Apple Cider Donut Bread

This apple cider donut bread is tender and moist, perfectly spiced, and infused with the richness of apple cider. Coated in cinnamon-sugar, it’s all the best parts of an apple cider donut, in the form of an easy, quick bread, perfect for the fall!

Just imagine the smells that come from the kitchen when there’s a freshly baked loaf of apple cider donut bread sitting on the counter! I just love a quick bread, especially one with cozy fall flavors like apple cinnamon swirl bread and cinnamon quick bread. This apple cider donut loaf is a new favorite around here, as it is a bit of a twist on the classic apple cider donut. Like my apple donut mini muffins, but in loaf form!

I do love a homemade donut like baked cinnamon sugar donuts and cinnamon sugar pumpkin donuts, but if I can make a quick bread with similar flavors in a fraction of the time, sometimes a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do!

Not only does it have the warm spice cinnamon and the depth of flavor from the apple cider, but it’s got all the sugary deliciousness of an apple cider donut, including the cinnamon sugar topping!

Quick breads are made without yeast, so the loaves have a muffin consistency, which is great when you don’t have time to wait for anything to rise, and there’s no need to deep fry donuts either. It’s a quick and easy snack that bakes up in just over 1 hour and can be sliced up and packed in lunches, eaten for breakfast on the go, or served with a scoop of ice cream for dessert!

Ingredients

• Apple cider – Not apple juice, and definitely NOT hard cider. You want the intensity of good quality apple cider.
• Unsalted butter – Bring it out to soften at room temperature. You’ll need extra to melt for the topping as well.
• Light brown sugar – Pack it into the measuring cup so you’re using enough. Brown sugar adds moisture as well as a caramelized flavor, which is nice.
• Unsweetened apple sauce – Makes the crumb extra soft and tender.
• Plain Greek yogurt – The acid in yogurt reacts with the leavening agents, also helping to give it a softer crumb.
• Baking staples – All-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, large eggs, vanilla extract
• Spices – Cinnamon and nutmeg.
• For the topping – Unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. Melted butter is used to adhere the cinnamon sugar topping.

How to make Apple Cider Donut Bread

1. Step One: Reduce the apple cider by cooking it in a small saucepan over medium heat until it’s thickened and reduced by half. Allow it to cool for a few minutes.
2. Step Two: In the meantime, beat the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer. Once light and fluffy, beat in the vanilla and eggs until just combined.

3. Step Three: In a small bowl, whisk together the applesauce, yogurt, and cooled apple cider. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

4. Step Four: Add half of the dry ingredients to the egg mixture. Beat on medium speed. Then, spoon in half of the apple cider mixture. Repeat the steps until all the ingredients are combined. Do not overmix.

5. Step Five: Pour the batter into the prepared 9×5-inch loaf pan and spread it evenly with a spatula. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 40-50 minutes and then let it cool for 10 minutes before lifting the loaf out of the pan to brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Storage & Reheating

• Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• You can freeze the loaf for up to 3 months. If freezing, wait to coat in cinnamon and sugar until after thawing for the best flavor and texture.

How to store leftovers

No need to keep this apple cider donut loaf in the fridge. Once it’s baked and cooled, it’s good to stay at room temperature for up to 3 days, covered in an airtight container.

If you know you’re not going to eat it right away, keep it whole and slice as you go. Individual slices dry out quicker.

Freezing Instructions

If planning to freeze it, I suggest not adding the cinnamon sugar coating until just before serving, once it has been warmed up again.

To freeze the loaf, wait for it to cool completely and then wrap it in plastic wrap. Keep it in a freezer bag to keep frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter.

4.95 from 20 votes

Apple Cider Donut Bread Recipe

Created by Melissa Williams

Servings: 12 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 45 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

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Apple cider donut bread is soft, moist, and full of cozy fall flavors. Cinnamon-sugar coating makes this quick bread taste just like a cider donut!

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Ingredients

 

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For the Apple Cider Donut Loaf

• ▢ ½ cup apple cider
• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup light brown sugar packed
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 large eggs at room temperature
• ▢ ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
• ▢ 2 cups all purpose flour
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the Topping

• ▢ ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ ½ Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Instructions

For the Apple Cider Donut Loaf

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9" x 5" loaf pan with parchment paper letting the paper hang over the edges of the pan.
• Heat apple cider in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half to ¼ cup of liquid. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
  ½ cup apple cider
• While the cider is reducing, add the butter and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl, or bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup light brown sugar
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the vanilla and eggs. Beat until just combined.
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 large eggs
• In a small mixing bowl, combine the applesauce, yogurt, and cooled apple cider. Whisk to combine.
  ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce, 3 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
• In another medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  2 cups all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Add half of the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and beat on medium. Spoon in half of the apple cider mixture and repeat the steps until combined. Do not overmix.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly with a spatula.
• Bake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Let cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then lift the loaf from the pan and place it on a cutting board or plate.

For the Topping

• Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
  1/4 cup granulated sugar, ½ Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• Use a pastry brush to coat the top, bottom, and sides of the loaf with melted butter and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the loaf, pressing up against the cake with your hand until well covered.
  2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• Slice and enjoy!

Notes

• Recipe makes one 9×5 loaf. Depending on how you cut your slices, it will serve anywhere from 8-16. 
• Reducing the apple cider intensifies the flavor, but you can skip the step, if you prefer. Either way, you should have 1/4 cup of cider.
• Vanilla Greek yogurt can be used in place of plain.
• Apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice can be used in place of the cinnamon + nutmeg.
• For coating the bread in the cinnamon/sugar mixture, I like to sprinkle it on a large piece of parchment paper and use the paper to press the mixture into the buttered bread.
• For variation and texture, add diced apples, walnuts, and/or pecans to the batter.
• Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• You can freeze the loaf for up to 3 months. If freezing, wait to coat in cinnamon and sugar until after thawing for the best flavor and texture.

⭐️ Final Step! Please let me know how you liked this recipe by leaving a review and rating below. Your feedback supports my small business and allows me to continue providing free, high quality recipes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 141mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 345IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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