Sourdough Apple Cider Donuts | Fried or Baked

ByEmily Rider Updated
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These sourdough apple cider donuts are made with apple cider simmered down to a thick, fragrant syrup and folded into an enriched sourdough dough that fries up golden and crisp or bakes up soft and spiced.

The dough rests overnight for deeper flavor or comes together same day, with two finishing options — warm cinnamon sugar or a spiced apple cider glaze.

For more fall apple baking, explore Homemade Apple Cider Dutch Oven, Sourdough Apple Snaps Recipe, and Easy Homemade Apple Pie Spice Recipe. If you mill your own flour, The Cottage Mill has guides and resources to help you get started.

Sourdough apple cider donuts arranged in a loaf pan, coated in cinnamon sugar and glaze with apples in the background

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Fried or baked in one recipe – Fried gives you a golden crisp edge with a pillowy center. Baked gives you a softer, tender donut. Same deep apple spice flavor either way.
  • Reduced apple cider for real apple flavor – Simmering cider down to half concentrates it into a thick syrup that carries true apple flavor through every bite. This is the step that makes the difference.
  • Starter or discard both work – Active starter for a same-day bake. Discard with an overnight rest for deeper flavor and an easier-to-shape cold dough.
  • Two ways to finish – Cinnamon sugar for a cozy crunch or apple cider spice glaze for a smooth shiny coating. Both work. Both disappear fast.

Ingredients

  • Whole milk – Warmed to 110 to 120 degrees, it adds fat and tenderness and keeps the crumb soft after frying or baking.
  • Apple cider – Simmer 1 cup down to half a cup until thick and syrupy. This concentrated base delivers real apple flavor. Make your own with Homemade Apple Cider Dutch Oven.
  • Melted butter – Adds richness to the dough. Cool slightly before adding so it does not shock the starter.
  • Egg – One large egg adds structure, color, and richness. A farm fresh egg gives the crumb a deeper golden color.
  • Granulated sugar and brown sugar – Granulated feeds the starter and helps browning. Brown sugar adds caramel depth and slight moisture to the crumb.
  • All-purpose flour – Gives this dough the right balance of structure and tenderness for both frying and baking.
  • Sourdough starter or discard – Active starter for same-day. Discard for overnight. Both produce a tender, flavorful donut.
  • Ground cinnamon and apple pie spice – These go into the dough itself so the spice is layered throughout, not just on the surface. Make your own with Homemade Apple Pie Spice Recipe.
  • Salt – Balances both sugars and sharpens the apple and spice flavors.
  • Oil for frying – Vegetable, sunflower, peanut, or coconut oil all work. You need at least two inches of depth for even frying.
Fresh sourdough apple cider donuts covered in a shiny glaze cooling on a wire rack with apples behind

Variations & Add-Ins

  • Pumpkin cider blend – Replace half the reduced cider with pumpkin puree for a mellow fall twist. Pairs naturally with Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins when you are deep in fall baking.
  • Maple cinnamon glaze – Replace the milk in the glaze with pure maple syrup for a smooth, naturally sweet coating.
  • Brown butter finish – Brown the butter before melting it into the dough. Cook over medium heat until golden and nutty, cool, then use as directed.
  • Freshly milled flour version – Replace 1 cup of all-purpose flour with freshly milled soft white wheat for a slightly nuttier crumb that still fries beautifully. See How to Convert Recipes to Freshly Milled Flour for guidance.

Recipe Tips

Reduce the cider low and slow – Simmer over medium heat without rushing. The kitchen smells like warm apples and spice when it is ready. Cool completely before adding to the dough.

Choose your starter based on your timeline – Active peaked starter for a same-day bake with three to four hours of rise time. Discard for an overnight refrigerator rest of eight to twelve hours.

Keep the dough warm during bulk fermentation – A warm draft-free spot near the oven works well. The dough should look light and puffy before shaping.

Watch the oil temperature – Keep oil steady between 375 and 380 degrees Fahrenheit. Too low and the donuts absorb excess oil. Too high and they brown before cooking through. Fry two to three at a time maximum.

Coat while warm, not hot – Rest donuts two to three minutes on the rack before coating. Too hot and the coating slides off. Slightly warm and it clings evenly.

