One Bowl Baked Vegan Apple Cider Donuts Recipe
These simple one bowl vegan apple cider donuts taste just like you got them at an apple orchard! Baked instead of fried, and easily made gluten free, these cakey and soft apple pie-spiced vegan apple cider donuts are packed with fall flavor!
The only apple cider donut recipe you need:
If fall could be a recipe, it would be these vegan apple cider donuts. We’re talking a super moist, fluffy, cakey, and light donut that’s full of warming sweet spices and of course loads of apple cider.
Plus, these apple cider donuts are even easier than driving all the way to the apple orchard and buying a batch. Like my cinnamon sugar donuts, they’re baked instead of fried (read: no yeast!), quick to make, and need only one bowl.
In fact, what makes these baked apple cider donuts different from the rest is that we’re using an apple cider reduction, which just makes these donuts have the best flavor ever.
These taste amazing with a warm cup of coffee or homemade pumpkin spice latte for a delicious fall breakfast or autumn treat! In fact, they’re so good, I even developed an apple cider donut hole recipe from them. YUM.
Plus, this easy apple cider donut recipe is just so simple with only 8 main ingredients. And guess what? If you don’t have a donut pan- no problem! Turn them into apple cider muffins instead (which would go really well with a plate of apple crisp 😉 ).
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Flour: You can use all-purpose flour or gluten free 1:1 baking flour, such as King Arthur measure-for-measure gluten free flour.
- Spices: We’re using a combination of apple pie spices for these apple cider donuts! These include ground cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg.
- Baking powder: This is our leavening agent for these donuts, instead of using yeast.
- Apple cider: Probably the most crucial ingredient to these vegan apple cider donuts! Please note that apple cider is different than apple juice, and cannot be swapped. Apple cider is much more concentrated version of apple juice…and we’re going to make it even more concentrated for truly the best homemade baked apple cider donut!
- Applesauce: This replaces eggs in more traditional apple cider donut recipes, and also adds more flavor! You can also use dairy free yogurt if applesauce is not available to you!
- Sugar: You can use granulated sugar or coconut sugar here.
- Neutral oil: I used refined avocado oil, but you can also use olive oil. I’ve also included an oil-free substitution down in the notes section of the recipe card!
- Cinnamon sugar mixture: This is for the coating of the donuts!
Why the apple cider reduction is crucial
I think what really sets these healthier baked apple cider donuts apart from the rest is the apple cider reduction. Typically in traditional apple cider donut recipes, you would use a LOT of apple cider and reduce it down. This makes apple cider even more concentrated, which will result in a much more delicious donut!
Please do not skip this step! And trust me, you’ll definitely notice a difference between a vegan apple cider donut that uses just regular apple cider and one that uses apple cider reduction. It takes just 15 minutes, and the results are not to be missed!
Visual overview: how to make baked vegan apple cider donuts
For the full written instructions and ingredient measurements, see the bottom of this post in the recipe card. You can also hit the “jump to recipe” button at the top of this post! Here, we’ll go over a brief overview of the steps, along with providing visuals for a better understanding of the recipe.
For oil-free apple cider donuts:
You can swap in an equal amount of applesauce for the oil. I will note that the donuts come out a bit more doughy than fluffy, but they were still good! Now for the cinnamon sugar coating, you’ll want to dip the warm donuts immediately into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Using the heat from the donuts will help secure the cinnamon sugar.
You are just going to love these easy baked vegan apple cider donuts! They taste just like fall- warm, spicy, sweet, and delicious!
Check out these other vegan donut recipes after you’ve tried this apple cider donut recipe. Happy baking!
More vegan donut recipes you’ll love:
Amazing Vegan Boston Cream Doughnuts
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One Bowl Baked Vegan Apple Cider Donuts Recipe
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 mini donuts 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These simple one bowl vegan apple cider donuts taste just like you got them at an apple orchard! Baked instead of fried, and easily made gluten free, these cakey and soft apple pie-spiced vegan apple cider donuts are packed with fall flavor!
Ingredients
Vegan Apple Cider Donuts:
- 1 1/2 cups (360 mL) apple cider, reduced to 1/2 cup (120 mL)
- 2 cups (250 g) flour or gluten free 1:1 baking flour blend
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/3 cup (83 g) dairy free yogurt or unsweetened applesauce, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 g) brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) dairy free milk, such as soy milk, oat milk, or almond milk
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) neutral oil or melted vegan butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- 1/4 cup (56 g) vegan butter or coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Please read through all instructions before beginning. You will need to reduce the apple cider first, and allow this to cool for 1-2 hrs.
