Apple Cider Donut Bread

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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!

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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
• Recipe
• 💬 Community

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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

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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 ¾ 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.

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.

2. 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.

3. Combine the cooled apple cider, room temperature sour cream, and vanilla in a small bowl.

4. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl.

5. 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 ⅔ up the side of the pan. If you used an 8 ½ inch pan you may have extra. If this is the case you can make it in to a muffin or mini loaf!

2. Combine the cinnamon and sugar together for the topping. Sprinkle over top of the prepared loaf batter.

2. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

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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

• I donate 10% of all proceeds from my blog to a nonprofit Christian organization or church.
• If you want more amazing recipes spiced up with some Jesus, sign up for my newsletter, and follow me on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube!

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Recipe

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 🙂

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