Getting this Fall weekend started right with these Apple Cider Donut Holes with Spiced Sugar. Made with only flour, sugar, yeast, baking powder, apple pie spice, salt, eggs, boiled cider, unsalted butter, and apple cider, these delicious fried doughnuts are guaranteed to be your go-to Fall breakfast treat. Every bite is full of delicious apple flavor with a wonderful warmth coming from the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and ginger. There’s really nothing not to love about these adorable little spiced donut holes! Serve with your favorite cup of coffee, some apple butter, caramel sauce, or even a scoop of ice cream for a fun Fall dessert! Truly the perfect way to celebrate apple season!

donut holes in bowl with more around, flowers, and star anise around

→ This post is also available as a Web Story: Apple Cider Donut Holes

About The Recipe

It’s October, it’s a Friday, and we are sharing our favorite donut recipe for apple picking season! I know we have been a bit Fall-happy with all of our pumpkin recipes as of late, but we couldn’t resist the idea of a good doughnut with apple flavors.

From the moment these little cuties came out of the fryer, we knew we had something really special!

doughnut holes in bowl with flowers, a doughnut hole in front, and whole star anise

For me and my family, there is nothing more comforting than the smell of apples and spices. It’s one of the coziest smells on the planet! So, when we thought about doing another doughnut recipe on the blog (because you all went nuts for the chocolate filled doughnuts earlier this year!), we immediately came up with these apple cider donuts.

The best part? You can actually make these into a small batch of traditional doughnuts as well!

Honestly, the possibilities are limitless. No matter the shape, every bite of these will always be melt in your mouth delicious!

Just be sure not to skip the spiced sugar! It really makes the doughnut come together, trust me! A little extra sweetness, more apple pie spice… I mean, what’s not to love?

Serve these donuts for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas…or just whenever you want a really delicious Fall-themed donut! So. GOOD.

Equipment Needed

Mixer
Rolling Pin
Cutter
Deep Pan
Digital Thermometer
Stainless Steel Wire Strainer
Mixing Bowls
Whisk

Ingredients

For The Donuts:

All-Purpose Flour
Instant Yeast
Baking Powder
Sugar
Kosher Salt
Apple Pie Spice
Apple Cider
Eggs
Boiled Cider
Unsalted Butter

apple cider, salt, boiled cider, spice, sugar, baking powder, yeast, butter, flour, and an egg on marble counter

For The Spiced Sugar:

Sugar
Apple Pie Spice
Cinnamon

sugar and apple pie spice in glass bowls

Instructions

Combine flour, yeast, baking powder, sugar, salt, and apple pie spice in a mixer. Stir until mixed.

flour, spices, yeast, salt, and sugar in a mixer

With the mixer running, stir in the egg, apple cider, and boiled cider.

egg, apple cider, and boiled cider added to dry ingredients

Add the butter and knead until smooth, about 8-10 minutes.

softened butter in mixer with rough dough

Place dough in greased container and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

Turn the dough out onto floured surface and sprinkle top of dough with flour. Roll to 1/4 inch thick. Cover dough and let rest for 10 minutes.

Cut out the donut holes. Place each donut a few inches inches apart on parchment lined pans that have been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 15 minutes. You can re-roll the scraps, but these won’t be as pretty as the first batch! Just remember to not add anymore flour to the dough if you choose to re-roll.

thirty five cut doughnut holes on lined sheet pan

Mix together the sugar, apple pie spice, and cinnamon. Set aside.

While the dough is rising, heat 2 inches of oil in a large pot to 350 degrees. Fry donuts in small batches, 5 or 6 at a time, 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Roll the donuts in the sugar mixture while hot.

Dough Troubleshooting

The butter won’t mix into the dough: It takes a few minutes for the butter to fully incorporate. If it’s not incorporating, it might be that some or all of your ingredients might’ve been too cold. Everything needs to be room temperature.

The dough isn’t smooth: Make sure you’re using a dough hook when mixing! It also could be that it wasn’t kneaded enough.

Dough didn’t rise in the times stated: This could be a couple of things. It might be too cold inside, it could be the yeast…just give it time! Sweet doughs naturally take much longer to rise than regular dough because the sugar is absorbing the liquid that the yeast feeds on. Try placing the dough by (not in!) a warm oven or check the date on your yeast!

Dough browned but didn’t cook in the middle: This is because your oil is too hot! Turn it down and try again.

What Type of Yeast To Use

You need to use an instant yeast. For this recipe, we used SAF Gold. If you use another type of yeast, we can’t guarantee any outcomes.

doughnut holes with flowers, whole star anise, and plates behind

How to Store

Once the donuts have been made and cooled, you can easily store them in the fridge or freezer! Just be sure to plastic them in a resealable bag or container. If stored in the fridge, they should last about 4-7 days, if stored in the freezer, they’ll easily last a few months! Feel free to microwave for a few seconds on high to reheat.

Substitutions

If you don’t have boiled cider, use 1/2 teaspoon vanilla as a substitute. The donuts won’t have as much apple flavor, but they’ll still taste delicious!

Other Recipes You May Like

bite taken out of donut hole with more donuts underneath, flowers, and a star anise pod

Expert Tips

Don’t skip resting the dough after rolling it out! This allows the gluten in the dough to relax and makes it easier to cut.
You can actually re-roll the dough scraps. Just don’t add any extra flour! The donuts from the dough scraps won’t be quite as pretty and may be a little tougher, but they’ll still taste good.
Use a thermometer to keep oil at a steady temperature.
Make sure you roll the donuts in the spiced sugar while they’re still hot!

When you make these Apple Cider Donut Holes with Spiced Sugar, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.

Apple Cider Donut Holes with Spiced Sugar