Apple Crumble Baked Donuts combine tender cinnamon-and-apple cake donuts with a buttery crumble topping and a light cinnamon drizzle. They are baked in a donut pan, so there is no frying step.
Why you’ll love these baked apple donuts
- Fresh apple pieces add fruit and moisture to the batter.
- A simple cold-butter crumble gives each donut a crisp top.
- The recipe makes 12 donuts, suitable for sharing at breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients overview
This recipe is organized into three parts. The crumble topping uses cold unsalted butter, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and cinnamon; stop mixing as soon as coarse crumbs form. The apple donut batter combines self-rising flour, sugar, cinnamon, mixed spice, whole milk, oil, eggs, and finely diced firm sweet apples. Dice the apples small so the batter pipes cleanly; the same technique also works well in our Apple Banana Bread. Tossing the apples with a teaspoon of flour helps distribute them through the batter. The cinnamon icing uses powdered sugar, cinnamon, and only enough water to make a thick, pourable drizzle.
Why self-rising flour works in Apple Crumble Baked Donuts
These are cake-style baked donuts rather than yeast-raised or fried donuts. Self-rising flour already contains baking powder and salt, and it is commonly made from lower-protein wheat that supports a softer, lighter crumb. Measure it by fluffing the flour, spooning it into the cup, and leveling it without packing. A heavy scoop can add too much flour and produce dry, dense donuts.
The apples affect both moisture and structure. Choose firm baking apples that keep some shape, such as Granny Smith, Braeburn, Jonagold, or Golden Delicious. Cut them into small, even dice so they distribute through the batter, pass through the piping bag, and bake through during the short oven time. Very soft or mealy apples may disappear into the crumb and make the batter feel wetter. Tossing the diced apple with the measured teaspoon of flour helps spread the pieces more evenly, but fold only until combined so the finished baked apple donuts stay tender.
Best apples for baked apple donuts
Choose a firm baking apple so the small pieces soften without disappearing into the cake-style crumb. The University of Illinois Extension guide to apple varieties lists Braeburn, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, and Pink Lady among the apples suited to pies and baking. For these donuts, Braeburn or Jonagold gives a balanced sweet-tart flavor, while Golden Delicious makes the apple filling milder and sweeter.
Peel, core, and cut the apples into small, even dice so they pass through the piping bag and cook during the short baking time. Avoid very soft or mealy fruit, which can lose its texture and add uneven moisture. Toss the diced apple with the measured teaspoon of self-rising flour, then fold it into the batter only until evenly distributed.
Before you start
Use a 12-cavity donut pan, or two 6-cavity pans, and grease the cavities and center posts well. Keep the crumble butter cold, dice the apples finely, and avoid overmixing the batter once the wet and dry ingredients meet.
Helpful tips
- Fill each cavity about two-thirds full, leaving room for the crumble topping.
- Check doneness in the cake portion with a toothpick, avoiding the apple pieces.
- Increase the oven temperature only when the donuts are set but the crumble still needs color.
- Cool the donuts completely before adding the drizzle so it stays visible instead of melting.
Ingredient notes and simple variations
Use firm apples that keep some texture during baking rather than very soft or mealy fruit. Mixed spice blends vary, so choose a cinnamon-forward blend and avoid one dominated by cloves. The icing may be left off, but the finished donuts will be less sweet and the nutrition will differ from the estimate in the recipe card.
For another cinnamon-and-apple bake to make later, try our Cinnamon Swirl Apple Fritter Bread.
Apple Crumble Baked Donuts
Equipment
- 12-cavity donut pan (or two 6-cavity donut pans)
- 2 mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Piping bag or large zip-top bag
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
Crumble topping
- 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Apple donut batter
- 1 3/4 cups self-rising flour
- 7/8 cup granulated sugar Equivalent to 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons.
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice
- 3/4 cup whole milk The nutrition estimate uses whole milk.
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 medium firm sweet apples About 10 oz (285 g) before peeling and coring; peel and finely dice.
- 1 tsp self-rising flour For coating the diced apples.
Cinnamon icing
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar Sifted.
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1–2 tbsp water Add only enough for a thick, pourable drizzle.
Instructions
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 12-cavity donut pan well, including the center posts.
- Combine the all-purpose flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips or work it in with a fork until coarse crumbs form. Stop mixing as soon as the mixture is crumbly, then set it aside.
- Whisk the self-rising flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and mixed spice in a large bowl. In a second bowl, whisk the whole milk, oil, and eggs. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk only until no dry flour remains; do not overmix.
- Toss the finely diced apples with the 1 teaspoon self-rising flour, then fold them into the batter. Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a large zip-top bag with one corner snipped. Pipe the batter into the prepared pan, filling each cavity about two-thirds full.
- Divide the crumble evenly over the batter. Bake for about 15 minutes, then check the cake portion with a toothpick, avoiding the apple pieces. If the donuts are set but the crumble is still pale, increase the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake for up to 5 minutes more. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the donuts to a wire rack.
- Whisk the powdered sugar and cinnamon with 1 tablespoon water. Add more water a little at a time only if needed to make a thick, pourable drizzle. Drizzle over completely cooled donuts.
Notes
Nutrition
Storage and freezing
Keep completely cooled donuts in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy them within 2 days for the best texture. The crumble softens as the donuts sit. For freezing, leave the donuts uniced, freeze them in a single layer until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container. Thaw at room temperature and add the cinnamon drizzle only after thawing.