This gluten-free apple cider donut holes recipe is the perfect treat for fall! Bite-sized, poppable, and coated in a cinnamon sugar mixture, the donut holes are soft, spiced, perfectly sweet, and shockingly simple to make with no frying required. We love them for breakfast, afternoon snacks, or even dessert.
Baked Apple Cider Donut Holes (Gluten-Free)
Sweet, spiced, gluten-free apple cider donut holes.
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Our gluten-free baked apple cider donuts and our baked pumpkin donuts are two of our top-performing fall recipes, and readers (and friends) are always asking us for donut hole options, too. Clearly, your wish is our command, and these donut bites couldn’t have turned out any better if we tried!
They have all the same cozy flavors and soft, fluffy texture of our full-sized apple cider donuts but are made bite-sized. As a result, they’re perfect for satisfying those sweet apple and cinnamon sugar cravings without being overly indulgent. Plus, they’re great for sharing.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Soft and Fluffy Texture: Gluten-free donuts often tend to be dense and fairly crumbly, but not this recipe! We tested (and retested) the batter to ensure it always bakes up light and airy, just like a classic donut. You’d never guess they’re gluten-free, which feels like such a treat!
Simple Ingredients: Apple cider and a handful of pantry staples are all you need to create the best comforting flavor.
Easy to Make: The steps are straightforward, and there’s no need to fuss with frying oil or using special equipment. Rather than a donut hole pan, we bake the batter in a mini muffin tray to keep things easy!
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free-Friendly: These apple cider donut holes are suitable for a variety of dietary needs without sacrificing any of the original taste or texture. We love to prepare a batch when hosting!
Large Batch: As written, this recipe makes up to 22 donut holes, which is more than enough to feed our family and still have some to share with family and friends.
Ingredients and Notes
Before we dive into the details, welcome if you’re new here! Scroll down for a printable recipe card with exact measurements and easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions.
Here are all the ingredients you’ll need to make this gluten-free apple cider donut holes recipe:
Apple Cider: This is crucial for the apple cider flavor and helps add moisture to the batter. Use whichever apple cider you like best!
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: Use a gluten-free flour with xanthan gum for the base of the batter.
Note: Our favorite gluten-free flour is GFJules flour. It was the first gluten-free flour we discovered 16 years ago when my son was diagnosed with celiac disease, and it completely changed everything for us. It allowed us to make our favorite gluten-based recipes again by simply substituting the flour, and we’ve never looked back. Use discount code HGFFWelcome for 15% off your purchase of $20 or more on www.gfjules.com.
Leaveners: We use both baking powder and baking soda to give the donuts a nice lift.
Spices: Ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt infuse the batter with warmth, adding depth to the flavor and balancing the sweetness.
Butter: This adds richness and moisture to the batter. Substitute a plant-based butter if you need to keep your apple cider donut holes dairy-free.
Egg: This acts as a binder, helping the donuts hold their shape. We haven’t tested this recipe with egg substitutes and can’t guarantee the results, though we think it should work.
Sugar: A combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar sweetens the donuts and infuses them with molasses flavor. Both light and dark brown sugar will work. Just keep in mind that the molasses taste will be more pronounced with dark brown sugar.
Vanilla: This adds depth and enhances the rest of the ingredients.
Milk: We use cow’s milk to combine the batter, but plant-based milk also works.
Cinnamon Sugar Topping: We coat the donut holes with melted butter (or plant-based butter), then coat them in cinnamon sugar to really take the flavor over the top.
How to Make Apple Cider Donut Holes
For this recipe, we don’t fuss with frying oil or filling a fancy donut hole pan. Instead, we use a mini muffin tin to keep things easy. Here’s how these apple cider donut holes come together:
1. Reduce the apple cider. Simmer the cider in a small saucepan over low-medium heat until it reduces to about ¼ cup. The goal is a syrupy mixture with concentrated apple flavor.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. Next, combine the flour, leaveners, and spices in a large bowl. We like to use a fork or pastry cutter to break up any clumps!
3. Whisk the wet ingredients. Whisk the milk, egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, melted butter, and vanilla in a large liquid measuring cup until smooth.
4. Combine. Add the wet mixture and apple cider to the bowl of dry ingredients, and whisk just until no lumps remain. The batter will be somewhat thick!
5. Portion. Spoon the batter into a greased mini muffin pan, filling each cavity ⅔ to ¾ of the way full.
Note: Be careful not to overfill the cavities. If you fill them to the top, the donut holes will develop larger muffin-like tops as they bake. They’ll still taste great, though!
6. Bake. Transfer the pan to the oven, and bake until the batter is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Tip: If the donuts are golden but the center isn’t fully baked, cover the pan loosely with foil, and continue to bake until the centers are set.
7. Cool. Let the donuts cool in the pan slightly. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Add the cinnamon sugar coating. While the donuts cool, whisk the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl. Dunk the cooled donut holes in melted butter, letting any excess drip off. Then, roll them in the cinnamon sugar, and enjoy!
Make-Ahead and Storage
Leftover apple cider donut holes will keep fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze the donut holes for up to 2-3 months!
For the best results, we recommend omitting the cinnamon sugar coating if you’re planning on freezing the donut holes. Simply defrost the frozen donuts in the fridge or at room temperature, and add the topping just before serving.
These apple cider donut holes offer the flavors of fall in every delectable bite. Soft, airy, sweet, and spiced, they’re the perfect treat on chilly days.
Scroll down for the full recipe, and if you try it, please leave a rating and comment — we love hearing from you!
This gluten-free apple cider donut holes recipe is the perfect treat for fall! Bite-sized, poppable, and coated in a cinnamon sugar mixture, the donut holes are soft, spiced, perfectly sweet, and shockingly simple to make with no frying required. We love them for breakfast, afternoon snacks, or even dessert.Â
Reduce the apple cider: Add apple cider to a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer on low medium heat and keep on a simmer until reduces to 1/4 cup apple cider. About 15-20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 24 hole mini muffin tin pan. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg, and combine using a pastry cutter or whisk.
In a 2 cup liquid measuring cup (or medium bowl) add milk, egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, melted butter and vanilla extract and whisk until well combined. Add this mixture and the reduced apple cider to the dry ingredients and mix until combined and smooth. Batter will be somewhat thick.
Spoon batter evenly into mini muffin tin pan, filing each about 2/3 - 3/4 way full, making sure not to reach the top. If you overfill the donut pans, the hole will close up when baking and they will look more like muffins, but will still taste great.
Bake 10 minutes or until golden and a tooth pick comes out of the center clean. If they are golden but the center isn't baked through, cover loosely with foil and bake an additional minute or two.
Remove from oven and cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Invert the pan to release the donuts onto a wire rack. If needed, gently loosen the edges with a butter knife to help pop them out.
Tip: if freezing some donut holes, freeze before topping with cinnamon sugar. Defrost and top with cinnamon sugar when ready to serve.
Coat the Donut Holes with Cinnamon Sugar
Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. In another bowl add melted butter.
Once cool enough to handle, dip each donut into the melted butter, letting any excess drip off. Then coat generously in the cinnamon sugar, making sure all sides are covered.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Any extras can be be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for 4 days.
Hi, I'm Karen — founder of Healthy Gluten-Free Family and the mom behind 600+ tested gluten-free recipes. For 16 years, ever since my son was diagnosed with celiac disease, I've been cooking and baking gluten-free food so delicious that everyone at the table loves it. This is where I share everything I've learned. Read more ...
Can’t have sugar . Would honey work?
Hi! Unfortunately, honey won’t work as a substitute here as it would significantly alter the texture and overall result.