Apple Pie Doughnuts Recipe

Apple Pie Doughnuts Recipe tastes like a warm slice of cinnamon apple pie wrapped in a fluffy, sugar-dusted doughnut, and it feels like fall in every bite. This recipe works for weekend bakers, holiday brunch lovers, and anyone who wants a cozy dessert in about 2 hours from start to finish. I tested these on my neighbors, and they started “dropping by” a lot more often after that.

Why You Should Try This Apple Pie Doughnuts Recipe

These apple pie doughnuts hit that perfect spot between nostalgic and fun. You get soft, yeasted doughnuts, a gooey apple pie filling, and a crunchy cinnamon-sugar coating that sticks to your fingers in the best way.

They work for brunch, dessert, or a late-night snack when you want something special without bakery prices. You also control the spices, sweetness, and apple texture, so every batch fits your taste.

“These taste like my grandma’s apple pie collided with a bakery doughnut in the best possible way.” ★★★★★

Ingredients You’ll Need

Doughnut Dough

• 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
  • Use a standard unbleached all-purpose like King Arthur or Gold Medal.
• 1 packet (2 ¼ tsp) instant yeast or rapid rise yeast
• ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk, warm to about 110°F
  • Use 2% if needed, but whole milk gives richer doughnuts.
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter, very soft
  • Use salted butter if needed and reduce added salt slightly.
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Apple Pie Filling

• 3 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced small
  • Use a mix of tart and sweet like Granny Smith and Honeycrisp.
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar, packed
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp ground allspice (optional but tasty)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tsp water

Coating

• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Frying Oil

• Neutral oil with high smoke point, enough for 2 to 3 inches in a pot
  • Use canola, vegetable, or peanut oil.

Optional Glaze

• 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
• 2 to 3 tbsp milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Equipment

• Stand mixer with dough hook
  • You can mix by hand, but the mixer saves your arms.
• Large mixing bowls
• Medium saucepan for apple filling
• Rolling pin
• Doughnut cutter or 3 inch round cutter plus a 1 inch cutter for the center
• Parchment paper
• Large heavy pot or Dutch oven
• Deep fry thermometer
• Slotted spoon or spider strainer
• Wire rack set over a sheet pan
• Small piping bag or zip-top bag with small round tip for filling

Tips & Tricks

• Warm the milk to about 110°F so the yeast wakes up without scorching.
• Use room temperature eggs and soft butter so the dough comes together smoothly.
• Mix the dough until it feels smooth and slightly tacky, not sticky and messy.
• Let the dough rise in a warm, draft free spot and cover the bowl lightly with a clean towel.
• Dice the apples small so they soften quickly and fit nicely inside the doughnuts.
• Cook the apple filling until it thickens and cools so it does not leak out.
• Keep the oil around 350°F so the doughnuts cook through without burning.
• Fry a test doughnut hole first to check timing and temperature.
• Drain doughnuts on a wire rack, not paper towels, so the bottoms stay crisp.
• Fill the doughnuts while they still feel slightly warm so the filling spreads inside.

How to Make Apple Pie Doughnuts Recipe

Step 1: Mix the Dough

Add warm milk, yeast, and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and stir. Let the mixture sit 5 minutes until it looks foamy on top. Add eggs, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 2 cups of flour, then mix on low until combined.

Add the soft butter a tablespoon at a time while the mixer runs. Add the remaining flour gradually until the dough pulls away from the sides and feels soft and slightly tacky. Knead with the dough hook for 5 to 7 minutes until the dough feels smooth and elastic.

Step 2: Let the Dough Rise

Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough inside, turning it once to coat. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel. Set the bowl in a warm spot and let the dough rise until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Check the dough by gently poking it with a finger. If the indentation springs back slowly, the dough reached the right stage. If it bounces back fast, let it rise a bit longer.

Step 3: Cook the Apple Pie Filling

While the dough rises, place a medium saucepan over medium heat and add butter. Once the butter melts, add diced apples, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Stir and cook 6 to 8 minutes until the apples soften and release juices.

Stir in lemon juice. Add the cornstarch slurry and cook 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture thickens and looks glossy. Transfer the filling to a bowl and let it cool completely before you fill the doughnuts.

Step 4: Shape the Doughnuts

Lightly flour your work surface and turn the risen dough out onto it. Gently pat the dough into a rectangle, then roll it to about ½ inch thickness. Use a 3 inch cutter to cut rounds, then use a smaller cutter to punch out holes if you want ring doughnuts.

Place each doughnut and hole on a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving space between them. Gather the scraps, gently press them together, and roll again to cut more doughnuts. Cover the trays with a towel and let the doughnuts rise 30 to 40 minutes until puffy.

Step 5: Heat the Oil

Pour oil into a heavy pot so it reaches 2 to 3 inches deep. Clip a thermometer to the side and heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 350°F. Adjust the heat as needed and keep the temperature between 340°F and 360°F.

Keep kids and pets out of the kitchen while you fry. Set a wire rack over a sheet pan near the stove so you can transfer hot doughnuts quickly. Keep a metal spoon or spider strainer handy.

Step 6: Fry the Doughnuts

Gently lift a few doughnuts and slide them into the hot oil. Fry 1 to 2 minutes on the first side until golden, then flip and fry another 1 to 2 minutes. Watch the color and adjust the heat so they turn deep golden, not dark brown.

Use a spider strainer to lift the doughnuts out of the oil and place them on the wire rack. Fry the doughnut holes too, since they make perfect taste testers. Let the doughnuts cool just a bit while you prepare the coating.

Step 7: Coat with Cinnamon Sugar

Mix granulated sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. While the doughnuts still feel warm but not scorching, roll each one in the cinnamon sugar. Coat all sides so the sugar sticks nicely.

If you want a glaze instead, whisk powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt in a bowl until smooth. Dip the tops of cooled doughnuts in the glaze and let the excess drip off on the rack. You can coat some with sugar and some with glaze for variety.

Step 8: Fill the Doughnuts with Apple Pie Filling

Spoon the cooled apple pie filling into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Use a small knife or the tip of the piping bag to poke a hole in the side of each doughnut. Insert the tip into the center and squeeze gently until the doughnut feels slightly heavier and a bit of filling peeks out.

Rotate the doughnut slightly while you pipe so the filling spreads inside. Wipe any extra filling from the outside so the sugar coating stays neat. Line the filled doughnuts on the rack and serve warm.

What to Serve with Apple Pie Doughnuts Recipe

Serve these apple pie doughnuts warm with a big mug of coffee, hot chocolate, or spiced tea. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side if you want a full dessert plate. They also taste great with a simple yogurt and fruit breakfast to balance the sweetness.

Set them on a brunch board with scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, and fresh berries for a cozy weekend spread. Kids love them with cold milk, and adults usually “taste test” at least two without complaint.

Storage Options

• Store leftover apple pie doughnuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.
• Keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days if you already filled them with apple mixture.
• Freeze unfilled doughnuts in a single layer, then move them to a freezer bag and keep them up to 2 months.
• Reheat doughnuts in a 300°F oven or air fryer for 5 to 8 minutes until warm, then fill or dust with fresh sugar again if needed.