Apple Cider Donut Holes

Amy Manes
by Amy Manes
36 donut holes
30 min

Fall is great time of year to make lots of yummy breakfasts that feel a bit more special – like cinnamon rolls and coffee cakes! But nothing says “cozy fall morning” quite like these mini apple cider donut holes! They’re easier to make than you think and they’re full of delicious apple cider flavor! Roll them in melted butter and cinnamon sugar for a crunchy, sweet exterior and you have yourself one yummy fall breakfast bite! All you’ll need are a few ingredients that you likely have in your pantry, a good quality apple cider, and a mini muffin tin! The perfect easy fall breakfast.

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I love fall for many reasons – the changing colors, cooler weather, hiking, and general coziness. BUT. My most favorite thing to do in the fall is start off my morning with a good cup of coffee and a delicious fall breakfast treat! Sometimes it’s something more complicated, like cinnamon rolls. And sometimes, it’s a quick pumpkin bread!

Well, now I have another go-to breakfast recipe that I can whip up during the chilly fall months. These mini apple cider donut holes are super simple to make and they have so much delicious cinnamon and apple flavor! Keep on reading if you’re in the market for a new fall breakfast recipe!

Ingredients for Apple Cider Donut Holes

The great thing about these apple cider donut holes is that you probably already have most or all of the ingredients that you need sitting right in your kitchen! Here’s what you’ll need to make these mini donut holes:


  • Real apple cider – one like this is perfect, or check out what you have locally! We like to buy our apple cider from a farm in Hotchkiss, CO.
  • Flour
  • Baking soda & baking powder
  • Cinnamon, nutmeg, & ginger
  • Salt
  • Butter
  • One egg
  • Milk
  • Brown sugar & granulated sugar
  • A good quality vanilla extract (like this one here, which is my favorite!)
  • Apple cider vinegar

I know that you might not always have apple cider on hand, but here’s my little tip for you. I like to buy a big jug of apple cider at the start of the fall season and freeze it in pre-measured portions of 1.5 – 2 cups per bag. This makes it super easy when you have a recipe that calls for apple cider (like these donut holes!) or if you want to whip up a cozy fall drink! I simply measure and freeze in quart-sized freezer bags. You can then thaw at room temperature or in the sink in warm water. Super simple!


How to Make Apple Cider Donut Holes

You may be thinking, “now wait a second, Amy. What kind of special contraption am I going to need to make these mini donut holes?”. My answer? Nothing! You’ll just need a mini muffin tin, which you can find anywhere! Nothing fancy, I promise.

Here’s how to make these delicious little bites:

Simmer the cider. Simmer the apple cider in a small saucepan for about 20-25 minutes, or until it is reduced to ½ cup. Set aside to cool (or cool in the refrigerator to speed up the process).

Whisk the dry ingredients together. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt together.

Whisk the wet ingredients and sugars together. Whisk the melted butter, egg, milk, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar together.

Fold the wet and dry ingredients together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula. Before all of the flour is combined, add in the cooled ½ cup of apple cider and fold to combine. Do not overmix.

Scoop dough and bake. Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop dough into the wells of the mini muffin tin. I’d recommend only filling halfway so that they look more round and less like muffins. Bake for 8-10 minutes. You will need to bake multiple batches, so refrigerate any unbaked dough while your batches bake in the oven.

Cool and coat in cinnamon sugar. While the donut holes are cooling, make the cinnamon sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll cooled donuts in melted butter and then roll in cinnamon sugar.

I hope that you enjoy making these mini apple cider donut holes this fall! They are such a yummy breakfast treat or snack.

As always, be sure to tag me in your photos on Instagram if you make my recipe! I love to see what you are baking.


Recipe details
  • 36  donut holes
  • Prep time: 20 Minutes Cook time: 10 Minutes Total time: 30 min
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Ingredients
For the Mini Donut Holes
  • 1 1/2 cups real apple cider
  • 2 cups + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
  • 1 large egg (room temperature)
  • 1/3 cup whole milk (room temperature)
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar (packed)
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping
  • 6 tbsp melted butter
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions

In a small saucepan, bring the apple cider to a simmer and stir occasionally. Simmer the cider for about 20-25 minutes, or until it is reduced to ½ cup. Set aside to cool (about 15 minutes) or place in the refrigerator in a heatproof bowl to speed up the process.
Once cider is cooled, preheat oven to 350°F and spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray (I like Pam for Baking). Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, milk, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula. Before all of the flour is combined, add in the cooled ½ cup of apple cider and fold to combine. Do not overmix.
Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough into the mini muffin pan. Only fill the wells of the muffin tin about half full so that these look more rounded and less like muffins. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Donuts are done when they spring back after being lightly touched. You can place any extra dough in the refrigerator while the donuts bake.
Remove donuts from oven and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Transfer donuts to the wire rack to cool completely and then bake the rest of your dough.
While the donuts are cooling, make the cinnamon sugar by combining sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Stir to combine.
Dip cooled donuts in melted butter and then roll the coated donuts in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Enjoy!
Tips
  • Mini donuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.
  • Be careful not to overfill your muffin tins – this will keep them from looking like muffins and more like little donut holes!
  • This recipe made about 36 donut holes for me, but you may get more or less depending on how full you fill your mini muffin tin.
Amy Manes
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