Sometimes in my daydreams I have hair that I can run my fingers through, I wear strapless dresses, I’m really good at driving a stick shift car, I have Sissy Spacek eyelids, and Sigourney Weaver narrates my life. Maybe also there’s an early 90’s Jagged Little Pill soundtrack running though my daydreams… but in a totally zen kinda way. I mean…
Daydreams are all well and good. But really, what’s the point daydreaming about different eyelids when there is a stack of freshly made baked doughnuts staring you in the face. Right?
I think I warned you about my new-found baked doughnut enthusiasm. A few weeks ago I made these Brown Butter Doughnuts with Chocolate Glaze, and they felt like just about the best thing EVER. I’m chasing that first baked doughnut high, this time with apples and cinnamon. Join me!
Oh my goodness… let’s just make these doughnuts! Into the mixing bowl goes flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Easy cake beginnings!
Sugar and spices, too!
Brown butter and grated apples are the heart and soul of these doughnuts. Brown butter adds a nutty richness. Apples add the perfect sweet seasonal flavor. Such a happy pair!
Freshly grated nutmeg is my very favorite fall spice.
If you do one thing for me this Fall… just one, pretty please… I want you to grate your own nutmeg, fresh to-order. All you need is a microplane and whole nutmeg. It’s a game changer.
The browned butter is whisked together with an egg and buttermilk. The wet ingredients meet the dry ingredients. Simple as that.
Stir in the apples and POW.. well almost. We’re so close to doughnuts!
Good instincts! We’ve got them.
I was a bit over-enthusiastic and filled the baking pan a bit too much. My doughnut centers betray me.
It’s cool. Nothing a little Brown Butter Glaze and sweet tooth can’t fix!
A sweet Brown Butter Schmear. Few things are better.
Imagine a little spice cake. Shape that little cake into a doughnut. Add sweet apples. Go heavy on the ground cinnamon and fresh nutmeg. Drench the whole thing in Brown Butter Glaze. This is that!
You need a baked doughnut pan. Just saying.
Apple Cinnamon Baked Doughnuts with Brown Butter Glaze
adapted from Doughnuts
makes about 8 doughnuts
For the Doughnuts:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (but we’ll only use 2 tablespoons of browned butter for the recipe)
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup peeled and grated fresh apple
For the Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 to 4 tablespoons whole milk
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a doughnut pan and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices, and brown sugar. Set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt all of the butter (including the butter needed for the glaze). Butter will begin to crackle and pop as it melts. That’s the water melting out of the butter. Once the water has evaporated the butter will quiet down and begin to brown. Keep an eye on it, it browns quickly. The butter will begin to smell nutty. Remove from heat and immediately transfer browned butter (brown bits and all) to a small bowl.
In a small bowl whisk together egg, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Measure out 2 tablespoons of browned butter and whisk into the wet ingredients.
Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients. Add the grated apple. Stir together until no flour bits remain and all of the ingredients are well combined. Try not to overmix the batter. That might create rubbery doughnuts.
Use a small spoon to dollop batter into the prepared pan. Smooth out and fill each doughnut in the pan three-quarters full with batter.
Place in the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them and try not to over-bake them. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
While the doughnuts cool, make the glaze.
117 Responses
Love this recipe! I have had a whole nutmeg in my freezer at all times for 40 + years. Nothing matches the flavor.
I see the note that these are best served the day they are cooked, but could the batter be made ahead of time?
Oh, and it goes without saying (almost!) that apple and cinnamon are the very best kind of doughnuts, so these will be made first! -Michelle G, Belper, UK [An American in Derbyshire]
I’ve only just discovered your baked doughnut obsession and I now have a doughnut pan on order! (Can’t wait until the fall. ;-) We disposed of our deep fryer two house-moves ago and I have been missing doughnuts ever since, but never thought about baked doughnuts. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! -Michelle G, Belper, UK [An American in Derbyshire]
Thanks for the very delicious donut recipe. Will be making these soon. Just hope they look as good as yours!
Wondering IF these can be made in one of those electric doughnut makers? Been so long since I used it, I think they are of the “mini” size?
