Baked Apple Cider Donuts (gluten free)

Baked Apple Cider Donuts (gluten free)

These baked donuts are light and cakey, tasting of fall. They are flavored with reduced apple cider and coated with cinnamon sugar. They can be made either regular or gluten-free. No frying required!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 9

Total Time 40

Servings donuts

Calories 201kcal

Author Toni Dash

Equipment

Ingredients

Ingredients for the Apple Cider Donuts:

2 cups apple cider preferably freshly pressed; boiled down to yield 2/3 cups and cooled
8 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs , room temperature
½ cup buttermilk
3 ½ cups all purpose flour regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg freshly ground if possible

Ingredients for the topping:

4 tablespoons granulated sugar See notes below
1 ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Supplies:

1-2 standard size donut shape baking pan (s)

Instructions

Donuts

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a large bowl cream the butter with a mixer. Add granulated sugar and cream together.
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
Add eggs, one at a time. Mix to combine.
2 eggs
Add buttermilk and reduced apple cider. Mix to combine.
½ cup buttermilk, 2 cups apple cider
In a separate bowl sift together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.
3 ½ cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients using a mixer to ensure they are fully combined.
Prepare donut pans with cooking spray. Fill the donut cavities no more than 2/3 full. Place in the oven for 7-9 minutes until donuts spring back to the touch.
Remove donuts and allow to sit in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Sugar coating

Mix together the sugar(s) and cinnamon in a small bowl. Use a whisk to full mix.
4 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Lightly paint the melted butter onto the top of a donut with a cooking/basting brush. Over the sugar/cinnamon bowl sprinkle heavily with sugar/cinnamon. Carefully turn donut over the bowl and shake off any excess.

Notes

Note on topping sugar: the sugar can be all granulated sugar or a mix of granulated and crystal/sparkling sugar which has larger granules and is more eye-catching.

Note on gluten-free flour: when this recipe was originally published in 2012 I used I used King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour Blend. Since then this blend has changed (it may still work well but they've developed a couple blends). We currently use and recommend Bob's Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour which imitates wheat flour well. We have not tested this recipe however with that flour blend. Any measure-for-measure flour blend should work.

Making the donuts regular or gluten-free: this recipe was adapted from a fried gluten donut recipe and if you’d like to fry the donuts instead of baking them, or check out more seasonal topping/glaze ideas, click on the link in the recipe adaptation line below.

Storing: The donuts, like all donuts, should be eaten fresh. If unable to do so, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or store in an air tight container and eat within a few days.

Adapted from Pumpkin Patches and More

Nutrition