Baked apple cinnamon donuts are easy to make at home, and your house will smell amazing as they bake! Perfect fall breakfast or treat.
This post was originally published on September 28, 2012. It was updated with new photos, updated (and totally upgraded!) recipe, and additional helpful cooking instructions to help you make the best homemade donuts ever!
Donuts are all delicious, but there's something extra special about donuts that are full of aromatic fall spices.
We've been making homemade donuts for years, and this is a recipe that I've had since 2012. It was definitely time for an upgrade!
This updated recipe is baked instead of fried. And honestly? I LOVE baked donuts. They're so fluffy and I definitely don't miss all the calories and fat missing compared to fried donuts.
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🌟 What makes this a winning donut recipe
This donut recipe is packed with some of the season's most delicious spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, all spice... and then some applesauce to help celebrate the season's star fruit. Your house will smell AMAZING while these are baking!
I've included some of the spices in the batter. Then the donuts are finished with a warm hug of a sugar spice mix.
These donuts are perfect with your morning coffee!
🍏 Ingredient notes
First: please don't be intimidated by the ingredient list. Many of the ingredients are used in both the batter and the sugar spice mix. You will essentially be creating three separate bowls of ingredients, but mixing two of them together for the batter.
Ingredients for outer coating
For the cinnamon sugar coating, you'll need:
- granulated sugar
- cinnamon
- cloves
- nutmeg
- salt
Wet Ingredients for Donut Batter
For the wet ingredients for the batter, you'll need:
- large eggs
- brown sugar
- melted butter
- milk
- applesauce
- vanilla (not pictured)
Dry Ingredients for Donut Batter
Finally, for the dry ingredients of the donut batter, you'll need:
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
- all-spice
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
Once you've measured and gathered your ingredients, it's time to make the donuts!
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Donuts
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two donut pans with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the spiced sugar coating. Whisk together until well combined. Set aside.
In a separate large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients for the batter.
Then in a stand mixer, or a separate large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together the brown sugar, eggs, applesauce, milk, and melted butter.
Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix together until combined.
Using a spoon or a cookie/ice cream scoop, spoon enough batter into each donut space. Fill with a little bit of room at the top, because these will rise.
Bake at 350°F for 15 to 17 minutes, just until the tops of the donuts are golden brown.
When the donuts have a few minutes left in the bake time, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Set aside next to the bowl of cinnamon sugar spice mix.
When the apple cinnamon donuts are done baking, remove them from the oven. Brush each donut with melted butter then immediately dip into the cinnamon sugar spice coating mix. Place on a cooling rack while you continue to butter and coat the remaining donuts.
Kitchen tools and equipment
To make these delicious donuts at home, you just need:
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment OR a hand mixer and mixing bowls
- 2 donut pans - these are the donut pans I've had for several years and they come in a pack of two!
👩🏻🍳 Recipe FAQs
This recipe is developed specifically for baked donuts. If you want fried donuts instead of baked donuts, you'll need to alter the recipe by adding an extra cup of flour.
Yes! It's a little trickier but it can be done if you have a regular muffin pan an aluminum foil. Here's an easy tutorial to follow to make your own donut molds in a muffin pan.
Yes! According to Dunkin Donuts, one of their fried glazed donuts are around 260 calories each. Comparatively, one baked donut has around 160 calories each. The main difference is baked donuts don't require a large amount of oil and fat
More donut recipes
Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!
Baked Apple Cinnamon Donuts
Ingredients
- cooking spray
Sugar Spice Mix
- 1-½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Batter: Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour divided
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Batter: Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup applesauce
- ¼ cup nonfat milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
Butter for finishing
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the spiced sugar coating. Whisk together until well combined. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients for the batter.
- Then in a stand mixer, or a separate large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together the brown sugar, eggs, applesauce, milk, vanilla, and melted butter.Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix together until combined.
- Using a spoon or a cookie/ice cream scoop, spoon enough batter into each donut space. Fill with a little bit of room at the top, because these will rise. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 17 minutes, just until the tops of the donuts are golden brown.
- When the donuts have a few minutes left in the bake time, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Set aside next to the bowl of cinnamon sugar spice mix.
- When the donuts are done, remove them from the oven. Brush each donut with melted butter then immediately dip into the cinnamon sugar spice coating mix. Place on a cooling rack while you continue to butter and coat the remaining donuts.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
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This post was originally published on September 28, 2012. It was updated with new photos, updated recipe, and additional helpful cooking instructions to help you make the best homemade donuts ever!
Heather says
I love a good chocolate glazed donut! I remember making donuts as a kid. The whole house smelled delicious!
Kate says
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Kate says
I love fritters! Though every now and then get a craving for a good sour cream donut. ;-)
Becky Hosman says
My favorite donut is old fashioned...great recipe!! Totally going to make for the husband!
Ruth Mossok Johnston says
My favorite....definitely PEANUT!!
ten b says
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ten b says
favorite doughnut is buttermilk glazed
Jenny says
I followed on Pinterest.
Jenny says
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Jenny says
Favorite doughtnut - peanut butter & jelly.
Lili says
I'm now following you on Pinterest! Looking forward to staying connected to future recipes and fun tidbits from you!
Lili says
I'd have to say that my favorite donut is a tie between chocolate cake donuts and blueberry donuts!
Bekki Lindner says
I follow you on Twitter as @chasingsupermom =)
Bekki Lindner says
I love making donuts too, but my favorite store-bought kind is maple bars!