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Easy apple cider donuts use cake mix to make a delicious fall treat for anyone who is looking for a yummy alternative to pumpkin everything. This easy donut recipe comes together in under half an hour and yields a yummy pastry that tastes exactly like the treats at the fall festivals. Perfect for a cozy fall dessert or a fun addition to a fall breakfast or brunch.

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Something about fall just screams donuts to me.

I go the other 9 months of the year without even really thinking about a donut.

But come fall… it’s time to make (and eat) the donuts.

These fresh apple cider donuts remind me of one of my favorite parts of fall.

Each year, we go to this corn maze and fall festival. It’s one of my favorite nights of the whole year, traipsing through a corn maze with a flashlight in the brisk air.

After a night of corn maizing and apple cannons, we always stop by their food stands for warm, freshly baked apple cider donuts.

Those donuts are the best and these taste just like them!

They are cinnamony and fresh and just taste like a cozy autumn night.

I dream about these donuts all year. Literally all year.

Well, I have found a way to recreate them easily at home.

Now I just need to get on making a corn maze in my backyard and I’ll be set for my very own fall festival.

The result is everything you could want in an apple cider donut.

Tender yet cakey. Filled with fall flavor. The perfect compliment to a hot glass of mulled cider or a steaming cup of coffee.

Ingredients and Kitchen Supplies

Because these are semi homemade you don’t need much for this recipe. All you need is:

Cake mix- Go for yellow cake mix here instead of something like spice cake mix so the apple cider flavor really shines through.
Apple cider
Cinnamon
Butter- Unsalted so you don’t wind up with really salty donuts.
Eggs
Cinnamon sugar- Either the premade stuff you can find with the spices or make your own.

Kitchen supplies you’ll want on hand include:

Donut pans– These are like muffin tins but with a donut shape instead.
Cooling rack
Piping bags
Mixing bowls
Measuring cups and spoons

How to Make Easy Apple Cider Donuts with Cake Mix

Make the batter.

Batter in a piping bag — Spoon the donut batter into a piping bag to make nice, neat donuts. The batter will be a bit thick.

In a large bowl combine the cake mix, apple cider, egg, melted butter, and spices. Mix until thoroughly combined, scraping sides down. Once the batter is smooth, stop mixing. You don’t want to overmix. If you overmix, you’ll wind up with very dense donuts. While you put together the batter, get your oven preheating to 400.

Fill the Donut Pans.

Spray the donut pans with nonstick spray. (I use these Wilton Donut Pans and get great results.) Then I like to fill a pastry bag with the batter and pipe it into the pans. Don’t have a pastry bag? Use a spoon to fill the pans. It’ll do the trick, but it will be messier.

Bake the Donuts.

Put the filled pans in the oven for 10-12 minutes at 400. Remove from oven. Let cool on a cooling rack until they are just warm.

Toss in Cinnamon Sugar.

While donuts are cooling, combine the ingredients for the cinnamon sugar topping by pouring the sugars and cinnamon into a medium bowl and tossing together with a fork until combined. When donuts are warm but not hot toss each donut individually in the sugar mix to coat. Enjoy!

Storing Homemade Donuts

To store these homemade donuts, put them on a plate and cover the donuts in foil or plastic wrap. You could also seal them in a plastic bag or container. They should keep for 3 days on your counter. You can also wrap them well and put them in an air tight container in your fridge. They’ll last for about a week in the fridge.

Can I freeze these apple cider donuts?

You can! While these donuts are the best freshly baked, you can absolutely freeze them. To freeze, let them cool completely. Once they’re cool, wrap each one individually in plastic wrap. Then store the wrapped donuts in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. To thaw, take a wrapped donut out of the freezer and pop it in the microwave for 15-30 seconds on defrost. And boom, fresh donuts!

Tips and Tricks

While a piping bag isn’t required, taking the time to fill a piping bag will make filling the donut pans go so much easier. Plus it will be less messy.
To fill a piping bag, I like to put it in a large cup with the point at the bottom of the cup. Then I fold the opening of the bag over the opening of the cup and spoon in the batter. When I’m done, I cut the tip of the bag off. No need to use a fancy tip or anything.
Spray the pans well with nonstick spray.
Toss the donuts in the cinnamon sugar when they are still warm. The warmth helps the sugar stick.
Serve them with a cup of warm Homemade Apple Cider or an adult Hot Apple Cider Bourbon Cocktail

Other Recipes You might Love

Looking for other donut recipes? Try these:

Looking for other apple recipes? Try these:

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