Mama Lyd Sourdough

These apple cider donuts are everything you want in a fall bake. soft, warmly spiced, rich from brown butter, and coated in that irresistible cinnamon sugar finish. They’re baked, not fried, which makes them simple enough for a cozy afternoon at home.

And if you have sourdough discard sitting in your fridge? This is the perfect way to use it. It adds a subtle depth of flavor and keeps the donuts extra tender.

The magic of this recipe comes from two important steps: browning the butter and reducing the apple cider. Don’t skip them. That’s where the deep, caramel-apple flavor really develops.

---

Ingredients

For the Donuts:

• Unsalted butter
• Sourdough discard (optional)
• White granulated sugar
• Brown sugar
• Vanilla extract or vanilla paste
• Apple cider (reduced)
• Eggs
• Apple pie spice
• All-purpose flour
• Salt
• Baking powder
• Baking soda

For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

• Granulated sugar
• Cinnamon
• Melted butter

---

How to Make Brown Butter

Start by placing the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Let it melt completely, then continue cooking. The butter will begin to foam, this is normal.

After a few minutes, you’ll notice the milk solids separating and sinking to the bottom. Keep stirring gently. The butter will shift from yellow to golden, and then you’ll see tiny brown specks forming at the bottom of the pan.

Once it smells nutty and rich and turns a deep golden amber color, remove it from the heat immediately. Brown butter can go from perfect to burnt quickly, so stay close.

Pour it into a heat-safe bowl to stop the cooking process and let it cool before adding it to your batter.

---

How to Reduce Apple Cider

Pour the apple cider into a saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer.

Let it cook down until it reduces significantly and becomes darker, thicker, and more concentrated in flavor. This process intensifies the apple flavor and removes excess liquid, which keeps your donuts from becoming too wet.

Once reduced, remove from heat and allow it to cool completely before using it in the recipe.

---

Making the Donut Batter

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and apple pie spice. Set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine the cooled brown butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and sourdough discard if using. Mix until smooth. Add the vanilla and eggs, mixing just until incorporated.

Slowly pour in the cooled reduced apple cider and mix until fully combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until everything comes together. Avoid overmixing, this keeps the donuts soft and tender.

---

Baking

Place donut pans onto baking sheets and spray them generously with nonstick spray.

Fill each cavity with batter, smoothing the tops if needed.

Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the donuts are set and lightly golden.

Let them cool in the pan for several minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Allow them to cool slightly — about 5 to 10 minutes — before coating.

---

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

Dip each warm donut briefly into melted butter, just enough to coat the surface.

Then roll immediately in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until fully coated.

The butter helps the cinnamon sugar stick and creates that classic bakery-style finish.

---

Enjoy

These donuts are best enjoyed slightly warm, when the cinnamon sugar is crisp and the inside is perfectly soft. The brown butter adds depth, the reduced apple cider gives concentrated apple flavor, and the optional sourdough discard makes them just a little extra special.

Perfect for fall mornings, afternoon coffee, or anytime you want your kitchen to smell amazing.