Chill before cutting – Cold overnight dough is much easier to roll and cut cleanly. If baking same day, a thirty minute refrigerator rest after bulk fermentation helps significantly.

Freeze uncoated for later – Cool completely, wrap individually, freeze up to one month. Thaw, warm in a low oven, then coat before serving.

Smooth sourdough donut dough resting in a glass bowl with apples and cinnamon sticks on a lace tablecloth
Hand picking up a cinnamon sugar sourdough apple cider donut from a cooling rack with donut holes nearby

Instructions

  1. Reduce the cider – Simmer 1 cup apple cider over medium heat until reduced to half a cup, thick and syrupy. Cool completely before using.
  2. Mix the dry ingredients – Whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, and apple pie spice in a medium bowl until evenly combined.
  3. Combine the wet ingredients – Whisk starter or discard with egg, warm milk, cooled reduced cider, melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.
  4. Bring the dough together – Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, mixing until a soft slightly tacky dough forms and pulls away from the bowl sides.
  5. Knead the dough – Knead with a dough hook or by hand on a lightly oiled surface for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  6. Bulk ferment with stretch and folds – Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and rest 30 minutes. Perform four rounds of stretch and folds, resting 30 to 45 minutes between each. Let rise 3 to 4 hours until puffy. For deeper flavor refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
  7. Shape the donuts – Roll chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to one quarter to one half inch thick. Cut donuts and holes, arrange on parchment, and refrigerate 30 minutes while heating oil or preheating oven.
  8. To fry – Heat oil in a Dutch oven to 375 to 380 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry two to three donuts at a time for two to three minutes per side until deep golden brown. Drain on a wire rack.
  9. To bake – Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake on a parchment-lined sheet for 10 to 15 minutes until golden and set.
  10. Make the cinnamon sugar coating – Stir granulated sugar and apple pie spice together in a shallow bowl. Roll warm donuts until fully coated.
  11. Make the apple cider glaze – Whisk sifted powdered sugar with apple cider, whole milk, apple pie spice, and a pinch of salt until glossy and pourable. Dip warm donuts and set on a rack to set.
  12. Serve warm – These are best slightly warm. A few minutes in a low oven or air fryer brings back that fresh texture if serving later.

Freezing and Storage

  • Room temperature – Covered up to two days. Coat just before serving for best texture.
  • Refrigerator – Covered up to four days. Warm briefly before serving.
  • Freezer – Freeze uncoated individually wrapped donuts up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, warm in a 300 degree oven, then coat before serving.
  • Reheating – A low 300 degree oven or a brief air fryer pass restores texture without drying the crumb. Avoid microwaving.

FAQ

Yes, bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 15 minutes until golden and set. The texture will be softer and more cake-like than fried but the apple cider flavor and spice carry through just as well. Both the cinnamon sugar coating and the apple cider glaze work on the baked version.

Simmer 1 cup of apple cider over medium heat until reduced to half a cup and thick and syrupy. It is ready when it looks glossy and the kitchen smells like warm spiced apples. Cool completely before adding to the dough. For the most flavorful base, start with Homemade Apple Cider Dutch Oven.

Both work well and the choice depends on your timeline. Active peaked starter for a same-day bake with a lighter texture and gentle tang. Sourdough discard with an overnight refrigerator rest for deeper flavor and a soft crumb that holds up well after frying or baking.

Yes, refined coconut oil has a neutral flavor that does not compete with the apple and spice in the dough. Vegetable oil, sunflower oil, and peanut oil are all reliable options.

Yes, granulated sugar feeds the starter and helps browning. Brown sugar adds caramel depth and slight moisture to the crumb. Replacing one with the other changes both texture and flavor.

