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Lately I’ve been on a mission to update some of my favorite fall recipes. That’s what I did with these sourdough apple cider twisty donuts, and I can’t wait to share them with you!

I’ll be honest: even though I love apple cider donuts, the store-bought version tastes a little one-note to me. My version uses sourdough instead of yeast, which creates a much more complex flavor and texture. These donuts are the perfect complement to a mug of hot apple cider, and they’re also amazing with your morning coffee.

I hope you love them as much as I do! I also recommend trying some of my other seasonal recipes, like this decadent sourdough pumpkin brioche with chocolate chips, or these pumpkin-shaped sourdough cookies.

Why Use Sourdough in Apple Cider Twisty Donuts?

Apple cider donuts date back to the thrifty American colonists; every fall, they made cider donuts to use up their excess apples! For what it’s worth, they didn’t have packaged yeast; they would have leavened their donuts using either sourdough starter or brewer’s yeast.

History aside, I love using sourdough in this recipe because it creates a much deeper, more complex flavor than packaged yeast. I use a special apple cider starter to give infuse the apple flavor throughout the dough, leaving just a mild, hint of a tang. The result is a sweet, but never cloying, donut with crisp edges and a soft, fluffy interior.

If you don’t have active sourdough starter, though, you can make these donuts using sourdough discard and active, dry yeast. I’ll include directions for both methods.

What Are the Ingredients in Sourdough Apple Cider Twisted Donuts?

I like to make this recipe with active sourdough starter. Make sure it’s bubbly; it’s a good idea to feed it a 6+ hours before you start baking. You’ll combine the starter with warm concentrated apple cider, brown sugar, and all-purpose flour to make an apple cider starter.

If you don’t have an active sourdough starter, you can also use sourdough discard and active dry yeast. 

You’ll also need granulated sugar, unsalted butter, cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and egg yolks to enrich the donut dough, and a neutral oil to fry your donuts in. I like to use either vegetable, canola, or peanut oil.

To top the donuts, you’ll need granulated sugar.

Or, if you decide to make a glaze, you need powdered(confectioner’s) sugar, a few spoonfuls of apple cider, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Equipment for Apple Cider Twisted Donuts

I use a stand mixer to make the dough for these donuts, but you can also mix it up in a large bowl. 

You’ll need a heavy-bottomed pot for frying, and an instant-read thermometer to monitor the temperature of the oil. That’s all!

How to Make Sourdough Apple Cider Twisted Donuts

Make sure you read the whole recipe before you get started. You’ll need to plan ahead so you have time to make the apple cider starter and ferment the dough. 

Step One: Make the Apple Cider Reduction

Pour 840g apple cider into a medium saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Let the cider simmer, uncovered, until it has reduced to 300g.

This will concentrate the apple cider flavor and give the donuts a much stronger apple cider flavor without adding too much extra liquid to the dough.

Once the cider has reduced, remove it from the heat and let it cool until warm before using it in the recipe.

Step Two: Make the Apple Cider Starter

Mix together the sourdough starter, warm apple cider concentrate, flour, and brown sugar in a small bowl. Cover and let it sit at room temperature until it becomes bubbly and active and has increased in size. 

You should plan on a few hours for this stage, but be aware that it could take longer. If your kitchen is on the cool side, your starter will take longer to bubble up. Don’t rush things! You need a vigorous starter for this recipe.

(NOTE: If you’re making these donuts with packaged yeast, you don’t need to make the apple cider starter. Instead, activate your active dry yeast by stirring it into 240g warm apple cider concentrate. Wait until it gets frothy. This should take just five to ten minutes. )

Step Three: Make the Dough 

Combine your bubbly apple cider starter, warm apple cider concentrate, softened butter, egg yolks, and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Mix until everything is well combined. 

(If you’re using packaged yeast, combine your activated yeast with the sourdough discard, butter, egg yolks, and sugar, and stir well).

Add flour, cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt, and mix until a dough starts to form. 

Step Four: Knead the Dough

Knead the dough by hand or with a stand mixer until it becomes smooth, soft, and elastic. 

If the dough is very sticky and difficult to work with, gradually add the remaining 50g of flour as needed. Add the flour carefully, just a spoonful at a time, and don’t use more than you need. If you put too much flour in your dough, the doughnuts will be heavy and dense. 

Step Five: Bulk Fermentation 

Cover the dough and let it ferment at room temperature until it looks noticeably puffy and has increased in size. 

This stage can be tricky to plan for. It typically takes four hours in a warm kitchen, but it’s variable. If your kitchen is cool, it could take five hours or more for your dough to rise. Be patient, and keep watching the dough.

(Note: If you’re using packaged yeast, the bulk fermentation stage will be much quicker. Your dough should be ready after just an hour.) 

Step Six: Shape the Donuts 

This is my favorite step!

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 18 equal pieces. You’re going to make each piece into a twist.

Roll each piece into a long rope, and then twist the rope evenly, pinching the ends together to create the twisty donut shape.

Step Seven: Proof the Donuts

Place the shaped donuts on squares of parchment paper. This will make it easier to transfer them to the oil for frying. 

Cover the donuts loosely with a dishtowel and let them proof until they’re puffy and feel light and airy. When you poke them with a floury finger, they should spring back slowly; you’ll see a slight indent.

