After one bite of these Low Calorie Apple Cider Donuts, you will understand the hype! These homemade baked donuts are thick, cakey, and flavored with plenty of cider and spice.
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Keep in mind this style of baked donut is different from its deep-fried counterpart but delicious nonetheless! Baked donuts have a loser crumb and a cakey consistency. If you love baked cake-style donuts, don't miss my Banana Donuts and my Cinnamon Sugar Donuts while you're here!
Low calorie apple cider donuts are finished with a simple cinnamon cider glaze, but there's nothing simple about the flavor. The glaze coats the donuts in next-level deliciousness guaranteed to get you into the fall spirit (but they're excellent year-round, of course).
These glazed apple cider donuts are fun and easier to make than you think. You will skip deep-frying and bake the batter to perfection in a donut pan -but we aren't done yet! They are then topped with a no-cook glaze for an irresistible fall flavor.
Related recipe: Oil-Free Cinnamon Rolls
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The donuts are baked perfectly in a donut pan rather than fried in heavy oils. Clean-up is easy peasy.
- This is a great way to get in the spirit for fall.
- The cinnamon cider glaze is super simple and SO good.
More healthier donut recipes: Low Calorie Donuts
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Gluten Free Flour: Use a good gluten-free flour you've had success with in recipes. This recipe was tested using Bob's Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour, so I can guarantee it's good.
- Baking Powder: Helps the donut batter rise into stable and stout donuts.
- Salt: Salt also plays a role in rising and refining sweet flavors.
- Cinnamon & Nutmeg: Cozy dessert spices add warming flavor to the donuts.
- Greek Yogurt: This liquid ingredient absorbs the dry ingredients to create a thick and cohesive homemade donut batter. It makes the donuts moist and fluffy and enhances the flavor.
- Cinnamon Applesauce: Gives the donuts a crisp spiced apple element and adds moisture to the batter. If you can't find cinnamon applesauce, you can use regular applesauce and add cinnamon.
- Light Brown Sugar: Sweetens the batter. You can also use coconut sugar.
- Eggs: The proteins in eggs strengthen the batter so they don't crack and fall apart as they bake.
- Vanilla Extract: Gives the donuts an extra sweet and cream-like flavor.
- Apple Cider: Apple cider is an unfiltered, unsweetened, non-alcoholic beverage made from apples. If you can't find apple cider, opt for pure, unfiltered pressed apple juice.
- Cider Cinnamon Glaze: For the glaze, you'll need melted butter, vanilla, apple cider, ground cinnamon, and confectioners' sugar (I use Swerve). I suggest making extra glaze to drizzle over pancakes and waffles as well!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix dry & wet ingredients separately. In a large mixing bowl, stir the gluten-free flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix the yogurt, applesauce, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and apple cider in a separate bowl until smooth.
Step 2: Combine wet and dry mixtures. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, stirring continuously, until thoroughly combined (do not overmix).
Step 3: Pour batter and bake. Transfer the batter to a large piping bag and pipe it into your donut pan. Then, bake until the donuts have risen and are golden brown on the edges. Let the donuts stand in the pan for 5 minutes before removing and transferring them to a wire rack.
Step 4: Glaze the donuts. Whisk the melted butter, vanilla, apple cider, ground cinnamon, and confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, whisk in water to loosen it up. Then drizzle a spoonful of glaze over each donut while they're still warm (the glaze will set better on warm donuts) -and that's it! Enjoy.
NOTE: You can print the FULL recipe with all ingredients & detailed instructions below!
Expert Tips
- Donut pans are typically nonstick, but you can grease and lightly flour the pan to eliminate the risk of sticking.
- Spooning batter into a donut pan without making a mess is nearly impossible, so piping the batter with a pastry bag saves you from the stress.
- If you don't have a piping bag, you can cut off one of the corners from a zip-top resealable bag to use for piping the donut batter into the pan.
- Apple cider donuts are done baking when browned on the surface and a toothpick poked into the center comes out with some moist crumbs.
- Glazes and frostings are typically added to desserts once they're cool, but the apple cider-based glaze is better added while the donuts are still warm. The heat helps the sugar stick to the surface.
