Easy Apple Cider Donut Bread Recipe In Mini Loaves

This Apple Cider Donut Bread Recipe is one of my favorite fall bakes—perfect for sharing, gifting, or stocking the freezer. It’s warmly spiced, ultra moist from reduced apple cider, and finished with a mouthwatering cinnamon sugar coating.

I always bake this recipe in mini loaf pans. They make the bread easier to store, freeze, and portion—and let’s be honest, they’re just really cute on a fall brunch table.

Whether you’re baking ahead for guests or whipping up something sweet for the weekend, this is a must-make. You’ll find this and more seasonal ideas in my Cooking from Scratch collection.

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I grew up in the Midwest, and every fall we go to the apple orchard and eat apple cider donuts. They are so good and packed with delicious apple cider and cinnamon flavors. Nothing says fall flavor like apple cider donuts. When I first started making this bread, it reminded me so much of our favorite fall donuts!

What’s great about the bread is that it’s so easy to make right at home. The bread is delicious in a regular-sized loaf, but it’s even better in these mini loaves because it makes the bread-to-glaze ratio perfect!

Quick Step Recipe Summary

• Step 1: Boil apple cider until it is reduced by half.
• Step 2: Preheat the oven to 350º and prepare a mini loaf pan.
• Step 3: Combine wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately.
• Step 4: Mix wet and dry ingredients and add apple cider.
• Step 5: Bake for 15 minutes. Melt the butter and combine the sugar and cinnamon.
• Step 6: Brush with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Ingredients & Supplies You’ll Need

With simple ingredients, you can make the most delicious fall quick bread in bite-sized mini loaves.

• 2 cups apple cider – Reduced for a bold, concentrated apple flavor that shines in every bite.
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature – Adds rich flavor and keeps the bread tender and moist.
• 1 cup brown sugar – Brings warm sweetness and a hint of molasses depth.
• 1 large egg – Binds the batter together and helps the loaves rise properly.
• 2 cups all-purpose flour – The structural base for soft, cake-like bread.
• 1 tbsp apple pie spice – Homemade or store-bought, it infuses the bread with spiced, fall flavor.
• 1 tsp baking powder – Lifts the batter for a light, tender texture.
• 1/2 tsp baking soda – Reacts with the cider for extra rise and softness.
• 1/2 tsp salt – Balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.

For the Glaze

• 1/4 cup butter, melted – Helps the cinnamon-sugar coating stick and adds richness.
• 1/2 cup sugar – Gives the outside that irresistible donut-like crunch.
• 1 tbsp cinnamon – Brings warmth and classic donut shop flavor to the finish.

Useful Supplies to Have

• Mini Loaf Baking Sheet – Silicone mini loaf pan that makes the perfect little loaves.
• Stainless Steel Measuring Tools – Durable, safe, and easy for everyone to use.
• Mixing Bowls – Glass bowls with lids, safe, and various sizes.
• Cooling Rack – Stackable, stainless steel racks for baked goods.

How to Make Apple Cider Donut Bread (Step-by-Step)

This recipe is an easy, quick bread recipe that you will crave every fall. Bring the apple cider to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until it is reduced by half. Boiling the apple cider intensifies that flavor so it is infused into your bread.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease your mini loaf pan (or 9×5 loaf pan). In a medium bowl, beat brown sugar and butter by hand or with a hand mixer until they are fluffy. Add the egg and mix again. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine flour, apple pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, then add the apple cider. Mix by hand until just combined. If you have a few lumps, don’t worry about it; they’ll bake out.

When you mix wet and dry ingredients together, you’re hydrating the flour and starting gluten development. Gluten gives structure to baked goods, but overmixing creates too much gluten, which leads to a dense, chewy, or rubbery texture, not what you want in a tender, cakey bread.

Pour into the mini loaf pan until each cup is about 2/3rds full and bake for 15 minutes. You may have to work in batches, depending on the size of your mini loaf pan. If you use a different size loaf pan, adjust the time. If you use a 9×5 pan and make one big loaf, bake for 45-55 minutes. When an inserted toothpick comes out clean, the bread is done.

Melt the butter for your glaze, and brush it over the mini loaves. Combine the cinnamon and sugar, and sprinkle it generously onto the loaves. Serve and enjoy! The butter, cinnamon, and sugar the better! Trust me.

Tips for the Best Texture and Flavor

Getting that soft, cake-like texture and warm apple-spice flavor comes down to a few simple tricks:

• Use room temperature ingredients — especially butter and eggs, so everything mixes evenly.
• Don’t overmix — once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, stop stirring. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour and can make your bread tough instead of tender.
• Let the loaves rest before slicing — this helps them finish setting and makes for a cleaner cut.

Substitutions and Variations

Want to make it your own? Here are a few easy changes to suit your pantry or preferences:

• Swap the fat — Instead of butter, you can use melted coconut oil or neutral oil like avocado. If you want to experiment with tallow, it will give a denser texture and more rustic flavor.
• Add-ins — Try stirring in chopped apples, raisins, or walnuts for extra texture.
• Full-size bread loaf instead of mini loaves — Just increase the baking time to 45-55 minutes and check for doneness with a toothpick.
• Gluten-free version — Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend. You may need to add an extra egg yolk for moisture if the batter feels dry.
• Homemade Apple Pie Spice — Customize your apple pie spice so it has just the right undertones and flavors.

How to Store and Freeze It

If this delicious bread lasts more than a day, I’d be surprised! It will store well at room temperature for about 3 days or a week in the refrigerator.

If you want to make a large batch of these delicious mini breads while you have access to fresh apple cider, they will freeze well for about 3 months. Wrap in foil and freeze in a bag or container. Thaw in the fridge overnight and enjoy!

More Cozy Fall Bakes You’ll Love

I love the smell of cozy fall desserts baking in the kitchen. From quick breads and cookies to pies and turnovers, fall flavors are some of my favorites. Here are a few more of my favorite fall recipes:

• Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crumble Topping
• Pumpkin Pie Spice
• Apple Pie Filling to Can or Freeze
• Apple Butter Canning Recipe
• Apple Pie Spice

Apple Cider Donut Bread FAQs

Ready to Bake? Let’s Get Cozy!

Once you taste this Apple Cider Donut Bread, you’ll want to make it all season long. It’s a cozy treat perfect for chilly mornings, after-school snacks, or gifting to neighbors.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @sam.thatsme so I can cheer you on in your scratch-made journey.

Want more seasonal baking recipes? Explore the Desserts from Scratch page.