Air Fryer Apple Cider Donuts

These air fryer apple cider donuts are one of my favorite fall treats to make at home. They come out soft, warm, and coated in cinnamon sugar – honestly hard to stop at just one.

The recipe is really simple and you only need basic ingredients. No deep frying, no yeast, no waiting around for dough to rise.

The apple cider gives them that classic autumn flavor without being too sweet or overpowering. Mixed with a little cinnamon and nutmeg, they taste just like the ones you get at apple orchards.

You can have a fresh batch ready in about 20 minutes from start to finish. The air fryer does most of the work, and cleanup is pretty minimal.

If you have been wanting to try making donuts at home but didn’t want to deal with a pot of hot oil, this is a great place to start. Let me show you how to make them.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

No Deep Frying Required – These apple cider donuts are made in the air fryer, so you skip the messy oil and heavy cleanup that comes with traditional fried donuts. You still get that golden, slightly crispy outside without the greasy guilt.

They Taste Like Fall in Donut Form – The combo of real apple cider, cinnamon, and nutmeg gives these donuts that cozy autumn flavor you’d find at an orchard or cider mill. They honestly smell incredible while they’re cooking.

Ready in Under 20 Minutes – From mixing the batter to pulling warm, cinnamon sugar-coated donuts out of the air fryer, the whole process takes less than 20 minutes. That’s faster than driving to a donut shop and waiting in line.

That Cinnamon Sugar Coating Is Unreal – After air frying, each donut gets brushed with melted butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar. That warm, buttery coating sticking to every surface is what makes these absolutely addictive.

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1.5 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
• 1/3 cup Apple Cider
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar (packed)
• 1 Egg
• 3 tbsp Butter (melted)
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

For the Coating

• 4 tbsp Butter (melted)
• 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

How to Make

Step 1

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the apple cider, brown sugar, egg, 3 tablespoons melted butter, and vanilla extract.

Step 2

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined. The batter will be thick and slightly sticky. Do not overmix.

Step 3

Transfer the batter to a piping bag or zip-top bag and pipe it into a greased donut pan or silicone donut mold, filling each about 3/4 full. You should get about 6 donuts.

Step 4

Preheat the air fryer to 350F. Place the donut mold in the basket and air fry for 9-11 minutes until the donuts are puffed and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 2 minutes before removing from the mold.

Step 5

Brush each warm donut generously with melted butter, then roll in the combined cinnamon sugar mixture until coated on all sides. Serve warm.

Tips

Don’t Overmix the Batter

When you pour the wet ingredients into the dry, stir just until everything comes together and you don’t see any patches of dry flour. The batter should look thick and a little lumpy, and that’s totally fine.

If you keep stirring trying to make it smooth, the gluten in the flour develops too much and your donuts will come out dense and chewy instead of soft and cake-like. A few small lumps won’t hurt anything, but overmixing definitely will.

Use a Silicone Donut Mold

If you have the option, go with a silicone donut mold instead of a metal one. The donuts pop right out of silicone without any sticking, even if you forget to grease it. Metal pans can work, but they tend to hold onto the donuts more and you risk tearing them when you try to remove them.

Either way, give the mold a light spray with non-stick cooking spray before piping in the batter. It only takes a second and it makes removing the donuts so much easier.

Before you buy a mold, measure the inside of your air fryer basket. Not every donut mold fits every air fryer, so double-check the size so you’re not stuck trying to make it work on cook day.

Fill the Mold 3/4 Full

When you pipe the batter into the mold, fill each cavity about three-quarters of the way up. If you go higher than that, the batter will puff up in the air fryer and overflow over the edges, and you’ll end up with a blob shape instead of a clean donut ring.

If you underfill them, your donuts will be thin and flat and won’t have that nice soft texture in the middle. Aim for that 3/4 mark and you’ll get a donut that rises just enough to fill the mold perfectly without spilling over.

Related Recipes

• Air Fryer Cinnamon Sugar Donut Cakes
• Air Fryer Maple Glazed Donut Holes
• Air Fryer Cinnamon Apple Empanadas
• Air Fryer Mini Apple Pies
• Air Fryer Cinnamon Roll Bites

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a special donut mold for the air fryer?

Yes, you’ll need a donut mold that fits inside your air fryer basket. A silicone donut mold is the best option because it’s flexible, naturally non-stick, and easy to pop the donuts out of without breaking them.

Before buying one, measure the inside of your air fryer basket to make sure the mold fits. Most standard 6-cavity silicone donut molds fit in air fryers that are 5 quarts or larger.