These Baked Caramel Apple Streusel Donuts are the best and easiest brunch option this Fall! Loaded with fresh apples and the most delicious streusel topping – these won’t last long in your house!
Okay, so about a month or so ago I began raving when I FINALLY got a donut pan. I bought it on clearance at Target (because y’all know me) and I’ve been obsessed with developing donut recipes ever since. Baking them makes them so much more healthy to me and I love how you can make pretty much any flavor you could ever want! I don’t even crave a Krispy Kreme donut anymore! And that’s saying something!
I absolutely love when apple season rolls around. Apples are one of my favorite fruits because they are so versatile. You can make them in a savory dish, bake them in a pie, eat them as they are, or if you’re like me, schmear a huge tablespoon of peanut butter on them. Bottom line is: they’re so unique! And delicious. However, I do have to give a big shout out to these Baked Caramel Apple Streusel Donuts because they are absolutely my FAVORITE BREAKFAST/DESSERT/SNACK right now.
These are so soft, delicious and loaded with flavor. You have the cozy Fall flavors like cinnamon, grated apples AND applesauce which keep them so moist, and the best brown sugar buttery streusel topping which takes them up a notch of yumminess. Oh, and wanna know what takes them up about 500 notches of deliciousness? Drizzling caramel over top of them. Yup. Caramel apple GOODNESS.
If you’re adamant on keeping them on the healthier side, I totally understand! I tried them both WITH and WITHOUT the caramel drizzle and they were BOTH delicious. If you’re a fan of caramel + apple though, I would definitely recommend drizzling just a little bit of the sugary goodness on top.
So, let’s get into how to make these!
Ingredients You Need for Baked Caramel Apple Streusel Donuts:
- all purpose flour
- baking powder + baking soda
- cinnamon
- light brown sugar
- salt
- egg
- whole milk
- vinegar
- apple sauce
- grated apple
- melted butter
- store bought caramel
How to Make Baked Caramel Apple Streusel Donuts:
Preheat oven to 350. Go ahead and take out your cute little donut pan and generously grease it either with cooking spray or with butter. I prefer butter but you do you!
Next, let’s mix together dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, light brown sugar and salt until they are fully combined.
Quickly grab your favorite apple to bake with – I think for this recipe I would use either a honeycrisp, gala or granny smith. I used honeycrisp because I am forever obsessed with them. Grate the apple until you have about 1 cup’s worth!
In another bowl, add the applesauce, egg, whole milk, vinegar and the grated apple and mix them gently until they are fully combined.
Next, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix gently to combine. It will look something like this:
Next, mix flour and brown sugar together in a small bowl. Add melted butter to it and it should turn into a streusel like topping. Set this aside for now.
If you have a piping bag for this next step, you can use that! If you’re like me and only have a ziploc bag, that’s okay too!! Place the donut batter carefully in the ziploc bag and cut the tip off at the end.
Squeeze the batter from the bag INTO the greased donut pan. Fill each donut ring about ⅔ of the way full.
On top of the donut batter, add the streusel topping to each one – making sure they are all generously and evenly topped with the deliciousness. It should look something like this:
Bake for 11-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean.
Let them cool in the pan for about 5 or so minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, top with powdered sugar OR a caramel drizzle OR both because you love yourself.
Eat up and enjoy!
Did you like this recipe? Here are a few more you might like:
Apple Crumble Bars with Cinnamon Spice Glaze
Thank you so much for following along here, friends! Want to see more? Be sure to follow ourbalancedbowl on Instagram and tag me with your photo if you end up making a recipe! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the Our Balanced Bowl Facebook page! Like a recipe that you saw? Follow me on Pinterest here! I always love to see your re-creations! If you do make a recipe, it would make my whole day if you were to rate and comment so I can get your feedback! Lots of love! – Haylie
Baked Caramel Apple Streusel Donuts
These Baked Caramel Apple Streusel Donuts are the best and easiest brunch option this Fall! Loaded with fresh apples, whole wheat flour and the most delicious streusel topping - these won’t last long in your house!
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 tsp vinegar
- 1/3 cup applesauce
- 1 cup grated honeycrisp apple
- 1/4 cup store bought caramel
Streusel Topping
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp melted butter (can sub coconut oil)
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350. Generously grease your donut pan with cooking spray or butter. Set aside.
-
In a large bowl, whisk the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, light brown sugar and salt until they are fully combined.
-
Quickly grate about 1 cup's worth of the honeycrisp apple. Set aside.
-
In another bowl, add the applesauce, egg, whole milk, vinegar and the grated apple and mix them gently until they are fully combined.
-
Next, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix gently to combine.
-
Mix flour and brown sugar together in a small bowl. Add melted butter to it and it should turn into a streusel like topping
-
Use a piping bag or a ziploc bag and add the donut batter in - if you're using a ziploc bag, cut the tip off and begin piping the batter into the donut pan. Fill them 2/3 of the way full. Generously and evenly top the batter with the streusel topping.
-
Bake for 11-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
-
Top with powdered sugar or a generous drizzle of caramel. Enjoy!
Donut pans are SO fun right!? I got so excited when I first got mine, haha. I think I need to haul it out again to make these!!! They look amazing!
I so agree, Katherine – they are SO fun!! Thank you for the compliment <3
Oh wow Haylie! These look amazing! I need to break out my donut pan and give them a try. What a perfect way to enjoy apples and caramel in a sweet treat!
Yes! I love apples and caramel together so these are so fun and festive! I hope if you try them that you love them! 🙂
Visiting your site makes not only my tastebuds, but my eyes happy too! I haven’t baked donuts in the longest time! These need to happen!
Aw, Annie! Your comments always make me smile! Thank you! 🙂
Yay for donut pans and these AMAZING donuts. I mean, seriously, they look so good, Haylie! I think they would be my favourite breakfast and snack too! Too bad I couldn’t grab 1 (3) from my screen right now 😉 Happy Monday, my friend!
Lol! I could definitely easily eat 3 of these…no lie and no shame! 🙂 Thanks my friend! XO
HAILEY,HI, I AM AN AMATEUR BAKER, I BOUGHT A DOUGHNUT PAN AND I HAVE NEVER USED IT. I THINK NOW IS THE PERFECT TIME. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS AMAZING RECIPE. HOPE THEY COME OUT LOOKING LIKE YOURS.
Hi Airis! Thank you so much for the comment! I’m glad this recipe has inspired you to get out the doughnut pan! I hope you love these if you end up making them! 🙂
My friend, Krispy Kreme doesn’t come anywhere near these beautiful donuts! They look so incredible with the streusel topping and Omg that caramel! So swooning over your gorgeous photos and wish I could just reach in and grab one! Yum!
Thank you so much, my friend! You are so sweet!! 🙂