Baked Apple Cider Donut Holes Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2024)

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Delicious donut holes that are loaded with the flavors of apple cider and rolled around in cinnamon sugar. Use this recipe to make donut holes or donuts, either way, they’re super-moist and soft little pillows. They’re baked, not fried, which makes them totally waistline friendly!

Baked Apple Cider Donut Holes Recipe | Little Spice Jar (1)Donutholes, donut holes for everyone!

All my shouting is totally 100% necessary. When there’s apple cider in my donut holes, I’m guaranteed to shout (and let it all out)! And we’re shouting with joy because no hot oil baths were necessary in the making of these apple cider donut holes! That deserves a double donut thumbs fo’ sho.Or you could simply say they were baked. But that’s totally not as fun to say. Or as dramatic.

These pillowy, cute little munchkins are almost good for you (mainly because they’re not fried) but they also can be made with coconut oil instead of butter, have apple sauce + apple cider for a pow-pow apple flavor annnnddd the best part = rolled around in cinnamon sugar goodness.

Baked Apple Cider Donut Holes Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2)In a perfect sort of world, no one would have work, we’d all get together on a perfectly crisp fall mornings (because perfectly crisp fall mornings are absolutely the best). We’d sit around being lazy all day andshare a plate full of these cute, little donut holes with big mugs of piping hot french pressed coffee and talk about how easy life is. Sharing a good laugh or two along the way, and definitely not counting the number of donut holes the other was able to tuck away. Good friends don’t count each others consumed donut holes. It’s friendship 101, isn’t it?

How perfect would that be?

Baked Apple Cider Donut Holes Recipe | Little Spice Jar (3)These donut holes are ridiculously easy to make and the batter is mixed together by hand in a matter of minutes! That’s right, no mixer required. Once you’ve mixed the donut batter together just pour it into a mini muffin pan. I used the cutest mini-er than mini muffin pan. It’s availablehereif you’re interested. This super mini pan makes the perfect sized donut holes. It’s totally not required, a regular mini muffin pan works just fine, so don’t sweat it! But if you’re someone who loves donut holes like I do, it’s totally worth it!

You can even make baked donuts (see here for pan) out of these if you prefer them over the donut holes. Simply bake them for 9-12 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. The donut holes are just so poppable so I went with those instead of the donuts.

These donut holes are most definitely the perfect way to start a lazy saturday morning. They’re fall perfect and pair wonderfully with a steaming cup o’joe and belong with a good book. Pajamas are absolutely mandatory and consuming a whole plate is totally acceptable.

Also, the donut holes would be divine dunked in myapple cider caramel sauce. You’re welcome 😉

I’ll just leave you with these little cuties.

Baked Apple Cider Donut Holes Recipe | Little Spice Jar (5)

Yield: 40 donut holes or 16 donuts

Prep Time30 minutes

Cook Time10 minutes

Total Time40 minutes

Delicious donut holes that are loaded with the flavors of apple cider and rolled around in cinnamon sugar. Use this recipe to make donut holes or donuts, either way, they're super-moist and soft little pillows. They're baked, not fried, which makes them totally waistline friendly!

Baked Apple Cider Donut Holes Recipe | Little Spice Jar (6)

Ingredients

For the baked apple cider donut hole:

  • 2 cups apple cider
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons apple sauce, naturally sweetened - no sugar added
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cinnamon sugar coating:

  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Instructions

    For the baked apple cider donut holes:

    1. Start by simmering the apple cider with the 2 cloves in a small saucepan over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until the apple cider reduces down to 1/2 cup. Remove the cloves from the concentrate and pour the apple cider into a container and refrigerate while you prepare the donut batter.
    2. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a mini muffin pan, a super mini muffin pan or a donut pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
    3. In a large bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the egg, melted butter, and brown sugar, whisk until smooth. Then, add in the apple sauce, vanilla, buttermilk, and the apple cider concentrate.
    4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Its okay if a few small lumps remain.
    5. Pour the batter by the teaspoon into the prepared muffin pans about 3/4s of the way full. Make sure to not overfill. Bake the donut holes for 9-11 minutes. Super mini donut holes take between 8-11 minutes. If making donuts, they will take about 9-12 minutes.

    For the cinnamon sugar coating:

    1. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon together. Dip the tops of each donut hole into the melted butter then coat with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Repeat with all the donut holes (donuts). Depending on how long you dip the donuts into the butter, you may need more butter and/or more cinnamon sugar.

    Notes

    • Donuts taste best the same day but can be stored up to 2 days if tightly wrapped and kept at room temperature.

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    If you like this recipe, you might also like:

    Pumpkin Old Fashioned Doughnuts

    Strawberry Jelly Donut Holes

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    Baked Apple Cider Donut Holes Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2024)

    FAQs

    What makes apple cider donuts different? ›

    For starters, the TEXTURE. They're so soft and pillowy but remain really moist and tender. This is due to the fact that these donuts are made with oil instead of butter. Apple sauce is also added to further that moist texture.

