Go Back
+ servings
Stack of Baked Vegan Apple Cider Donuts on a wooden platter
Print Recipe
5 from 7 votes

Baked Vegan Apple Cider Donuts

These delicious Baked Vegan Apple Cider Donuts are super easy to make, only requires one bowl, is all vegan, and comes with a gluten-free option.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Keyword: apple, apple cider, apple spice, baked, breakfast, brunch, cinnamon, dairy-free, dessert, donuts, easy, fall recipe, gluten-free, kid-friendly, snack, vegan
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Shanika

Ingredients

DONUTS:

  • 1 ½ cups organic all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup organic cane sugar
  • 2 tsps baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • teaspoon sea salt
  • ¾ cup apple cider, homemade or store-bought
  • ½ cup Almond milk (You can use your fave plant-based milk)
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 3 Tbsps organic canola oil (See Notes for substitutes!)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

SUGAR COATING:

  • 1 cup organic cane sugar
  • 1 tablespoon apple pie spice (See Post for Ingredients)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 4-5 Tbsps vegan butter, melted

Instructions

TO CREATE THE "BUTTERMILK":

  • In a bowl or measuring cup, add the milk + apple cider vinegar, whisking together well and letting it sit aside for 5-6 minutes until "activated" and the milk thickens a bit. This creates the "buttermilk".

TO MAKE THE DONUTS:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and spray your donut baking pans that has 6-wells.
  • In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt. Finally, stir in the 'buttermilk', apple cider, vanilla, and oil, until combined and batter is thick and smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
  • Spoon the batter into a piping bag and pipe batter it into prepared donut pan wells, filling them about ¾ of the way.
  • Bake for 10-13 minutes or until toothpick inserted into donuts comes out clean.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before releasing the donuts from their pan and unto a cooling rack to cool completely.

TO MAKE THE SUGAR COATING:

  • Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and apple pie spice in a bowl until combined. In a separate bowl, add the melted butter.
  • Once fully cooled, dip (or lightly brush) each side of the donut into the melted butter and then dip each side into the sugar coating mixture, ensuring that you fully coat the edges as well. Then set the coated donut onto a cooling rack to 'set'. Repeat until all donuts are coated.
  • Bon Appetit!

Notes

  • STORAGE: Leftovers can be stored in a tightly sealed container and best if placed in the refrigerator for up to 3 days for ultimate freshness.
  • FREEZE (LONGER STORAGE): For longer storage, freeze the donuts (uncoated) in an airtight container for up to three months. To serve, defrost the donuts on the counter for several hours. Add the sugar coating just before serving. 
  • GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: To make these donuts GF, I recommend using a GF Flour Blend (Bob’s Red Mills has a great version!). NOTE: If the batter is too ‘thin + runny’, simply add additional GF flour, ¼ cup at a time.
  • SWEETENER: If you choose to opt out of cane sugar, you can always substitute with coconut sugar, Agave, or pure maple syrup instead. For liquid sweeteners, just adjust the amount of apple cider you use by reducing the amount to ½ cup to start, slowly adding up to ¾ cup.
  • FLOUR: If you want your donuts to be more of a ‘cakey’ texture, substitute 1 cup of All-purpose flour with Super-Fine Cake Flour. 
  • OIL: Instead of canola oil,  you can use melted coconut oil or melted vegan butter, if preferred.