This month I already got to cross two things off my fall bucket list: going to an apple orchard and trying apple cider donuts. Roaming around the orchard with all the gorgeous colorful apples felt so quintessentially fall. My friends and I went on a cloudy day where it actually ended up raining, so we hurried indoors in search of warm apple cider donuts and hot coffee. I was so pleasantly surprised by the apple cider donut. The apple flavor was subtler than I expected and the cinnamon really shined. Paired with hot coffee, the apple cider donut quickly became a new fall favorite.

Donuts are such a fun, nostalgic treat to eat, which is why I wanted to put a healthy twist on them. Baked donuts definitely have a distinctly different flavor than the traditional fried version, but I actually love how light and fluffy they can turn out. This recipe creates a donut that resembles a muffin or cake just in a donut form. Dunked in cinnamon sugar for a glistening touch, you won’t even miss the difference. I recipe tested for days and finally found The Faux Martha’s recipe. I adapted it slightly, but am so happy she nailed the light and fluffy elements of the baked donut. She gave the great tip to add your donut batter into a plastic bag to evenly distribute into the donut pan…it helped so much!

To recreate the apple cider and coffee experience at the orchard, I brewed a cup of Donut Shop coffee in my Keurig and dunked my donut right into the mug. Once I made the switch to mostly using a Keurig versus my French Press every morning, I tried other types of coffee but always came back to the Donut Shop brew. There’s just something about the adorable packing that makes me happy every time I reach for my K-cup in the morning. I think of the nostalgia of being at a neighborhood donut shop in line for a donut (chocolate with sprinkles!!) and coffee. The medium flavor of Donut Shop is bold and compliments the apple cinnamon flavors of this baked donut perfectly.

While I start my days with a cup of coffee, I love winding down at night with a warm cup of tea. Right now I am really into drinking a pumpkin rooibos or harvest spice tea to celebrate the fall flavors. I am so glad I got the Keurig that stores plenty of water to also easily brew a quick cup of hot water (in several different sizes) with the touch of a button. The pearl colored Keurig is sleek, simple and doesn’t take up too much precious counter space. Plenty of room left to bake these apple cider donuts to pair with coffee!

If you don’t have a donut pan, you can snag one easily online or your favorite place to shop. Once you have one, I think you’ll be surprised by how often you use it! I love how this recipe makes 6 donuts, it was the perfect amount to enjoy with my roommate and share with a few co-workers. If you’re going to save them for later, don’t put the donuts in a plastic bag! Gently cover on a plate with plastic wrap so they can breathe a little bit. If you’re an extra good friend, you’ll share a Keurig Donut Shop K-cup for your friend to pair with their baked apple cider donut.

Thank you to Keurig for sponsoring this post!

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela