Vegan Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts are in the house for a short time only. If they last 24 hours I'll be so surprised! Make them and you'll see what I'm talking about.
As you can probably see from scrolling down the home page of our blog, apples are taking a front seat this month. We created a stunning and mouthwatering Apple Cinnamon Dessert Bruscheta and Raw Apple Cinnamon Energy Bites. Today, we're sharing our Baked Apple Cinnamon Doughnut recipe, because life is short and sometimes you just need a little sugar.
WHAT ARE APPLE CIDER DOUGHNUTS?
For those of you who have never heard of apple cider doughnuts, they're exactly what their name would suggest. Doughnuts made with apple cider (if you're pregnant make sure you use pasteurized cider, just to be safe). There is also a wonderful blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and pure vanilla extract in the batter.
The aroma that will fill your kitchen while they're baking will make you swoon.
They also taste pretty amazing. From the first bite of cinnamon sugar and melted vegan butter, to the sweet cider and savory spices, this doughnut tells you that it's fall and it's apple season. They're also really easy to make. This is a one bowl recipe, no mixer needed.
HOW TO MAKE APPLE CIDER DOUGHNUTS
STEP ONE- Preheat your oven and get a large mixing bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients together until well combined.
STEP TWO - Add the wet ingredients and stir until the batter is thick and smooth.
STEP THREE- Lightly grease your doughnut pan (you can use a muffin tin if you don't have a doughnut pan) and fill each doughnut section ¾ of the way full.
STEP FOUR - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center. Let cool slightly.
STEP FIVE- Melt some vegan butter and brush the entire doughnut, then roll or sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with remaining doughnuts.
There are only five simple steps that you'll need to do before you have your own batch of homemade apple cider doughnuts. Awesome, right?
WHY BAKED DOUGHNUTS ARE HEALTHIER THAN FRIED
Okay, it's fairly obvious, but I thought I'd address the elephant in the room. These doughnuts are not what I would consider to be health food. They're made with refined sugar, it's vegan, but refined nonetheless. There is nothing healthy about that, however, they are baked instead of deep fried. That will save you a lot of calories from oil.
Let's be real. If you're going to eat a doughnut, shouldn't it be worth every single calorie? I tried making these with unrefined coconut sugar, but they turned out heavy and dense. Not at all like doughnuts should be. Then I tried them with white vegan sugar, and they were awesome.
Eating doughnuts or ice cream, whether they're vegan or not, is a treat, so my motto is, do it right or don't do it at all. And, if you're going to do it, do it in moderation.
HOW TO STORE APPLE CIDER DOUGHNUTS
This recipe makes approximately one dozen delicious vegan apple cider doughnuts. To keep them fresh you should store them in an air tight container. You can refrigerate them and then warm them up in the microwave for 30 seconds or a 300°F (149°C) oven for five minutes. You can also freeze them for up to three months.
HOW TO SERVE BAKED APPLE CIDER DOUGHNUTS
These would be a fabulous dessert for a fall themed party; Oktoberfest, Halloween, or just a simple backyard bonfire with the neighbors. Of course, they would also be great for breakfast with a cup of coffee or tea.
Make these baked doughnuts with apple cider and let us know what you think. We love to hear from you! And, don’t forget to take a picture of your gorgeous creation and tag us @veganosity on Instagram.
Let’s connect! Hop on over to our Facebook page and give it a like, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and follow us and share this and other Veganosity recipes on Pinterest. We'd be so grateful if you did. If you like this recipe and can't wait to see what we're going to share next, subscribe to Veganosity. Just fill in the subscription box above our picture in the top right corner of the page. And, Alex and I love hearing from you, please leave a comment and let us know what you think of our recipes.
VEGAN BAKED APPLE CIDER DOUGHNUTS
Ingredients
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar vegan sugar (click underlined link for a list of sugar options)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon finely ground sea salt
WET INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoon melted coconut oil
- ½ cup apple cider (pasteurized if you’re pregnant or have any health issues)
- ¼ cup almond milk + 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice, whisked until combined
- 2 tablespoon chickpea juice (aquafaba)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FOR THE CINNAMON SUGAR TOPPING
- 6 tablespoon vegan butter, melted
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and lightly grease a doughnut pan or muffin tin (see note).
