These fluffy apple cider donut muffins get a crackly chai-spiced sugar crust just like a bakery donut — no frying required. One bowl, warm fall spices, and they taste like a crisp autumn morning in muffin form.
1Reduce the cider: simmer 1 cup apple cider in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 8–10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
2Prep the pan: heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line it with paper liners.
3Whisk the wet ingredients: in a large bowl, whisk the reduced cider, melted butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
4Add the dry ingredients: sprinkle the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and salt over the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the diced apple. Do not overmix.
5Fill and bake: divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake 15–18 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6Coat in chai sugar: while the muffins are still warm, brush the tops with the 3 tablespoons melted butter, then roll each muffin top in the cinnamon-chai sugar mixture. Serve warm.
Recipe Lineage
The family tree of this recipe — trace every fork back to the original.