mixture. Set on wire rack until ready to serve.
Recipe Tips
- Cool the reduced cider completely before mixing it with the eggs and butter, or it can scramble the eggs.
- Don’t skip the chill time — the dough needs about an hour in the fridge to firm up enough to roll and cut cleanly.
- Keep the oil temperature steady at 325°F. If it’s too hot, the outside will brown before the inside cooks through; too cool, and the donuts will soak up extra oil.
- Fry in small batches so the oil temperature doesn’t drop, which can leave the donuts greasy.
- Roll the donuts in cinnamon sugar while they’re still warm — the sugar sticks best right after frying.
Recipe Variations
This recipe is best known as-is, fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar, but here’s a way to dress it up:
- Vanilla glaze drizzle: Drizzle a simple vanilla glaze over the donuts after they’ve been rolled in cinnamon sugar for an extra touch of sweetness.
So this fall be sure to pick up some fresh apple cider from the local orchard or even your grocery store. Trust me, you will love these donuts! They come together way faster than you think and just scream fall. Enjoy with a glass of warm apple cider for the perfect weekend morning.
Storage
Apple cider donuts are best enjoyed fresh the day they’re made, but they’ll keep in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two.
More Easy Apple Recipes
- Apple Blond Brownies
- Caramel Apple Pie Bars
- Apple Cinnamon Muffins
- Apple Cider Cocktail
- Apple Smoothie
- Apple Cider Mule
- Apple Spice Cupcakes
I am a sucker for donuts and anything apple flavored – will have to give these a try!
Oh my gosh! I had some of these at a festival in Lexington, VA. They were SO yummy!
A perfect treat for the upcoming change of seasons!
One of my favorite things about fall is apple cider. These donuts would be fitting for these cooler mornings ahead.
We always buy bags of these when we go pick apples! They’re so good!! I plan on making these this weekend!
I tried these awhile back and have never forgotten about them. Now I have the recipe thank you so much!
I LOVE homemade doughnuts! These look so yummy!
That cinnamon sugar mixture looks incredible!
Apple cider donuts are my all time favorite donuts! They are SO good!
This would be incredibly dangerous in my house….I’d have absolutely no self control. Bring it on!