Baked Apple Cider Donuts: Soft Cinnamon-Sugar Orchard Donuts for Cozy Fall Mornings

Pour the apple cider into a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until it reduces to about 1/2 cup (120 ml), 12 to 15 minutes. It should be syrupy and smell intensely of apples. Let it cool for 10 minutes.

Serves 12

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) fresh apple cider
• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
• For the coating: 6 tablespoons (85 g) melted butter, 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Instructions

1. Pour the apple cider into a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until it reduces to about 1/2 cup (120 ml), 12 to 15 minutes. It should be syrupy and smell intensely of apples. Let it cool for 10 minutes.
2. Heat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Brush two 6-cavity donut pans generously with melted butter, getting into every ridge.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in a large bowl.
4. In a second bowl whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar and eggs until smooth and slightly lightened, about 1 minute. Whisk in the reduced cider, buttermilk and melted butter.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain. The batter will be thick, like a soft muffin batter. Do not overmix or the donuts will be tough.
6. Spoon the batter into a large zip-top bag, snip off a corner and pipe it into the donut cavities, filling each about three-quarters full.
7. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the tops spring back when pressed and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
8. Stir the cinnamon and sugar together in a shallow bowl. While the donuts are still warm, brush each one all over with melted butter and roll it in the cinnamon sugar until fully coated.
9. Serve warm with hot cider or coffee. They are best the day they are made, but keep in an airtight container for 2 days; a 10-second zap in the microwave brings them back.
10. Apple cider donuts are the taste of autumn across New England and the Mid-Atlantic, where orchards and cider mills fry them fresh every weekend from September through Thanksgiving. The tradition grew out of the 1950s, when cider mills began selling donuts made with their own pressed cider to draw weekend crowds. Reducing the cider first is the secret to a home version with real orchard flavor, and baking instead of frying means you can have them on the table in under 40 minutes without a single pot of hot oil.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 265 kcal
• Protein: 4g
• Fat: 12g
• Carbohydrates: 37g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 21g
• Sodium: 190mg