Ultimate Apple Cider Donuts Boiled Cider Edition

Welcome to the ultimate guide for crafting the most delectable Apple Cider Donuts, a true emblem of autumn’s culinary delights. This recipe captures the traditional essence of fall, delivering a classic cake donut infused with a rich, concentrated boiled apple cider flavor. Imagine waking up on a crisp fall morning, the air scented with cinnamon and apples, to a batch of these warm, golden-brown treats. Perfect for cozy breakfasts, festive gatherings, or simply a comforting snack, these homemade apple cider donuts promise an unforgettable taste of the season.

Why You’ll Fall in Love with These Apple Cider Donuts

These isn’t just any donut recipe; it’s a celebration of fall flavors that will transport you straight to an apple orchard or a charming autumn festival. Our apple cider donuts are generously imbued with the warming embrace of cinnamon and nutmeg, perfectly balanced by the tangy zest of concentrated apple cider. Unlike many recipes that offer a subtle hint of apple, ours ensures that vibrant cider flavor shines through in every bite.

Expect a tender, moist interior that practically melts in your mouth, encased in a delightfully crispy exterior coated with a sweet cinnamon sugar blend. Each donut offers a textural symphony that perfectly complements its robust flavor profile. Much like the coveted apple cider donuts found in Vermont, these fried treats boast an authentic, rich apple cider presence. The secret lies in a carefully reduced apple cider that intensifies the fruity, tart notes, making these donuts stand out.

Elevate your fall experience by making your own Homemade Apple Cider, ensuring you can enjoy these delightful donuts throughout the year. For those who can’t get enough of apple cider-inspired sweets, be sure to try our Spiced Apple Cider Biscotti for another delightful treat.

Essential Ingredients for Authentic Apple Cider Donuts

Creating truly exceptional apple cider donuts starts with selecting the right ingredients. Each component plays a vital role in achieving that perfect balance of sweetness, spice, and tangy apple flavor. Here’s a closer look at the key players:

• Apple Cider: The cornerstone of this recipe! For the most profound and authentic apple flavor, always opt for a good quality, fresh apple cider. Avoid apple juice, as it lacks the complex, tart notes found in true cider. The magic happens when we reduce the cider, concentrating its natural sugars and acids into an intensely flavorful syrup. This step is non-negotiable for achieving that signature apple cider punch.
• Spices: Our recipe champions the classic flavors of fall by using apple pie spice. This versatile blend typically includes cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of cardamom or allspice. These spices are carefully chosen to complement and enhance the natural apple notes, adding warmth and depth to the donuts. If you don’t have apple pie spice on hand, a simple homemade mix of ground cinnamon and nutmeg works beautifully, often with a pinch of allspice for complexity. Freshly ground nutmeg, in particular, offers a significantly more aromatic and potent flavor compared to pre-ground versions, so it’s highly recommended.
• Dark Brown Sugar: This provides moisture, a deeper molasses flavor, and helps achieve that beautiful golden-brown color in the donuts. Its caramel-like notes perfectly harmonize with the apple cider and spices.
• All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our tender cake donut. Ensure it’s measured correctly to avoid a dense or dry texture.
• Baking Soda & Baking Powder: These leavening agents work in harmony to give our donuts their characteristic fluffy, cake-like texture.
• Unsalted Butter: Melted and cooled butter adds richness and tenderness to the dough. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the overall salt content in the recipe.
• Eggs: Room temperature large eggs help bind the ingredients, add moisture, and contribute to the donut’s structure and richness.
• Kosher Salt: A small amount of salt enhances all the other flavors, making the sweetness and spices truly pop.
• Vegetable Oil: For frying, a neutral oil with a high smoke point, like vegetable or canola oil, is essential. This ensures a crispy exterior without imparting unwanted flavors.
• Granulated Sugar & Ground Cinnamon: These combine to form the irresistible cinnamon-sugar coating that defines an apple cider donut, providing a sweet, spiced crunch.

Crafting Your Own Homemade Apple Cider Donuts: A Step-by-Step Guide

Making these apple cider donuts is a wonderfully rewarding experience, and surprisingly simple! You won’t even need an electric mixer, making it an accessible project for any home baker. Follow these steps for perfect results every time:

Step 1: Concentrate the Apple Cider Flavor

The very first and arguably most critical step is to reduce your apple cider. This process concentrates the apple flavor, ensuring your donuts are bursting with authentic taste rather than just a hint. Pour 3 cups of fresh apple cider into a small saucepan and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Continue to boil, stirring occasionally, until the cider has reduced to exactly 1 cup. This typically takes about 15-20 minutes. Once reduced, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool completely. I often tackle this step early in the morning, right after pouring my first cup of coffee, so it has ample time to cool before I need it for the dough.