Glad there is NOT any pork in these……hehehehe
Wow, I had to save this right away for this not only looks pretty awesome but combines two of my favourite ingredients: vanilla and cinnamon. Wonderful recipe, thanks for sharing!
I made these this morning for my family. They came out AMAZING! Well worth taking the time to brown the butter. It makes the glaze so flavorful. The nutmeg adds a nice flavor also. I would give this five stars. Excellent recipe. Several people mentioned they did not have a donut pan. Go buy one! This is one of several excellent recipes I have found. My family enjoys something sweet with breakfast on the weekends. The baked donuts are lower in fat and calories.
I made the glaze with a little less cream and transferred it back to the brown butter saucepan and cooked it just a little on low heat, so it set quickly on the doughnuts without refrigeration (Tip found on another blog). Have you tried that?
Woohoo, I got my doughnut pan for Christmas! Thanks Santa! (I mean, mom.) :) My question: Do you think any “muffin” or “cupcake” recipe can be used in a doughnut pan as-is, or do you make some modifications to the batter when making doughnuts versus muffins?
These may be the best things I have ever baked. They were incredible! Thank you!
Do these need to be in the fridge after the glaze hardens?
no they can be at room temperature after the glaze sets.
I didn’t have any powdered sugar, so I tried a wikihow recipe on how to make powdered sugar. It was still a bit grainy, so I threw it in a little saucepan to try to melt the sugar and thicken it up a bit. Ended up being a bit caramel-y. Then I had some leftover streusel that I thought I would just toss on as well…yum!!!
Really – treat yourself to a doughnut pan – and always brown the butter. Such an easy way to bring happiness!
Joy – thanks for the new doughnut recipe. Looking forward to seeing you in Philadelphia.
I’ve been making these slightly altered doughnuts for a few weeks for a local coffee shop and they’ve been DEVOURED each time! For the sake of time, I’ve been dipping them in butter and then in cinnamon sugar, and they are sooo delish, moist, and SCREAM fall! Call that #basic if you want. I don’t care.
These look so delicious! I’m going to be trying out some apple spiced donuts this week and I’ll be taking some inspiration from these :) Check out my blog!
Sydney Sun
For the Love of Baking
http://www.forloveofbaking.com
awesome recipe!!! thanks! they are delicious
I didn’t sort through all the comments so this might be a duplication.
The instructions say to brown 3T of butter, and use 2T for the batter but the glaze also calls for 2T of browned butter. I suggest you brown 5T so that after the water evaporates you have enough for both recipes.
I also think that 1/4 teas of salt is plenty, I used a scant 1/2 teas and it seems like a bit much. The grated apple is good but it doesn’t really have time to cook down, just be aware you’re going to have a bit of crunch. I think the recipe could use a bit more sugar.
I didn’t buy a donut pan, I bought a mini-bundt pan with 6 wells. It worked great.
Just bought me a doughnut pan last week so got to making these today (without glaze) and they were quite tasty! Thanks for posting a healthy option!
Made these and they are amazing! I wished I had made brown butter glaze before this….my life is now complete. I did however dump the remaining brown butter in the frosting, sinfully delicious!
DELICIOUS!!
Didn’t have powdered sugar so I brushed some brown sugar on the doughnuts and dipped in cinnamon sugar. Love! The nutmeg really shines and they are just the right amount of sweet!
Thanks for helping me break in my new doughnut pan!
This looks so delicious!! Thank you!!
Just finished cleaning up after making and (tasting) these delights! I made Joy’s previous baked donuts and was nervous about letting the butter brown too long. This time I felt more confident and really went for it…now I know what all of the fuss is about! Delicious!
I just want you to know I did it. I bought a donut pan.
Or rather, I bought a donut pan to give myself a 1/2 birthday present… only to find out my husband had made an identical order for me as a surprise about 20 minutes before…
Now the question remains… send the extra back? Or revel in the fact that I have 2 donut pans…
Thank you for this recipe!
I must say that I really love the layout of your website! The way you photograph the entire baking process from a bird’s eye view allows for easy referencing when I’m baking as well.
