Incredibly moist and packed with apple cider flavors and warm fall spices, this apple cider donut bread tastes almost exactly like the classic donut!
This time of year is ALL about the apple cider! So naturally, that means that I’m sticking all the things you love about apple cider donuts in a quick bread and calling it a day.
And seriously, no joke, this loaf tastes almost exactly like the real thing and it’s a thing of beauty.
We had no choice but to demolish this entire loaf in a matter of a few days. Obviously for research purposes.
We all know that donuts are a bit of a pain to make from scratch which makes this quick bread the PERFECT solution for getting your fall fix without having to go to an apple orchard!
And uh, you get an entire loaf to yourself. That’s both a blessing and a curse.
This Apple Cider Donut Bread features…
- An incredibly soft, moist interior.
- A lovely apple cider flavor with lots of fall spices.
- Tons of cinnamon sugar baked on top.
- So much easier than the classic donut AND better for you!
Making the Apple Cider Donut Bread
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Apple cider
- Spices
- Unsalted butter
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Greek yogurt
- Applesauce
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
Equipment You Will Need
No mixer required for this recipe! All you need is a few mixing bowls, a whisk, a spatula, and a 9×5 loaf pan.
If you have a mixer and would like to use it to mix the batter for this bread, absolutely go for it!
Tips for Perfect Apple Cider Donut Bread
- Reduce apple cider – allow the apple cider to reduce in half on the stove. This makes the apple cider more concentrated which means more flavor!
- Use applesauce + apple cider – using two forms of apple ensures a strong apple flavor throughout the bread, plus the applesauce helps makes the bread moist.
- Gently fold batter – be careful not to overmix the batter as this will lead to a tough texture.
- Measure flour correctly – we use the spoon-and-level technique for measuring flour as this will prevent over-measuring. Use a spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup, then level with the back of a knife.
- Bake bread in parchment paper-lined pan – this makes it much easier (and less messy) to remove bread from pan.
- Test bread with toothpick – your bread is done when a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- Cool bread completely – don’t rush this process – you want the bread completely cooled before removing from the pan and cutting into slices.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this bread!
- Add white chocolate – a handful of white chocolate chips would be an incredible addition to this bread.
- Make it into muffins – this batter also works great for muffins. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full, top with cinnamon sugar, and bake at 350F 15-20 minutes.
- Add dried fruit or fresh apples – dried cranberries and a handful of fresh chopped apples would be a great fruity addition.
Storing and Freezing Bread
This bread may be stored at room temperature up to 4 days. We recommend reheating slices in the microwave 30 seconds for best results!
To freeze bread, allow to cool completely, wrap well, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw bread completely on the counter, then reheat slices for serving.
One bite of this luxurious bread and I guarantee you will be hooked! It’s brimming with apple cider flavors, the perfect amount of spice, and every bit as good as the classic donut.
Pro tip: pair a glass of cold apple cider alongside a slice – absolutely to die for!
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
More apple cider favorites to make the most of the season!
Apple Cider Donut Bread
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Ingredients
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup, plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Pour apple cider into a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer 10-15 minutes until apple cider is reduced in half. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk reduced apple cider, butter, brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, applesauce, yogurt, egg, and vanilla until smooth.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cardamom. Gently fold flour mixture into liquid until batter is just combined.
- In a separate small bowl, combine remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Scrape batter into prepared pan and top with cinnamon sugar.
- Bake bread at 350F 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center of bread comes out clean.
- Remove bread from oven and allow to cool completely in pan on a wire cooling rack. Once cooled, remove from pan and slice. Enjoy!
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