Apple Cider Donut Muffins
Apple Cider Donut Muffins are soft and cinnamon-filled muffins that are made with apple cider and rolled in butter and cinnamon sugar when they're warm. They taste just like an apple cider donut!
When I think about visiting the apple orchard, apple cider donuts immediately come to mind. Sure, we go to pick the apples but I'm really there for all of the apple treats! The apple orchard I've been to in my hometown serves apple pie a la mode and apple cider donuts, and it's really hard to pick one or the other. Luckily, if I choose the apple pie, I can now make these apple cider donut muffins at home and have my craving satisfied.
These are super soft, just like a donut, and the thing that makes them taste so much like a donut is the cinnamon sugar coating that they are rolled in! Once they are out of the oven and slightly cooled (but still warm!), they are brushed in butter and rolled in the cinnamon sugar. Oh. Em. Gee! They are so dang good. Oh and if you pick up some squash at the orchard, these Butternut Squash Muffins are a great use!
Ingredients in Apple Cider Donut Muffins
- Apple Cider - this recipe starts with apple cider, which you simmer and reduce until it is a concentrate. This will give the muffins a ton of apple cider flavor!
- Butter
- Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Flour
- Buttermilk
How to Make Apple Cider Donut Muffins
These muffins are super easy to make, but there are a couple of extra steps that make them over-the-top delicious. The first is simmering apple cider until it has reduced into a concentrate. This isn't 100% necessary, but it is worth it! If you don't have the time to do this, simply use apple cider.
To start the muffins, butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar are beat until well combined. To this, add eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Next, the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg are added. In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and apple cider concentrate, and then add half of it, followed by half of the flour, continuing until all has been added. Be sure to scrape down the edges of the bowl as necessary!
Bake the muffins in a 350 degree oven for 15-17 minutes. They will rise quite a bit and you just want to make sure the tops aren't wet looking anymore. Once they're baked, cool them in the muffin pan for about 5 minutes to cool slightly. Then brush them with melted butter and roll them in a cinnamon sugar mixture. That's it - it's time to devour!
These are definitely best when eaten warm or relatively soon after they are done. They are still delicious the next day, but I recommend warming them up in the microwave for 10 seconds or so, to get them warm again. You really can't beat these Apple Cider Donut Muffins along with a cup of hot coffee on a cool fall morning!
Like this recipe? Check these out, too!
Air Fryer Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes
Apple Cider Donut Muffins
Ingredients
Apple Cider Concentrate
- ¾ cup apple cider
Muffins
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Sugar Coating
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Apple Cider Concentrate
- Add the apple cider to a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until reduced by about half, about 15-20 minutes.
- You will use ¼ cup of the concentrate in this recipe. Let it cool while you prep the muffins.
Muffins
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer, until well combined.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating down the edges of the bowl as needed.
- Add the vanilla, and beat to combine.
- Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and beat to combine.
- In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of the apple cider concentrate with the buttermilk.
- Add 1 cup of flour to the large bowl and mix until just combined, followed by ½ of the concentrate/buttermilk mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Repeat with the remaining flour and apple cider concentrate/buttermilk mixture.
- Spray a 12-muffin muffin pan with cooking spray and fill each one up ½ way.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, until the muffins are slightly golden, puffed up, and baked through.
- Let them cool for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter, and combine the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl, for dipping the muffins.
- After the muffins are slightly cooled, brush each one with melted butter and then dip in the cinnamon sugar mixture. I like to get the entire muffin covered in sugar.
- Serve, and enjoy!
Hello, can these be baked in a large cafe size muffin pan? They look amazing !