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Apple Cider Donut Muffins Recipe

Do you love the taste of apple cider donuts but are intimidated by making them from scratch? Fear not; we have a solution that will fool even your most discerning friends: apple cider donut muffins. This recipe is the perfect combination of sweet, fluffy, and satisfying, and can be whipped up with just a few simple ingredients.

A sideview of baked mini Apple Cider Donut Muffins stacked on top of each other with one muffin laying on it's side and several more muffins on a platter in the back ground - Hostess At Heart
Let’s make some Apple Cider Donut Muffins!

If there’s something that I crave is a good donut or muffin for breakfast. If you’re like me, you’re going to want to check out our most popular Homemade Muffins recipe which has 7 varieties, and our Blueberry Donuts recipe. It can be fried or baked. Of course, you can just combine them for an amazing donut muffin recipe as we’ve done here. If sourdough is your thing then these Sourdough Donuts are for YOU!

In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps of creating the perfect treat filled with flavors right from the apple orchard and infused with warm fall spices. So, gather your ingredients, and let’s make some Apple Cider Donut Muffins.

Why You’ll Love Our Apple Cider Donut Muffin Recipe

  • Baked, not fried. No grease, splatter, burns, or long process at the stovetop.
  • Convenience. Perfect grab-and-go breakfast or snack. When you’re craving a sweet apple taste, this Apple Recipe will be exactly what you’re looking for without all the peeling and dicing. There’s no reason to wait for apple season. You can make these donut muffins all year long.
  • Lots of muffins. This recipe makes forty-eight mini muffins or 24 standard-size muffins. Our recipe makes a large batch, and you can freeze the extras.

Equipment Needed

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  • Mini Muffin Pan. I love that this pan has 48 cups so that I can make short work of baking mini muffins.
  • Mini Cupcake Liners. I buy this brand now for all my muffin baking. They’re of great quality.
  • Scoops. Ever wonder how every cookie, meatball, or muffin is the same size? Scoops! I’ve had this set of 3 for years!
  • Mixing Bowls. I use this set of bowls for mixing, serving, storing, and transporting food. The pretty lids guarantee no spilling too!

Ingredients you’ll need for this recipe

Top down view of the ingredients used to make apple cider donut muffin recipe including flour, sugar, cinnamon, butter, milk, butter, egg, apple cider, powdered sugar, and baking soda.
Apple Cider Donut Muffins Ingredients
  • Apple Cider. Shake the jug of cider to mix it well before using. This will improve the flavor. If you don’t have cider, you can use apple juice.
  • All-Purpose Flour. Either bleached or unbleached is fine
  • Baking Soda.
  • Baking Powder.
  • Ground Cinnamon.
  • Ground Nutmeg.
  • Salt.
  • Butter.
  • Egg. Large eggs are what I use for consistency in my recipes.
  • Brown Sugar. Light brown sugar was used in this recipe, but dark is o.k.
  • Granulated Sugar. White granulated sugar.
  • Milk. I bake with whole milk, but any milk is fine including nut varieties.
  • Vanilla Extract. Pure is what I recommend but use what you have.

Optional Coating Ingredients

  • Sugar. A coarse sugar, such as turbinado, gives the cinnamon sugar mixture a delightful crunch. 
  • Apple Pie Spice. You can just use cinnamon if you prefer.

How To Make Apple Cider Donut Muffins

Please note, that the printable recipe card has ingredient quantities, complete instructions, and nutritional information. The following is a quick overview of the recipe.

Step One. Get everything ready to make your apple cider donut muffins.

Preheat your oven. Spray your pan with nonstick cooking spray or fill it with mini cupcake liners. Pull out all of your ingredients.

Step Two. Mix everything up.

In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Mix in apple cider, milk, melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix just until combined.

Step Three. Bake the apple cider donut muffins.

Top-down view of a mini muffin pan filled with batter. Hostess At Heart

Use a spoon or cookie scoop to fill each muffin cup with batter, fill each cup ¾ of the way. Bake.

Step Four. Coat the muffins and serve.

Combine the sugar and apple pie spice in a baggie. When the muffins come out of the oven, place them in the bag and shake well while they are still warm. Allow them to cool and serve.

Two baked mini Apple Cider Donut Muffins in a bag of cinnamon and sugar. Hostess At Heart
Apply Cinnamon and Sugar

Frequently Asked Questions.

What does apple cider do in baking?

Apple Cider acts like an acid. When it reacts with our baking powder and baking soda, it will create little bubbles that help our muffins rise and become fluffy. The result is a perfectly moist, soft, and tender muffin with the perfect crumb.

Can you use apple juice in place of apple cider?

No, you shouldn’t. Apple cider is more acidic than apple juice and will not work the same way.

Can I bake Apple Cider Doughnut Muffins in a regular-sized muffin pan instead of mini-sized ones?

Yes, you’ll need to increase the baking time in some cases doubling it.