Variations
Spices: In addition to cinnamon and nutmeg, a pinch of cardamom, ginger, clove, and star anise is a delightful way to brighten up the donut batter with cozy fall flavors. Instead of pulling out a bunch of spices, you can spice your apple cider donuts with apple pie spice, pumpkin pie spice, or gingerbread spice.
Instead of glazing apple cider donuts: Immediately after baking, brush the donut tops with melted butter, then press the tops into a shallow bowl of sugar. As the butter and sugar harden, they create a sweet, flakey coating similar to the consistency of a fried donut.
If you don't have a donut pan: Make muffins! Pour the batter into a muffin tin lined with cupcake liners, and bake for 22-35 minutes.
Storing & Freezing
Storing: These baked gluten-free donuts are best served hot out of the oven but can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Unfortunately, refrigerating baked donuts dries them out quickly.
Freezing: To further extend the shelf-life of baked apple cider donuts, let them cool completely, then set them on a baking tray and place the tray in the freezer until the donuts are solid. Then, transfer the frozen donuts to a freezer-safe bag for 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature and enjoy!
Recipe FAQ‘s
These apple cider donuts are cake-style donuts flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cider.
They're best enjoyed warm shortly after finishing baking. Reheating a cake donut in the oven without drying it out can be tricky, so it's best to loosely wrap the donut in a damp paper towel and pop it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
Healthy Sweets You’ll Love
Low Calorie Apple Cider Donuts
Special Equipment
Ingredients
For Batter
- 1 ¾ cups gluten free flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup cinnamon applesauce
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup apple cider
For Glaze
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons apple cider
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup Swerve confectioners
Instructions
For Batter
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir the gluten-free flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix the yogurt, applesauce, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and apple cider in a separate bowl until smooth.
- Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, stirring continuously, until thoroughly combined (do not overmix).
- Transfer the batter to a large piping bag and pipe it into your donut pan. Then, bake in your oven for 15 minutes, until the donuts have risen and are golden brown on the edges. Let the donuts stand in the pan for 5 minutes before removing and transferring them to a wire rack.
For Glaze
- Whisk the melted butter, vanilla, apple cider, ground cinnamon, and confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, whisk in water to loosen it up. Then drizzle a spoonful of glaze over each donut while they're still warm (the glaze will set better on warm donuts) -and that's it! Enjoy.
Notes
- Donut pans are typically nonstick, but you can grease and lightly flour the pan to eliminate the risk of sticking.
- Spooning batter into a donut pan without making a mess is nearly impossible, so piping the batter with a pastry bag saves you from the stress.
- If you don't have a piping bag, you can cut off one of the corners from a zip-top resealable bag to use for piping the donut batter into the pan.
- For the best-shaped donuts, be sure to fill the donut molds almost full.
- Keep an eye on the oven so they do not overbake. This batter isn't very forgiving if overbaked and can quickly become dry.
- Apple cider donuts are done baking when browned on the surface and a toothpick poked into the center comes out with some moist crumbs.
- Glazes and frostings are typically added to desserts once they're cool, but the apple cider-based glaze is better added while the donuts are still warm. The heat helps the sugar stick to the surface.
- Storing: These baked gluten-free donuts are best served hot out of the oven but can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Unfortunately, refrigerating baked donuts dries them out quickly.
- Freezing: To further extend the shelf-life of baked apple cider donuts, let them cool completely, then set them on a baking tray and place the tray in the freezer until the donuts are solid. Then, transfer the frozen donuts to a freezer-safe bag for 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature and enjoy!
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Shelley
Oooh, these come at the perfect time! I was just getting officially in the fall mood, and looking for some yummy recipes to try out. Love the flavors in this, and how moist they turn out!
Anjali
I love this healthier version of donuts!! They turned out perfectly sweet and delicious - and my whole family loved them!
veenaazmanov
This recipe looks unique and the Doughnuts look perfect. The Cinnamon Glaze is yum too. Best Tea Time snack for sure.
Anita
Looks so delicious! One question, when using the donut pan you are suggesting, do you get 15 donuts for this recipe?
simplylowcal
Hi Anita, yes this recipe will make 15 donuts total.