These Apple Cider Donut Muffins capture the essence of a trip to the apple orchard in a convenient, handheld treat. By reducing the apple cider, we concentrate the flavor to ensure every bite is packed with apple goodness and warm autumn spices.
With a tender, buttery crumb and a coating of crunchy cinnamon sugar, these muffins taste exactly like a fresh apple cider donut.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: The reduced apple cider provides a robust apple flavor that pairs perfectly with the generous amount of cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Texture: These are soft and fluffy on the inside with a signature slightly crisp, sugary exterior from the butter and cinnamon-sugar coating.
- Time: 10 minutes for reduction, 15 minutes prep, 15-17 minutes bake time.
- Difficulty: Easy to Intermediate. The extra step of reducing the cider makes all the difference.
What You’ll Need
To make these muffins, you will need standard baking staples like flour, sugar, and butter, along with plenty of warm spices. The key component is the apple cider, which is boiled down to create a syrup-like concentrate for the batter. You will also need a saucepan for reducing the cider and a muffin tin for baking.
Ingredient Notes
- Apple Cider – This recipe calls for apple cider or unfiltered apple juice. Because it gets reduced, start with a high-quality cider for the best depth of flavor.
- Spices – You will use a significant amount of ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg. These spices mimic that classic donut taste.
- Corn Starch – A tablespoon of corn starch mixed with the flour helps keep the muffins tender and soft.
- Butter – You need unsalted butter for both the batter (room temperature) and the topping (melted).
- Sugars – A mix of granulated and light brown sugar gives the muffins moisture and a deep molasses flavor, while granulated sugar is used for the crunchy coating.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Spice Blend – If you do not have individual spices, you could substitute the nutmeg and cinnamon inside the muffin for an equal amount of apple pie spice.
- Buttermilk – There isn’t buttermilk in this recipe, but the acidity from the concentrated apple cider reacts with the baking soda similarly to create a good rise.
- Salt – The recipe uses Kosher salt. If you only have table salt, use half the amount to avoid over-salting the batter.
How to Make Apple Cider Donut Muffins
- Prep and Reduce: Preheat your oven to 375°F and grease a 12-cup muffin pan. Pour the apple cider into a saucepan and bring it to a boil on high heat. Let it boil until it has reduced by half (you should have about 1 cup left), which takes about 10 minutes. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and kosher salt until well blended.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate mixing bowl, cream together the room temperature butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is well blended.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Stir the vanilla extract and egg into the butter mixture. Then, pour in the cooled reduced cider and blend until everything is well combined.
- Make the Batter: Pour the flour mixture into the wet liquid ingredients. Stir several strokes until everything is just blended. Be careful not to over-mix, or the muffins may turn out tough.
- Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake uncovered for 15-17 minutes. You will know they are done when the tops are lightly browned and an inserted knife comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Coat the Muffins: While the muffins cool, make the topping by stirring together the 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons cinnamon. Once the muffins have cooled, brush each one all over with the melted butter, then roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until well coated.
Pro Tip: Do not rush the cooling step for the apple cider. If you pour boiling hot cider into the butter and egg mixture, it can scramble the egg and melt the butter too fast, affecting the texture of the batter.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t Over-mix: As soon as you see the flour disappear into the wet ingredients, stop mixing. Over-mixing gluten leads to tough muffins rather than tender, donut-like ones.
- Greasing the Pan: Even if your pan is non-stick, greasing it ensures the muffins release easily without breaking, which is important since you need them whole for dipping.
- Checking Doneness: Start checking at the 15-minute mark. Over-baking can dry out the muffins, making them less like a moist donut.
FAQs
- Why do I need to reduce the cider? Boiling the cider removes excess water and concentrates the apple flavor. If you skip this, the muffins might taste bland or the batter will be too runny.
- How long do these stay fresh? These will keep covered for 3 days at room temperature. The sugar coating may soften slightly over time but they will still be delicious.
- Can I use apple juice instead of cider? Yes, you can use unfiltered apple juice if you cannot find cider, but avoid clear, sweetened apple juice for the best flavor results.
Serving Suggestions
- Coffee: These are the ultimate companion for a hot cup of coffee or an autumnal latte.
- Breakfast Spread: Serve alongside a savory element like scrambled eggs or bacon to balance the sweetness of the sugar coating.
- Warm Snack: These are excellent enjoyed slightly warm, just like a fresh donut from a bakery.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Cider Reduction: You can boil down the apple cider the day before and store it in the refrigerator. This speeds up the process when you are ready to bake.
- Storage: Once baked and coated, store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Apple Cider Donut Muffins
- Total Time: 42 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Apple Cider Donut Muffins capture the cozy essence of a trip to the apple orchard in a convenient, handheld treat. By reducing the apple cider, the flavor is concentrated to ensure every bite is packed with apple goodness and warm autumn spices. With a tender, buttery crumb and a generous coating of crunchy cinnamon sugar, these muffins taste exactly like a fresh apple cider donut.
Ingredients
For the muffins
- 2 cups apple cider or unfiltered apple juice
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
For the topping
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
Prep and Reduce
Preheat your oven to 375°F and grease a standard 12-cup muffin pan. Pour the apple cider into a saucepan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Let it boil until it has reduced by half (you should have about 1 cup left), which takes about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
Mix Dry Ingredients
In a mixing bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and kosher salt until well blended.
Cream Butter and Sugar
In a separate mixing bowl, cream together the room temperature butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
Combine Wet Ingredients
Stir the vanilla extract and egg into the creamed butter mixture. Then, pour in the cooled reduced cider and blend until everything is well combined.
Make the Batter
Pour the dry flour mixture into the wet liquid ingredients. Stir several strokes until everything is just blended. Be careful not to over-mix, or the muffins may turn out tough.
Bake
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake uncovered for 15 to 17 minutes. You will know they are done when the tops are lightly browned and an inserted knife comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
Coat the Muffins
While the muffins cool, make the topping by stirring together the 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons cinnamon. Once the muffins have cooled enough to handle, brush each one all over with the melted butter, then roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until well coated.
Notes
Cool the Cider: It is crucial to let the reduced cider cool before adding it to the batter. If you pour boiling hot cider into the butter and egg mixture, it can scramble the egg and melt the butter too fast, ruining the texture.
Make Ahead: To save time on baking day, you can boil down the apple cider the day before and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
Storage: These muffins are best enjoyed fresh but will keep covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. The sugar coating may soften slightly over time.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 365
- Sugar: 32g
- Sodium: 280mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
Keywords: apple cider muffins, baked donuts, fall breakfast recipes, cinnamon sugar muffins, autumn baking, apple orchard desserts
