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Brown Butter Apple Cider Donuts

Brown Butter Apple Cider Donuts

Ashley Manila
Fluffy Apple Cider Donuts are made with flavorful brown butter and coated in cinnamon sugar. Perfect for breakfast or dessert!
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Donuts
Servings 12 baked donuts

Ingredients
 

For the apple cider donuts:

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature, lightly beaten
  • 1 and 1/2 cups apple cider (making a 1/2 cup of apple cider reduction; see post for more on this)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted until browned (see post for more on this)
  • 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream

For the cinnamon sugar coating:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • ***Make your apple cider reduction and brown butter first!***

To make the apple cider reduction:

  • Place apple cider in a small saucepan and simmer over low-medium heat for 20-25 minutes. You want a 1/2 cup of apple cider reduction for this recipe. As mentioned in the post, reducing the cider allows you to get a more intense apple flavor. Transfer the reduction to a heatproof measuring cup and place it in the fridge to cool while you prepare the other ingredients. It should be room temperature when added to the batter.

For the brown butter:

  • Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-heat. Whisking frequently, continue to cook the butter until it's golden brown and smells slightly nutty. Transfer butter to a small heatproof dish and place it in the fridge to cool while you prepare the other ingredients.

For the apple cider donuts:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Generously grease two 6 mold doughnut pans; set aside.
  • In a large bowl whisk together the flour, dark brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and spices; set aside.
  • In a separate bowl whisk together the egg, apple cider reduction, apple sauce, and browned butter. Gently fold this wet mixture into the dry mixture, stirring just until combined. Fold in the sour cream.
  • Spoon mixture into prepared doughnut pans, and bake for 10-11 minutes, or until the donuts spring back when lightly pressed. Allow doughnuts to cool a few minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire wrack to cool for a few more minutes.

For the cinnamon sugar coating:

  • Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-heat; once melted transfer to a wide shallow bowl; set aside. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a medium-sized bowl; set aside.
  • Once the donuts are cool enough to handle, dip them in the melted butter, then roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture; repeat until all donuts have been covered.
  • These donuts are best eaten the day they are made.

Notes

  • The batter will be very thick. Spoon it into the pan, or pour the batter into a ziplock bag, snip off the end, and pipe the batter into the greases molds.
  • Apple cider reduction may be made a day in advance
  • If you don't own two donut pans, simply divide the batter in two and bake one batch at a time.
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