These Old Fashion Apple Cider Donuts just scream fall. They’re perfectly fried and coated in that irresistible cinnamon sugar topping, we all love.
Ingredient Notes
Apple cider- This is an unfiltered apple juice and tastes quite a bit different than your standard juice. If you can’t find apple cider, apple juice will work in a pinch, but I recommend using the real stuff.
Apple butter- This thick, creamy apple puree really gives the donuts a concentrated kick of apple flavor.
Buttermilk- This helps provide the donuts with moisture and acid, which can help create a more tender donut. Check the notes section of the recipe card for an easy buttermilk substitute.
Spices- I like to infuse the apple cider with a whole cinnamon stick and whole cloves, and use ground cinnamon and nutmeg mixed into the dry ingredients. To simplify things, feel free to omit the whole spices.
Recipe Steps
The first step involves reducing the apple cider (1). I simmer it in a pot with the bourbon, orange peel, cinnamon stick and whole cloves until it’s reduced to only a few tablespoons. Next, I combine the apple butter, buttermilk and vanilla with the reduced cider (2).
Then, I whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl (3). In the bowl of a standing mixer, I beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Then I incorporate the egg (4).
Next, alternate adding the wet and dry ingredients to the bowl with the butter-sugar mixture until you form a dough (5). Shape the dough into a ¾ inch thick rectangle and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight. Punch out donut shapes when you’re ready to fry the dough (6). Deep fry at 350F for 5-6 minutes, flipping halfway through (7). While still warm, coat in cinnamon sugar (8).
Recipe Tips and FAQs
- To simplify this recipe, omit the bourbon, orange zest and whole spices.
- To save time, start reducing the apple cider first, then start preparing the remaining ingredients.
- Keep in mind you can prepare the dough the night before you plan to fry it.
You can definitely freeze apple cider donuts. I suggest freezing the fried donuts before dipping them in the cinnamon sugar, because it will only get absorbed after freezing. Allow the fried donuts to cool to room temperature, wrap in plastic wrap and freezer in a ziploc bag. Dip in cinnamon sugar after freezing. For even better results, wrap and freeze the dough before frying it. Simply defrost the dough in the fridge overnight and fry the following day.
Store apple cider doughnuts at room temperature in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
Apple cider donuts have an apple flavor from the apple cider and apple butter in the dough. They’re usually spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg which further adds to the autumnal flavor profile.
Related Recipes
- Baked Matcha Glazed Doughnuts
- Homemade Jelly Doughnuts with Strawberry Jam
- Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze
- Pork Chops with Caramelized Apples and Onions
- Apple Cider Braised Turkey Legs
If you make this recipe, please post a comment and rating down below. If you want to be notified every time I post a new recipe, subscribe to my blog and give me a follow on my social accounts: instagram, pinterest, twitter, youtube. See you next time!
Old Fashioned Apple Cider Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings (6-8 donuts plus holes) 1x
Description
These Old Fashion Apple Cider Donuts just scream fall. They’re perfectly fried and coated in that irresistible cinnamon sugar topping, we all love.
Ingredients
Cider reduction:
- 1 ½ cups apple cider
- 1 tablespoon bourbon or dark rum (optional)
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
- 2 whole cloves (optional)
- 1x3 inch orange peel (optional)
Donuts:
- ¼ cup apple butter
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
Cinnamon sugar:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
Vegetable oil, for frying
Special equipment: 3 ¼ inch and 1 ¼ inch round cutters, thermometer
Instructions
- Reduce cider: Add cider, bourbon, cinnamon stick, cloves and orange peel to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until cider is reduced to 2 ½ tablespoons. Strain into bowl and cool slightly.
- Mix wet ingredients: Whisk apple butter, buttermilk and vanilla into reduced cider.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
- Beat butter, sugar & egg: In the bowl of a standing mixer, add butter and sugars. Mix over medium to medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. You can also do this by hand using a rubber spatula and transitioning into a whisk, as seen in the video. Add egg and beat until well combined.
- Mix dough: Add about ⅓ of flour mix to butter mix, combining over low speed. Add ⅓ of wet ingredients, mix to combine, and continue to alternate wet and dry ingredients until completely incorporated. You should have a soft and sticky dough.
- Shape dough: Generously flour a baking sheet. Place dough on sheet and using floured hands, flatten into a ¾ inch thick rectangle. Cover with plastic and chill in refrigerator for at least 3 hours or up to overnight. Cut into donuts using a 3 ¼ inch round cutter and a 1 ¼ inch round cutter to punch out the center. Re-roll dough once and repeat. You can fry any extra odd pieces of dough too.
- Fry: While donuts chill, fill a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot with 2-3 inches of oil. Heat to 350°F. Add donuts to oil in batches and fry large donuts for a total of 5-6 minutes, and donut holes for a total of about 4 minutes, or until well-browned, flipping half way through. Drain on a paper towel lined sheet.
- Dip in sugar: Combine sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt for topping in a shallow bowl or plate. Coat all sides of donut in cinnamon sugar while still warm. These are best to eat warm, but can also be stored in an airtight container and eaten the next day. Enjoy.
Notes
This recipe is adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine.
To simplify the recipe, omit the bourbon, cinnamon stick, cloves and/or orange peel.
You can substitute buttermilk with ¼ cup of regular milk mixed with 1 teaspoon of white vinegar.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
If you plan to freeze some donuts, I recommend not rolling in cinnamon sugar first. After defrosting you can roll them in cinnamon sugar right before you plan to eat them.
You can also freeze the dough before frying it. Defrost overnight in the fridge. Punch out donut shapes and deep fry the following day.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Fry
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 donut
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 23g
- Sodium: 255mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
These are amazing old fashioned donuts! Great for breakfast or anytime.
Thank you!
These donuts (or doughnuts) are amazing. I love a great donut but can happily walk away from anything less (don’t even really like Krispy Kreme). These are the real deal. Beautiful old-fashioned donuts.
Thanks so much, Romain 🙂 They’re definitely the real deal.