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three baked apple cider donuts with apple cider glaze on a white plate with a bite in one donut.

Apple cider donuts with apple butter glaze

Sarah Allison
Homemade baked apple cider donuts with apple butter glaze are moist and rich with apple flavor.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 14

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour 250 grams
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • ½ cup dark brown sugar (100 grams)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
  • ¾ cup apple cider (6.8 ounces)
  • ¼ cup apple butter (2.8 ounces)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Apple Butter Glaze

  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup apple butter (5 ounces)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (121 grams) sifted
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt (half if using table salt)
  • 1-2 tablespoons apple cider

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray donut pans with non-stick spray. Set aside.
  • Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a large bowl until blended. Set aside.
  • Whisk the melted butter, egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, apple cider, apple butter and vanilla extract in a medium-sized bowl until combined.
  • Pour wet sugar mixture into the dry flour mixture. Whisk everything together until smooth and combined. The batter will be slightly thick.
  • Fill the donut pan. Fill each donut cup about halfway. An easy way to transfer the batter is to use a large gallon-sized zipped-top bag. Add the batter to the bag, cut off a corner, and pipe it into the donut pan filling it about halfway.
  • Bake at 350°F for 9-10 minutes. Once they are out of the oven, let them cool for 2 minutes, then invert the pan to release the donuts. You can then re-grease the donut pan and bake the remaining donut batter. If you have 2 donut pans, you can bake both trays at once.
  • Glaze the donuts. Combine the melted butter, apple butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and one tablespoon of apple cider together until well combined. If the glaze is thick add the second tablespoon of apple cider and mix until combined. Once cool enough to handle, dunk one side of each donut in the glaze. Place them on a wire rack set on top of parchment paper to catch any drips.

Notes

Special equipment:   I use these donut pans
Donuts are best served immediately. Leftovers keep well covered tightly at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Make Ahead Instructions: You can freeze the donuts, glazed or not glazed, for up to 2 months. Heat them up to your liking in the microwave. They thaw quickly, so start at 10-15 seconds in the microwave.
To freeze if coated, I put them on a sheet tray first and freeze for at least one hour and then transfer them to a plastic freezer bag. 
These yield 14-17 donuts depending on how full you fill the donut cavities. 
If you would prefer to make the typical sugar cinnamon coating for the apple cider donuts:  
Sugar Cinnamon topping: 
Melt 1 stick of butter in a small bowl.  Mix together 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams) with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Dip cooled donuts on each side in the melted butter, then in the sugar-cinnamon topping to coat generously on all sides. Repeat with remaining donuts. 
 

Nutritional Disclaimer

Sass and Salt is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

Nutrition

Calories: 216kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 303mgPotassium: 61mgFiber: 1gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 122IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 1mg
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