Banana Apple Cider Donuts

banana apple cider donut with a bite taken out.

5 from 2 votes

These Banana Apple Cider Donuts, made with boiled cider, are rolled in cinnamon sugar, dipped in a maple glaze, and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar walnuts for all the tastes and textures of Fall!

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: American

Servings: donuts

Calories: 281kcal

Author: Cynthia

Equipment

Ingredients

Apple cider reduction

1 ½ cups apple cider

Donuts

1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup light brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 banana mashed
1 stick unsalted butter melted
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup reduced apple cider

Cinnamon sugar coating

½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/16 teaspoon kosher salt a pinch

Glaze

1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons real maple syrup
1/16 teaspoon kosher salt a pinch
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Optional cinnamon sugar walnuts

½ cup walnuts
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Reduce apple cider

Bring the apple cider to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until you’re left with about ½ cup. Start checking at 10 minutes, and then every five minutes, until you have ½ cup. If you don’t reduce it enough, simmer a little longer. If you reduce it too far, add enough fresh apple cider to equal ½ cup.

Making donuts

Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 2 (6-cavity) donut pans with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
In a medium bowl mash banana with a fork until fairly smooth. Whisk in two large eggs, vanilla extract, and reduced apple cider until fully combined. Drizzle in melted butter walk continuing to whisk.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold, using a rubber spatula, until just combined.
Transfer batter into a disposable piping bag or a large zip top bag.
Using your disposable piping bag or large zip top bag (with a ½ inch opening cut from one corner), fill each well of your prepared donut pan ⅔ full.
Bake until evenly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the thickest portion comes out clean, about 12 to 15 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through baking.
Let the doughnuts cool for 5 minutes after baking, then unmold them from the pans.

Cinnamon sugar topping

Mix together granulated (white) sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
As soon as they are cool enough to handle, roll your baked donuts in the cinnamon sugar and place them on a wire rack. Allow to cool at least 15 minutes before glazing.

Glaze

Mix together all of the glaze ingredients, whisking until smooth.
Dip the tops of the donuts in the glaze, or use the back of a spoon to spread on top.

Optional topping

In a small food processor, pulse walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon for just a moment. Alternatively, you can seal the ingredients in a small zip top bag and give them a couple of taps with a rolling pin.
Sprinkle on still wet glazed donuts.
Serve and enjoy!

Notes

If you don’t want to reduce apple cider, you can use fresh apple cider. It will still taste delicious, but just won’t have as deep of an apple cider flavor.
If you don’t want to use, or don’t have access to apple cider, feel free to use apple juice.
A pinch of salt is defined as 1/16 of a teaspoon, or as much as you can pinch between your thumb and your first finger.
If you are making muffins, lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray. Using a medium scoop, or a large spoon, divide batter evenly between the prepared cups and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating halfway through.

Nutrition