Description

These Vegan Apple Cider Donuts are a delightful, plant-based treat perfect for fall. Made with whole wheat pastry flour and flavored with apple cider and cinnamon, they’re baked to a light golden perfection and coated in cinnamon sugar for an irresistible finish. Dairy-free, oil-optional, and easy to make, these donuts are best served fresh but can be stored for a couple of days.

Ingredients

Scale

Donuts

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

Topping

3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons melted vegan butter or coconut oil

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Instructions

Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and spray a donut pan with non-stick spray. Having two pans helps to bake more donuts simultaneously.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon until well combined.
Add Wet Ingredients: Pour in the apple cider, soy milk, unsweetened applesauce, and melted vegan butter or coconut oil. Stir gently with a large spoon until the batter is just combined; be careful not to overmix to keep the donuts tender.
Fill Donut Pan: Spoon the batter into the donut cavities, filling each about 3/4 full. For more precision, use a piping bag with a large tip to pipe the batter evenly into each mold.
Bake Donuts: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 10 minutes until edges turn lightly golden brown and donuts spring back when lightly pressed.
Cool Donuts: Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for about 2 minutes before carefully inverting them onto a cooling rack. Continue baking and cooling all remaining batter the same way.
Prepare Topping: While donuts are baking, combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a bowl. Melt the vegan butter or coconut oil separately.
Coat Donuts: Brush each warm donut on all sides with melted vegan butter or coconut oil, then dip into the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat thoroughly. Alternatively, you can brush on butter and sprinkle cinnamon sugar only on top.
Serve: Enjoy the donuts fresh for the best texture and flavor. They can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Notes

For a gluten-free option, try substituting with a gluten-free flour blend, oat flour, or spelt flour, although results may vary.
To make the donuts oil-free, replace the oil in the batter with additional applesauce and skip the butter/oil brushing on the coating; just coat them in cinnamon sugar.
You can substitute coconut sugar for granulated sugar if preferred.
If applesauce is unavailable, use apple butter, non-dairy yogurt, or additional melted vegan butter or coconut oil.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 donut
Calories: 180 kcal
Sugar: 12 g
Sodium: 150 mg
Fat: 6 g
Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 28 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 3 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg