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Celebrate the start of the fall season with a batch of homemade Apple Cider Donuts! Both the dough and glaze are made with apple cider, so that signature autumnal flavor really gets infused into every bite. As tasty as the glaze is, you can also opt to roll the donuts in cinnamon sugar for an equally as scrumptious coating.
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Of all my beloved fall flavors, I think apple cider may just be my favorite. Well, pumpkin spice is pretty good too. And caramel apple also has a special place in my heart. But what I can confidently say is that these Apple Cider Donuts are one of my classic recipes that gets whipped up every year. Fall wouldn’t be complete without these donuts!
What I really love about these homemade donuts is that the apple cider flavor is present throughout the entire thing. The dough is made with apple cider, as is the glaze, so that flavor really hits home in every bite. If you’re not a glaze fan, feel free to roll your donuts in some cinnamon and sugar!
If you’re new to frying your donuts, don’t be intimidated. I’ve included all my tips to help you avoid any mishaps! Also, if you do happen to make one donut too crispy or shaped the wrong way, you can still eat it. I know this from experience, there’s no shame in eating the ugly donuts in order to hide your evidence!
How to Make Apple Cider Donuts
- Make the Dough – Reduce the apple cider in a small sauce pan. In a bowl, combine dry ingredients. Set aside. Beat the butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth using an electric mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to beat until the eggs are mixed in thoroughly being sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula. Reduce the speed to low and add the apple cider and buttermilk, mixing just until combined. Add the flour mixture and continue to mix until the dough comes together.
- Shape the Donuts – Generously sprinkle two baking sheets lined with parchment or wax paper with flour and place the dough on one of the baking sheets. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and flatten with your hands until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Transfer the dough to the freezer until it is firm. Remove from the freezer and cut out the donuts. Place the donuts and holes onto the second baking sheet. “Freeze” the donuts for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Fry the Donuts – Add the entire container of shortening into a deep-sided pan (I used a large cast iron dutch oven). Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 350°F. Line a plate with paper towels. Carefully add a few donuts to the oil and fry until golden brown. Flip the donuts over with a fork or tongs and fry until the other side is golden, 30 to 60 seconds.
- Drain, coat, and enjoy! Drain on paper towels for a few minutes after frying and dip the entire doughnut into the glaze or cinnamon sugar mixture. Serve immediately.
Tips for Perfect Cider Donuts
- Don’t press the dough too thin. Your donut will lack substance and fall apart when you flip it.
- Don’t fry the donuts for too long, or they will form a very crispy exterior. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but not quite ideal donut material.
- Be patient and wait for your donuts to cool a bit before dipping them in the glaze, or the glaze will just melt into the donut.
- Don’t forget to fry up all of the donut holes as well! Never let those poppable treats go to waste!
- For the best tasting results, make sure to use my homemade Apple Cider Recipe!
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Apple Cider Donut Recipe
Equipment
- deep skillet
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup apple cider
- 3 1/2 cups flour, plus additional for the work surface
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons 1/2 stick or 2 ounces butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- Vegetable oil or shortening, see my explanation in the post for frying
For the glaze:
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 4 tablespoons apple cider
- For the cinnamon sugar:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Reduce the apple cider to about 1/4 cup in a small sauce pan, approximately 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and let cool.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Beat the butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth using an electric mixer.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to beat until the eggs are mixed in thoroughly being sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula.
- Reduce the speed to low and add the apple cider and buttermilk, mixing just until combined. Add the flour mixture and continue to mix until the dough comes together.
- Generously sprinkle two baking sheets lined with parchment or wax paper with flour and place the dough on one of the baking sheets.
- Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and flatten with your hands until it is about 1/2 inch thick. You can use more flour if the dough is still sticky.
- Transfer the dough to the freezer until it is firm, approximately 20 minutes. Remove from the freezer and cut out the doughnuts using a 3 1/2-inch round cutter and a 1-inch round cutter for the hole.
- Place the doughnuts and holes onto the second baking sheet. “Freeze” the doughnuts for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Add the entire container of shortening into a deep-sided pan (I used a large cast iron dutch oven.) . Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 350°F*.
- Line a plate with paper towels.
- While the doughnut are in the freezer, make the glaze by whisking together the confectioners’ sugar and the cider until the mixture is smooth.
- Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a separate bowl and lighly whisk together. Set aside.
- Carefully add a few doughnuts to the oil, be careful not to crowd the pan, and fry until golden brown, about 60 seconds. Flip the doughnuts over with a fork or tongs and fry until the other side is golden, 30 to 60 seconds.
- Drain on paper towels for a few minutes after frying and dip the entire doughnut into the glaze or cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Wow, these look incredible! I’ve never had apple cider doughnuts, but I love cider and I love doughnuts, so what could go wrong? Thank you for all of the tips and for being candid about the mistakes you made. I’ve never made doughnuts before and I need all the help I can get! I can’t wait to try these!
They are very good and worth the effort!