Be careful not to overproof your donuts, since they still need to hold their shape when you pick them up. Start checking them for readiness after about an hour. They typically take one or two hours to proof. 

(Note: If you’re using packaged yeast in this recipe, the donuts should take about 30 minutes to proof.)

Step Eight: Heat the Oil 

When your donuts are proofed, prepare to fry them. 

Pour neutral oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pot, making sure the oil reaches up the sides of the pot. You need enough oil so that the donuts can float without touching the bottom. 

Heat the oil to 350°F. It’s a good idea to check the temperature regularly while frying, making sure the oil stays at around 350°F. If the oil gets too hot, the outsides of your donuts will burn before the inside cooks through! If your oil is too cool, your donuts will absorb the oil instead of crisping up.

Step Nine: Fry the Donuts 

Carefully lower the donuts into the hot oil, working in small batches so you don’t overcrowd the pot. 

Fry the donuts until they’re golden brown, and then flip them so both sides cook evenly. Plan on frying them for about a minute and a half on each side.

Once the donuts are golden and cooked through, remove them from the oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate or wire rack to drain. 

Step Ten: Top the Donuts

Mix together the sugar topping. Or, if you prefer to glaze your donuts, stir together the ingredients for the glaze.

Top your donuts as soon as they come out of the pot. Roll them in sugar or, if you’re glazing them, roll them into your apple cider glaze, and transfer back to the wire rack. 

Let them cool slightly before serving.

Tips for the Best Sourdough Apple Cider Donuts

• Don’t add more flour than you need. Start with 450g and add more only if the dough really needs it. You want a soft, workable dough rather than a stiff one. 

• Make sure to reduce your apple cider. This will add a much deeper apple flavor to your donuts. It is so worth it!!

• Be patient with the fermentation process. Sourdough timing can vary quite a bit depending on the temperature of your kitchen and your starter. Don’t rush it, but watch your dough carefully for signs of readiness.

• Monitor your oil temperature. Try to keep it around 350°F while frying. 

• Fry your donuts in batches and avoid overcrowding.Adding too many donuts at once will drop the oil temperature, resulting in soggy, greasy donuts.

• Drain your donuts right away to ensure maximum crispiness. A wire rack works especially well because it keeps the bottoms of your donuts from sitting in excess oil. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need to make an apple cider starter? 

The apple cider starter modifies the natural sourdough tang and gives the dough a little extra time to develop a rich apple cider flavor before you make the dough. The brown sugar also contributes a little sweetness. The result is a subtly sweet donut infused wuth apple cider flavor!

Make sure your apple cider starter is bubbly and active before using it. 

How do I know when my sourdough donut dough is ready? 

Sourdough is part art, part science. You can’t go by the clock; instead, check the dough for visual signs that it’s ready. 

Your dough should become noticeably puffy and increase in sizeby at least 50 percent. This process can vary a lot. If your kitchen is cool, it will take longer. If your starter isn’t very vigorous, the rise will also take a little longer. Be patient!

Why is my donut dough sticky? 

This is a fairly soft dough, so some stickiness is normal. If your dough is very sticky, you can add a little more flour, but be careful. Adding too much flour can make the donuts heavy and dense instead of light and fluffy.

Start with just 450g of flour. If you need more, add it just a spoonful at a time. Stop adding flour once your dough is soft, yielding, and elastic.

Why won’t my dough roll into ropes? 

If the dough keeps shrinking back when you’re trying to roll it, the gluten probably needs a little time to relax. Don’t worry! Just cover the dough and let it rest for about 10–15 minutes, then try again. 

It can be tempting to add flour to make your dough easier to work with, but don’t! Adding too much flour will just weigh down your dough.

Can I make these donuts ahead of time? 

Yes! You can prepare the dough and let it go through its first rise, and then shape the donuts and refrigerate them overnight. 

The next day, let them come back to room temperature and finish proofing. Make sure they’re nice and puffy before you fry them.

How do I know when the donuts are ready to fry? 

After you shape the donuts, they should look puffy and airy. 

They should feel light when you pick them up, never heavy and dense. If they’re very dense, they probably need more proofing time.

Still, they should have enough structure to hold their shape. If the fall apart when you pick them up, they may be overproofed.

Fermentation Chart

The fermentation times in this chart are a general guideline based on this specific recipe and the dough temperature listed. Sourdough fermentation can vary quite a bit depending on factors like the temperature of your dough, the strength and maturity of your starter, the temperature of your kitchen, and the flour you use.

For the most accurate timing, take the temperature of your dough immediately after kneading/mixing and use that temperature to find the closest range on the chart. From there, use the dough itself as your guide rather than relying solely on the clock. Your dough may be ready sooner or may need more time than the chart suggests.

Tip: Dough temperature can change throughout fermentation, so if your kitchen is significantly warmer or cooler than the temperature used for this chart, expect your fermentation time to change as well.

Dough Temp	bulk ferment	final proof
65F (18C)	5 hr 40 mins	3 hr 20 mins
70F (21C)	4 hr 40 min	2 hr 40 min
75F (24C)	3 hr 50 min	2 hr 20 min
80F (27C)	3 hr	2 hr