These Apple Cider Doughnut Muffins taste like an apple cider doughnut but are in muffin form. They’re super tall and delicious with a crispy streusel cinnamon sugar topping. This post is sponsored by Saveur Selects.

Apple Cider Doughnuts
When I think of apple cider doughnuts, I think of apple picking adventures, hay rides and piping hot apple cider doughnuts. Unfortunately in Los Angeles, we don’t have a ton of cozy adventures because fall for us is usually on the warmer side. But it doesn’t mean we can’t try and celebrate.

Saveur Selects Muffin Tin
I love a good muffin tin. And this muffin tin from Saveur Selects is exceptional because the non-stick element means zero cooking spray or muffin liners needed! They came right out of the muffin tin with ease (zero sticking!). The product conducted the perfect amount of heat, resulting in beautifully domed muffins!

How to Make Apple Cider Doughnut Muffins
- Whisk together the apple sauce, white sugar, neutral oil, eggs and vanilla together.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and kosher salt. Pour the wet into the dry ingredients and mix just until you no longer see any speckles of flour.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. I find that resting the batter like this really creates beautifully domed muffins.
- Meanwhile, make the streusel topping. Mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt together. And then mix in the cold butter, pressing it with your fingers. Mix it throughout the flour mixture until they’re are teeny tiny beads of butter.
- Divide the batter amongst the muffin tin cavities. Top each muffin with a handful of streusel topping.
- Transfer to the oven to bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then pop the muffins out and transfer to a cooling rack.

Tips and Tricks
- These muffins are nearly fool-proof but I will say that resting the batter for 20 minutes is super important in resulting that bakery-like, beautiful muffin. If you skip it, know that they won’t be as perfectly domed and pretty.
- Can I make these ahead: Yes! You’re welcome to make the batter up to a one day in advance, cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge. Bake them the next morning!

If you make these, make sure to let me know on Instagram!
Looking for more recipes? Here are some favorites:
Iced Matcha Latte
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies



Apple Cider Doughnut Muffins
Ingredients
Muffins:
- 1 ¼ cups apple sauce (unsweetened or sweetened are both fine!)
- 1 ¼ cup white sugar (250g)
- ½ cup neutral oil (such as grapeseed, avocado or canola)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Streusel:
- ⅓ cups all-purpose flour (40g)
- 2 tablespoons white sugar (25g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes (28.5g)
Instructions
To Make the Muffins:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the apple sauce, white sugar, neutral oil, eggs and vanilla.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and kosher salt. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until combined, being sure not to over mix because this will cause tough muffins. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to stand for 20 minutes. I find that this is the key to super tall, gorgeous muffins.
To Make the Streusel Topping:
- Mix together the flour, white sugar, cinnamon and pinch of salt together. Add the butter and mix it together with your fingers. It should have teeny bits of butter throughout.
- Spray your muffin tin with cooking spray, if needed (I didn’t need it) and divide the batter amongst the 12 muffin cavities. Top it with a handful of the streusel topping and then transfer to the oven to bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Notes
- These muffins work with sweetened and unsweetened apple sauce. I've tried either and both are delicious. Obviously one is sweeter than the other 🙂
- These muffins are nearly fool-proof but I will say that resting the batter for 20 minutes is super important in resulting that bakery-like, beautiful muffin. If you skip it, know that they won’t be as perfectly domed and pretty.
- Can I make these ahead: Yes! You’re welcome to make the batter up to a one day in advance, cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge. Bake them the next morning!
Britt says
These are my absolute favorite muffins! Everyone loves them. The streusel topping is perfection. Thank you!
Tammy says
I'm obsessed with the cider donuts I grew up with at a local cider mill but unfortunately cannot find any that compare (where I live now). So when I saw this recipe I had to try it out. These turned out beautifully and really reminded me of the cider donuts I grew up with. I'll be making these regularly now! I'm also not the most experienced baker and I felt these instructions were very clear. Thank you! Highly recommend.
Tammy says
I really like the ingredients in your recipe and would like to try it, but I have apple cider I need to use up. Can I substitute apple cider for the applesauce? Thanks!
Adrianna Adarme says
unfortunately that won't work. this needs the apple sauce in order to work!
Staci says
This is my new favorite muffin!
Easy recipe too!
Adrianna Adarme says
love hearing this!
Carissa says
I'm a terrible baker, but these muffins came out wonderfully! Such a perfect autumn treat and love the accessibility/ease of applesauce! I didn't have any all spice on hand when making them, but they still turned out great!
Adrianna Adarme says
love hearing this!
Jeff says
Apple cider doughnut muffins without a single drop of apple cider!! What is wrong here? This is indeed misleading. Come up with a new name or a new recipe that uses apple cider. There is no excuse for this deception. Shame on you!!
Adrianna Adarme says
lol SHAME ON ME!!! a bit dramatic, don't you think? they're muffins, jeff.
Sue says
Stay away from coffee cake my friend lol
Kay says
My did you have to rate them without trying them? You are annoying and stop commenting on stuff you haven’t tried and being here to just spread negativity! Folks, consider itself spared from expensive ass cider and try these. They are so good. I went on an Apple cider donut muffin/cake baking spree this season (I made 5 different recipes) and this was everyone’s favorite BY FAR.
Tammy says
If you've ever eaten a true cider donut from a cider mill, you'll find that this muffin replicates it to a T! Have your cider on the side with your muffin and get over it.
Lorna says
These have a great flavor! The streusel is what makes it taste exactly like a doughnut, don’t skip it! Will 100% make again.
Adrianna Adarme says
so happy you loved them! 🙂
Allison J says
Really yummy! Great flavor and moist. I did 1/2 coconut oil and 1/2 butter cuz that’s what I had on hand and they turned out great.
Adrianna Adarme says
wonderful to hear!
Jules says
They are good but they don’t taste anything like apple cider doughnuts.
Kay says
Wow!! So yummy! I started making the recipe and realized I didn’t have eggs so I used flax eggs and the muffins were great. Not as domed as they would have been with chicken eggs, but so delish!
Hillary says
If I don't have allspice can I substitute it for something else (I have pumpkin pie spice) or just omit?
Lesa says
Apple cider muffins without apple cider listed in the ingredients?? Just call them applesauce muffins…
Adrianna Adarme says
just don't make them then! simple!!
Kay says
I actually like that they don’t have cider in them because it’s not an ingredient people always have around! Applesauce is much easier to find and cheaper!