These baked apple cider donuts swap conventional sugar for Jaca allulose, so you get cakey, cinnamon-sugar-coated fall donuts with real apple cider flavor and no added sugar. This is a Jaca-adjusted, healthier version of the bakery classic — every bit of sugar is replaced with 100% pure allulose at twice the amount, so the sweetness and texture stay true while the added sugar drops to zero.
The secret is reducing fresh apple cider down to a concentrated syrup — that’s where the deep, orchard-sweet flavor comes from, no extra sugar required. Reduce it the night before to make busy mornings easy.
Prep time: 30 minutes · Cook time: 11 minutes · Makes: 12 donuts
Ingredients:
Donuts
- 1½ cups apple cider (reduced to ½ cup)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp apple pie spice
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 cup Jaca allulose (replaces ½ cup brown sugar; add 1 tsp molasses for brown-sugar depth, optional)
- 1 cup Jaca allulose (replaces ½ cup granulated sugar)
- ½ cup milk, at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Cinnamon-sugar coating
- 2 cups Jaca allulose (replaces 1 cup granulated sugar)
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¾ tsp apple pie spice
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Instructions:
- Reduce the apple cider: In a small saucepan over low heat, simmer 1½ cups apple cider, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about ½ cup (start checking at 10 minutes; it usually takes about 20). Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Do this the night before if you like.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray a donut pan with non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk the melted butter, egg, both cups of Jaca allulose, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Pour into the dry ingredients, add the cooled apple cider reduction, and whisk until just combined. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Spoon the batter into a large zipped-top bag, snip off a corner, and pipe into each donut cavity, filling about halfway.
- Bake for 10–11 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Cool 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Re-grease the pan and bake any remaining batter.
- Make the coating: Stir together 2 cups Jaca allulose, the cinnamon, and apple pie spice in a medium bowl. Once the donuts are cool enough to handle, dip both sides in the melted butter, then coat generously in the Jaca cinnamon-sugar.
- Serve warm. Store leftovers covered at room temperature up to 2 days, or refrigerated up to 5 days.
Note: Jaca allulose browns and caramelizes a touch faster than conventional sugar, so keep an eye on the donuts near the end of baking.
