Name: Vegan Apple Cider Donuts
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or white flour); 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 cup apple cider; 1/4 cup soy milk (or other non-dairy milk); 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce; 2 tablespoons melted vegan butter or coconut oil; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 4 tablespoons melted vegan butter or coconut oil

Wonderfully spiced, moist and fluffy, these Vegan Apple Cider Donuts are baked instead of fried and infused with warm fall flavors. A perfect Fall treat and easy enough to make any day of the week. Friends and family will love them!

stack of donuts, one with a bite taken out

These sweet fall-flavored Vegan Apple Cider Donuts are SO scrumptious! Baked to perfection, they’re soft and fluffy with warm apple flavors throughout. It’s like eating an apple pie or apple crisp in donut-form!

The ingredients in this donut recipe are very straight forward. The only special item you need is a donut pan! This tool will form and shape perfect donuts every time.

Enjoy these vegan apple donuts all year long or try my cinnamon sugar donuts instead.

Ingredients needed (with substitutions)

Whole wheat pastry flour – All purpose flour or a gluten free mix also work well!
Granulated sugar – Or try coconut sugar.
Baking powder – To fluff up the donuts!
Salt
Ground cinnamon – For delicious fall flavors. Feel free to add in nutmeg, ginger, or cardamom as well.
Apple cider – Try to use quality organic apple cider if possible for the best flavor.
Soy milk – Or use almond, hemp, or coconut milk.
Applesauce – Unsweetened is best, or you can use apple butter instead. It can also be substituted for an extra 3 tablespoons of melted vegan butter.
Vegan butter – If you don’t have any butter at home, make your own or use coconut oil instead.

How to make vegan apple cider donuts

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl.
Next, pour in the apple cider, soy milk, applesauce, and melted vegan butter/coconut oil.
Mix well with a large spoon making sure not to over mix.
Spoon the batter into the donut pan, filling each circle 3/4 of the way full.
Bake the donuts for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are a light golden brown. While they bake, make the cinnamon sugar topping: Stir together the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl, then melt the coconut oil or butter in a separate bowl.
Leave the donuts to cool in the pan for 2 minutes when they’re done, then let them cool completely on a cooling rack. Brush each donut with some coconut oil or butter on all sides, then dip them in the cinnamon sugar to coat.

Turn them into muffins

If you don’t have a donut pan, you can make these in a regular muffin pan. Make the apple cider muffins the same way, except spoon the dough ¾ of the way into a greased muffin tin instead. Bake them for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Can they be made gluten free?

Yes! Just swap the whole wheat pastry flour for a gluten free mix instead. Oat flour might work as well, but I haven’t tested it.

Can they be made without oil?

The vegan donuts can be made without oil by swapping the coconut oil/vegan butter for applesauce. When the donuts are done baking, don’t brush them with melted butter or oil and dip them in the sugar coating while they’re still warm. It will still stick to the donut very well.

Helpful recipe tips

If your soy milk is cold, warm it in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute. You don’t want it to be cold or else it will harden the coconut oil in the batter.
A piping bag with a large tip will come in handy to pipe the dough evenly into each donut cavity. Or just spoon it in.
If a cinnamon sugar topping isn’t your thing, make a simple vanilla sugar glaze like in my Glazed Chocolate Donut recipe.

How to store leftover donuts

The donuts are best served right away, or at least the same day, because the butter or coconut oil will soak into the pastry and soften the outside. If you have leftovers, keep them in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

You can also freeze the plain baked donuts for up to 1 month by placing them in a plastic bag or sealed container. Leave them to defrost in the fridge or room temperature for a few hours.

More sweet recipes for Fall

Try any of these warm and tasty recipes when the chilly weather hits.

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