Gluten-free apple cider donuts are baked with fresh apple cider, then dipped in butter and cinnamon sugar coating! You won’t be able to resist this amazing fall treat!
I tested and retested this recipe to make donuts with the best flavor/texture. I hope you love them too!
Freshly made apple cider donuts are the ultimate way to celebrate fall. And even if you don’t make it to the apple orchard this year for apple picking, you can get the same delicious flavors at home with these gluten-free apple cider doughnuts!
I love that these donuts are baked instead of fried. This means they’re a bit healthier than the average fried donut. And they’re easier to make, too! ( Say goodbye to the messy hot oil!)
To make these donuts, you reduce down real apple cider until it is concentrated to the most vibrant apple flavor. After baking, you dip them into melted butter and cinnamon sugar coating.
The result is an amazing dessert full of delicious apple cider flavor!
You can use a silicone donut pan or metal donut pan to get the perfect shape for these donuts. If you don’t have a donut pan, try a muffin tin or mini muffin pan!
No matter how you make these, they’re sure to be some of the best apple cider donuts you’ve ever had!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bursting with apple flavor
- Perfect fall treat
- Baked, not fried
- Great for fall parties
For more gluten-free apple recipes, try this gluten-free apple crumble recipe, gluten-free apple cake, gluten-free apple muffins, gluten-free applesauce cake and gluten-free apple pie recipe.
You also might like these baked apples or this apple compote.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Wet Ingredients
- White and brown sugar: A combination of brown and white granulated sugar helps create a deliciously sweet baked donut.
- Almond milk: I like to use unsweetened almond milk for these donuts, but any type of milk will work.
- Oil: I use vegetable or grapeseed oil for these donuts.
- Eggs: For best results, use large, room-temperature eggs.
- Vanilla: I always prefer real vanilla extract to imitation vanilla.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best!
For the Dry Ingredients
- Gluten-free flour: I recommend using a high-quality gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. It creates a better texture and makes all the difference in the end result! I like King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour.
- Spices: Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom give these donuts great fall flavors!
- Baking powder: Baking powder is essential for helping this donut batter rise and become light and fluffy in texture.
- Salt: I like to use fine sea salt for this donut batter.
How to Make Gluten-Free Apple Cider Donuts
Reduce the Apple Cider
- In a small saucepan, bring apple cider to a gentle boil and let simmer over medium heat until thick and reduced to about 1/3 cup (80 ml), 15-25 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Make the Donuts
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease two 6-cavity donut pans with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until well combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients, along with the cooled/reduced apple cider, and whisk until evenly combined.
- Pour the donut batter into a large ziploc bag. Cut a 1-inch hole in the corner of the bag and pipe the donut batter into the prepared doughnut pan.
- Bake the gluten free donuts for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
Make the Topping
- In a medium bowl mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Once the gluten free donuts are cool enough to handle (cool for 5-10 minutes), dip each donut on both sides in melted butter and then generously dip into the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- These are best eaten right away – enjoy!
Storage Instructions
I don’t recommend storing these apple cider donuts. They’re best enjoyed immediately after preparing, when they’re warm and toasty! If you do want to store them, keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
FAQs
Apple cider is a leavening agent that helps to create a light, tender crumb in gluten-free baked goods. When combined with baking soda, it reacts to create an airy texture. It also adds subtle depth of flavor!
No, apple cider is naturally gluten-free. It’s typically made from the juice of pressed apples. Some variations contain spices like cinnamon and cloves. Hard cider is also gluten-free and is made from fermented apple juice.
Yes, apple cider donuts are a seasonal offering at Krispy Kreme. Availability varies depending on the location and time of year. For more information, contact your local Krispy Kreme.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- I use vegetable or grapeseed oil for these donuts. You also might like this recipe for baked gluten-free donuts or these gluten-free pumpkin donuts!
- These gluten free apple cider donuts are best eaten right away. I don’t recommend storing them, since the texture and flavor change as they cool.
- I recommend using a high-quality gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. It creates a better texture and makes all the difference in the end result! I like King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour.
- If you don’t have a donut pan, try a muffin tin or mini muffin pan! You’ll get the same delicious apple pie spice flavor!
MORE GLUTEN-FREE RECIPES
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you try these gluten-free apple cider donuts, be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!
Gluten-Free Apple Cider Donuts (Easy Baked Recipe!)
Ingredients
Apple Cider
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) apple cider
Dry Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups (250 g) gluten-free measure-for-measure baking flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- pinch of ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (65 g) brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) oil of choice
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) almond milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
For the Topping
- 8 tablespoons (113 g) butter, melted
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
Reduce the Apple Cider
- In a small saucepan, bring apple cider to a gentle boil and let simmer over medium heat until thick and reduced to about 1/3 cup (80 ml), 15-25 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Make the Donuts
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease two 6-cavity donut pans with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until well combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients, along with the cooled/reduced apple cider, and whisk until evenly combined.
- Pour the donut batter into a large ziploc bag. Cut a 1-inch hole in the corner of the bag and pipe the donut batter into the prepared pans.
- Bake the donuts for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a cooling rack.
Make the Topping
- In a medium bowl mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Once the donuts are cool enough to handle (cool for 5-10 minutes), dip each donut on both sides in melted butter and then generously dip into the sugar mixture.
- These are best eaten right away – enjoy!
Notes
- I use vegetable or grapeseed oil for these donuts.
- These donuts are best eaten right away. I don’t recommend storing them, since the texture and flavor change as they cool.
- I recommend using a high-quality gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. It creates a better texture and makes all the difference in the end result! I like King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour.
- If you don’t have a donut pan, try a muffin tin or mini muffin pan! You’ll get the same delicious apple pie spice flavor!
Loved these easy donuts and I’ve shared with many GF bakers!
I’m wondering if anyone has tried substituting the cider for another liquid. I don’t always have cider on hand.
I’m glad you like the recipe! Have you tried this recipe for gluten-free baked donuts? https://meaningfuleats.com/gluten-free-baked-donut-recipe/
I have made these twice and they are fantastic! Terrific recipe, not difficult, everyone loves them at our house. The only changes made were I added 1 Tablespoon Psyllium husk powder for more mechanical strength and used 2% milk instead of almond milk.
I’m glad they turned out for you! Thanks for the tips.
These donuts are definitely a winner! Kids are also addicted to it! They were bursting with flavors and the texture is remarkable!
These make the whole house smell so good!! I love that they are gluten free & you can’t even tell. They taste amazing!!
These are truly delicious. We are a little higher elevation and gluten free baking can be challenging but for these I decided to air fry for 3 additional minutes after baking and it was perfect. That really quashed the denseness and mush that tends to exist in GF baked goods.
Yummy yummy. We’re a big hit with the kids. We did colored sugar and made it fun.
I’m so happy to hear that! The colored sugar sounds fun 🙂
Absolutely delicious! Definitely a winner in our house!!
I’m so happy they turned out for you! Thanks for the comment.
Doughnuts are my weakness and since I have been going more gluten-free, this is game changing! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!
I’d love to make a fried version of these. Any thoughts on how to convert this? Thanks so much!