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the dry ingredients until fully combined. Add the wet ingredients and stir until the batter is thick and smooth.
- Carefully spoon, or use a pastry bag, the filling into the individual doughnut molds, ¾ of the way full. If you don’t have a doughnut pan you can use a muffin tin. Baking time may change by a few minutes so check them at 15 minutes and as needed.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool slightly.
FOR THE CINNAMON SUGAR COATING
- In a small bowl, whisk the sugar and cinnamon together and spread half of it on a plate.
- Brush a layer of melted butter on the entire doughnut and roll in the cinnamon sugar until coated. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Reheat in a microwave for 30 seconds or a 300°F (149°C) oven for five minutes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Here's another yummy fall doughnut recipe for you. Baked Vegan Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts with Chocolate Cinnamon Icing.
Debbie says
I just finished making the apple cider donuts. I had more batter than could be used in a single batch so I put the rest into the fridge and made a second batch when the first set came out of the oven. I put the donut pan by my sink next to the window where it's cooler, to let the pan cool down more quickly before spooning in the second round of batter. (I live in Canada so it's easy to have cool spots in my house at this time of year, lol!) Instead of sprinkling with cinnamon sugar I dusted the first batch with vegan icing sugar made by Wholesome. The second batch donuts are smaller because I didn't plan on two batches - next time I will be more mindful of how much to put in each donut cup the first time.
The second batch rose just as nicely as the first batch.
I used the applesauce and baking powder egg replacer from the pumpkin donut recipe and it worked great. It's a lovely substitute for flax eggs. Good to have a choice. 🙂
Thank you so much for all your interesting recipes.
Happy New Year to you, and to everyone else too!
🙂
Linda Meyer says
Hi Debbie! Thanks so much for letting us for the comment and for the kind words. We're happy you're enjoying our recipes. It sounds like a bonus to get a second batch out of the batter. 🙂 Happy New Year!
Debbie says
It may have been because I also chopped 1/2 an apple into smaller pieces and mixed that in too so it increased the amount of batter in a way. I really liked the added apples. 🙂
Linda Meyer says
Yes, that definitely would make a difference. I bet it tasted great!
Melanie says
These were fantastic! I followed the recipe exactly, except I used cashew milk instead of almond. The batter was too dry to incorporate all the flour, so I added more apple cider--maybe 1/4 to 1/2 cup--and they turned out just fine. It's been a long time since we've been able to eat doughnuts, so thanks a bunch!
Linda Meyer says
Hi Melanie! We're so happy you liked them! Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know. 🙂
Amelda says
I just found your site via pinterest & am definitely making these. The nutrition facts posted. I'm guessing that is the grand total for the 8 donuts this makes ? Please tell me yes 😉
Linda Meyer says
Hi Amelda! Oh my gosh, yes, that number is for all eight doughnuts! The Nutrition Facts in our recipe plug in is not always accurate because it doesn't allow for certain brands. For example, the sodium content in a soup recipe can be way off because we use low sodium broth (and every brand is different), and it doesn't account for that. It's so frustrating! Unfortunately, Google wants to see nutrition facts in recipes, and we want our recipes to rank higher so people can find them, so we comply. 😉
Lori D. says
Yummy yummy for the tummy! Love your photos too!
Linda Meyer says
🙂 Thank you, Lori!
Christine @ Run Plant Based says
Nothing wrong with an occasional splurge and these look wonderful, such a great fall treat. Thanks!
Linda Meyer says
Exactly! It's fun to indulge once in a while. And if you're going to do it, do it right. 🙂
harrietemilys says
These doughnuts look beautiful! I love the cinnamon sugar coating. So delicious. I can't wait to bake some of these up over the next week! <3
Linda Meyer says
Hi Harriet! Thank you so much. Let me know what you think. 🙂