Sparkling Apple Cider Donuts

Fluffy and cakey, these Sparkling Apple Cider Donuts are a fall bake that will make your house smell amazing this weekend! These easy baked donuts with sparkling apple cider are a quick bake that allows you to make them the morning of your brunch!

If you love brunch as much as I do, check out breakfast recipes like Baked Chai Donuts with Sourdough Discard, Persimmon Apple Cider Jam, Eggless Apple Cinnamon Waffles, and Maple Cream Cheese Spread.

sparkling apple cider donuts in a white serving platter on a marble counter.

A Quick Look At The Recipe

Recipe Name: Sparkling Apple Cider Donuts
Ready In: 25 minutes
Makes: 12 donuts
Main Ingredients: butter, sparkling apple cider, cane sugar, all purpose flour
Flavor Profile: cinnamon, sugar coated sparkling apple cider
Dietary Info: no seed oils
Difficulty: Easy!
Why You’ll Love It: fluffy, cake-like baked donuts with sparkling apple cider

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Bursting with Flavor: These Sparkling Apple Cider Donuts are infused with the crisp, tangy sweetness of apple cider, enhanced by the slight effervescence of sparkling cider. This combination creates a uniquely refreshing and flavorful donut that stands out from traditional flavors.
Light and Fluffy Texture: Baked rather than fried, these baked donuts with sparkling apple cider have a light and fluffy texture that makes them a delightful, less greasy alternative to conventional donuts.
Fall Vibes: These donuts are ideal for celebrating seasonal events, especially in the fall when apple cider is in its prime. They make a perfect addition to holiday gatherings, brunches, or as a festive treat for a cozy afternoon snack.
Healthier: Baked instead of fried, these donuts are a little healthier! While still a treat, these donuts offer a slightly healthier option, making them the best fall baked donuts!

Jump to:

A Quick Look At The Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Baker’s Tips
How to Make Sparkling Apple Cider Donuts
Recipe FAQ’s
Ways to Enjoy Sparkling Apple Cider Donuts
More Fall Brunch Recipes
Sparkling Apple Cider Donuts
The Bake Shop

Every fall, I treat myself to a few bottles of Martinelli's Organic Sparkling Apple Cider. It's incredibly nostalgic this time of year and it's such a treat. And, I always bake one recipe each fall using this sparkling apple cider!

And, no, this is not sponsored content haha. I simply adore their sparkling apple cider and I love creating recipes with it! Some of my past recipes include Sparkling Apple Cider Mimosas, Carrot Cake Donuts with Apple Cider Glaze, Sparkling Apple Cider Bourbon.

Ingredients

All Purpose Flour: My favorite is Cairnspring Mills!
Baking Powder: Make sure to use baking powder and not soda here. Check out Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder for more info on leavening.
Nutmeg: I use organic ground nutmeg for a nostalgic spice as this is very common. in donuts.
Cinnamon: I use organic ground Korintje cinnamon, which is my favorite variety. Check out Best Cinnamon to Bake With for more info on different kinds of cinnamon and how they can affect baked goods.
Sparkling Apple Cider: Martinelli's makes an organic sparkling apple cider, which is so good! That's what I use here.
Yogurt: I use organic Greek yogurt. You can use plain or vanilla either will work.
Cooking Spray: Using a cooking spray to grease the donut pans works the best. I use an avocado oil cooking spray but you could also use olive oil or canola oil.

*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.

Baker's Tips

Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
You can use flat apple cider in place of sparkling if you prefer.
If you have broken donuts, you can just crumble them up and form into balls. That's how I got the donut holes. If you have a donut that breaks coming out of the pan or doesn't look ideal, just make it into a couple donut holes!
Make sure to store these in an airtight container or under a cake dome so they stay fresh.
High Altitude — Bake at 400°F for 8 to 12 or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

How to Make Sparkling Apple Cider Donuts

dry ingredients for sparkling apple cider donuts in a glass mixing bowl on a white marble counter.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. To make the batter: Add the flour, cane sugar, baking powder, cornstarch, nutmeg, cinnamon, and sea salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk together to combine.

ingredients for sparkling apple cider donuts in a glass mixing bowl with a whisk on a white marble counter.

Add the egg, heavy whipping cream, sparkling apple cider, yogurt, melted butter, and vanilla extract.

Whisk until combined into a thick batter. Transfer the batter to a piping bag.

sparkling apple cider donut batter piped into donut pans on a white marble counter.

Spray the donut pans with avocado oil cooking spray. Pipe the batter into the pans, or if you don’t want to pipe, you can also just spoon it into the pans too! Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the pans.

cinnamon and sugar mixed in a glass mixing bowl on a white marble counter.

To make the topping: In a medium bowl, add the cane sugar and cinnamon and mix together. Add the melted butter into a second bowl.

sparkling apple cider donuts on a cooling rack on a white marble counter.

Dip each donut into the melted butter and then dip it into the cinnamon and sugar mixture to coat it completely.

sparkling apple cider donuts on a white serving platter on a marble counter with fresh flowers.

Recipe FAQ's

Can doughnuts be baked instead of fried?

Yes, donuts can be baked in a donut pan instead of fried. Baked donuts are typically not yeast donuts, and they are more similar to cake and have a cake-like texture.

Can I make these Sparkling Apple Cider Donuts ahead of time?

Yes, absolutely. If you want to make these donuts the day before you plan to serve them to you can do that. Because they are cake, they do need to be stored in an airtight container, so they don’t dry out. A cake dome is the best option for these. I actually made them the day before Halloween and then served them to my friends the next day!

Can I use apple cider that isn’t sparkling?

Yes, if you have traditional apple cider that isn’t sparkling, you can use it in place of the sparkling in this recipe. The sparkling does give these donuts a very light texture, but they will still be delicious with the regular option as well.

What's the best way to store baked donuts?

These baked donuts with sparkling apple cider are a light and moist cake. So, they need to be stored in an airtight container, so they don’t dry out. My favorite way to store them in in a cake dome. Plus, they’ll look so beautiful sitting in a cake dome on your countertop!

Ways to Enjoy Sparkling Apple Cider Donuts

Have as a breakfast treat with Fluffy Scrambled Eggs With Sour Cream and Homemade Pork Breakfast Sausage Patties.
Enjoy with an Iced Blueberry Latte for a mid morning snack.
Have as an after lunch treat with a Tropical Cranberry Smoothie.
Enjoy for dessert with Boozy Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate or a scoop of Salted Caramel No Churn Ice Cream!

sparkling apple cider donut with a bite taken out on a plate on a white marble counter.

More Fall Brunch Recipes

12 Cozy Fall Breakfast Recipes

Maple Turkey Breakfast Sausages

Maple Pumpkin Spice Baked Donuts

Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

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