Light and fluffy cinnamon sugar apple cider donuts…there’s really nothing better, is there? These donuts are vegan, gluten free and refined sugar free. They’re super easy to make and such a nostalgic and flavorful autumn treat. If you’re a fan of apple cider donuts and cinnamon sugar, you’ll adore this recipe.
Where do I find donut pans?
I got my donut pans from Amazon! I really like these donut pans from Wilton. They’re non-stick and bake the donuts very evenly.
What ingredients do I need for these cinnamon sugar apple cider donuts?
You’ll need just a couple simple pantry and fridge staples for this recipe. They are:
- oat flour
- cinnamon
- salt
- baking powder
- coconut sugar
- eggs (flax eggs or regular eggs)
- unsweetened applesauce
- water or milk of choice (I use non-dairy)
- pure maple syrup
- pure vanilla extract
- coconut oil (or butter – regular or vegan)
- olive oil (optional)
A note about the oat flour…
If you need the recipe to be 100% gluten free, be sure to use certified gluten free oat flour (or make your own oat flour with certified gluten free oats). Oats are naturally gluten free, but some oats may be contaminated with gluten-containing grains if not purchased from a certified gluten free brand.
Help, I don’t have oat flour!
If you don’t have oat flour, don’t worry! You can easily make your own oat flour at home by blending rolled/old fashioned oats in a high speed blender until they turn to flour. I never buy oat flour, I always make my own! Here’s a video of how I make homemade oat flour.
Can I make this recipe nut free?
If you need this recipe to be nut free, simply use a different granulated sweetener in the place of the coconut sugar in the cinnamon sugar topping (monk fruit, brown sugar, etc.). You can also substitute the coconut oil in the cinnamon sugar topping for regular or vegan butter.
In the mood for more donuts?
Try some of my other delicious donut recipes below!
- Strawberry Frosted Chocolate Donuts
- Double Chocolate Donuts
- Peppermint Mocha Donuts
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Donut Holes
Ready to make these cinnamon sugar apple cider donuts? The full recipe is below!
Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cider Donuts
Ingredients
For the Donuts
- 2 cups oat flour (I use homemade)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 eggs (flax or regular eggs)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup water or milk of choice (I use non-dairy milk)
- 1/4 cup olive oil (or melted coconut oil)
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted (or vegan/regular butter)
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease 12 donut molds with cooking spray (I use 2 donut pans with 6 donut molds each).
- Next, make the donuts: mix together all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl until fully combined. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, one at a time, then whisk well to combine.
- Carefully add the donut batter to the prepared donut pans, distributing it evenly between the 12 molds. Bake the donuts for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out pretty clean.
- After baking, let the donuts cool for 10-15 minutes before removing them from the donut pans.
- While the donuts are cooling, prepare the cinnamon sugar topping. Melt the coconut oil in the microwave or over low heat in a small saucepan and then add it to a small dish and set aside.
- Combine the cinnamon and coconut sugar in a separate small bowl and mix well then set aside.
- Once the donuts have cooled slightly, lightly dip the tops of the donuts in the melted coconut oil and then in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Repeat with each donut.
- Let the coated donuts cool completely on a wire rack before storing.