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Best Baked Apple Cider Donut Muffins (Easy Fall Recipe)

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These Best Baked Apple Cider Donut Muffins deliver the same spiced apple cider flavor you crave in the fall, but without the mess and hassle of deep frying. Quick, easy, and perfect for gatherings, they’re a happy accident turned into a beloved fall tradition.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups apple cider (fresh, unfiltered works best)
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (for coating)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon (for coating)
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (for coating)

Instructions

  1. Reduce the apple cider: Pour 2 cups apple cider into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about ½ cup (12-15 minutes). Let cool completely.
  2. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with butter or non-stick spray, or line with paper liners.
  3. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
  4. Combine wet ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Stir in vanilla extract and cooled reduced apple cider. Whisk in buttermilk until smooth.
  5. Combine wet and dry mixtures: Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined (do not overmix; a few lumps are fine).
  6. Fill muffin cups: Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
  7. Bake: Place muffin tin in preheated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes.
  8. Prepare coating: While muffins bake, mix ½ cup sugar and 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl. Melt ¼ cup butter in another small bowl.
  9. Coat muffins: Working one at a time, dip the top of each warm muffin into melted butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Place on a cooling rack to set.

Notes

Don’t skip reducing the cider—it concentrates the flavor and prevents soggy muffins. Use room temperature ingredients for best results. Coat muffins while warm (about 5 minutes after baking) for the coating to stick. Make extra cinnamon sugar coating to avoid running out. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, use plant-based butter and buttermilk substitute (½ cup unsweetened almond milk + 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice).

Nutrition

Keywords: apple cider donut muffins, baked donut muffins, fall muffins, apple cider muffins, easy fall recipe

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