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Home Β» Breads & Rolls

Apple Cider Donut Bread

Dated: September 30, 2022, Last Modified: October 1, 2022

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Finished apple cider bread from the top.
Finished slice of apple cider bread.

Perfect for a chilly fall morning with a cup of coffee, this apple cider donut bread is sweet, soft, and so yummy. It tastes like all the best things about an apple cider donut, but in an easy-to-make form that you can whip up in no time. Best served warm with a bit of butter (or apple butter, yum), it tastes like fall in a pan!


Finished apple cider bread from the top.
Apple cider bread.


About

This bread is everything good about fall in one bite. I love a good morning bread, and though my banana bread is suuuuper good, I've been craving something that tastes like fall.

So naturally, I opened my fridge to look for some inspiration, and laid eyes on my fav fall drink- apple cider! And the rest is history. The most beautiful bread that resembles apple cider donuts was born. The cinnamon sugar coating is exactly what this bread needs to give it a wonderful textural bite.

Make this bread and I promise it'll be a new fall staple in your household! And if you like this recipe, try out my banana bread muffins or salted caramel drizzle.

Would you like to see this recipe on my instagram or tiktok? Let me know in the comments!

Jump to:
  • About
  • Ingredients
  • Variations
  • Substitutions
  • Description
  • Instructions
  • Troubleshooting
  • Top Tip
  • Equipment
  • Storage
  • FAQs
  • Apple Cider Donut Bread
  • πŸ’¬ Community

Ingredients

  • Apple cider: The apple cider is reduced down to half of the volume it starts at. This concentrates the flavor so you get more from it!
  • Unsalted butter
  • Brown sugar
  • Eggs
  • Sour cream: I like to use either sour cream or buttermilk in a lot of my baked goods. The acidity from them tenderizes the cake, and it brings even more moistness than regular milk.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Flour
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Cinnamon
  • Apple cider mulling spices (OPTIONAL): I like using the mulling spices in my batter to make the apple cider flavor even stronger! However, this is an optional ingredient and the bread will still taste amazing without.

Topping

  • Cinnamon
  • Sugar

Variations

  • Apples: You can try adding small apple chunks to the batter for a fun, apple-y bite! My go-to baking apple is granny smith.
  • Topping: I really like the cinnamon-sugar topping because it reminds me of an apple cider donut, but I also have used turbinado sugar sprinkled on top instead and it gives it such a nice crunchy bite on top. Try them both out and let me know what you think!
  • Spices: You can definitely test out some new spices in here! Try some freshly grated nutmeg, apple pie spice, or other warm fall spices and I bet they'll all be tasty.

Substitutions

  • Sour Cream: If you don't have sour cream you can substitute it with buttermilk, whole milk, or yogurt.
  • Apple Cider: You can substitute apple juice for the apple cider in this recipe but the result will be sweeter

Description

A few words I'd use to describe this apple cider bread are:

  • Soft
  • Moist
  • Crunchy topping
  • Easy to make
  • Quick to put together
  • Crowd-pleasing
  • Fall flavors

Instructions

Prepare

  1. Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan. You can use a smaller one, but note that you'll have extra batter and it will cook more quickly!
  2. Preheat the oven to 350.

Reduce the Apple Cider

  1. Put the apple cider in a saucepan over medium-low heat until reduced about half, to ΒΎ cup. This will probably take 10-15 minutes, but you can check its volume every 5 minutes or so.
  2. Once reduced, cool fully. You can put in the fridge, but often I'll put the reduced cider in a heat-proof bowl, then put the bowl in an ice-bath. This way it usually cools down after 5-10 minutes.
boiling apple cider
Boil the apple cider.

Make the Batter

  1. Ensure the butter is at room temperature, then in a stand mixer cream the butter and brown sugar for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
  1. Add room temperature eggs and stir just until combined.
    • Tip! If you forgot to put your eggs out beforehand, you can quickly get them to room temperature by putting them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
  1. Combine the cooled apple cider, room temperature sour cream, and vanilla in a small bowl.
  1. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl.
  1. In 3 installments, alternate between adding the dry ingredients (flour mixture), then the wet ingredients (sour cream mixture) to the butter mixture until fully combined. Do not overmix.

Bake

  1. Pour the batter in the prepared pan, about β…” up the side of the pan. If you used an 8 Β½ inch pan you may have extra. If this is the case you can make it in to a muffin or mini loaf!
  1. Combine the cinnamon and sugar together for the topping. Sprinkle over top of the prepared loaf batter.
  1. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Troubleshooting

  • Bread was gooey in the middle: If your apple cider donut bread is gooey, you most likely didn't cook it long enough! The best way to know whether your loaf is done is with the toothpick test. Insert a toothpick into the center of your apple cider bread. If it comes out dry or with a few crumbs, it's done! If there is batter on it, keep in in the oven for a few more minutes, then check again.
  • Bread was dry: If your loaf was dry, you may have cooked it for too long, or your oven was at too high of a temperature. This could be an issue with your oven being a different temperature than what you set it to, which can happen over time. You can remedy this by checking the oven temperature with a thermometer before inserting the bread.
  • Bread is tough: If your loaf is tough, you may have overmixed the batter. Stir until all the ingredients are just mixed together to avoid overmixing.
  • Bread doesn't rise: If your bread doesn't rise, your baking soda and/or baking powder may be expired. Check those dates! You may have also waited too long between making the batter and putting it in the oven. As soon as the batter is ready, put it in the oven for best results!
  • Bread sticks to pan: If your loaf sticks to the pan, next time you can try lining it with parchment paper or adding more oil/butter to your loaf pan ahead of pouring the batter in.