- Reduce the apple cider: Bring the apple cider to a boil in a medium saucepan on the stove top. Reduce the heat to medium, and reduce the apple cider to about 120 mL (1/2 cup), whisking every so often. This should take about 10-15 minutes. Allow the apple cider to fully cool to room temperature before making the batter. You can also do this the night before to save time if you’re making these in the morning (as from here, they’re so quick to make- only about 25 minutes!).
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease two large silicone donut pans or two-three mini donut pans lightly with oil. If using silicone, place the donut pans onto a baking sheet for easier baking. Measure and weigh the remaining ingredients.
- Make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the cooled apple cider reduction, unsweetened applesauce, dairy free milk, granulated sugar, brown sugar, optional neural oil (if not doing oil-free- see note section for adjustment), and vanilla extract. Add in the cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, baking powder, and sea salt, and whisk until combined. Then add in the flour, and use a rubber spatula to gently mix the flour until it’s just combined into the wet ingredients.
- Fill the donut cavities: Spoon the batter into a large piping bag, and cut the tip off. Pipe the batter into the donut cavities until about 2/3 of the way full. You should yield about 6 large donuts, or 12-15 mini donuts.
- Bake the apple cider donuts: Place the donuts into the oven, and bake for about 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. While the donuts are baking, you can prepare the cinnamon sugar mixture (see step 7). Remove from the oven, and allow the donuts to cool in their pans for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a cooling rack.
- Prepare the cinnamon sugar coating: Melt the vegan butter or coconut oil. Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
- Coat the apple cider donuts: Brush each donut lightly with the melted oil. Then dip each donut into the cinnamon sugar mixture, flipping over to coat each side evenly.
- Serve and enjoy! Serve the vegan apple cider donuts warm. Store any leftovers in an airtight container or bag, and in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
Notes
Oil: you can use triple refined coconut oil, melted, olive oil, or another liquid cooking oil. You can also melt vegan butter and cool to room temperature
Oil-free: swap in an equal amount of applesauce for the oil. For the sugar coating, dip each donut directly into the cinnamon sugar 5 minutes after baking. If the donuts are too hot to handle, use a fork to gently flip them in the sugar.
Gluten free: use gluten-free 1:1 baking flour, such as King Arthur Measure-for-Measure gluten free baking flour
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini donut no cinnamon sugar coating
- Calories: 249
- Sugar: 42.4 g
- Sodium: 176.3 mg
- Fat: 1.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 57.3 g
- Fiber: 0.7 g
- Protein: 1.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
These donuts are incredible!! I’ve tried to make others in the past but these top all the rest because of the reduced apple cider. I can actually taste the apple cider and my mind is blown. Make these!!
Aw I’m so happy to hear this!! Thank you so much for this review! Enjoy 🙂
I am making these right now! So excited! I don’t see where to add the brown sugar however, so I left that out. I’m assuming the same time when adding the granulated sugar to the wet mixture?
Oh I’m so sorry for the confusion! Yes, you add it with the granulated sugar! Hope they came out well! 🙂 Enjoy!
Is there any way to use anything besides Cider – I ‘m an american living in NZ and I don’t understand why, but they don’t have cider here anywhere.
I really want to make these!
Oh sure! You can use apple juice, and it will have a similar flavor- not AS strong, so I would recommend using applesauce instead of the yogurt to enhance the apple flavor!
Thank you – so if using apple juice I still should reduce it?
Yes, definitely! 🙂
My donuts didn’t rise. 🥺 I did use King Arthur 1:1 and allulose instead of sugar, which I have used in other recipes without issues. Any ideas on what happened?
Hi Kristy! It’s probably the allulose :/ I’ve never had success with allulose, and find it’s pretty finicky (I’ve had that issue where things become super dense and don’t rise with allulose). The KA is totally fine- I’ve made these several times with KA gf 1:1, and they always rise, so it’s definitely the allulose!
Ok!! Thank you! I will try again with regular sugar. Just trying to make them a little more healthy! 😂
Very delicious! I think I reduced the apple cider too much though because I could barely taste it. The cinnamon sugar definitely overpowered it but it was still delicious and my own mistake lol. Will be making again!
These look amazing! Can I use apple butter instead of apple sauce? Maybe add a little extra apple cider to account for the moisture loss?
Absolutely!! Oh that sounds delicious!
So yummy. My friend and I made these and subbed gluten free flour and coconut and maple sugar. FANTASTIC.
So happy to hear this!! Thank you so much! Enjoy 🙂
This looks just amazing! Where I live it is very difficult to find apple cider as you mean it, the one we have here is a little bit alcoholic, do you think I could use that? I would assume the alcohol would evaporate while reducing it but do you think it’s ok or is it better to use apple juice? Thanks!
Hi Elisa! Aw thank you! So you can definitely use apple juice if it’s too hard to find apple cider! It’s okay if it’s a bit alcoholic, I believe it would burn down, but just in case, you can still use apple juice, just make sure you’re still reducing it 🙂