Vegan Apple Cider Donuts
These baked donuts are everything you want from a fall treat — warmly spiced, tender, and finished with a buttery cinnamon-sugar coating that practically melts on your fingers. The secret to that deep, concentrated apple flavor is reducing two full cups of cider down to half a cup on the stovetop, which packs every bite with real orchard intensity. Unsweetened applesauce and plant-based milk keep the crumb moist without any eggs or dairy, while a splash of apple cider vinegar gives the leavening a little extra lift. Vegan butter handles both the batter and the coating, so the whole thing comes together seamlessly with no substitutions or workarounds needed. The batter is thick and pipes neatly into a donut pan, meaning these bake up in about 12 minutes — no deep fryer, no thermometer, no mess. This recipe makes a full dozen, so there's plenty to share at a brunch, a fall gathering, or honestly just to have on hand for the week. Warm from the oven and rolled in cinnamon sugar, they taste like the best version of something you'd find at an apple orchard stand.
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Learn more →Ingredients
12 servings
For the donuts
- 2 cups apple cider
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ⅓ cup plant-based milk
- ¼ cup vegan butter, melted
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the cinnamon-sugar coating
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp vegan butter, melted
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 12-cavity donut pan thoroughly with vegan butter or nonstick spray.
- 2
Pour the apple cider into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the cider has reduced to about 1/2 cup, 15–18 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
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