Description
These gluten-free apple cider donuts are soft, fluffy, and bursting with warm fall spices. Baked—not fried—they’re the perfect cozy treat for crisp mornings or autumn gatherings. Each donut is infused with reduced apple cider for rich flavor and finished with a cinnamon-sugar coating or maple glaze.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (with xanthan gum)
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients:
1 cup apple cider (reduced to ½ cup)
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
For Coating or Glaze:
½ cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp cinnamon (for cinnamon sugar coating)
OR 1 cup powdered sugar + 2 tbsp maple syrup + 1 tbsp apple cider (for glaze)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C) and lightly grease a donut pan.
Pour apple cider into a small saucepan and simmer until reduced to about ½ cup. Cool completely.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk reduced cider, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, vinegar, and vanilla.
Combine wet and dry ingredients, stirring gently until smooth. The batter should be thick but pourable.
Spoon or pipe batter into the donut pan, filling each cavity about three-quarters full.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until donuts spring back when lightly touched.
Cool for 5 minutes, then remove from the pan and place on a wire rack.
While warm, coat with cinnamon sugar or drizzle with maple glaze.
Notes
Reducing the apple cider intensifies the flavor—don’t skip it!
For dairy-free donuts, use coconut oil instead of butter and a plant-based milk for the glaze.
These donuts freeze beautifully. Reheat at 300°F for 5 minutes before serving.
Mix-ins like diced apples or chopped pecans add extra texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 donut
- Calories: 185
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
