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Easy Baked Apple Crumb Donuts

Warm, tender baked donuts bursting with fresh apple flavor and topped with a buttery crumb—perfect for cozy fall mornings and quick treats.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Servings: 12 donuts
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Donut Batter
  • 2 cups pancake mix
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar packed
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg optional
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted
  • 1 cup apple peeled and finely diced
For the Crumb Topping
  • softened butter unsalted butter for topping
  • brown sugar brown sugar for topping
  • flour all-purpose flour for topping
  • cinnamon ground cinnamon for topping
  • nutmeg ground nutmeg a touch, for topping
  • powdered sugar optional, for dusting

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Two 6-Cavity Donut Pans
  • Mixing bowls
  • Whisk
  • Piping Bag or Zip-Top Bag
  • Spatula or Knife

Method
 

  1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray two 6-cavity donut pans generously with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together pancake mix, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly blended.
  3. Step 3: Add milk, egg, and melted butter to dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; lumps are okay.
  4. Step 4: Fold in the finely diced apples carefully into the batter.
  5. Step 5: In a separate bowl, mix softened butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg with fingers until pea-sized crumbs form.
  6. Step 6: Transfer batter to a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner cut off. Pipe batter evenly into donut cavities, filling about two-thirds to three-quarters full.
  7. Step 7: Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over each filled cavity and press gently to adhere.
  8. Step 8: Bake for 10–12 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  9. Step 9: Let donuts cool in pans about 5 minutes. Gently loosen edges and invert onto wire rack with crumb topping facing up.
  10. Step 10: Optionally dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Store donuts in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days. Freeze individually wrapped for up to 3 months. For dairy-free, substitute milk and butter with alternatives. Try fruit variations or add spices like ginger or allspice. Drizzle with a simple powdered sugar glaze mixed with milk or apple cider for a sweet finish.