I love the fact that you have laid out the ingredients clearly and concisely, which allows for easy grocery shopping and preparation. Speaking of grocery shopping, your webiste views great on mobile platforms! Which means that I can help conserve the environment by not printing a grocery shopping list or printing the recipe out!
Keep coming up with good recipes and I will be sure to be tuned in for more!
These look superb. And that’s dinner tonight sorted… ;)
These look rad along with your blog!
OMG looks amazingly yummy!! Your pics are awesome. Puts one in a baking mood. I can imagine how delish these would taste.
Everyone needs a baked doughnut pan! Love your perfectly stacked doughnuts, mine always fall down :-(
You’re speaking my language!
heidi xo
These look delicious! For your doughnut cravings, I would like to share my friend Ashley’s blog… http://www.edibleperspective.com. It’s not just a doughnut blog, she has so many great recipes.
She recently just published a book called Doughnuts for Everyone. It has 101 baked doughnut recipes. Some have gluten-free and vegan options. Sweet and savory, she made them all! Check it out!
I am drooling on my keyboard at 8am looking at these! So delicious….
I made baked doughnuts the other day for the first time and sent them to work with my boyfriend – needless to say there were no leftovers! I am a huge fan of anything with apple and spice so I will have to experiment with some gluten-free baked doughnuts that I can enjoy :) This time I might not share….
NUTMEG! yes, we’ve met.
I’m a cinnamon love and I’ve totally fallen in love with this exquisite recipe. Of course, I’ll try it these long weekend. :)
As a cinnamon lover, I recommend you this easy and delicious dessert. Hope you like it!!
https://www.beqbe.com/?show=22281-rollos-de-canela
Yummy!
I have to admit that I’m a little timid to try this browning of the butter. Of course it’s something that I usually try to avoid to getting it to do it’s thing in the pay should come naturally. Any hints as to what pan works best and approx time? Will watch for sure. Wish me luck. Gotta get the pan.
I’m glad you’re on a doughnut kick because I just bought a doughnut pan. :) Can’t wait til Saturday morning!!!
AMEN to the freshly grated nutmeg. It’s just so much better! Got a doughnut pan for my birthday recently, and it’s nothing short of a life-changer.
Doughnut pan is officially in my Christmas wish list now.
These look fabulous, just delicious. Thanks for reminding me about Jagged Little Pill too, haven’t listened to that in a while.
This is fall condensed into donuts. I am printing the recipe RIGHT NOW and make them. For me.
Oh, gosh. I have such a weakness for apple cinnamon things. And I’ve been on a brown butter kick recently! You have such good timing. :)
It would be harder to call these breakfast if the glaze contained bourbon, but that sounds like a worthwhile experiment…
The first time I made baked doughnuts I way over filled them! Like no holes! And I still somehow always over fill! Ha!
These look amazing! Love the glaze! :)
Yum, yum, yum. I haven’t had a donut in ages! These look so delicious. And with the brown butter, who can refuse?
Someone just told me of your blog and also “Cooking With Mr. C.” on Facebook, also a blog. I just “Liked” his Facebook page and came to your blog. It looks good. Denise
MMMM Om nom ….drools over screen
Hey Joy! Guess what I bought today? Question: do you think we could make the doughnut batter the night before, let come to room temp the next morning, and then bake? Can’t wait to try…..
These look outta control good!
Hello Joy!
Thank you for the drool-inspiring doughnut post! I am ordering a doughnut pan as we speak. Which leads to me a very important issue: you call for freshly grated nutmeg in this recipe but I’m a bit confused about what part of the nutmeg “nut” should be used. Do you remove the shell or split it open? Grate the whole thing? You see, I’ve rarely used whole spices while cooking and never fresh nutmeg.
Could you please discuss using whole spices in one of your BAKING 101 lessons? So far I’ve only ever used ground spices but it has been suggested that I am missing out on the truest flavors. Please help me find my way to flavor town!
Thank you in advance. You are awesome.
