These Vegan Apple Cider Donuts are light, fluffy and loaded with apple cider flavour! They’re baked and rolled in cinnamon sugar, making for the perfect cozy fall dessert!

A vegan apple cider donut covered in cinnamon sugar with a bite taken out of it

A perfect Fall dessert recipe

When I think of September, there’s one ingredient that comes to mind: apples! I love their crisp and sweet flavour in dishes like this Healthy Apple Crisp and these Apple Pie Bars.

However, I don’t always have whole apples on hand. So, I wanted to share an apple dessert recipe that is light, fluffy and uses apple cider rather than whole apples!

You can buy apple cider (or fresh-pressed apple juice) at most grocery stores throughout the year, so you can make these donuts any time you like! Do your best to find one without a lot of added sugar, as these donuts will already be pretty sweet on their own!

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • These donuts are baked rather than fried for a healthier donut that is still super delicious!
  • This recipe is naturally vegan and can be made gluten-free using a 1-1 gluten-free flour blend.
  • This recipe combines apple cider, apple sauce and even apple cider vinegar and fall spices for a donut that is filled with apple flavour.
  • The donuts take less than 30 minutes to make! 10 minutes to prepare, 10 minutes in the oven, and 10 minutes to cool.
  • If you don’t have a donut pan, you can still make this recipe in a muffin pan. (And bake them a bit longer, about 15-20 minutes)
A stack of three apple cider donuts on a white speckled plate

Ingredients you’ll need

  • Flour: for the base of the donuts. Regular, spelt or a 1-1 gluten-free flour all work!
  • Organic cane sugar: you can sub regular sugar or coconut sugar
  • Baking powder: to help the donuts rise
  • Baking soda: also to help the donuts rise and get light and fluffy
  • Salt: to enhance the flavour
  • Cinnamon: for flavour
  • Nutmeg: for flavour
  • Apple cider: NOT apple juice. Make sure to use apple cider!
  • Apple cider vinegar: You can use any vinegar here. Don’t leave this out! this is important to help the donuts have a light airy texture
  • Apple sauce: unsweetened
  • Vegan butter: or a natural tasting oil
  • Vanilla: for flavour
  • coconut oil-based cooking spray: to coat the donuts so the cinnamon sugar coating will stick to them

How to make vegan apple cider donuts

Step 1

In one bowl mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix together so there are no clumps.

a clear mixing bowl with flour in it

Step 2

In a separate bowl mix together apple cider, apple cider vinegar, apple sauce, vegan butter, coconut oil and vanilla extract.

a clear mixing bowl with apple cider and oil in it

Step 3

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together until combined. Don’t over mix the batter. Just gently mix together.

a clear mixing bowl with vegan donut batter in it

Step 4

Use a piping bag (or a large ziplock bag with the tip cut off) to pipe the batter into the donut mould, filling the moulds 3/4 of the way full. The donuts will rise as they bake so make sure not to overfill with batter.

unbaked donuts in a donut pan

Step 5

Bake in the oven at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. Then remove from the oven and let the donuts cool slightly in the pan before removing.

baked donuts in a donut pan

Step 6

Fill a large ziplock bag with cinnamon and sugar. Spray each donut with some coconut oil cooking spray, then place one donut at a time in the bag and shake. Repeat until all the donuts are covered!

vegan apple cider donuts on a marble board

Tips for making this recipe perfectly

  • Make sure to use apple cider and NOT apple juice from concentrate. Apple cider is thicker and much richer in taste than apple juice.
  • Do NOT overmix the batter. Mix it just until combined. If you overmix it, your donuts won’t come out light and fluffy.
  • Don’t leave out the apple cider vinegar. (if you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can use white vinegar.) The vinegar reacts with the baking soda and helps give these donuts light and airy texture.
  • Keep an eye on the donuts in the oven. Mine are ready at exactly 10 minutes, if your oven runs hot they may only need 8-9 minutes.
  • Store these donuts in an air-tight container on the counter. Homemade donuts can dry out quickly, so they are best enjoyed within 1-2 days of making them.
a vegan apple cider donut with a bite taken out of it on a white speckled plate

More donut recipes to try

If you tried these Vegan Apple Cider Donuts or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

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vegan apple cider donuts on a marble board

Vegan Apple Cider Donuts

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 11 reviews
  • Author: Jessica Hoffman
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12 donuts 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

A heavenly apple cider donut that is baked rather than fried and comes together in 30 minutes! 

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups flour (I use white spelt flour, can sub regular flour or 1–1 gluten-free flour.)
  • 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 1/4 cups apple cider
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup apple sauce
  • 1/4 cup vegan butter, melted (can sub melted coconut oil or vegetable oil)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon sugar topping

  • coconut oil based cooking spray (can sub melted oil or vegan butter and just dunk each donut) 
  • 2 tsp cinnamon 
  • 1/2 cup sugar 

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and spray a donut pan with cooking spray.
  2. Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
  3. Mix the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until combined. Do not overmix. (It’s okay if theres a few small clumps in the batter. It doesn’t need to be completely smooth.) 
  5. Using a piping bag, (or a large ziplock bag with the corner cut out) pipe the dough into the donut moulds filling 3/4 of the way.
  6. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  7. To coat the donuts, mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a ziplock bag. Spray each donut with the cooking spray and then place each donut in the bag and shake it around until it’s covered. Repeat with all donuts. 

Notes

Make sure to use apple cider and NOT apple juice in this recipe. 

Don’t leave out the apple cider vinegar. You can substitute white vinegar if needed. The vinegar reacts with the baking soda to create a light and fluffy donut. 

Don’t overmix the batter. If you do you will end up with tough donuts, rather than light and fluffy donuts. 

Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days. 

These donuts are best enjoyed the same day they are made. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 donut
  • Calories: 210
  • Sugar: 20g
  • Sodium: 100mg
  • Fat: 8g
  • Saturated Fat: 6g
  • Carbohydrates: 35g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 2.5g

If you tried these Vegan Apple Cider Donuts or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!