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Fresh Milled Flour Apple Cider Donut Muffins

These Fresh Milled Flour Apple Cider Donut Muffins are soft, moist, and full of apple cider and warm fall flavor. A cinnamon sugar coating makes them taste just like a favorite fall treat!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Rest & Reducing Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12 muffins

Equipment

  • Grain mill
  • Kitchen scale
  • Muffin pans
  • Pastry brush

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 260 grams soft white wheat berries
  • 1 tablespoon apple pie spice
  • 1½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 1½ cups apple cider (reduced to 5 ounces)
  • 6 tbsp melted butter
  • 2 large eggs
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cinnamon Sugar Coating (see notes for coating options)

  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • Reduce the apple cider.
    Pour 1½ cups apple cider into a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until 5 ounces remain, about 30–40 minutes.
    While the cider is reducing, you can go ahead and start making the muffin batter. Make-ahead tip: You can also reduce the apple cider ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to make the muffins.
  • Mill the flour and mix the dry ingredients.
    Weigh out 260 grams of soft white wheat berries and mill into flour. In a small bowl, combine the freshly milled flour, apple pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • Mix the wet ingredients (except cider).
    Melt the butter and let it cool slightly. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, applesauce, brown sugar, and vanilla.
  • Make and rest the batter.
    Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently mix just until everything comes together. Be careful not to overmix.
    Cover the batter and let it rest for 20 minutes to give the freshly milled flour time to hydrate. You can do this while the apple cider is reducing to save time.
    Don’t add the reduced cider yet. Apple cider is acidic, so adding it now would start reacting with the baking soda while the batter rests. Waiting until after the hydration time helps save that reaction for when the muffins go into the oven.
  • Preheat the oven and prepare the muffin pan.
    While the batter rests, preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with liners or generously butter each muffin cup.
    Make sure the oven is fully preheated and your pan is ready before adding the reduced cider to the batter. Once you add it, you’ll want to fill the muffin cups and get them into the oven right away.
  • Add the reduced cider.
    After the batter has rested and the reduced cider has cooled slightly, gently mix the 5 ounces of reduced cider into the batter just until combined.
  • Fill the muffin pan.
    Immediately divide the batter evenly among 12 muffin cups. For larger, bakery-style muffin tops, divide the batter among 9 muffin cups instead, filling them fuller.
    You can also make mini muffins by dividing the batter among a mini muffin pan. See the mini muffin instructions below for baking times.
  • Bake.
    Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue baking for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes.
  • Add the cinnamon sugar coating.
    Melt the butter and set aside. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. While the muffins are still warm, use a pastry brush to coat them with melted butter, then coat with the cinnamon sugar mixture. You can coat just the tops or the tops and sides. (See below for amounts for each option.)

Notes

Cinnamon Sugar Coating: The amounts listed in the recipe are for coating just the tops. For the tops and sides, use 4 tablespoons melted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. I’ve also found that when the muffins are still warm, the cinnamon sugar sticks to the sides without additional butter, too. So, you can butter just the tops and coat the whole muffin or butter the tops and sides for a richer coating.
Mini Muffins: Fill a greased or lined mini muffin pan to the top. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce to 350°F and bake 5–7 minutes more, checking early. Once cool enough to handle, coat with melted butter and cinnamon sugar.
Storage & Freezing: Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2–3 days. The cinnamon sugar coating will soften as they sit. For longer storage, freeze in an airtight freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. For the best results, freeze the muffins without the cinnamon sugar coating. Thaw at room temperature, warm the muffins slightly, then add the melted butter and cinnamon sugar while they’re warm.