Apple cider is a must for fall and this Caramel Apple Cider Donut Bread with Maple Butter is the ultimate cozy treat that elevates classic cider. If you allow the cider to simmer with spices like cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg is reduced down into a flavorful syrup that is the base of our bread. Layered with homemade caramel and cinnamon sugar, then served with a dollop of whipped maple butter.
The butter is a tad sweet and had a touch of cinnamon, think Texas roadhouse butter. That served with a warm slice of the apple cider cake is a match made for anyone. No apple cider donut would be complete without a coating of cinnamon sugar, so this loaf gets a heaving dusting as well.
Fun for gifting over the fall season of making for a Thanksgiving brunch, this is sure to be a hit! You’ll also love my apple cider donut muffins with cream cheese filling. Find all of my quick bread recipes here for more fall baking inspiration.
Rachel’s Chef Tips
- Homemade Caramel: Make your caramel sauce ahead of time so it has time to thicken slightly before swirling into the batter. If you prefer less sweetness, drizzle just on top instead of folding it in. Store-bought caramel will also work in a pinch.
- Whipped Maple Butter: Beat softened butter with pure maple syrup until light and fluffy. A pinch of cinnamon adds an extra spice and color.
- Cinnamon Sugar Dusting: For that classic donut texture, generously coat in cinnamon sugar before baking the bread.
- Apple Cider Reduction: If your cider is on the mild side, simmer it until reduced by half to intensify the apple flavor in the batter. This way we don’t incorporate too much liquid into the batter.
- Serving Idea: serve warm, but allow the bread a few minutes to rest so it slices cleaner. A dollop of maple butter and an extra drizzle of caramel add a nice presentation.
Key Bread Ingredients
Apple Cider: Reduce for a stronger apple flavor; apple juice can be used in a pinch but isn’t as rich.
Nutmeg: Adds warm spice; freshly grated nutmeg gives the best flavor.
Ginger: Brings a subtle heat that balances the sweetness.
Cinnamon: Essential for that cozy cider donut flavor; don’t skip.
Allspice: Deepens the spice blend with a hint of clove-like flavor.
Unsalted Butter: Gives richness and moisture; use salted butter if needed, but reduce added salt slightly.
Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and caramel notes; light or dark both work.
Granulated Sugar: For sweetness and structure.
Heavy Cream: Adds richness to both the bread and caramel; half-and-half can be used.
Egg: Helps bind and give structure; room temp mixes in more smoothly.
Vanilla Extract: Enhances all the warm flavors; pure extract is best.
All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure; don’t swap for cake or bread flour.
Pure Maple Syrup: Adds natural sweetness and depth.
How to Make The Apple Cider Bread
Let’s talk a little about how to make the Caramel Apple Cider Donut Bread with Maple Butter (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Quick overview:
- Make the caramel drizzle. Simmer apple cider.
- Combine wet ingredients, fold in the dry ingredients.
- Layer bater, caramel, and cinnamon sugar in a loaf pan.
- Bake bread, let cool. Whip up maple butter.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
For the caramel:
- In a small saucepan, heat water and sugar over high heat. Stirring frequently until the sugar has dissolved. Once the sugar starts to bubble, stop stirring. Allow to cook over medium-high heat until you get a dark amber color. 8-10 minutes.
- Once amber, turn off the heat. Add in the butter and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and pour in the heavy whipping cream, stirring frequently as the caramel will bubble. Mix in the salt and vanilla extract. Set aside to cool slightly.
For the bread:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, line or grease a standard loaf pan and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan combine the apple cider, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat and allow to simmer until reduced by about half, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the spiced apple cider mixture, melted butter, sugars, milk, egg, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and fold to combine, a whisk can be helpful in removing any lumps.
- In a separate small bowl combine the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
- Add half of the batter to the prepared loaf pan, drizzle in a few spoonful’s of caramel and sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture, swirl into the batter. Add the remaining batter on top and top with more caramel and the rest of the cinnamon sugar, swirl into batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack.
For the maple butter:
- In a mixing bowl add the softened butter, use a hand mixer fitted with a whip attachment to whip the butter until light and airy, 2-3 minutes. Add in the maple syrup and cinnamon, mix to combine.
- Allow the bread to cool slightly before slicing, serve with a slather of the soft maple butter, extra caramel, and enjoy!
