Soft Baked Apple Cider Donuts made healthier with whole wheat flour, applesauce and Greek yogurt for the perfect fall treat that comes together in just 20 minutes! Loaded with warm spices and coated with cinnamon and sugar!
For more healthy donut recipes, check out these gluten-free pumpkin spice donuts, these baked banana bread donuts (SO good!) or these delicious strawberry banana donuts!
Boy do I have a treat for you guys today! Apple cider donuts are a fall staple here in Virginia and we always have to stop and get some anytime we visit the apple orchards along with some warm apple cider. Well I wanted to recreate those delicious donuts we love so much, but lightened up! These are apple cider donuts are baked, not fried, and made healthier with whole wheat pastry flour, a little bit of almond flour, Greek yogurt, applesauce (and apple cider of course!) while naturally sweetening them with maple syrup for the perfect fall treat!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- These apple cider donuts are so soft, fluffy and cake-like!
- Made with healthier ingredients and baked, not fried.
- Easily made in just 20 minutes.
- Fresh apple cider is truly the star in this recipe.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- whole wheat pastry flour – I used whole wheat pastry flour as it has all the nutritional benefits of whole grain flour while making these donuts light and fluffy. I highly recommend using this, but if you don’t have any on hand you could use regular whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour or gluten-free 1 to 1 baking flour.
- almond flour – nutrient dense flour that adds additional fat (the good kind!) to these donuts making them even more moist without the use of butter or oil.
- baking powder + baking soda – acts as a leavening agent to help give these donuts their height.
- apple cider – the star of this recipe and make sure to not use apple cider vinegar or apple juice! You can find fresh apple cider at your local apple orchard, farmer’s market and most grocery stores carry it.
- applesauce – I used unsweetened applesauce which takes the place of oil in this recipe while adding even more apple flavor.
- Greek yogurt – adds moisture and a boost of protein to these donuts. You could also use mashed banana or pumpkin puree in place of yogurt.
- eggs – you’ll need 2 large eggs to add moisture and help bind these donuts together
- maple syrup – naturally sweetens these donuts and tastes amazing with all these cozy fall flavors.
- vanilla extract – boost of flavor.
- warm spices – combination of apple pie spice, cinnamon and salt. You could also add a pinch of nutmeg or even ground cloves.
- cinnamon sugar coating – you’ll need melted coconut oil (or you could use melted butter) along with a mixture of organic cane sugar and cinnamon.
Baking Tools Needed
- Donut pans – I use these Wilton donut baking pans which come in a set of 2 and are on sale right now for $14.50!
- Pastry bag – this is not a necessity, but definitely makes piping the batter into the donut wells so much easier and highly recommend them.
- Mixing bowls – you’ll need two mixing bowls to separately mix the dry ingredients from the wet ingredients before combining everything to make the donut batter.
How to Make Apple Cider Donuts
- Make the batter. In a large bowl, stir together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt while in a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, apple cider, Greek yogurt, applesauce, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined (you don’t want to over mix the batter). You could also use a stand mixer for this, but it’s not necessary.
- Get out your donut pan. To make these donuts you’ll need two 6-count donut pans like these. Spray them really good with nonstick spray so that your donuts will pop right out! Then, using a pastry bag or ziplock bag, spoon the donut batter into the bag and snip off the corner. Pipe the batter into each donut well until they are all filled (this recipe makes exactly 12 donuts).
- Bake the donuts! Pop the donuts into the oven at 350 degrees F for about 10 to 12 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean (mine came out perfect at 10 minutes). You want to be careful about over-baking them because donuts actually bake really quickly! Transfer the donuts to a wire cooling rack so they can cool.
- Coat with Cinnamon-Sugar. Once the donuts have cooled completely to room temperature, melt coconut oil (or butter) and mix together the cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl. Using a pastry brush, coat each donut in coconut oil and toss in the cinnamon sugar mixture, making sure to coat both sides. You could also dip or drizzle these donuts with a delicious maple cream cheese glaze or even sprinkle on some powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Prepping and Storing
To Store: These apple cider donuts will last for about 3 days in a sealed, airtight container and will last up to 6 days stored in the fridge. I highly recommend warming them up in the microwave for about 10 to 15 seconds or so to really bring out those warm flavors!
To Freeze: These donuts also freeze really well too and will last in the freezer for about 3 months. If you plan on freezing them, I would wait to coat them in cinnamon and sugar until ready to serve. Let them thaw out in the fridge overnight and warm up in the microwave for about 10 to 15 seconds.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItFollow on Instagram
More Apple Recipes You’ll Love
- Healthy Apple Cinnamon Muffins
- Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
- Healthy Apple Cinnamon Pancakes
- Healthy Apple Crisp
- Apple Pie Overnight Oats
Hope you all enjoy these Baked Apple Cider Donuts and if you love this as much as we do, please leave me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!
Baked Apple Cider Donuts
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the cinnamon sugar coating:
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and cooled (or you could use butter)
- 1/3 cup organic cane sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, stir together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt while in a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, apple cider, Greek yogurt, applesauce, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined (you don’t want to over mix the batter).
- To make these donuts you’ll need two 6-count donut pans like these. Spray them really good with nonstick spray so that your donuts will pop right out! Then, using a pastry bag or ziplock bag, spoon the donut batter into the bag and snip off the corner. Pipe the batter into each donut well until they are all filled (this recipe makes exactly 12 donuts).
- Bake the donuts in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean (mine came out perfect at 10 minutes). Transfer the donuts to a wire cooling rack so they can cool.
- Once the donuts have cooled completely to room temperature, melt the coconut oil (or butter) and mix together the cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat each donut in coconut oil and toss in the cinnamon sugar mixture, making sure to coat both sides. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
so delicius
Is it ok to use 1/2 cup reduced apple cider? What if any adjustments would need to be made to the recipe?
As long as the reduction equals 1/2 cup that should work fine! 🙂
I’d really love to make these but need a nut-free version. Do you think it would work to omit the almond flour and just add 1/2 a cup more wholewheat or a different flour? Thanks!
I would use a 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour in place of the almond flour! I tested this and they turned out great 🙂