Step 2: Prepare the Dry Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, combine all your dry ingredients. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, dark brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, apple pie spice, a pinch of fresh ground nutmeg, and kosher salt. Ensure these ingredients are thoroughly mixed to evenly distribute the leavening agents and spices throughout the dough.

Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter (ensure it has cooled and is not hot), room temperature eggs, and the completely cooled 1 cup of reduced apple cider. Whisk until well combined, creating a smooth wet mixture.

Step 4: Mix Dough and Chill

Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl containing the dry ingredients. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, resulting in tough donuts. Stop mixing as soon as all the flour mixture is moistened and no dry streaks remain. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least an hour. Chilling the dough is essential as it makes it much easier to handle, roll, and cut, and helps prevent the donuts from absorbing too much oil during frying. For best results and easier handling, I often allow it to refrigerate for about an hour and a half.

Step 5: Prepare for Frying and Coating

Line a baking sheet with a few layers of paper towels. This will be used to drain excess oil from your freshly fried donuts. In a small bowl or a clean paper bag, mix together the granulated sugar, a generous amount of fresh ground nutmeg, and ground cinnamon for the coating. Set this aside; it’s crucial to coat the donuts while they’re still warm.

Step 6: Heat the Frying Oil

Pour about 6 cups of vegetable oil into a Dutch oven or a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). A deep-fry thermometer is highly recommended to accurately monitor the oil temperature. Maintaining a consistent temperature is key to perfectly cooked donuts – too low, and they’ll be greasy; too high, and they’ll burn outside and be raw inside. Alternatively, an electric deep fryer can simplify this step.

Step 7: Roll, Cut, and Fry

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Divide the dough in half, returning one half to the fridge to keep it cold while you work with the first portion. Lightly flour a clean work surface. Place one half of the dough onto the floured surface and gently pat it into a round about 1/2 inch thick. Using a doughnut cutter or a 3-inch round cutter, cut out your donut shapes. For the classic donut hole, use a 1-inch round cutter in the center of each larger round. Gather any scraps, gently re-roll them, and cut more donuts until you’ve used all the dough from that batch. Repeat with the second half of the dough after you’ve fried the first batch.

Step 8: Fry to Golden Perfection

Working in small batches (do not overcrowd the pot, as this lowers oil temperature), carefully slide the cut donuts into the heated oil. Fry for about one minute per side, or until they are evenly golden brown. You’ll notice them floating to the surface as they cook. Use a slotted spoon or spider tool to flip them gently. The donut holes will cook much faster, typically about 30 seconds per side. Keep a close eye on the oil temperature, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain 375 degrees F.

Step 9: Coat and Serve

Once fried, transfer the donuts to the paper towel-lined baking sheet or a wire rack to drain for about one minute. While still warm (this is crucial for the sugar to adhere), carefully place each donut into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. If using a paper bag, give it a good shake to coat evenly. If using a bowl, gently roll the donut to ensure all sides are covered. Immediately transfer the coated donuts to a serving platter. Fry the donut holes similarly, coating them while warm. These make for delightful, poppable bites! Plate those deep-fried apple cider donuts and serve them warm for the ultimate autumnal indulgence!

Expert Tips for Flawless Apple Cider Donuts

Achieving bakery-quality apple cider donuts at home is entirely possible with a few key techniques and considerations. Here are some expert tips to ensure your batch turns out perfectly every time:

• Do NOT Skip the Cider Reduction: This is the single most important step for achieving that signature, intense apple cider flavor. Simply adding unreduced cider to the dough will result in donuts with a very subtle, almost undetectable apple taste. Reducing the cider concentrates its natural sugars and acids, transforming it into a potent flavor enhancer. Always measure the reduced cider to ensure it’s exactly 1 cup for the perfect balance.
• Mind the Oil Temperature: Consistency is crucial when frying. Use a reliable deep-fry thermometer to maintain the oil temperature precisely at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). If the oil is too cold, your donuts will absorb too much oil and become greasy. If it’s too hot, they’ll burn on the outside before cooking through on the inside. Adjust the heat as needed throughout the frying process, as the temperature will fluctuate with each batch.
• Do Not Overcrowd the Pan: Frying in batches is essential. Adding too many donuts at once will significantly drop the oil temperature, leading to greasy, undercooked results. Give each donut ample space to float and cook evenly.
• Choose the Right Oil: Opt for a neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil. These oils won’t impart any unwanted flavors to your donuts and can withstand the high temperatures required for frying.
• Chill the Dough Thoroughly: Refrigerating the dough for at least an hour (or even 1.5 hours) makes it much easier to handle. Cold dough is less sticky and holds its shape better, resulting in cleaner cuts and a more consistent donut shape. It also helps prevent the dough from over-absorbing oil.
• Don’t Overmix the Dough: Mix the wet and dry ingredients just until combined. Overmixing develops gluten, which can lead to tough, chewy donuts instead of the desired tender, cake-like texture.
• Coat While Warm: The cinnamon-sugar coating adheres best to warm donuts. Don’t wait for them to cool completely before tossing them in the sugar mixture, or the coating won’t stick properly.
• Substitute Apple Pie Spice: If you don’t have apple pie spice, you can create a simple blend: use 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon of ground allspice or ground cardamom.
• Donut Holes are a Bonus: Don’t discard the donut holes! Fry them for about 30 seconds per side, coat them in cinnamon sugar, and enjoy them as delightful, bite-sized treats.

