Apple Cider Doughnut Mini Muffins Recipe

By
Anna Markow
Anna Markow: Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Anna Markow
Once an irregularly-employed pastry chef in New York City, Anna Markow shared her unique treats with Serious Eats as catharsis from 2012-2013. She returned home to Maine to grow carrot cake from seed in 2019.
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Updated May. 07, 2020
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Anna Markow

People will think these are traditional cider doughnut holes, but they never actually see a fryer, instead getting a quick bath in melted butter and a toss in cinnamon sugar while still warm from the oven. They're super cute, super delicious, and even better, super easy and super fast.

Recipe Facts

4

(2)

Active: 10 mins
Total: 20 mins
Serves: 36 mini muffins

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided

  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger

  • 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

  • 1/3 cup dark brown sugar

  • 1 cup apple cider

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 7 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled, divided

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Directions

  1. Set rack in center of oven, preheat to 400°F. Liberally spray mini muffin pans with nonstick spray, set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Add brown sugar and work into mixture by hand to break up clumps. Set aside. In a second bowl, whisk together cider, egg, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons melted butter. Add wet to dry ingredients and quickly but gently fold together until all streaks of flour are just incorporated and you have a light, fluffy batter. Divide evenly between cups of muffin pans (about 2/3 full) and bake for 8-10 minutes, turning once.

  2. While muffins are baking, whisk together remaining cinnamon and granulated sugar. As soon as muffins are done, immediately turn out onto a rack and roll them a few at a time in the melted butter, then remove to cinnamon sugar and shake until well-coated. Let muffins continue to cool on rack. You may reheat to serve, with the oven at 400°F— it will only take 1 or 2 minutes.

Special equipment

Mini muffin pans, nonstick spray, whisk, spatula, mixing bowls

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
68 Calories
2g Fat
11g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 36
Amount per serving
Calories 68
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 3%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 11mg 4%
Sodium 81mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 3mg 13%
Calcium 13mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 20mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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