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Stack of glazed sourdough apple cider donuts on a white plate with apples in the background
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Sourdough Apple Cider Donuts | Fried or Baked Recipe

Author: Emily Rider
These sourdough apple cider donuts are made with reduced apple cider, warm spices, and active starter or discard, fried golden or baked soft. Finish with cinnamon sugar or apple cider spice glaze for the perfect fall morning.
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Prep Time:45 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes
Rest Time:3 hours
Total Time:4 hours
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Desserts
Cuisine: American, Cottage Style
Servings: 12 Donuts
Calories: 1037kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Small saucepan
  • 1 Large mixing bowl or stand mixer
  • 1 Rolling Pin
  • 1 Donut Cutter
  • 1 Candy Thermometer
  • 1 Dutch Oven or deep , heavy bottom pot
  • 1 Wire cooling rack with pan

Ingredients

Dough

  • ½ cup whole milk warmed to 110 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, 120 grams
  • 1 cup apple cider reduced to 1/2 cup, 120 grams
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled, 57 grams
  • 1 large egg 50 grams
  • ½ cup granulated sugar 100 grams
  • ½ cup brown sugar lightly packed, 110 grams
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour unbleached, 480 grams
  • 1 cup sourdough starter or discard 180 to 240 grams
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 grams
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice 4 grams
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt 6 grams

Oil For Frying

  • 4 to 5 cups vegetable oil or coconut oil amounts vary by pot size, minimum 2 inches depth

Apple Pie Spice Sugar Coating

  • 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
  • 1 tablespoon apple pie spice or ground cinnamon 8 grams

Apple Cider Spice Glaze

  • For the Apple Cider Spice Glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar sifted, 120 grams
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider 30 grams
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk 30 grams
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice or cinnamon 4 grams
  • 1 pinch fine salt

Instructions

  1. Reduce the cider – Simmer 1 cup apple cider over medium heat until reduced to half a cup, thick and syrupy. Cool completely before using.
  2. Mix the dry ingredients – Whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, and apple pie spice in a medium bowl until evenly combined.
  3. Combine the wet ingredients – Whisk starter or discard with egg, warm milk, cooled reduced cider, melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.
  4. Bring the dough together – Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, mixing until a soft slightly tacky dough forms and pulls away from the bowl sides.
  5. Knead the dough – Knead with a dough hook or by hand on a lightly oiled surface for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  6. Bulk ferment with stretch and folds – Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and rest 30 minutes. Perform four rounds of stretch and folds, resting 30 to 45 minutes between each. Let rise 3 to 4 hours until puffy. For deeper flavor refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
  7. Shape the donuts – Roll chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to one quarter to one half inch thick. Cut donuts and holes, arrange on parchment, and refrigerate 30 minutes while heating oil or preheating oven.
  8. To fry – Heat oil in a Dutch oven to 375 to 380 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry two to three donuts at a time for two to three minutes per side until deep golden brown. Drain on a wire rack.
  9. To bake – Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake on a parchment-lined sheet for 10 to 15 minutes until golden and set.
  10. Make the cinnamon sugar coating – Stir granulated sugar and apple pie spice together in a shallow bowl. Roll warm donuts until fully coated.
  11. Make the apple cider glaze – Whisk sifted powdered sugar with apple cider, whole milk, apple pie spice, and a pinch of salt until glossy and pourable. Dip warm donuts and set on a rack to set.
  12. Serve warm – These are best slightly warm. A few minutes in a low oven or air fryer brings back that fresh texture if serving later.

Notes

Starter or discard – Active peaked starter for a same-day bake with lighter texture. Sourdough discard for an overnight rest with deeper flavor. Both produce a tender, flavorful donut.
Oil temperature – Keep oil steady at 375 to 380 degrees Fahrenheit. A candy thermometer makes this consistent. Fry two to three donuts at a time maximum to maintain temperature.
Apple cider reduction – Start with 1 cup and simmer until half a cup remains. The cider is ready when thick, glossy, and the kitchen smells like warm spiced apples. Cool completely before adding to dough.
Freezing – Freeze uncoated baked or fried donuts individually wrapped for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, warm in a 300 degree oven, then coat before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1120g | Calories: 1037kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 78g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 42g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 213mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 160IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg

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Close-up of a woman in a peach blouse smiling and leaning against a kitchen counter, with fresh flour and wheat berries visible beside her.

Emily Rider

Home miller since 1999 with fresh-milled flour & sourdough experience. Sharing from-scratch recipes and traditional kitchen skills, rooted in the seasons and inspired by everyday cottage living and seasonal rhythms.

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