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Baked Apple Cider Donut Muffins: Easy Cozy Fall Recipe

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These Baked Apple Cider Donut Muffins are the result of a happy kitchen accident. They have that same spiced, apple-y flavor you crave in the fall, but they’re so much easier to make. No rolling dough, no deep frying, no fuss.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • For the Cinnamon-Sugar Coating:
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease your muffin tin with butter or non-stick spray, or line with paper liners.
  2. Pour the 1 cup of apple cider into a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let it cook for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to about 1/3 cup. Set it aside to cool for a few minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and the reduced apple cider. Whisk until smooth and glossy.
  4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
  5. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold them together gently. Mix just until you see no more streaks of flour.
  6. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. They should be about 3/4 full.
  7. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  8. Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a cooling rack.
  9. While the muffins are still warm (but not hot), melt the 1/4 cup of butter in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, mix together the 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
  10. Working one at a time, dip the top of each warm muffin into the melted butter, then roll it in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place the coated muffins back on the cooling rack.

Notes

Don’t over-reduce the cider; aim for 1/3 cup syrupy consistency. Room temperature ingredients matter. Use a light hand when mixing to avoid tough muffins. Coat while warm for best absorption. These freeze beautifully.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple cider donut muffins, baked donut muffins, fall muffins, apple cider muffins, cinnamon sugar muffins

Find it online: https://piperplate.com/baked-apple-cider-donut-muffins-easy-cozy-fall-recipe/