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If you love the flavors of fall, these Pecan Cinnamon Sugar Baked Apple Donuts are going to become one of your favorite homemade treats! Made with fresh apples, warm cinnamon, and a crunchy pecan cinnamon sugar topping, these baked donuts are soft, moist, and packed with delicious autumn flavors.

There is something about the combination of apples, cinnamon, and pecans that makes me want to head straight to the kitchen and start baking. These donuts have all the wonderful flavors of a traditional apple cider donut, but they are baked instead of fried.

The best part? You don't need any fancy equipment other than a donut pan, and you can have a batch of these Pecan Cinnamon Sugar Baked Apple Donuts ready to enjoy in about 30 minutes.

Whether you serve them for breakfast with a hot cup of coffee, make them for an afternoon snack, or add them to your fall brunch menu, these baked apple donuts are sure to be a hit with the whole family.

Earlier this year, I purchased a couple of baking donut pans. I mean, I love a good yeast donut, but I have recently fallen in love with making baked donuts.

Why You'll Love These Pecan Cinnamon Sugar Baked Apple Donuts

There are so many reasons to love this easy homemade donut recipe!

• Baked instead of fried. There is no need to heat up a pot of oil or deal with the mess of frying donuts.
• Full of fall flavors. Fresh apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pecans create the perfect combination of warm, cozy flavors.
• Quick and easy to make. The batter comes together in just a few minutes, and the donuts bake in about 12 minutes.
• Perfect for breakfast or dessert. Enjoy these donuts with your morning coffee or serve them as a sweet treat after dinner.
• Delicious cinnamon sugar topping. A buttery coating of cinnamon sugar and finely chopped pecans adds a sweet crunch to every bite.

For this recipe, I decided to up the flavors some by adding chopped pecans into the cinnamon-sugar mixture that goes on top. I used Millican Pecans because they are my absolute favorite.

I took them and minced them up in the food processor with the cinnamon and it changed these donuts from great to AH-MAZING!

Not only do the pecans set these donuts over the top, but the vanilla bean paste from Taylor & Colledge is what I like to use for all my pastries and donuts these days.

So, let's get down to making these delicious donuts.

How to Make Pecan Cinnamon Sugar Baked Apple Donuts

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

While the oven is heating, combine your dry ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together.

In another bowl, combine your wet ingredients. Mix until combined.

Now, grate two apples. I love getting apples in my Melissa's Produce box. They are always perfect and in the season when I get them.

Add the grated apples to the wet ingredients. Now, combine the dry and the wet together. Transfer the batter to a pastry bag or a ziplock bag.

Snip off the end to create a hole big enough for the batter to come out.

Spray your baking pans with nonstick cooking spray.

Squeeze the batter into the cavities of the donut hole pan and transfer to the oven to bake for 10-12 minutes.

While the donuts are baking, it's time to get our pecan cinnamon-sugar mixture ready.

In a small skillet, toast ½ cup of chopped pecans on medium-high heat just until they start to smell fragrant, about 2-5 minutes.

Once they are toasted, remove them from the heat and allow them to cool. In a food processor, add the pecans and the cinnamon and pulse until the mixture is ground up.

When the donuts are done baking, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for about 5 minutes.

Melt your butter in a small bowl. Dip the tops of the baked donuts in the butter and then coat them with the pecan cinnamon-sugar mixture.

That's it! Your house will smell amazing and everyone will RAVE about these donuts.

Check out the other bloggers recipes below

More #FallFlavors Recipes Below:

Appetizers, Cocktails, and Snacks

• Apple Cider Old-Fashioned from Books n' Cooks
• Fall Charcuterie Board from The Spiffy Cookie
• Sweet And Spicy Pecans from Simple and Savory

Breakfast and Baked Goods

• Apple Cider Pecan Granola from Family Around The Table
• Apple Cinnamon Bread from Life Love and Good Food
• Apple Pecan Scones from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Gluten-Free Apple Cider Doughnuts from Frugal & Fit
• Pecan Cinnamon Sugar Baked Apple Donuts from Jen Around the World

Soups and Salads

• Caramel Apple Pear Salad from Eat Move Make
• Creamy Autumn Squash Soup from Blogghetti

Side Dishes

• Balsamic Glazed Cipollini Onions from West Via Midwest
• Roasted Cipollini Onions With Sherry Vinegar And Thyme from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Vegan Butternut Squash And Chestnut Kebabs from Magical Ingredients

Main Dishes

• Cider Brined Baked Chicken from Palatable Pastime
• Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad from Cheese Curd In Paradise

Desserts

• Air Fryer Apple Fritters from Devour Dinner
• Apple Cider Tea Madeleines from Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Apple Crumb Bars from SueBee Homemaker
• Apple Nachos from Take Two Tapas
• Butterscotch Blondies from That Recipe
• Carrot Cake Cupcakes from Fresh April Flours
• Fall Fruit Galette from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Giant Butterscotch Cookies from An Affair from the Heart
• Gluten-Free Apple Pie from The Fresh Cooky
• Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake from Art of Natural Living
• Pear & Butternut Squash Crisp from Savory Moments
• Pecan Pound Cake from Soulfully Made
• Sour Cream Apple Pie from House of Nash Eats
• Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe from Lemon Blossoms

Tips for Making the Best Baked Apple Donuts

Making baked donuts is simple, but a few little tricks can help you get the perfect texture and flavor every time.

Use freshly grated apples. Fresh apples add moisture and natural sweetness to the donuts. Grate them using the small or medium holes of a box grater so the apple pieces blend into the batter.

Don't squeeze out the apple juice. The moisture from the grated apples helps keep the donuts soft and tender.

Avoid overmixing the batter. Stir the wet and dry ingredients together just until combined. Overmixing can result in tough donuts.

Don't overfill the donut pan. Filling each cavity about three-quarters full gives the donuts room to rise without losing their shape.

Coat the donuts while they are slightly warm. The cinnamon sugar mixture sticks better when the donuts are still a little warm and have been brushed with melted butter.

Use finely chopped pecans. Large pecan pieces won't stick as easily to the donuts. Finely chopped pecans give you that delicious nutty crunch in every bite.

What Are the Best Apples for Baked Apple Donuts?

You can use several different apple varieties when making these homemade donuts.

Honeycrisp apples are one of my favorites because they have a wonderful balance of sweetness and tartness.

Granny Smith apples are another great option if you prefer a slightly more tart apple flavor.

Fuji and Gala apples also work well and add plenty of natural sweetness.

You can even use a combination of two different apple varieties to create a more complex apple flavor.

For this recipe, I recommend using fresh apples rather than canned apple pie filling. Freshly grated apples provide moisture without adding too much extra sugar to the batter.

Love apple recipes? Check these out!

• Southern Apple Salsa
• Classic Apple Pie
• Caramel Apple Dirty Soda