Apple Cider Donut Bread
You can now get your favorite apple cider donut fix at home with this easy quick bread recipe! The most amazing quick bread that will remind you of your favorite pumpkin patch apple cider donuts.
It’s SO close to being fall. I’m talking 12 days, and BOOM its officially fall. To me, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. September thru December are the 4 BEST months out of the year. Some one fight me on it. I dare ya.
I’m gearing up for the cooler weather and warmer spices. My husband and I love doing fall “activities” with our kids. We’ve done apple picking. We do corn mazes. We carve pumpkins. And of course, we do the pumpkin patches. Pictures of my kids surrounded by hundreds of pumpkins. There is NOTHING better.

One particular pumpkin patch we like going to has the BEST apple cider donuts. They are so good. Especially when you get there at just the right moment and the donuts have literally just popped out of the fryer. That’s heaven. At least I hope heaven is full of pumpkins, cool weather, and donuts.
The place I’m talking about is Cornbelly’s here in Utah. It’s a place our kids beg to go to. If you haven’t been there, and are looking for something fun to do this fall, make sure to hit it up. Cornbelly’s apple cider donut line is usually really long, especially on the chillier evenings. Don’t let that discourage you because the apple cider donuts are delish and totally worth waiting in line.
Making donuts at home can be a little overwhelming, at least it is for me. So I decided to embrace all of those fall cider donut flavors and make a quick bread instead. This may be the most moist bread I’ve ever made. And the glaze… I nailed the flavor so perfectly. I seriously couldn’t get over how delicious it really was. I kept tasting it and then I’d pat myself on the back and taste it again. It’s really THAT good.

While this obviously isn’t donuts, it will still give you all the feels of eating an apple cider donuts at your favorite pumpkin patch or barn. It’s easier and healthy to make than your traditional fried donuts, so you can totally make it happen in your kitchen even if you aren’t a baker.
This bread is good enough for a sweet breakfast, and delicious enough for a treat. Not only does this bread taste like fall, but your house will smell like fall. So put away all of your spiced apple toddy candles, and get baking.
F.A.Q.s and Troubleshooting for Apple Cider Donut Bread


Apple Cider Donut Bread
Ingredients
Bread
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ TBS vegetable oil
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 packets Instant apple cider
- 1 ½ cup water*
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
- 2 TBS cornstarch
- 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg
Glaze
- 4 TBS butter
- ½ packet Instant apple cider
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 ½ TBS milk
- ½ tsp cinnamon
Instructions
Bread
- Preheat the oven to 325.
- Line a 9×5 loaf pan, grease it, and then set it aside.
- In a small saucepan, empty two packets of the instant apple cider with 1 ½ cups of water. Let it boil for about 5-7 minutes until it reduces. Use only ¾ cup of remaining cider for the cake. Set aside and let it cool for about 5 minutes before using in the batter.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until pale in color. Add in vanilla, oil, and applesauce, then continue to whisk.
- Add in all of the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Then alternate between adding in the sour cream and ¾ cup apple cider. Batter will not be runny, and slightly thick.
- Pour mixture into your prepared pan and bake for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from pan and let it cool on a cooling rack for about 20 minutes before pouring the glaze on.
Glaze
- Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl.
- Add ½ a packet of instant apple cider and whisk together until the cider dissolves into the butter.
- Add 1 cup of sifted powdered sugar and start to whisk.
- Add in about 2 ½ TBS of milk and whisk together.
- Pour on top of a cooled loaf.