From sugar-dusted doughnuts to bubbling crisps and spiked cocktails, these cozy apple cider desserts and drinks are full of sweet, spiced fall flavor.
20 Apple Cider Desserts
Updated on Jun. 30, 2025
1/20
Apple Cider Doughnuts
Total Time
45 min
Servings
1 dozen doughnuts plus doughnut holes
From the Recipe Creator:
Apple doughnuts remind me of family trips to South Dakota. We’d stop at Wall Drug for a dozen or so before camping in the Badlands. Maple glaze was and still is my favorite. Share a batch with friends and family who appreciate a hot, fresh apple cider doughnut. —Melissa Hansen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
2/20
Autumn Sweet Rolls with Cider Glaze
Total Time
55 min
Servings
1 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I love cooking with pumpkin because it’s versatile, colorful and nutritious. Combining it with chopped apple and cider gives these glazed rolls their autumn appeal. —Jennifer Coduto, Kent, Ohio
3/20
Apple Cider Doughnut Holes
Total Time
25 min
Servings
about 3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Their light, tender texture and apple cider flavor make these small bites a big hit! My mom made them every year as soon as the weather turned cool. I carry on the tradition, and the aroma always brings back cherished memories. —Rebecca Baird, Salt Lake City, Utah
4/20
Sparkling Apple Pie on the Rocks
Total Time
30 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This is the perfect fall cocktail. Apple cider mixed with a cinnamon caramel apple simple syrup and topped with bubbly—it's the best holiday drink ever! —Becky Hardin, St. Peters, Missouri
5/20
Apple Cider Cinnamon Rolls
Total Time
1 hour 30 min
Servings
1 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Feeling creative, I put an apple spin on a traditional cinnamon roll recipe. The results were yummy! A panful is perfect for a weekend morning. —Kim Forni, Laconia, New Hampshire
6/20
Cinnamon Apple Cider Monkey Bread
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I use the cold-weather staple apple cider—plus apples and more cinnamon—to turn plain cinnamon rolls into monkey bread. My boys love the sticky sweetness. —Kelly Walsh, Aviston, Illinois
7/20
Sparkling Cider Sangria
Total Time
20 min
Servings
8 servings (3/4 cup each)
From the Recipe Creator:
Adding orange and cranberry juices transforms apple cider into a pretty holiday drink. This quick and easy alcohol-free beverage is absolutely delicious. A friend shared the recipe with me years ago, and I made a few changes. It's a huge hit at holiday brunches! —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas
8/20
Cinnamon-Pear Rustic Tart
Total Time
1 hour 30 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I was lucky enough to spend the holidays with my husband's family in Montana. I loved the rustic simplicity of each dish we tasted, especially this rustic pear tart my mother-in-law made. —Leah Waldo, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts
9/20
Apple Cider Cocktail
Total Time
10 min
Servings
1 cocktail
From the Recipe Creator:
Pair fresh apple cider with bourbon and you’ve got a quintessential fall sipper! This bourbon apple cider cocktail is perfect for enjoying around a bonfire or curled up with a good book. It features sweet apple cider, bright lemon juice and warming bourbon. I like to muddle fresh rosemary with the sugar and bitters to balance the sweetness. —Lauren Grant, Minneapolis, Minnesota
10/20
Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Cider
Total Time
2 hours 5 min
Servings
12 servings (3/4 cup each)
From the Recipe Creator:
Spiced with cinnamon sticks, allspice and caramel, this warm-you-up sipper will chase away winter's chill. Serve brimming mugs alongside a platter of festive cookies at your next holiday gathering. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
11/20
Caramel Apple Float
Total Time
10 min
Servings
2 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Who doesn't love the flavors of caramel, apples, and vanilla ice cream together? If I'm feeling fancy, I drizzle caramel syrup around the inside of my glass before adding the apple cider and ginger ale. —Cindy Reams, Philipsburg, Pennsylvania
12/20
Caramel Apple Crisp
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
