Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts for a Cider Season That Peaked Earlier Than the Calendar Says
Krispy Kreme launched an Apple Cider Original Glazed Doughnut on 10 September, and a 18 September report found orchard cider donut season had already peaked early after a warm spring pushed the apple harvest ahead of schedule. These bake, not fry.
Tuesday, September 29, 2026/3 min read
Apple cider doughnuts usually build slowly toward an October peak, but this year's timeline moved faster than usual on two fronts at once. A 9 September announcement confirmed Krispy Kreme would launch a new Apple Cider Original Glazed Doughnut, "made with apple cider dough, spiced with cinnamon," at participating shops from 10 September, a full three weeks earlier in the season than the chain's typical autumn rollout. Nine days later, an 18 September report on orchard cider donut season explained why: warm spring temperatures pushed Michigan's apple harvest "one to two weeks earlier than normal," meaning peak cider production, and the freshest orchard donuts, arrived before most families had even started planning their October visit.
Why bake this version at home
The report above notes that fresh orchard cider donuts do not travel or keep well, and the quality depends on that specific orchard's juice pressed that same morning, which is not something a home kitchen can replicate. A baked version sidesteps that problem entirely: it uses reduced apple cider for concentrated flavour instead of relying on fresh-pressed juice, goes into the oven rather than a fryer, and can be made any week of the season rather than only on the one morning a year the orchard's timing lines up with yours.
Ingredients, for 12 doughnuts
- 350ml apple cider (1 1/2 cups)
- 250g plain flour (2 cups)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 100g granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
- 2 large eggs
- 60g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra melted for brushing (1/4 cup)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 100g cinnamon sugar, for coating (1/2 cup sugar mixed with 2 tsp cinnamon)
Method
Pour the apple cider into a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until reduced to about 120ml (1/2 cup); this concentrates the apple flavour considerably and is worth the wait. Set aside to cool while you prepare everything else.
Heat the oven to 190C (375F) and grease a 12-cavity doughnut pan well. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs together until pale, then whisk in the melted butter, vanilla, and the cooled reduced cider. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold together just until no streaks of flour remain; the batter will be thick but pourable.
Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared doughnut pan, filling each cavity about two-thirds full. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the doughnuts spring back when pressed and a skewer comes out clean.
Let the doughnuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. While still warm, brush each doughnut all over with melted butter and immediately roll in the cinnamon sugar until fully coated.
Two swaps
Swap half the plain flour for wholemeal flour for a slightly nuttier, denser doughnut that still holds the cider flavour well. Dairy-free butter works in place of regular butter throughout, including for brushing, with no noticeable difference in the final texture.
Storage
Best eaten the day they are made, while the cinnamon sugar coating is still slightly crisp. Keep any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, or freeze un-coated for up to a month, thawing and rolling in fresh cinnamon sugar just before serving.
Published in The Outspoken Digest
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