Baked Apple Cider Donuts
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The perfect fall treat, these healthier baked apple cider donuts are made with whole wheat pastry flour, coconut sugar, Greek yogurt, and coconut oil.
Nothing says fall like warm baked apple cider donuts. Isaac and I love apple picking at Carter Mountain each year, and we always grab a donut while we are there.
This lighter, baked version brings that orchard vibe home with real apple cider, cozy spices and a cinnamon sugar finish. They come out soft and cakey with big apple flavor, and you do not need any frying to get that classic taste.
Why I Love These Donuts
When I set out to make a lighter apple cider donut, this is the version that checked every box and still tastes like a treat.
- Make ahead friendly: They stay soft the next day and freeze well. Warm one for a few seconds and it tastes freshly baked.
- Nourishing ingredients: Whole wheat pastry flour, coconut sugar and applesauce replace the usual white flour, brown sugar and lots of butter. A little Greek yogurt keeps the crumb soft and tender.
- Simple bake: Mix the batter, spoon or pipe it into a donut pan and bake. They are ready in about 10 to 12 minutes with no frying required.
- Warm cinnamon sugar finish: Coat the donuts while they are still warm so the sugar sticks and you get that classic orchard vibe.
Ingredients Needed
- unfiltered apple cider – no, I don’t mean ACV, I mean apple cider! I prefer getting mine from a local orchard but a lot of grocery stores carry it as well.
- unsweetened apple sauce – any kind works great. I like to use my recipe for homemade applesauce.
- whole-wheat pastry flour – more fiber, protein, and other nutrients than traditional white flour. I prefer using Bob’s Red Mill Whole-Wheat Pastry Flour.
- coconut sugar – the less-processed upgrade for granulated sugar or brown sugar.
- Greek yogurt – the yogurt adds protein and moisture to these donuts! My favorite brand of dairy yogurt is Fage 5% Greek yogurt or Stonyfield whole milk Greek yogurt.
- coconut oil – the perfect sub for butter.
- egg – a binding ingredient, plus a little protein boost.
- cinnamon sugar topping – a light brush of melted coconut oil or butter, then organic cane sugar and cinnamon for the classic finish.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
Substitutions
- Flour swap: You can always just use all-purpose flour if that’s what you have on hand! You can also sub in 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour to make these donuts gluten-free. I always recommend Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 GF baking blend.
- Yogurt: I’ve only tested this recipe with Greek yogurt, but readers have had success swapping in non-dairy yogurt. If you want to try it, my favorite brand is Culina coconut yogurt. A few readers have also used sour cream and said it worked well.
How to Make Baked Apple Cider Donuts
Once you have your materials, you’re ready to get started and to be honest, making baked donuts is really similar to making muffins.
Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Step 2: In another bowl, whisk the apple cider, applesauce, coconut sugar, yogurt, oil and egg until smooth.
Step 3: Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until just combined.
Step 4: Pipe or spoon the batter into greased donut pans and bake at 350°F for 6–8 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Step 5: Let cool for 2 minutes, then brush each donut with melted coconut oil.
Step 6: Dip brushed donuts in the cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated, then enjoy warm.
Tips for the Best Donuts
- Piping the batter: A large icing piping tip makes filling the donut pan neat and easy, but it’s not required. You can also spoon the batter in and shake the pan gently to even it out.
- Let them rest: Give the donuts 5 minutes to cool in the pan before removing so they don’t break apart.
- No donut pan? If you don’t have a donut pan, you can try making muffins instead! Someone else tried this and said they turned out perfectly. You’ll just need to double the cook time.
Storing and Reheating Donuts
They’re best served fresh, but you can store leftovers in an air-tight container for 2-3 days. I like to reheat them in the toaster oven so they get nice and crispy!
Popular Donut Recipes
- Baked Almond Flour Donuts
- No-Bake Blueberry Muffin Donut Holes
- Chocolate Frosted Baked Donuts (Entenmann’s Copycat)
- Protein Donuts
- Coconut Crunch Donuts (Hostess Copycat)
- Pumpkin Spice Donuts
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Healthy Baked Apple Cider Donuts
Ingredients
- ½ cup apple cider, not vinegar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 ¾ cups whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3 Tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1 egg
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 1 Tablespoon melted coconut oil
- ½ cup organic cane sugar
- ½ Tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir until combined.