Frequently Asked Questions About Apple Cider Donuts

More Delicious Apple Cider Recipes to Explore

If you love the taste of apple cider, you’ll adore these other recipes that feature this incredible fall ingredient:

Apple Cider Donuts Recipe

A classic cake donut with concentrated boiled apple cider flavor. This recipe is full of warm cinnamon, nutmeg spice, and tangy apple cider.

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5 from 1 vote

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Course:
Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine:
American

Prep Time:

1 hour
hour
30 minutes
minutes

Cook Time:

15 minutes
minutes

Servings:
12

Calories:

320
kcal

Author:
Leigh Harris

Ingredients

Dough

• 
  
  3 cups fresh apple cider
  
  
• 
  
  3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  
  
• 
  
  2/3 cup dark brown sugar
  
  
• 
  
  1/2 tsp baking soda
  
  
• 
  
  2 tsp baking powder
  
  
• 
  
  2 tsp apple pie spice
  
  
• 
  
  1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
  
  
• 
  
  1/2 tsp kosher salt
  
  
• 
  
  6 Tbsp unsalted butter melted and cooled
  
  
• 
  
  2 large eggs room temperature
  
  
• 
  
  6 cups vegetable oil
  
  

Donut Coating

• 
  
  1 cup granulated sugar
  
  
• 
  
  1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
  
  
• 
  
  1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  
  

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Dough

1. In a small saucepan on high heat, bring the apple cider to a boil. Boil for about 15 to 20 minutes until reduced to one cup. Let cool completely.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, dark brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, apple pie spice, fresh ground nutmeg, and salt.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, and cooled apple cider.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined and all the flour mixture is moistened. Do not overmix.
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour (1.5 hours is ideal for easier handling).
6. Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Watch closely with a thermometer and adjust heat as needed to prevent overheating. An electric deep fryer can also be used.
7. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside for draining.
8. In a paper bag or a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar, fresh ground nutmeg, and ground cinnamon for the donut coating. Set aside.
9. Divide the chilled dough in half. Work with one half at a time, placing it on a lightly floured surface. Pat the dough into a 1/2-inch thick round. Keep the remaining dough in the fridge. Using a doughnut cutter (or a 3-inch round cutter for the donut and a 1-inch round cutter for the hole), cut the dough into rounds.
10. Working in batches (do not overcrowd the pan), carefully slide the donuts into the heated oil. Cook on the first side for at least one minute; they should float. Flip and fry for about another 1 to 1.5 minutes longer until evenly golden brown. Continuously monitor the oil temperature, as it can fluctuate quickly.
11. Transfer the fried donuts to the paper towel-lined baking sheet or a wire rack to drain for about 1 minute. While still warm, place the donuts into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. If using a paper bag, shake to coat evenly. If using a bowl, roll the donut in the mixture until fully covered. Serve warm!

Notes

• Do not skip boiling the cider! This is key to achieving a concentrated and pronounced apple cider flavor. Without reduction, the apple taste will be very subtle.
• Use a neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil for frying. These oils have a high smoke point and a neutral flavor that won’t interfere with your donuts.
• Avoid overcrowding your pan while frying. Giving donuts enough space allows them to cook evenly and prevents a significant drop in oil temperature.

Storing – Let the donuts cool completely, then store them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat briefly in the microwave for best enjoyment.

Freezing – If you plan to freeze them, skip the cinnamon-sugar coating. Place cooled, uncoated donuts in a freezer-safe container or bag, separating layers with parchment paper. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw to room temperature, warm in the microwave or oven, then brush with melted butter and toss in cinnamon sugar.

Nutrition

Calories: 320kcal |
Carbohydrates: 60g |
Protein: 5g |
Fat: 7g |
Saturated Fat: 4g |
Cholesterol: 46mg |
Sodium: 168mg |
Potassium: 171mg |
Fiber: 1g |
Sugar: 31g |
Vitamin A: 222IU |
Vitamin C: 1mg |
Calcium: 68mg |
Iron: 2mg