When my kids and I make apple crisp, we use all sorts of apples to boost the flavor and texture. Add melted caramels, and you’ve got something scrumptious. —Michelle Brooks, Clarkston, Michigan
13/20
Vanilla Citrus Cider
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
10 servings (3/4 cup each)
From the Recipe Creator:
My mom used to make cider for the holidays, so I based my citrus-vanilla variation on her recipe. I think it hits the spot! The longer the cider simmers, the stronger the flavors will be. —Kristin Weglarz, Bremerton, Washington
14/20
Sweet Potato-Cranberry Doughnuts
Total Time
30 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I grew up near Idaho, which is famous for spudnuts—a doughnut made from mashed potatoes. I reworked a recipe using sweet potatoes and cranberries to come up with this variation. I like to serve them for dessert. —Joni Hilton, Rocklin, California
15/20
Hot Buttered Cider Mix
Total Time
10 min
Servings
64 servings (2 cups buttered cider mix)
From the Recipe Creator:
Put the butter base for this beverage in a decorative jar and attach a copy of the recipe for a great gift from your kitchen. You can omit the brandy for a kid-friendly version. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
16/20
Gluten-Free Apple Cider Doughnuts
Total Time
35 min
Servings
10 doughnuts
From the Recipe Creator:
I wanted to make a gluten-free apple cider doughnut that tasted so good, the fact that it’s gluten free is beside the point! —Kathryn Conrad, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
17/20
Spiced Apple Cider Jelly Shots
Total Time
20 min
Servings
64 squares
From the Recipe Creator:
These spiced, spiked gelatin squares are sure to get the party started at fall get-togethers. If you’re going for the more traditional shot-style look, pour the mixture into 2-ounce plastic cups and refrigerate until set. —Rachel Seis, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
18/20
Cider Doughnuts
Total Time
50 min
Servings
about 1-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Here on our 1,250-acre farm, we usually have a quick breakfast on the go. So I often keep a batch of these light and moist doughnuts on hand. They disappear quickly because no one can eat just one! —Suzanne Christensen, Defiance, Iowa
19/20
Warm Cider Cranberry Punch
Total Time
3 hours 10 min
Servings
20 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I first made this at an instructional cooking camp. My kids loved it so much that, for a time, they insisted we make it every day. Serve it hot in the winter or with the ice during the summer. —Carol Gehringer, Raleigh, North Carolina
20/20
Caramel Apple Strudel
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My father, who was born and raised in Vienna, Austria, would tell us stories about how his mother covered all the kitchen counters with dough whenever she made apple strudel. This recipe is a modern, delicious way to carry on part of my family's heritage. —Sarah Haengel, Bowie, Maryland
Apple Cider Desserts FAQ
What fall dessert recipes can I make with apple cider?
Apple cider adds a juicy, sweet-tart flavor to fall desserts like cakes, doughnuts, cocktails and sweet rolls. Stir it into batters or whisk with powdered sugar into a thick, apple-forward glaze. To intensify the flavor, reduce it into a syrup or simmer it with spices and then add it to drinks to sip on at the end of a meal.
What cider-infused treats can I make for Thanksgiving?
Instead of a classic pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, or in addition to it, make cider-infused treats like pear and apple crisps, tarts, spiced cakes and warm dessert drinks. Drizzle reduced cider over bundt cakes, beat it into cream cheese frosting to top pumpkin bars or use it to flavor holiday cocktails made with bourbon or brandy. These desserts and treats bring a cozy, spiced twist to the Thanksgiving table without straying from familiar flavors.
What apple-inspired baked goods are best for a breakfast treat?
The best apple-inspired baked goods for breakfast include apple muffins, coffee cakes, quick breads and cinnamon rolls. Including cider in apple breakfast recipes, like oatmeal bakes or glazed pull-apart bread, doubles down on the apple flavor while complementing other fruits or spices, like cinnamon or cranberry. These treats can be made ahead and frozen for busy mornings, or served warm from the oven.
