These Gluten Free Apple Cider Donuts are soft, tender and perfectly spiced with warm cinnamon, nutmeg and fresh apple cider. This healthy apple donut recipe is easy to make in one bowl and the perfect breakfast or dessert for fall! Grain-free, paleo-friendly, gluten-free with keto sweetener options.
PIN HERE for later and follow my boards for more recipe ideas
Easy Gluten Free Apple Donuts recipe
Looking for a healthy and cozy fall treat? These Gluten Free Apple Cider Donuts are one our favorite recipes to make once September and October arrive. They are based off our our mini apple cider donuts. and just scream fall!
Pillowy soft and full of delicious warm spices, homemade apple cider and coated a paleo cinnamon sugar topping. And the best part is, they’re made with wholesome grain-free ingredients so you can enjoy them for breakfast or a healthy afternoon treat.
My kids live for our yearly visit to the local apple orchard. Along with the bushels of apples that we pick, we always leave with some fresh apple cider and a few of their Old Fashioned Apple Cider Donuts.
But ever since we started making this healthier homemade apple donut recipe, my husband says we can now make delicious apple cider donuts all year long.
And if you’re looking for more healthy donut recipes, we also love these Pumpkin Donuts, Keto Donuts, and these Chocolate Frosted Donuts.
Why we love this easy recipe for baked apple cider donuts
- Easy to make in one bowl with no mixer required
- Healthy baked donut recipe that is also paleo, grain-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free and dairy free with low carb and keto sweetener options
- Soft, tender and full of the best apple flavor
Ingredients you need
Most old fashioned apple cider donut recipes call for all purpose flour, granulated sugar and unsalted butter. To keep these apple cider donuts healthy, you’re going to need:
For the Paleo Apple Donuts:
- Apple cider: we love using fresh apple cider that we get from the Apple Orchard but you can use any apple cider you like or have in your kitchen. You’re going to want to cook down the apple cider until it’s reduced in order to get the best concentrated apple flavor.
- Cashew Butter: be sure to use creamy unsalted cashew butter and not near the bottom of the jar. You can sub with almond butter, pecan butter or any other nut butter or seed butter of choice.
- Maple Syrup: For Keto Apple Donuts, use Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup or a preferred alternative.
- Eggs: helps bind the ingredients for the batter together and helps the baked doughnuts rise. Be sure to bring them to room temperature. Use flax eggs, chia eggs or your favorite egg substitute to make these apple donuts vegan.
- Vanilla extract
- Almond flour: the main paleo and low carb flour to use in place of all purpose flour. Be sure to use superfine almond flour and not almond meal.
- Tapioca flour: helps give the donuts bounce and structure. You can also sub with arrowroot starch / flour. Use a fork to fluff it out if it seems clumpy.
- Coconut flour: adds softness to the donuts. You’ll need 1 tablespoon.
- Baking powder – the leavener to help these apple cider doughnuts rise. Be sure to use a gluten-free or paleo baking powder (made with baking soda, cream of tartar and tapioca starch) as needed.
- Apple pie spice– if you don’t have apple pie spice mix on hand, you can make your own by combining 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp allspice, 1/4 tsp nutmeg & 1/4 tsp cardamom
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- Vegan butter: You’ll need some melted vegan butter or refined coconut oil. Ghee or grass-fed melted butter works if you’re not dairy-free.
- Granulated Pure Maple sugar OR coconut sugar: both are lower glycemic sweeteners that mimics the taste of granulated sugar and brown sugar. For low carb apple cider donuts, use Lakanto monk fruit sweetener or a preferred alternative.
- Apple pie spice
- Cinnamon
How to make Gluten Free Apple Cider Donuts
It’s so easy to make your own baked apple donuts at home. Be sure to follow the step-step recipe or watch the video below.
- Reduce the Apple Cider: Add apple cider to a small saucepan over low heat. Simmer for about 12-15 minutes while stirring occasionally, until you’re left with about 1/3 cup.