    Can you freeze homemade apple cider doughnuts? ›

    Freezing: Place donuts on a baking tray and put in the freezer for 3-5 hours or until frozen. Without letting them thaw, place in an airtight container or freezing bag. Keep up to 3 months. Thawing: Leave at room temperature, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes.

    How much sugar is in an apple cider donut? ›

    Nutrition Facts
    Serving Size 1.7 oz (48g), 1 Donut
    Total Carbohydrate 25g8%
    Dietary Fiber 0g0%
    Sugars 14g
    14 more rows

    What is the tradition of apple cider donuts? ›

    They are a harvest tradition in autumn in the northeastern United States and are sometimes sold at cider mills. They are often paired with apple cider, and may be covered with cinnamon and/or granulated sugar.

    What makes old fashioned donuts different? ›

    Old-Fashioned Doughnuts are basically cake doughnuts that have been fried. This gives them a slightly crunchy outer shell, that's usually lacquered with glaze or dusted with sugar. The inside tends to be less dense than the cake of your typical powdered doughnut and less airy than a Krispy Kreme-style glazed.

    What pairs well with apple cider donuts? ›

    Nothing pairs better with our apple cider donuts than a nice, creamy slathering of our Chiles Family Orchards apple butter. If you're looking to branch out into more fall flavors, try our rich and scrumptious pumpkin butter. A good tip for this dessert is to heat up your apple butter and toast your donut.

    Can you freeze apple cider in glass jars? ›

    Choose Your Container

    in bottles: these can be either plastic or glass as long as you have a tight-fitting and secure lid to close them with; in an airtight container that is freezer-friendly: this can be a plastic tupperware container or a glass container as long as it is a freezer-safe container.

    What is the best way to store apple cider donuts? ›

    The best way to store cider donuts is at room temperature in an airtight container or ziplock bag. The donuts will keep for about 1 to 2 days, though the longer you keep them on the counter, the less fresh they taste. Don't try to store them in the fridge. The cold will just make them dry out more.

    Can you warm up apple cider donuts? ›

    Yes, you can store apple cider doughnuts, but we don't recommend it as fried doughnuts are best eaten right away. If you want to enjoy these doughnuts later, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. Reheat them in the microwave for a few seconds to refresh.

    Why are apple cider donuts good? ›

    A good one is tender yet cakey, has a delicate crust, and is lightly spiced, with an apple-y tang. And it's best eaten warm. One might argue that it's hard to re-create this experience at home, but I would argue that making apple cider doughnuts at home is the best way to ensure that you get the best doughnut possible.

    Are apple cider donuts good? ›

    Flavor: Flavor-wise, they're APPLE and CINNAMON and SPICE all over. They taste like they're straight from the bakery! Ease: A simple mix of wet and dry ingredients plus the apple cider concentrate makes these a snap to prepare for crisp fall mornings. No mixer, rolling pin, or donut cutter required!

    Why does apple cider have so much sugar? ›

    Hard cider is made by fermenting apples or apple juice concentrate and is growing in popularity in the United States. Apples contain plenty of natural sugars, so adding sweeteners to cider is unnecessary for the most part. However, cider makers could add sugar to further sweeten the beverage or speed fermentation.

    What is the forbidden donut? ›

    Forbidden Doughnuts

    (aka Iced Pumpkin Cake Donuts, inspired by King Arthur Flour) Makes 12 to 18, depending on the size of your donut pans. 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree. 1 cup sugar. 3 eggs.

    What state are apple cider donuts from? ›

    Schwartz's cider doughnut options are currently centered around the New England region: mainly Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.

    Who invented the apple cider donut? ›

    All include apple cider in the batter, of course; many feature spices like cinnamon and nutmeg among their ingredients. The genesis of the modern cider donut was a doughnut-making machine developed by Russian immigrant Adolph Levitt in the 1920s.

    What's the difference between apple cider donuts and apple fritters? ›

    Apple Fritters vs Apple Donuts

    Many apple cider doughnut recipes are cake-based, not yeast-based. And most apple fritters don't have cider in the dough, they just rely on the apple chunks to provide flavor.

    What are apple cider donuts made of? ›

    What Are Apple Cider Doughnuts? Apple cider doughnuts are a New England treat — one of the symbols of fall as the spectacular foliage turns autumnal and the weather starts to feel crisp. They're made with a base of boiled-down apple cider, which turns into a syrup that's sweet and deeply apple-y.

    Why are apple cider donuts called apple cider donuts? ›

    Cider Donuts are to be eaten with cider, that's where the name comes from. So if you grew up in rural New England, as I did, you have indelible memories of the smell of cider donuts at Apple Orchards this time of year.

    How do apple cider donuts taste? ›

    Note that while apple cider donuts include apple cider, they're actually not designed to TASTE very strongly of apple, per several readers. Fittingly, most of these recipes are basically excellent cinnamon sugar cake doughnuts with a hint of apple.

    References

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