Top Tip

  • Don't skip the sugar topping! This is what really makes this apple cider donut bread next-level.

Equipment

  • 9x5 Loaf Pan: I like to use a light-colored nonstick pan for an even bake. Wilton is always a good option! I also have a few glass loaf pans that I love to use when bringing food to friends or neighbors.
  • Mixing bowls: These nesting bowls are used daily in my house!
  • Hand mixer: Cuisinart is a great, long-lasting brand.

Storage

Cover and store the bread on the counter for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. If desired, you can freeze the bread in slices for a great grab-and-go breakfast on busy days!

FAQs

Can I make apple cider donut bread ahead of time?

Yes! You can make this and freeze it for up to 3 months.

How do I store apple cider donut bread?

The bread will keep at room temperature for up to 4 days.

What variations are good in apple cider donut loaf cake?

Changing up any of the main ingredients will change the texture, so I'd recommend fiddling with the spices! You can add more cinnamon, or add a bit of nutmeg, ginger, or cloves for some more fall spice!

  • I donate 10% of all proceeds from my blog to a nonprofit Christian organization or church.
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Finished slice of apple cider bread.
Finished slice of apple cider bread.

Finished apple cider bread from the top.

Apple Cider Donut Bread

Perfect for a chilly fall morning with a cup of coffee, this apple cider donut bread is sweet, soft, and so yummy. Best served warm with a bit of butter, the apple cider is the star of the show. Tastes like fall!
4.25 from 8 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Total Time 1 hr 5 mins
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10 slices
Calories 341 kcal

Ingredients
  

Bread Batter

  • 1 Β½ cups apple cider
  • Β½ cup butter room temperature, unsalted
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup sour cream room temperature
  • 1 Β½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ΒΎ cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • Β½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider mulling spices OPTIONAL

Topping

  • Β½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ΒΌ cup sugar

Instructions
 

Prepare

  • Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan.
  • Preheat the oven to 350.

Reduce the Apple Cider

  • Put the apple cider in a saucepan and heat over medium-low until reduced about half, to ΒΎ cup.
  • Once reduced, cool fully.

Make the Batter

  • Ensure the butter is at room temperature, then in a stand mixer cream the butter and brown sugar for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
  • Add room temperature eggs and stir just until combined.
  • Combine the cooled apple cider, room temperature sour cream, and vanilla in a bowl.
  • Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, mulling spices, and cinnamon in a bowl.
  • In 3 installments, alternate between adding the dry ingredients, then the wet ingredients to the butter mixture until fully combined. Do not overmix.

Bake

  • Pour the batter in the prepared pan, about β…” up the sides of the pan (if you used an 8 Β½ inch pan you may have extra. If this is the case you can make it in to a muffin or mini loaf!).
  • Combine the cinnamon and sugar together for the topping. Sprinkle on top of the prepared loaf batter.
  • Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Nutrition

Calories: 341kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 4gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 411mgPotassium: 133mgFiber: 1gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 474IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 91mgIron: 2mg
Keyword apple, apple cider, bread
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Did you make this bread? I want to know! Post it on social media, tag @battersandblessings, and add #battersandblessings so I can see your creation πŸ™‚


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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Hayley says

    March 02, 2021 at 6:44 pm

    5 stars
    This was super moist and delicious! The cider flavour wasn't as up front and center as I was expecting, but it could be because I made some changes to the spices (a combo of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and ginger) so those were a bit more forward. I made a loaf + extra 6 muffins. Other subs included using buttermilk in place of sour cream and raw sugar instead of white for the sprinkle topping (it has a nice crunch). I made the tragic mistake of trying to remove this from the pan before it had cooled sufficiently - and it all fell apart in a sad heap on the counter. My dumb brain didn't realize that even though it was pulling away from the edges of the pan, it was still going to be a soft and delicate crumb. DON'T BE LIKE ME. LET IT COOL.

    I also found my muffins to be ready in 20 mins and the loaf done in 30 (with the toothpick test).

    I'll definitely make these again, I'll probably start with more apple cider and let it boil down so I can get a more intense cider flavour. So so good!

    Reply
    • Batters and Blessings says

      March 09, 2021 at 1:43 am

      Hayley, thanks so much for this kind review! We've all been there with not letting a loaf cool long enough πŸ˜€ Also really great to know that your loaf was done in 30 minutes- did you perhaps use an 8 inch loaf pan? If so, that might be the difference in the baking time, and I'd love to put that information in the recipe so others know as well!

      Reply

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My name is Jo, and I'm so happy you're here! My husband, pup and I live in Georgia, though I'm a midwesterner at heart. I love Jesus, my family, and desserts, and sharing my recipes has been a dream of mine ever since my grandma taught me how to make chocolate chip cookies when I was just 10 years old. Read more here.

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