Baking Tips
Caramel Apple Cider Donut Bread with Maple Butter
Equipment
Ingredients
For the bread:
- 1 cup Apple Cider
- 1 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1 tsp Ground Ginger
- 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Ground Allspice
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup Heavy cream
- 1 whole Egg, room temperature
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
For the caramel:
- 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp Water
- 3 tbsp Unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup Heavy cream
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Pinch of flaky sea salt
For the cinnamon sugar topping:
- 3 tbsp Granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp Cinnamon
For the maple butter:
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tbsp Pure maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
Instructions
For the caramel:
- In a small saucepan, heat water and sugar over high heat. Stirring frequently until the sugar has dissolved. Once the sugar starts to bubble, stop stirring. Allow to cook over medium-high heat until you get a dark amber color. 8-10 minutes.1/2 cup Granulated sugar, 2 tbsp Water
- Once amber, turn off the heat. Add in the butter and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and pour in the heavy whipping cream, stirring frequently as the caramel will bubble. Mix in the salt and vanilla extract. Set aside to cool slightly.3 tbsp Unsalted butter , 1/4 cup Heavy cream , 1 tsp Vanilla extract , Pinch of flaky sea salt
For the bread:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, line or grease a standard loaf pan and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan combine the apple cider, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat and allow to simmer until reduced by about half, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.1 cup Apple Cider, 1 tsp Ground Nutmeg, 1 tsp Ground Ginger, 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon, 1/2 tsp Ground Allspice
- In a large mixing bowl combine the spiced apple cider mixture, melted butter, sugars, milk, egg, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.1/2 cup Unsalted butter, 1/2 cup Brown Sugar, packed, 1/2 cup Granulated sugar, 1/4 cup Heavy cream, 2 tsp Vanilla Extract, 1 whole Egg
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and fold to combine, a whisk can be helpful in removing any lumps.2 cups All-purpose flour , 2 tsp Baking Powder, 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- In a separate small bowl combine the cinnamon and sugar mixture.1 tbsp Cinnamon , 3 tbsp Granulated sugar
- Add half of the batter to the prepared loaf pan, drizzle in a few spoonful's of caramel and sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture, swirl into the batter. Add the remaining batter on top and top with more caramel and the rest of the cinnamon sugar, swirl into batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack.
For the maple butter:
- In a mixing bowl add the softened butter, use a hand mixer fitted with a whip attachment to whip the butter until light and airy, 2-3 minutes. Add in the maple syrup and cinnamon, mix to combine.1/2 cup Unsalted butter, 2 tbsp Pure maple syrup, 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
- Allow the bread to cool slightly before slicing, serve with a slather of the soft maple butter, extra caramel, and enjoy!
Notes
- Reduce the cider: Simmering the apple cider first concentrates the flavor and makes the muffins taste extra rich without adding too much liquid.
- Soften the butter: Let the butter sit at room temperature before mixing so it whips up nicely. The butter can be whipped by hand or with a mixer.
- Don’t overmix the batter: Fold the dry ingredients in gently until just combined for light, fluffy muffins. A wire whisk helps to mix out any lumps.
- Layer the filling: Layer the batter with caramel and cinnamon sugar to create the swirl in the middle, extra caramel can be served over the sliced bread.
Nutrition
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Related Recipes To Try
Storage, Serving, & Reheating
Storage: Wrap the cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. It will stay fresh at room temperature for 2–3 days or up to 1 week in the refrigerator. For longer storage, freeze whole loaves or individual slices (wrap in plastic wrap, then in a freezer gallon bag) for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature.
Serving: Serve warm with maple butter, cream cheese frosting, or just a dusting of cinnamon sugar.
Reheating: Warm slices in the microwave for 10–15 seconds or in a 300°F oven for about 5–7 minutes. If reheating from frozen, add a couple extra minutes and cover loosely with foil to keep it moist.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, apple juice will work if cider isn’t available. The flavor will be a little lighter, but you’ll still get a delicious muffin. Reducing the juice down first will help concentrate the flavor. Apple cider can be found in most juice or holiday aisles.
The caramel swirl is what makes this bread extra special! You can use store-bought caramel sauce if desired, absolutely – but homemade is always better.
Yes! Divide the batter into a lined muffin tin and bake at 350°F for 18–22 minutes, checking doneness with a toothpick. Or make these apple cider donut muffins!
A light metal loaf pan helps the bread bake evenly. If using glass or ceramic, you may need to add 5–10 minutes to the bake time.
The top should spring back lightly when touched, and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
Tools I Recommend
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- Stainless Steel Loaf Pan: this USA Pan is another one of my favorites, it is non-stick and mine has lasted for years.
- Glass Mixing Bowls: these glass nesting bowls are my favorite for prepping ingredients.
- Parchment Paper: I use parchment paper a lot in everyday baking, it’s great to have on hand. Use it to line your pan so your bread easily releases.
- Small Saucepan: I love this small enamel saucepan for making the caramel or simmering the apple cider. It’s small and easy to clean.
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing your final dish on Instagram, Facebook, & Pinterest!
Cheers!
-Rachel
