Frankenstein Apple Cider Halloween Donuts
These Frankenstein apple cider Halloween donuts are spiced, baked and iced to look like tiny monsters, perfect for a spooky brunch. The cider reduction and warm spices give them cozy fall flavor. Each donut gets green icing, sprinkle hair and neck‑bolt marshmallow decorations that kids will love helping with.
Servings: 12 donuts
Equipment
- Saucepan Small
- Electric Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Pastry Bag or 1-Gallon Ziploc Bag
- Donut Pan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Cups all purpose flour
- ¾ Cup brown sugar
- ¼ Cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 Stick butter
- 1 Cup apple cider
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ Cup milk
- 1 ½ Teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 ½ Teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ Teaspoon salt
- 1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ Teaspoon ground cloves
- nonstick cooking spray
For the Icing and Decorations
- 3 Tablespoons butter melted
- 3 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 ½ Cups powdered sugar
- food coloring gel green
- candy eyes
- chocolate sprinkles
- mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Pour one cup of apple juice or apple cider into a small saucepan, heat until boiling then turn the heat down just a bit and simmer until the juice has been reduced by half. Let cool to room temperature.
- Pour the lemon juice into the milk and let sit for a couple minutes.
- Pour all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until combined.
- Add the milk/lemon mixture, the apple cider reduction, eggs, vanilla, and butter to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix together until everything is fully combined
- Spoon your batter into a piping bag or large Ziploc bag and snip one bottom corner.
- Prepare a donut pan by spraying with nonstick baking spray and pipe the batter into the prepared donut pan.
- Bake the donuts for 15 to 20 minutes until fully baked. The donuts should be springy to the touch.
- Turn the donuts out onto a cooling rack and let them cool completely before decorating.
- To make the icing, combine the melted butter, cream, food coloring, and powdered sugar. Mix until all of the sugar has dissolved. If the icing is too thick, add a bit more cream, if it is too thin add a bit more powdered sugar.
- Once the donuts have cooled completely, dip the top of the donut into the freshly made icing. Then immediately dip half of the donut into the chocolate sprinkles for the hair. Place dipped donut onto a plate or tray, finish dipping the remainder of the donuts.
- Place 2 candy eyeballs below the donut hole on each donut.
- Place the tray of donuts into the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes or until the icing has hardened a bit
- While the donuts are in the fridge you can make the neck bolts. Start by cutting 12 toothpicks in half.
- Stick the cut side of each of the tooth picks into a mini marshmallow.
- When the donuts have set, remove from the fridge and place 2 of your marshmallow toothpicks into the donut, one on each side of the donut where the “neck” would be.
Notes
Let donuts cool fully: Decorations stay in place only when donuts are completely cool.
Use gel coloring: Gel gives vibrant green color without thinning icing.
Press sprinkles quickly: Apply toward the start so sprinkles stick before icing sets.
Dice toothpicks first: Cut them in advance so decorations go smoothly when donuts chill.
Use gel coloring: Gel gives vibrant green color without thinning icing.
Press sprinkles quickly: Apply toward the start so sprinkles stick before icing sets.
Dice toothpicks first: Cut them in advance so decorations go smoothly when donuts chill.
Nutrition
Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 208mg | Potassium: 86mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 110IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 1mg
QR code
Scan this QR code with your phone's camera to view this recipe on your mobile device.
