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Apple cinnamon donuts baked in the oven are the perfect treat at any time of year, especially in the fall and winter. Since these donuts are baked, they’re healthier than typical fried donuts.
You’ll love how easy these apple cinnamon donuts are to make… and how delicious they taste!
How Do You Make Apple Cinnamon Donuts?
Making these baked apple cinnamon donuts is so quick and easy. Watch this quick video…
You’ll find the recipe below… and we want to share a few extra tips to help you make these tasty donuts.
What apples are best for baking?
We used Honeycrisp apples for these baked apple donuts because they have big apple flavor and hold up well to cooking. Unfortunately Honeycrisp apples can be rather expensive and have a short season in the early fall. The best types of apples for baking are firm and hold their shape when cooking. Honeycrisp apples (and Fuji apples) have more sugar in them than most other types of apples, so they taste sweeter.
If you can’t find Honeycrisp apples, Granny Smith is our second choice for baking.
To grate the apple, we just used a box grater. Cut the apple into quarters, remove the core, and grate on the small side of the grater. We left the skin on, but feel free to peel the apple first.
Baking Tip: To ensure your apple cinnamon donuts are not dry, do not overmix the batter, and do not over bake. All ovens bake differently, so we recommend checking for doneness starting at 9 minutes.
What can I substitute for apple pie spice?
If you don’t have apple pie spice, a basic recipe to make your own apple spice is:
- 4 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice or cardamom.
Baking Tip: When measuring your flour, don’t scoop it out as it compacts the flour, and you wind up with much more than you need. Instead, use a spoon to fill your measuring cup, tapping the sides to settle it, and then use a knife to level off the top.
How long do baked donuts stay fresh?
Donuts are best eaten when they are fresh and warm. When you’re making these baked apple cinnamon donuts, wait to coat the donuts in the cinnamon sugar until just before serving. Ideally, this would be while the donuts are still fresh and warm from the oven.
You can store your leftover apple donuts in a covered container for 2-3 days.
Apple Cinnamon Donuts
Ingredients
Donuts
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice (or make your own with 4 tablespoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground allspice or cardamom)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup grated apple (approximately 2 small apples - Honeycrisp or Granny Smith work well)
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted, cooled)
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 2/3 cup white granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup whole milk (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Topping
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice
- 3 tablespoons melted butter for brushing
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F
- Spray a donut pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and salt.
- In another bowl, add the butter, sugar, egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix well.
- Add the grated apple to the wet ingredients and stir to combine.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until just combined.
- Spoon the batter into a large Ziploc bag and snip off the end.
- Gently squeeze the batter into the prepared donut pan. Fill them 3/4 of the way full and not to the top.
- Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until light brown around the edges, and the donuts spring back when touched.
- To make the topping, add the sugar, cinnamon, and apple pie spice to a bowl and stir well.
- Just before serving, brush the donuts with a little melted butter and roll them in the cinnamon-sugar topping.
Nutrition per serving
Written by Susan Carraretto, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom
Talk with me: @5minutesformom and Facebook.com/5minutesformom
Pin with me at pinterest.com/5minutesformom
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