Sourdough Apple Cider Donuts
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Warm, cozy, and full of fall flavor, these Sourdough Apple Cider Donuts are baked to perfection with reduced apple cider, warm spices, and tangy sourdough discard. Each donut is brushed with butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar, making them a soft, fluffy treat that’s bursting with autumn sweetness.
This easy baked donut recipe is perfect for using up sourdough discard while creating the ultimate fall dessert for breakfast, brunch, or a cozy afternoon snack.
There’s a lovely apple orchard nearby that we like to visit a few times every autumn and they make awesome apple cider donuts! Last week, as our family was enjoying them, I declared that I was going to make a sourdough version that is baked instead of fried.
This week, I set to work and boy was I pleased with the results! These donuts are soft and fluffy. Packed with apple flavor and covered in the simplest cinnamon sugar coating.
You are going to love how easily this recipe comes together. They bake quickly–no need to heat oil up and fry the donuts! And bonus–your home is going to smell like fall–cinnamon, brown sugar, apple cider–ahh, the best!
Looking for other fall desserts? Check these recipes out!
- brown butter apple streusel bread
- caramel apple cheesecake bars
- brown butter sourdough discard maple cookies
- sourdough maple pecan scones
Ingredients
For the Donuts
- Apple cider – you’ll use triple the amount that will get reduced over the stove to 1/2 cup. Reducing the apple cider removes the excess water in the cider and provides the intense apple flavor that makes these donuts the best!
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground ginger
- Ground nutmeg
- Salt
- Unsalted butter, melted
- Brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs, room temperature
- Milk, room temperature – Whole milk is preferred, but any milk will work.
- Sourdough discard, room temperature
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- Unsalted butter, melted
- Granulated sugar
- Ground cinnamon
Step-By-Step Instructions
Start by simmering the apple cider in a small saucepan over medium heat until it reduces from 1 ½ cups to ½ cup. Set it aside to cool completely before using.
While the cider is cooling, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease your donut pans so they’re ready to go.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt until evenly combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla, eggs, milk, and cooled apple cider until smooth.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently fold together until just combined. Then, stir in the sourdough discard until the batter is smooth—be careful not to overmix.
Transfer the batter into a piping bag and pipe evenly into the greased donut pans, filling each cavity about ¾ full.
Bake the donuts for 10–13 minutes, or until they spring back when lightly pressed. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
For the coating, brush the tops of the warm donuts with melted butter, then roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture until evenly coated.
Equipment Needed for Baked Sourdough Apple Cider Donuts
- Small saucepan (for reducing the apple cider)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large mixing bowl (for dry ingredients)
- Medium mixing bowl (for wet ingredients)
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula (for folding batter)
- Piping bag (or zip-top bag with the corner cut off)
- Donut pans (standard size, greased)
- Wire cooling rack
- Pastry brush (for brushing on melted butter)
Tips for Making These Sourdough Apple Cider Donuts *The Best*
- Reduce the cider fully – Make sure you simmer the apple cider down to ½ cup. This concentrates the flavor and gives your donuts a rich apple taste.
- Use room temperature ingredients – Room temperature eggs, milk, and sourdough discard mix more evenly, which helps create a light and fluffy texture.
- Don’t overmix the batter – Overmixing can make the donuts dense. Fold gently until just combined, then stir in the discard at the end.
- Pipe the batter – Using a piping bag (or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped) helps evenly distribute the batter into the donut pans for perfect shapes.
- Check for doneness – The donuts should spring back when lightly pressed. Overbaking will dry them out, so keep a close eye near the 10-minute mark.
- Coat while warm – Brush with melted butter and roll in cinnamon sugar while the donuts are still warm so the coating sticks beautifully.
Storage
Room Temperature: Store the donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They’re best enjoyed the same day for maximum freshness.
Refrigerator: Keep the donuts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Warm slightly in the microwave or oven before serving to restore softness.
Freezer: Wrap each cooled donut tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and brush with melted butter and cinnamon sugar before serving for the best flavor and texture.
Looking for other sourdough donuts? Check these out!
Sourdough Apple Cider Donuts
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Donuts
- 1 ½ cups apple cider reduced to ½ cup
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup milk room temperature
- ½ cup sourdough discard room temperature
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, simmer the apple cider over medium heat until reduced from 1 ½ cups to ½ cup–this will take about 15-20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease your donut pans.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, milk, and cooled reduced apple cider until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl of dry ingredients and gently fold until just combined.
- Stir in the sourdough discard until the batter is smooth—do not overmix.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag and pipe evenly into the prepared donut pans.
- Bake for 10–13 minutes, or until the donuts spring back when lightly pressed.
- Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- For the coating, brush each warm donut with melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated.
Notes
- Room Temperature: Store the donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They’re best enjoyed the same day for maximum freshness.
- Refrigerator: Keep the donuts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Warm slightly in the microwave or oven before serving to restore softness.
- Freezer: Wrap each cooled donut tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and brush with melted butter and cinnamon sugar before serving for the best flavor and texture.
You’ve got to make these sourdough apple cider donuts! They are packed with apple flavor and reminiscent of the donuts you get at the apple orchard, but even better–because they’re homemade and baked instead of fried! If you do make them, please let me know what you think!