Brown butter apple cider donuts with cinnamon sugar

The perfect morning treat is finally here. Fall favorites like these brown butter apple cider donuts with cinnamon sugar are dense, cakey - bakery style apple cider donuts that taste like they're straight from the apple orchard. Rich, buttery, golden brown, flavorful donuts are an explosion of fresh apple cider flavor - what could make your day better?

After apple picking, apple cider, and baking up the perfect fall treat is a must. These baked apple cider donuts are no exception, coated with browned butter and dipped in cinnamon sugar.

Why you'll love this recipe:

These cake donuts are firm enough to hold their shape but still soft and fluffy as you bite into them. They're moist and dense without being too wet or greasy, with a light but flavorful cinnamon sugar to top it off! And the smell of browned butter, apples, cinnamon and spice? That's my definition of aromatherapy. This time of year, the season feels "official" when we enjoy one of our favorite donuts fresh from the oven while we cozy up with hocus pocus and a hot cup of tea.

Tips to make the best apple cider donuts ever

Making the perfect apple cider donuts is not a difficult task, but still there are some tricks that can help!

Reduce your apple cider: For starters you need to use concentrated or boiled down apple cider syrup in order for your baked good have enough flavor without being wet and soggy. Reducing the apple cider down allows extra moisture to evaporate off during cooking process.

Brown your butter: These donuts are extra special because of a secret ingredient: brown butter glaze! This extra step only takes an extra minute, and the flavor is amazing and makes all the difference in these easy to make donuts. 

Don't overmix your dough: For tender, fluffy donuts - you don't want too much gluten development, so don't overmix your dough.

Use a pastry bag to pipe the donuts: If you have one, spoon your batter into a pastry bag, piping bag or ziplock bag into the donut pan.

Ingredients in brown butter apple cider donuts with cinnamon sugar:

• apple cider - reduced for the most concentrated flavor. I use my slow cooker apple cider recipe.
• all-purpose flour
• baking soda
• baking powder
• ground cinnamon
• salt
• unsalted butter, browned
• 1 large egg
• packed light brown sugar
• granulated sugar
• buttermilk, at room temperature - whole milk can be substituted if needed, buttermilk gives these donuts extra acid and flavor and a classic tang I love in my baked goods.
• pure vanilla extract

Cinnamon sugar topping

• granulated sugar
• ground cinnamon
• unsalted butter, browned

 

  

How to make apple cider syrup:

If you've made any apple cider goodies so far this year, you've likely seen instructions for apple cider syrup. It's the same concentrate used in my apple cider pancakes.

Apple cider that has been reduced down on the stove is thick and potent, adding big flavor without excess liquid. This steps takes an additional 20 minutes, but is absolutely necessary for impactful apple flavor. 

To reduce your apple cider:

• Pour 1½ cups apple cider into a small saucepan.
• Place on low heat and set a timer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Begin checking at 10 minutes, and stir regularly for the next 10 minutes. At this point, apple cider should have reduced to ½ cup. If not, continue to reduce on low heat and stir consistently.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool and thicken for at least 20 minutes before using in the batter.

How to brown your butter:

cooking unsalted butter long enough to turn the milk solids brown while cooking out any water present in the butter.

Cut unsalted butter into small, evenly-sized pieces and place it in a pot or pan. Cutting the butter into pieces helps it melt and cook evenly. Always use a light-colored pot or pan so you can see how dark the butter gets as it cooks.

Turn on the heat to medium and let the butter melt on medium heat. High heat will brown the butter very quickly, it's safer to use moderate heat to slow things down just a bit so you can keep a careful eye on the process.

3. Stir or swirl the pan constantly, until the butter becomes a light tan color as the milk solids toast in the hot fat. At this point, you can take the pan off the burner because the butter will continue cooking even after you remove it from the heat. Notice the dramatic change in color: It should be nut-brown and have a toasty aroma. Pour the brown butter into a separate bowl to keep it from cooking further. If the butter gets overcooked, the milk solids will scorch and turn black, and the butter will have a very bitter taste.

Step by step: How to make brown butter apple cider donuts with cinnamon sugar

1. Reduce the apple cider. 
2. Combine the dry ingredients together.
3. Combine the wet ingredients together.
4. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together. Add the apple cider. Whisk everything together until smooth and combined. You’ll notice the batter will be slightly thick. We want thick batter for cakey and dense donuts.
5. Fill the donut pan. Fill each donut cup about halfway. 
6. Bake. 12 minute bake time To test doneness, poke your finger into the top of the donut. If the donut bounces back, they’re done. Once they are out of the oven, let them cool for 2 minutes, then invert the pan to release the donuts. 
7. Brown the butter while you bake.
8. Coat the donuts. Combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Once cool enough to handle, dunk both sides of each donut in the browned butter, then coat generously in the cinnamon sugar topping.

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   Brown butter apple cider donuts with cinnamon sugar

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   Ingredients

   • 1 and ½ cups (360ml) apple cider - reduced down to ½ cup
   • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
   • 1 teaspoon baking soda
   • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
   • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
   • ¼ teaspoon salt
   • 2 Tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter, browned
   • 1 large egg, at room temperature
   • ½ cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
   • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
   • ½ cup (120ml) milk, at room temperature*
   • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
   • Cinnamon sugar topping
   • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
   • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
   • 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, browned
   • For perfect apple cider baked goods, you need to make an apple cider syrup.
   • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
   • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
   • 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, browned

   Instructions

   Reduce the apple cider: Stirring occasionally, simmer the apple cider in a small saucepan over low heat until you’re left with about ½ cup. Start checking at 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, etc until you have ½ cup (120ml). Mine takes about 20 minutes. If there are any spices or solids on top of your reduced apple cider, leave them. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
   Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray donut pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
   Make the donuts: Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
   Whisk the melted butter, egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, and vanilla extract together. Pour into the dry ingredients, add the reduced apple cider, and whisk everything together until smooth and combined. Batter will be slightly thick.
   Spoon the batter into the donut cavities—for ease, I highly recommend using a large zipped-top bag. Cut a corner off the bottom of the bag and pipe the batter into each donut cup, filling about halfway.
   Bake for 10-11 minutes or until the edges and tops are lightly browned. To test, poke your finger into the top of the donut. If the donut bounces back, they’re done. Cool donuts for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Re-grease the pan and bake the remaining donut batter.
   Coat the donuts: Combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and apple pie spice together in a medium bowl. Once cool enough to handle, dunk both sides of each donut in the melted butter, then generously in the apple spice topping.
   Donuts are best served immediately. Leftovers keep well covered tightly at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

   Did you make this recipe?

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