Top down view of baked mini muffins topped with cinnamon and sugar - Hostess At Heart

How To Reheat & Store Apple Cider Donut Muffins

Best Way to Store Apple Cider Donut Muffins

Keep your extras in a plastic zipper baggy or airtight container for up to three days at room temperature. If you will have too many leftovers for that short amount of time, freeze them instead.

Can I Freeze Apple Cider Donut Muffins

Yes. Freeze baked muffins in airtight containers or freezer-quality plastic zipper baggies for up to three months. Observe for frostbite. Thaw in the microwave for ten to thirty seconds or let them thaw at room temperature. Open the container while thawing so the condensation doesn’t make the donut muffins soggy.

Serving Apple Cider Donut Muffins Suggestions

I’d serve these donut muffins with something savory such as these Spinach Frittatas for breakfast or, a delicious cup of soup for lunch or dinner such as this amazing Vegetable Lamb soup.

A stack of cinnamon and sugar coated mini muffins with a bite taken out of the top muffin.

Tips for getting perfectly cooked, golden brown Apple Cider Donut Muffins every time:

  • Don’t overmix. Mixing muffin batter too much can cause them to rise less or have a dense texture.
  • Don’t overbake. The edges will dry out fast if baked too long. The muffins are done when a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Make sure your baking soda is fresh. It doesn’t keep as long as you might think in the cabinet. It also will absorb odors and moisture over time and stop working or make your baked goods taste weird. You should replace an open box every six months at a minimum. To check to make sure it’s good, refer to our Basic Baking article.
  • Toss while warm. To make sure the coating sticks, the muffins need to be warm. The sugar will fall off the cold muffins.
  • Make-ahead batter. Busy mornings? Make the batter the night before, refrigerate it overnight, and then simply bake your muffins in the morning to save yourself time.
  • Stock up. Want a school year’s worth of grab-and-go breakfasts? Make up several batches of muffins in varying recipes and freeze them. 10-30 seconds in the microwave, and you have yourself a handheld breakfast to take out the door. Check some of our other muffin and donut recipes below for more freeze-worthy ideas.
A sideview of donut muffins rolled in cinnamon and sugar sitting on a cooling rack. Hostess At Heart

I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe as much as we do. Drop me a comment below, and don’t forget to give it a star rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your comments and ratings help others decide if this recipe is for them too.

A cup of coffee sitting on a sauce holding three mini homemade apple muffins - Hostess At Heart
A stack of donut muffins covered in cinnamon and sugar. A muffin on it's side sits next to the stack. Hostess At Heart

Apple Cider Donut Muffins

Author: Julie Menghini
Baked Apple Cider Donut Muffins is a delightful fusion of warm spices and apples. You'll love the deliciousness of a donut in a muffin.
4.67 from 3 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 11 minutes
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword: Apple Muffins, Fall Recipe, Muffin Recipe
Servings: 48 mini muffins

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 ½ cups apple cider
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp butter melted
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Coating *optional

  • 1 cup turbinado sugar white sugar will also work.
  • 1 tsp apple pie spice

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Grease a mini muffin pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients.
  • Mix in apple cider, milk, butter, egg and vanilla extract well.
  • Use a spoon or cookie scoop to fill each muffin cup with batter, fill ¾ of the way.
  • Bake in the oven for 11 minutes.
  • Combine coating sugar and apple pie spice in a baggie. When the muffins come out of the oven, place them in the bag and shake well while they are still warm. Allow to cool and serve.

Notes

● You can make 24 regular-sized muffins, just double the cooking time.
● Skip the coating for less sugar, they still taste just as good.

Nutrition

Calories: 64kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 44mgPotassium: 29mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 29IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 0.3mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

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An image for Pinterest of a stack of two baked mini donut muffins with the bite taken out of the top muffin - Hostess At Heart
The BEST Apple Cider Donut Muffin Recipe
4.67 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)
Recipe Rating




Terry McClintock

Monday 2nd of September 2024

Great recipe, easy to make and delicious !

Julie Menghini

Monday 2nd of September 2024

Thank you, Terry! We love this recipe too.

Maui

Wednesday 15th of November 2023

These mini muffins are easy to make and delicious.

Julie Menghini

Thursday 16th of November 2023

Thank you, Maui!

Dora Chatam

Monday 23rd of October 2023

Why do you mention apple cider vinegar and how it reacts with the baking powder and soda when there is no apple cider vinegar in these muffins?

Julie Menghini

Monday 23rd of October 2023

Thanks, Dora for the catch. It's apple cider and not apple cider vinegar. Sometimes I'm just on autopilot writing these articles and didn't catch it.

Amy

Friday 1st of September 2023

I'm a total texture person and that crunch from the cinnamon sugar on the outside of these muffins with the fluffy soft insides is just wonderful!

Debi

Thursday 31st of August 2023

These were easy to make. Tip, if you use a silicone muffin pan you don't even need to grease it, and they slide right out. Yummy too.

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