Charlotte
Joy, you inspired me to buy fresh nutmeg last year when i made your creamy pumpkin bars…one of my best baking decisions…ever! i love that you’re encouraging everyone today to try it. thanks for all your wonderful tips and challenges!
These look amazing! I’m not typically a doughnut person, but you had me at apples and cinnamon
What a nice alternative to those greasy apple cider doughnuts that are being sold everywhere this time of year, ugh. Thank you for this recipe!!
Food makes life easier, most of the times. And if it doesn’t, it makes it brighter. Thanks!
This glaze was a game changer for me this past weekend when I made your pumpkin scone, I seriously want to put it on everything now! These doughnuts are going on my list to make next. Thanks for so many great recipes!
I recently bought myself a doughnut pan, but we’re a gluten free family, so I will attempt this with my GF flour substitute mix and we’ll give it a go. I’ll let you know how they turn out. I’m betting on delicious.
These look amazing :)
So, do you think you could do these without a donut pan? I mean, could they work in a muffin pan, just not so cool? I’m trying so hard not to buy new kitchen, single use items right now. And I’m thinking they are sort of like donut-shaped cake? Right?
try making them in a madeleine pan or a mini-muffin pan. have you seen the cookie pans that make little farm animals? i’m the queen of single use pans. but they are SO much easier than rolling and cutting cookie dough.
Oh man, I really need to buy a doughnut pan!
Oh my word.
Excuse me while I drool all over my keyboard.
Very pretty tempting…love that they’re baked. I’m convinced it’s time to make baked doughnuts!
oooh apple doughnuts! these just scream fall and look so delicious.
…and who ever said carbs were the enemy?! I feel 100% happier just looking at this stack of glazed baked wonders. These apple cinnamon treats with brown butter glaze sound amazing.
Ooo the brown butter glaze definitely makes these!
Oh Joy!!!!
I just can’t diet anymore!!!!!
Things that make me happy: your commentary while baking. I mean, I’m here for the recipes and the photography, but what I’m REALLY here for is your running commentary.
i cant stop staring now!
These look so tempting!
‘in my daydreams I have hair I can run my fingers through’ . . .
think I’m your tangled haired twin Joy!
Back in the 90s, that long ago era before hair straighteners saved my life, I used to scrunch my hair dry to make it kinda curly/presentable. So I went out one night & was kissing this beautiful heartless boy, when he tried to run his fingers through my hair ( in an attempt to be passionate, I presume) and his hand got stuck!
. . .goes out to buy a doughnut pan at 8:00 in the morning. . . :)
These look delicious!
a doughnut pan is already on my christmas list!
these scream happy fall! i bet you totally forget about the cold after one (or a few) of these doughnuts. yum! i’ll definitely be day dreaming about these guys till lunch.
i love that glaze joy!! These sound so lovely :)
hese look amazing! I wish I could find doughnuts in Italy! May have to give these a go!
Look for a bakery that makes bombole or bomboloni… Pretty similar to donuts
Oh heck yeah! I wish I had more eloquent thugs to say about this recipe but it is 2 am and I am now straight up lusting for one of these.
Wow. I just can’t even imagine how good those tasted. Too much deliciousness in one post!
They donut pan is the worst to fill next to those mini muffin tin. It is batter and hands everywhere. That glaze is making me crave these donuts.
Stunning joy!
It still requires more patience than I have, sometimes, but a pastry bag helps to fill them more neatly.
JOY.. you got me. I’m buying one of this donut pans ASAP!
They look wonderful, Joy! I always get a little over-zealous with filling my muffin pans too (yours are nothing – sometimes there’s barely a center hole in mine – whoops! but I just punch the end of a wooden spoon thru, problem solved). Love the glaze. And that stack…that means that after you unstacked that pretty tall stack, there was frosting on the undersides….messy, but mmmm, so good :) pinned.
These look amazing, joy! I really need to get a doughnut pan:)
oh myyy, these look delicious. i need to get a donutpan!
xo, cheyenne
That glaze! Be still my heart.
Oh my lanta! These look amazing. So many fall flavors in one recipe! Perfect! :)
https://sometimesgracefully.com