Published: November 21, 2025 | Updated: November 21, 2025
These Apple Cider Donut Muffins taste exactly like the soft, tender muffins you’d find at a farm stand, but made right at home with simple pantry staples, a small saucepan, and lots of love. Reducing sweet apple cider into a concentrated syrup gives these tender muffins an incredible apple flavor without adding too much liquid, and the cinnamon sugar coating creates that classic apple cider donut moment we all adore. This delicious recipe you’ll crave all season long.
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Why You’ll Love These Apple Cider Donut Muffins
- They taste like real apple cider donuts, without frying!
- Made with reduced apple cider for concentrated apple flavor.
- Uses simple dry ingredients you already have in your pantry.
- Bakes perfectly in a muffin tin, donut pan, or even mini muffin form to create little “donut holes.”
What Do Apple Cider Muffins Taste Like?
Imagine the softest, most tender muffin you’ve ever had, fluffy on the inside with warm spices, brown sugar, reduced apple cider, and a buttery cinnamon sugar finish that tastes just like classic apple cider donuts.
The flavor is:
- Cozy
- Spiced
- Sweet (but not too sweet)
- A little caramel-y from the dark brown sugar
- And bursting with warm apple cider flavor
Every bite tastes like a crisp fall morning at your favorite orchard.
Ingredients for Apple Cider Donut Muffins
Apple Cider Reduction
- 2 cups apple cider – Use sweet apple cider from your local orchard for the richest apple flavor. Apple juice works in a pinch, but cider gives deeper fall vibes.
- 1 cinnamon stick – Infuses flavor while the cider reduces in your small saucepan.
Muffin Batter
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour (225g) – Regular purpose flour creates perfect tender muffins.
- 1¼ teaspoons baking powder – Helps the muffins rise into beautiful warm muffin tops.
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt – Balances sweetness. Kosher salt works too.
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon – Essential fall spice that pairs beautifully with apple cider.
- ¾ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg – Adds depth and warmth.
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter (140g), room temperature – Room temperature butter creates a soft, creamy base.
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar (165g) – Adds moisture and that classic apple cider donut flavor.
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g) – Helps the muffins brown and sweeten the crumb.
- 2 large eggs, room temperature – Always use room-temperature eggs for smooth mixing.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – Sweetens and rounds out the flavor.
- ½ cup reduced apple cider – This concentrated cup of cider is the flavor star of the entire muffin.
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted – Helps the cinnamon sugar mixture cling to the entire muffin.
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g) – For that signature donut-style crunch.
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon – A must for the coating.
How to Make Apple Cider Donut Muffins
Below you will find my detailed, step-by-step with process-photos to make this recipe:
STEP 1: Reduce the Apple Cider – In a small saucepan, add 2 cups apple cider and 1 cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to ½ cup.
STEP 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
STEP 3: Cream the Butter & Sugars – In a stand mixer, beat room temperature butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
STEP 4: Combine the Batter – Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix on low just until combined. With the mixer running, drizzle in the ½ cup reduced apple cider until batter is smooth.
STEP 5: Fill the Muffin Tin & Bake – Scoop batter into a regular-sized muffin pan lined with paper liners or greased with non-stick spray, filling each cup ⅔ full. Liners are not needed if you are using a silicone muffin pan. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 15 – 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer muffins to a cooling rack.
STEP 6: Coat in Cinnamon Sugar – While muffins are cooling, melt 6 tbsp of butter and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 tsp of ground cinnamon, set aside. Brush or roll warm muffin tops with melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated – like true apple cider donuts. Enjoy!
How to Reduce Apple Cider in a Saucepan
Reducing apple cider is the secret to getting that bold, cozy apple flavor in baked goods and fall treats. Here’s the quick method:
- Add cider to a wide saucepan. Start with 2 – 3 cups for faster evaporation.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Lower heat to medium-low and keep a gentle simmer to prevent scorching.
- Simmer uncovered for 20–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced:
More Apple Favorites From Elicit Folio
How to Store Apple Cider Muffins
Store leftover muffins once completely cooled:
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for 2 – 3 days. Add a sheet of plastic wrap to keep them soft.
- Refrigerator: Keep in an airtight container up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in a zipper baggie for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave for 10 -15 seconds or warm in the oven for 5 minutes.
FAQ
Can I bake these in a donut pan?
Absolutely. Use the same batter and reduce baking time by about 3 - 5 minutes.
Why reduce the cider?
It removes much liquid and concentrates the apple flavor. Apple cider concentrate also works.
Can I add apple pie spice instead of cinnamon/nutmeg?
Yes! Use 1½ teaspoons.
Can I add fresh apples?
Finely diced fresh apples can be folded into the rest of the batter for a chunkier muffin.
Apple Cider Donut Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
Apple Cider Reduction
- 2 cups Apple Cider
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
Muffin Batter
- 1¾ cups All-purpose Flour (225g)
- 1¼ tsp Baking Soda
- ¾ tsp Sea Salt, fine
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ¾ tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 10 tbsp Butter, unsalted room temperature, (140g)
- ¾ cup Dark Brown Sugar (165g)
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar (50g)
- 2 Large Eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Reduced Apple Cider
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 6 tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar (100g)
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, add 2 cups apple cider and 1 cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to ½ cup.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In a stand mixer, beat room temperature butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix on low just until combined. With the mixer running, drizzle in the ½ cup reduced apple cider until batter is smooth.
- Scoop batter into a regular-sized muffin pan lined with paper liners or greased with non-stick spray, filling each cup ⅔ full. Liners are not needed if you are using a silicone muffin pan. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 15 – 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer muffins to a cooling rack.
- While muffins are cooling, melt 6 tbsp of butter and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 tsp of ground cinnamon, set aside. Brush or roll warm muffin tops with melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated – like true apple cider donuts. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Craving More?
If you make these Apple Cider Donut Muffins, be sure to tag me on Instagram @elicitfolio so I can share your beautiful creations! I love hearing from you! You can also follow along on Pinterest for more cozy fall recipes, travel guides, and hosting inspiration.
I made these donut muffins for my friends and they loved them! yep, a few even asked for the recipe!
This recipe looks amazing! I love how the reduced apple cider gives the muffins such a great flavour, and the cinnamon sugar coating sounds like the perfect mouth watering finishing touch. I can’t wait to try baking these for a treat for my family x
These are amazing! Their texture and flavor are almost like a combination of a muffin and a donut. I’m so in love with them.
Gosh these look so good. Now this is something I haven’t tried making just yet. I think over the Holidays I will try this recipe and I hope they turn out good.
ELicit, I enjoyed reading your post on Best Apple Cider Donut Muffins and loved how you highlighted the cider reduction as the flavor secret that makes them taste like true fall donuts. The step‑by‑step clarity and the cinnamon‑sugar coating finish you describe really make it sound like one of those recipes I’ll want to bake.
This is the first time I heard about Apple Cider Donut Muffins. It looks so yummy and healthy! I can’t wait to try it soon.
Apple Cider donuts? This is very new to me. It looks good, though, and doesn’t taste sour. I hope they sell it somewhere around here so I can taste them first and have a reference when I try baking it.
I love how you build the flavour right from the start by reducing the cider with warm spices. And turning them into muffins instead of fussing with frying is genius for busy days. I can already picture these with a cup of coffee.