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Homemade baked Salted Apple Maple Munchkins. Made with boiled-down spiced cider, apple butter, maple syrup, and a mix of warming cozy autumn spices. Glaze each doughnut in a salty-sweet maple glaze. Thereโ€™s really nothing not to love about these bite-size apple maple doughnut holes! The boiled-down apple cider creates a concentrated flavor. And the spiced apple butter provides a boost of even more delicious apple flavor! You will be baking these over and over this fall!

Salted Apple Maple Munchkins | halfbakedharvest.com

I’m loving this fall more than any other. Something about this time of year just feels so welcoming and special. But this year, more so than ever. I think it’s because spring and summer weren’t great. So I’m really leaning into fall. I love this season SO MUCH.

And I just adore fall/holiday baking more than anything. I’ve been having fun with fall recipes this year. Today I’m sharing the cutest little apple munchkin doughnut holes.

I love these and yes, I totally took the word munchkins from Dunkin Donuts. It’s the cutest name!

Salted Apple Maple Munchkins | halfbakedharvest.com

Now that it’s October, I’ve been seeing so much pumpkin. And I too have been using more pumpkin than ever before. But I wanted to bring back an apple recipe, because fall is still apple season too!

Apple cider doughnuts are always a fall favorite. These are just a simple variation on the classic fall treat.

It’s the sweet maple glaze that keeps everyone reaching for more!

Salted Apple Maple Munchkins | halfbakedharvest.com

The details

Step 1: butter and sugar the mini muffin pan

This is important. You must butter each muffin cavity, then sprinkle with a little cinnamon sugar. While the doughnuts bake, the sugar caramelizes on the outside and gives each doughnut a bit of crispness.

Step 2: boil the cider

Start by boiling down the cider. Iโ€™ve been doing this for pretty much every sweet apple recipe Iโ€™ve shared. Boiling the cider gives you an even more concentrated flavor that really comes through in the end.

When the cider has boiled and reduced, let it cool.

Salted Apple Maple Munchkins | halfbakedharvest.com

Step 3: mix the batter and bake

This goes fast. Mix the boiled cider, with the eggs, apple butter, maple syrup, and vanilla.

For the dry ingredients, I use a mix of all-purpose flour and white whole-wheat flour. You can use one or the other, or half and half. Then, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Mix to just combine. Now bake the batter into mini muffins or just make regular muffin doughnut โ€œmunchkinsโ€.

Salted Apple Maple Munchkins | halfbakedharvest.com

Step 4: make the glaze

This is not fancy. Mix powdered sugar with maple syrup, a pinch of cinnamon, and a generous pinch of flaky sea salt. Thin the glaze with apple cider.

Dip, toss to coat, and dunk again in the maple glaze. I do this while the bits are just a little warm. Then, ideally, you eat one, two, three, or more!

Serve these with coffee or hot cocoa or even a steaming mug of cider. A real fall treat!

Salted Apple Maple Munchkins | halfbakedharvest.com

Looking for fall recipes? Here are a few ideas: 

Soft Pumpkin Spice Ginger Cookies with Brown Butter Icing

Haunted Chocolate Peanut Butter Bark

Pumpkin Butter Cinnamon Roll Bread

Brown Butter Apple Blondies with Cinnamon Maple Glaze

Haunted Pumpkin Patch Margarita

Cinnamon Crunch Apple Butter Soft Pretzel Knots

Salted Maple Apple Tarte Tatin with Cinnamon Pumpkin Seeds

Cinnamon Spiced Apple Fritters with Vanilla Coffee Glaze

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cider Doughnut Holes

Lastly, if you make these Salted Apple Maple Munchkins, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, donโ€™t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Salted Apple Maple Munchkins

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 24 doughnut holes
Calories Per Serving: 105 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Maple Glaze

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat the oven to 350ยฐ F. Butter a 24-cup mini muffin pan or 12-cup regular pan. Sprinkle the inside of each with cinnamon sugar.
    2. Bring the apple cider to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the cider is reduced to 3/4 cup. Remove from the heat. Let cool.
    3. In a bowl, stir together the boiled cider, ricotta, eggs, apple butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add the flour/whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until just combined.
    4. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pan, filling 1/2-2/3 the way full.ย Bake 10-12 minutes for mini doughnuts or 18-20 for regular muffins, until just set. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes, then remove from pan.
    5. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of cider, a pinch of cinnamon, and salt. If needed, thin with additional cider.
    6. Dip or drizzle the doughnuts into the glaze. I highly recommend eating a few of these warm!

Notes

Ricotta: I have since tested these omitting the ricotta and found the doughnut does come out much lighter and less dense. You can include or omit the ricotta, it’s your choice.
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4.03 from 47 votes (27 ratings without comment)

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Comments

    1. Hi Cristy,
      Just as much as you need to coat the muffin tin:) I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT

  1. 5 stars
    Love the flavor of these. Followed the recipe exactly and had a lot of batter left after filling the 24 mini muffin spots, so I made 4 big muffins. They are dense but delicious, they don’t look like Teigan’s pictures, but they taste good. The glaze is a little runny and didn’t settle and look the way I expected, it was also a bit more syrup colored than white glazy. I added some powdered sugar to thicken the glaze up and that helped. Warm out of the oven were the best, I would reheat before we dive into the rest. These are a nice fall treat and were a great way to use up some leftover apple butter. I enjoy trying your recipes, most of them have become favorites, if they don’t work, I just don’t make them again.

    1. Hi Cheryl,
      Thanks so much for your detailed message and making these munchkins:) So glad to hear that they were enjoyed! xT