- In another medium bowl, whisk together apple cider, apple sauce, sugar, yogurt, oil and egg until combined.
- Add wet mixture to flour mixture, and stir until just combined.
- Spray two (6-cavity) donut pans with cooking spray. Spoon or pipe batter evenly into the 12 cavities.
- Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until donuts spring back when lightly pressed. Cool in pan for 2 minutes. Invert donuts onto a wire rack.
- While donuts are baking, mix together sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
- Brush each donut with coconut oil on both sides and dip into the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Repeat until all donuts are coated.
Video
Notes
- Donut pan needed: To get that classic donut shape you will need a donut pan. They are inexpensive and easy to find. I recommend the Wilton non-stick pans which you can grab online for less than $15.
- Storage: These donuts taste best the day they are baked, but you can keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
- Make ahead: If you want to prep ahead for brunch or the holidays, bake the donuts the day before and store them plain. Coat them in cinnamon sugar right before serving so they stay fresh and perfectly coated.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
My mom introduced me to these donuts over the winter holidays, and I was obsessed! I made them for some friends a few weeks ago, and they absolutely loved them as well. I actually forgot the apple cider, so I just used water and they still turned out great. One of the easiest (and yet still delicious) donut recipes ever!
One of my friends was actually curious as to whether it would be possible to make a very similar gluten-free chocolate donut?
So glad you love these donuts, Cassidy! I’m sure it would be possible, I just haven’t tested a gluten-free version of these donuts. Maybe use gluten-free all-purpose flour mixed with cocoa powder? Let me know how they turn out if you guys test them!!
So good!!! My kids and husband enjoyed these right out of the oven!
So glad these were a hit!! Thanks for the review, Lisa. I appreciate it!
These are amazing healthy donuts!!
Very easy to make too!
Woo!! So glad you loved these donuts, Janet. I appreciate you coming back to leave a review. 🙂
Could you make these in mini electric donuts maker?
Hi Charisse! I would assume so, but I haven’t tried it! Let me know if you try it!
They may not look perfect but they are perfectly delicious! I used gluten free 1.1 flour and they turned out great!
Thanks Brittany for another great recipe. My family thinks I’m a rock star in the kitchen.
Ahh love it!! I’m so glad these donuts were a hit with the fam, Linda. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it. 🙂
I made these donuts using pumpkin spice apple cider and they came out amazing. The only problem I have is storing them they tend to get very moist or wet and the sugar coating on the outside absorbs into the donut I can’t seem to keep them stored dry unless I leave them on the counter uncovered. Any suggestions?
I absolutely loved these! I did swap coconut sugar for maple syrup and I simmered the apple cider to make it more flavorful, but these were incredible!!!
So glad you loved these donuts, Tiffany. I’m glad they turned out with coconut sugar instead of maple syrup. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review, I appreciate it. 🙂
Tracy,
How much maple syrup did you swap for the coconut sugar?
Made this recipe a few times and used pumpkin spice apple cider. Love these donuts. Although my donuts tend to get moist once I store them. Any tricks on how to keep them ‘cakey’ where the sugar coating doesn’t eventually melt into the donuts?
Hey Tracy – So glad you’re loving these donuts! How are you storing them – in the fridge or at room temp and what type of container are you storing them in?
Hi sorry I didn’t see your reply to my first inquiry so please disregard my second one today. I am storing the donuts in a Tupperware container which has an air vent in the lid.
No worries, Tracy!! Glad you’re loving the donuts. 🙂
These were delicious, light and flavoursome, although I couldn’t taste the cider much. I think the cider made them very airy though.
I used vegetable oil instead of coconut oil and fat free Greek yogurt instead of plain Greek yogurt.
It made 9 doughnuts instead of twelve, but they were quite large.
Did you try it with a gluten free flour ???
Hey Julie – I haven’t, but others have tried using a gluten-free all-purpose flour and said the donuts turned out just fine! Let me know if you end up trying them.