Air-fried Apple Cider Donuts with Brown Butter Cider Glaze
By Diana Yen, @diana_yen_
Ingredients
Tender, cake-style apple cider donuts air-fried until golden, lightly coated in cinnamon sugar, then finished with a warm brown butter–cider glaze and a sprinkle of toasted pecans.
For the apple cider donuts
For the cinnamon sugar
For the brown butter cider glaze
For garnish
For the apple cider donuts
- 2½ cups apple cider
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 egg white, room temperature
- ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1¾ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Neutral oil spray, for air frying
For the cinnamon sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the brown butter cider glaze
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons reduced apple cider
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of kosher salt
For garnish
- Toasted chopped pecans
Procedure
Pour the apple cider into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to ⅔ cup, plus 2 tablespoons for the glaze, about 25 minutes. Transfer the reduced cider to a heatproof bowl and let cool to room temperature. To speed cooling, set the bowl over an ice bath and stir occasionally.
Once the cider has cooled, whisk in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, egg white, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg. Pour the cider mixture into the dry ingredients and gently fold with a silicone spatula until no dry flour remains. The dough will be very soft and sticky; do not add extra flour at this stage.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently shape it into a thick disc. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 45 minutes, or until firm enough to roll and cut cleanly. If making the dough ahead, refrigerate the wrapped dough overnight.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and lightly flour it. Turn the chilled dough onto a well-floured work surface. Flour the top of the dough and gently pat or roll it to ½ inch thick. Using a floured 3-inch donut cutter, or a 3-inch round cutter and a 1-inch cutter for the centers, cut out the donuts. Transfer the donuts and donut holes to the prepared baking sheet. Gently gather the scraps, press them together, and cut the remaining donuts. Refrigerate the cut donuts for at least 15 minutes, until ready to air-fry.
Preheat the air fryer to 375°F for 5 minutes. Lightly spray the basket with oil. Arrange 4 to 6 donuts in the basket, leaving about ½ inch between them, and lightly spray the tops with oil.
Air-fry the donuts for 6 minutes. Flip, lightly spray again with oil, and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. The donuts should register about 190°F in the center. Air-fry the donut holes for 5 to 6 minutes, without flipping.
While the donuts cook, whisk the sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl.
As soon as the donuts come out of the air fryer, brush them lightly with melted butter, then gently toss them in the cinnamon sugar. Do not overcoat them; you want a thin, even layer rather than a thick crust. Transfer to a wire rack.
Meanwhile, melt the 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter foams and the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk the powdered sugar, reduced cider, vanilla, and salt into the warm brown butter until smooth and glossy.
Once the cinnamon-sugar coating has set for a minute or two, dip just the tops of the warm donuts into the brown butter cider glaze. Let the excess glaze drip off, then return the donuts to the wire rack. Immediately sprinkle the glazed tops with the toasted chopped pecans while the glaze is still wet so the pecans adhere. Serve warm.
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Note
Air fryers vary. Basket-style air fryers can run hotter than toaster-oven-style models. Start checking the donuts at 6 minutes and adjust the temperature or cooking time as needed.
Once the cider has cooled, whisk in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, egg white, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg. Pour the cider mixture into the dry ingredients and gently fold with a silicone spatula until no dry flour remains. The dough will be very soft and sticky; do not add extra flour at this stage.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently shape it into a thick disc. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 45 minutes, or until firm enough to roll and cut cleanly. If making the dough ahead, refrigerate the wrapped dough overnight.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and lightly flour it. Turn the chilled dough onto a well-floured work surface. Flour the top of the dough and gently pat or roll it to ½ inch thick. Using a floured 3-inch donut cutter, or a 3-inch round cutter and a 1-inch cutter for the centers, cut out the donuts. Transfer the donuts and donut holes to the prepared baking sheet. Gently gather the scraps, press them together, and cut the remaining donuts. Refrigerate the cut donuts for at least 15 minutes, until ready to air-fry.
Preheat the air fryer to 375°F for 5 minutes. Lightly spray the basket with oil. Arrange 4 to 6 donuts in the basket, leaving about ½ inch between them, and lightly spray the tops with oil.
Air-fry the donuts for 6 minutes. Flip, lightly spray again with oil, and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. The donuts should register about 190°F in the center. Air-fry the donut holes for 5 to 6 minutes, without flipping.
While the donuts cook, whisk the sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl.
As soon as the donuts come out of the air fryer, brush them lightly with melted butter, then gently toss them in the cinnamon sugar. Do not overcoat them; you want a thin, even layer rather than a thick crust. Transfer to a wire rack.
Meanwhile, melt the 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter foams and the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk the powdered sugar, reduced cider, vanilla, and salt into the warm brown butter until smooth and glossy.
Once the cinnamon-sugar coating has set for a minute or two, dip just the tops of the warm donuts into the brown butter cider glaze. Let the excess glaze drip off, then return the donuts to the wire rack. Immediately sprinkle the glazed tops with the toasted chopped pecans while the glaze is still wet so the pecans adhere. Serve warm.
*****
Note
Air fryers vary. Basket-style air fryers can run hotter than toaster-oven-style models. Start checking the donuts at 6 minutes and adjust the temperature or cooking time as needed.