One of life’s simple pleasures is biting into a warm baked donut. Especially when said donut is bursting with fresh apple flavor and warm spices. Top if off with a cinnamon swirl crumble and a vanilla drizzle frosting and it’s a game-changer of a recipe. These delicious apple donuts are the best.
Forget those dense, cakey donuts from the grocery store. We're making light, fluffy, and tender donuts from scratch. The secret to their incredible flavor is using both fresh grated apple and a little bit of molasses. This double-whammy of goodness ensures every bite of these homemade apple donuts is packed with flavor. We're also using light olive oil instead of melted butter, which helps keep them super moist without weighing them down.
Cinnamon Swirl Crumble How To
Now, let's talk about the star of the show (besides the apple, of course!): the cinnamon swirl crumble. While I love a traditional crumble like in this apple bread pudding, this isn't your average streusel topping. I've got a little trick up my sleeve that makes this crumb incredibly easy and flavorful.
Instead of measuring out flour, sugar, and cinnamon, we're going to use slices of day-old cinnamon swirl bread pulsed in a food processor with a little butter. It's the easiest way to create the most wonderfully textured and flavorful crumbs. It's a time-saver and a flavor-enhancer all in one! The toasty notes from the bread add a depth of flavor that a simple flour-based crumble just can't match.
The final touch is a simple, elegant, and utterly delicious vanilla drizzle frosting. This isn't a thick, gloopy glaze. It's a thin, pourable drizzle that coats the donut in a beautiful, glossy sheen without overpowering the other flavors. Made with just powdered sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and a splash of milk, it's the perfect finishing touch.
Easy Bake Apple Donuts
The process of making these donuts is surprisingly straightforward. You'll start by making a crumble in the food processor using the bread slices and some butter. Set the crumble aside. Then, whisk your dry ingredients together, including a generous measure of warm spices to complement the apple. Back to the food processor, pulse sugar and molasses together essentially making homemade brown sugar. Pulse in the rest of the wet ingredients and the grated apple. Fold the wet and dry ingredients together and pipe or spoon batter into a donut pan. Finally, top with the crumble and bake away.
The batter comes together quickly and is best baked in a donut pan. No messy frying. Baking them instead of frying definitely means less mess and a healthier-ish treat you can feel good about.
Once the donuts are out of the oven, their warm, golden-brown aroma will fill your kitchen. Let them cool for a few minutes before you apply vanilla drizzle.
This isn't just a treat; it's a brunch showstopper and a weekend gathering favorite. And trust me, the grandkids have given this snack their official seal of approval.
So, go ahead and give this apple donut recipe a try. You'll be amazed at how easy it is to create bakery-quality donuts right in your own kitchen. And trust me, once you taste that tender apple donut with its genius cinnamon swirl crumb and sweet vanilla drizzle, you'll never go back to store-bought again.
Apple Donuts with Crumb Topping
Equipment
- 1 12-count donut pan or two (6-count) pans or a muffin tin
Ingredients
Crumble
- 2 slices cinnamon swirl bread
- 1 tablespoon soft butter
Donut Batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons apple pie spice see note
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- ⅔ cup light olive oil or other neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup shredded peeled apple 1 large apple
Vanilla Drizzle Frosting
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Heat oven 350F. Spray 12-cavity (or two 6-cavity) doughnut pans with no-stick baking spray. Or use a muffin tin.
- Place bread in a food processor and pulse to form fine crumbs. Add butter and pulse until small clumps form. Transfer crumbs to a bowl and set aside.
- In large bowl, whisk flour, spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 30 seconds or until well-mixed. Set aside.
- Place sugar and molasses in food processor and pulse until uniform in color. Add oil, vanilla, eggs and apple and pulse until blended.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry and fold together just until dry ingredients are moistened and mixture combined. Do not overmix.
- Transfer mixture to a piping bag, cut the tip and fill each cavity until three-quarters full. Or spoon the batter in if no piping bag available.
- Divide the reserved crumbs evenly over the top.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until doughnuts spring back when touched lightly with your index finger and are golden brown.
- Cool doughnuts in pan for 5 minutes before turning out on a wire rack. Arrange crumb-side up.
- Whisk icing ingredients together until smooth adding enough milk to desired consistency. Drizzle or pipe over the top of each doughnut.
lisaKeys says
Grand-kids approved. Definitely making these again.