Apple Cider Donut Bread

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Late August is when I start getting very excited for the approach of fall. Apples start being harvested right around now, and they are one of the first things I want to bake with as the season shifts.

Apple cider donuts are one of my favorite fall treats. If you remember my Air Fryer Apple Cider Donut recipe from last fall, then you know I much prefer a homemade one to the versions at u-pick orchards that are often made hours to days in advance and feel dry or stale by the time you get a bite. BUT, I don’t always love frying, so I look for new ways to capture this delicious flavor outside the deep-fried form. Enter this quick bread version!

The batter is made with reduced cider, spices, and simply stirred together (no mixer needed!). After baking, it’s coated with butter and cinnamon sugar for that iconic cider donut look and texture. My favorite part is that you get even more of the fluffy interior of a cider donut in this tall, sliceable loaf.

And here’s my Air Fryer Apple Cider Donut recipe from last fall, if you want to try it too! These are sooo good and can be baked in a basket or oven-style air fryer. There’s a video included in the post, too, where I walk you through the recipe step by step!

A note on apple cider: Unfiltered apple cider will give the best flavor to the bread. It’s typically found with the other refrigerated juices in the grocery store. If you can’t find cider, I tested this with Simple Apple Juice as well, and the results were great!

A note on spices: Feel free to swap these out for your favorite baking spices or blend.

To start the batter, you need to simmer the cider to concentrate the flavor. This takes only about 15 minutes and is what gives the bread a good cider donut taste. If you don’t reduce it, it will taste more like a spiced bread only.

Cider donuts have a classic coating of cinnamon sugar, easily applied by tossing the hot fried donuts in the sugar fresh from the oil. Since this loaf is baked, we need to give the bread a coating of butter so the sugar has something to hold onto. I found the best way to do this is in sections. Brush one side with butter, sprinkle with sugar, then turn the loaf and coat another.

If you brush the loaf all at once, the butter will absorb into the bread the longer it sits, and the sugar won’t stick as well.

A piece of parchment paper under the loaf gives you an easy way to gather up the excess sugar to replenish your coating bowl as needed.

But sure to coat the bread while it is still warm. It will keep the butter from cooling and solidifying too quickly, before you have the chance to sprinkle the sugar on it.

• Boil the cider ahead of time. The reduced cider keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days. Since you need time to boil and cool it, this is a good step to do ahead of time!

Makes 1 (8½x4½-inch) loaf / 8 servings

For the Bread:

• 1½ cups (360ml) unfiltered apple cider

• ½ cup (110g) packed light brown sugar

• ½ cup (50g) granulated sugar

• ½ cup (1 stick/113g) unsalted butter, melted

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour

• 1½ teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg or allspice

For the Coating:

• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Boil the Cider:

1. In a small saucepan, bring the cider to a boil over medium-high heat, and continue boiling until it is reduced to ¾ cup, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a medium heat-proof mixing bowl and let it cool to room temp.

Make the Bread:

2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray an 8½x4½-inch loaf pan with baking spray, and set aside.

3. In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices.

4. Once the cider has cooled, add both of the sugars, the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla to the cider bowl, and whisk until well combined. Pour the cider mixture into the flour mixture and stir together until fully combined. Pour the batter into the loaf pan.

5. Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a wire rack and let it cool for another 10 minutes.

Coat the Bread:

6. In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon until well combined.

7. Place the loaf on the wire rack over a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Brush one side of the warm bread loaf with butter. Sprinkle some of the cinnamon sugar over the buttered area, and repeat until the loaf is fully coated. You can collect extra sugar from the parchment paper and sprinkle it on the bread as needed. Let the bread finish cooling, or slice and serve it while it is still warm.

Recipe Notes:

• If you don’t have apple cider, Simply Apple fresh-pressed apple juice is a great substitute.

• Don’t let the bread cool too much before brushing it with butter. The warmth from the loaf helps keep the butter melted and soft so the sugar sticks to it.

• Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. The loaf can be wrapped whole or in slices and frozen for a few months.

Have a question about the recipe? Leave a comment for me below!