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Close up of a glazed baked apple cider doughnut with creamy maple icing and chopped pecans on a light plate

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Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Salted Maple Pecan Glaze

Recipe by Chloe Davis

These baked doughnuts deliver everything you love about a fall orchard trip, without the mess of deep frying. Upgrading to a browned-butter maple glaze crowned with toasted pecans and flaky sea salt gives them a gorgeous bakery-style finish, while substituting oil for butter in the batter guarantees a soft, moist crumb that won’t dry out the next day.

  • Total Time76 minutes
  • Yield12 doughnuts (serves 12) 1x

Ingredients

Scale

Apple Cider Doughnuts

  • 2 cups apple cider (reduces to ½ cup)
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (150g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom (or nutmeg)
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ cup (60ml) neutral oil (such as canola or avocado)
  • ⅓ cup (80g) smooth apple butter
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled and coarsely grated

Salted Maple Pecan Glaze

  • 4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • ⅓ cup (80ml) pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup (35g) finely chopped pecans, toasted
  • Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Reduce the cider: Pour the 2 cups of apple cider into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cook for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced to exactly ½ cup. Pour into a heat-proof measuring cup and let cool to room temperature.
  2. Preheat and prep: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Thoroughly grease two 6-cup doughnut pans with nonstick baking spray.
  3. Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, baking soda, and kosher salt. Break up any brown sugar clumps with your fingers.
  4. Mix the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk the cooled ½ cup of reduced cider, oil, apple butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until completely smooth.
  5. Combine the batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula until just a few flour streaks remain. Take your grated apple, squeeze it gently over a paper towel to remove excess juice, and fold the apple shreds into the batter. Do not overmix.
  6. Bake: Transfer the batter to a large zip-top bag, snip off the corner, and pipe it evenly into the doughnut cavities, filling them about ¾ full. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the doughnuts are puffed, set, and spring back lightly when touched. Let them cool in the pans for 5 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. Brown the butter: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter. Swirl the pan continuously for 3 to 4 minutes until the butter foams, turns golden brown, and smells deeply nutty. Immediately remove from heat.
  8. Finish the glaze: Whisk the maple syrup, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract into the browned butter until perfectly smooth. Dip the top half of each cooled doughnut into the warm glaze. Immediately sprinkle the tops with the toasted pecans and a pinch of flaky sea salt before the glaze sets.

Notes

  • Why it works: Swapping the standard butter for a neutral oil in the batter is the secret to a much moister, tender baked doughnut that stays remarkably soft for days.
  • Grate, don’t chop: Grating the apple and lightly squeezing out the moisture ensures the fruit incorporates beautifully into the dough without creating soggy, wet pockets during baking.
  • Storage: These are phenomenal on day one, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Nutrition (per serving — estimates)

Calories: 336 | Total Carbs: 54g (Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 35g) | Fat: 12g (Saturated: 3g) | Protein: 3g

Nutritional values are approximate, based on standard reference data (USDA FoodData Central). Actual values vary by brand and exact measurements. For precision, use a tracker like MyFitnessPal or Cronometer.

  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cooling Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 36 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast, Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 doughnut
  • Calories: 336
  • Sugar: 35g
  • Fat: 12g
  • Saturated Fat: 3g
  • Carbohydrates: 54g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 3g

Find it online: https://delicious.alfityan.org/2026/08/10/baked-apple-cider-doughnuts-with-browned-butter-glaze/