- Prepare the baking pan: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a donut pan with non-stick spray or place a silicone donut pan on a baking pan. Set aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled and reduced apple cider and whisk together with the egg, cashew butter, maple syrup and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients: Place a large mesh sieve and sift in the the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder and spices. Stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.
- Fill the donut pan: Transfer the batter to a large piping bag or a large zip-top bag with a corner snipped off and pipe into the prepared donut pan, filling each cavity evenly. Alternatively, use a spoon to fill the donut pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 19-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and let the donuts cool for 10-15 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
- Roll into cinnamon: Meanwhile, make the cinnamon sugar topping by mixing the ingredients in a small shallow bowl. Once the donuts are cool enough to handle, brush each donut with some melted vegan butter then generously dunk into the bowl with the cinnamon sugar topping, making sure to coat well on all sides.
- Enjoy: Serve and enjoy.
Variations
- Craving some chocolate? Add some dairy-free chocolate chips
- Swap out the vanilla extract with maple extract and add some chopped walnuts
- You can drizzle the donuts with homemade caramel sauce or nut or seed butter
Storage and Freezer Tips
The great thing about these healthy apple donuts is that you can make them ahead and store them in the fridge to enjoy throughout the week.
Let your paleo apple cider donuts cool completely then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
How to Freeze Apple Cider Donuts
Allow the baked apple cider donuts to cool completely then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to resealable freezer-safe bag or airtight container and freeze for up to three months.
To Reheat
Thaw them on the counter for 2-3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator, then bring the donuts to room temperature or warm them up in the microwave.
More apple recipes you will love:
These Gluten Free Apple Cider Donuts are soft, tender and perfectly spiced with warm cinnamon, nutmeg and fresh apple cider. This healthy apple donut recipe is easy to make in one bowl and the perfect breakfast or dessert for fall! Grain-free, paleo-friendly, gluten-free with keto sweetener options.
- 1 ½ cups apple cider
- 1 large egg or preferred egg substitute
- ¼ cup creamy cashew butter or preferred nut / seed butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup or preferred sticky liquid sweetener. For low carb / keto, you can use Lakanto SF maple syrup or 4-5 drops of pure liquid monk fruit extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup fine blanched almond flour , fluffed with a fork or sifted to make sure there are no lumps
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour or arrowroot flour, fluffed with a fork or sifted to make sure there are no lumps
- 1 tbsp coconut flour , fluffed with a fork or sifted to make sure there are no lumps
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons apple pie spice , or make your own by mixing 1 ⅓ tsp cinnamon, 1/3 tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp ground allspice and ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 4 Tbsp melted vegan butter , refined coconut oil or ghee
- 1/3 cup granulated pure maple sugar . or preferred granulated sweetener
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp apple pie spice or make your own by mixing ¼ tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg and ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
Reduce Apple Cider: In a small saucepan over high heat, bring the apple cider to a rapid boil, then simmer for about 12-15 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup. Set aside to cool completely (you can prepare this a few days ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the fridge).
- When the apple cider is ready, preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 6-cavity silicone (or regular - grease generously) donut pan.
In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled and reduced apple cider and whisk together with the egg, cashew butter, maple syrup and vanilla until smooth. Slowly add the almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut flour, baking powder and apple pie spices, and mix until combined.
- Transfer the batter to a large piping bag or a large zip-top bag with a corner snipped off and pipe into the prepared donut pan, filling each cavity evenly. Alternatively, use a spoon to fill the donut pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 19-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and let the donuts cool for 10-15 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
Meanwhile, make the cinnamon sugar topping by mixing the ingredients in a small shallow bowl. Once the donuts are cool enough to handle, brush each donut with some melted vegan butter then generously dunk into the bowl with the cinnamon sugar topping, making sure to coat well on all sides.
Serve and enjoy.
Recipe Video
How to store
Let your donuts cool completely then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
How to Freeze
Allow the baked donuts to cool completely then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to resealable freezer-safe bag or airtight container and freeze for up to three months.
To Reheat
Thaw them on the counter for 2-3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator, then bring the donuts to room temperature or warm them up in the microwave.
Aubrie -
these came out delicious! thanks!