Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

Homemade cinnamon sugar baked donuts will save you a trip to the donut shop this weekend! Dip the freshly baked donuts in cinnamon and sugar while they’re still warm for the perfect treat.

You know I have a thing for donuts – remember chocolate glazed baked donuts, vegan pumpkin donuts, and apple donut mini muffins?

I passed my donut love on to my girls (is it doughnuts or donuts? I like donuts.) but I don’t fry in my house (it makes a mess) so this baked donut recipe is perfect for a weekend breakfast treat.

You probably already have all the ingredients in your pantry and can whip up a batch in no time.

Tools you’ll need

• Donut Baking Pan – These donut pans are pretty affordable and you get two 6-well pans so you can make a dozen at a time.
• Mixing Bowls – My favorite mixing bowls with grippy bottoms.
• Balloon Whisk – You don’t even need a mixer for this recipe, but a whisk helps.

Ingredients

• Flour – I use all purpose white flour. I haven’t tested this recipe with others yet.
• Sugar – Granulated white sugar.
• Vanilla Extract – Try to use pure vanilla extract, not imitation, if you can. I buy it in bulk from Sam’s Club or Costco.
• Baking Powder – Baking powder makes your donuts rise.
• Salt – For balance.
• Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk, you can use my hack below OR just use regular milk.
• Egg – One large egg.
• Vegetable Oil – Melted butter will work if you’re out of oil.
• Cinnamon & Sugar – For the coating.

How to make homemade baked donuts

1. First, get ready by preheating your oven to 350 degrees and spraying two donut pans with non-stick spray. Set aside.
   
2. To a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and oil. Mix in the buttermilk and vanilla.
   
3. Add in the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and mix until just combined.

4. The batter will be fairly thin. You can either spoon it into the donut wells or I like to pour it into a zip top bag, cut off the corner, and “pipe” it into the wells. Fill each well 3/4 of the way full.

5. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (don’t wait for them to brown – you will burn them)
   
6. While the donuts are baking, pour the cinnamon and sugar into a large ziplock freezer bag and shake to mix.
   
7. Once the donuts are done, quickly remove them from the pan (don’t burn yourself!) and put them into the cinnamon sugar bag. Shake to fully coat.

Enjoy fresh & hot!

What’s the difference between cake donuts and yeast donuts?

Baked cake donuts are made with a sweetened dough and they rely on baking powder to get them to rise.

They’re not going to be the same as the fluffy yeast donut you get from the donut shop.

Those are lighter and these are denser…like cake. Both are delicious in their own right.

Can I make donuts without a donut pan?

A donut baking pan is pretty cheap, you can order one from Amazon or pick one up at TJ Maxx/HomeGoods, but if you’re having a donut craving while reading this and don’t want to run to the store, I have a hack for you.

If you have a muffin pan, you can use balls of tin foil, or marbles, in the center to create the hole. OR just bake them in the muffin pan and cut out the donut holes after they’re done baking.

How long do baked donuts last?

Store freshly baked donuts in an airtight container or zip top bag for 1-2 days at room temperature.

Longer than that, you’ll want to move them to the fridge. There, they will be good for up to a week.

Ours never last past the morning we make them.

Need more cinnamon sugar treats in your life? Try these:

• Apple Cinnamon Swirl Bread
• Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread
• Apple Cinnamon Bundt Cake
• Cinnamon Sugar Candied Almonds

4.67 from 3 votes

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

Created by Melissa Williams | Persnickety Plates

Servings: 9 donuts

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 20 minutes mins

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Homemade cinnamon sugar baked donuts will save you a trip to the donut shop this weekend! Dip the freshly baked donuts in cinnamon and sugar while they're still warm for the perfect treat.

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Ingredients

 

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For the Donuts

• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 2 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• ▢ ½ cup buttermilk or regular milk
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 cup all purpose flour
• ▢ ⅓ cup granulated white sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt

For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating

• ▢ 3 Tablespoon granulated white sugar
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray two donut baking pans with non-stick spray.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg and oil. Mix in the buttermilk and vanilla. Add in the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and mix until just combined.
• The batter will be thin – you can either spoon the batter into the pan or pour it into a piping bag or large zip lock bag, cut the tip off and pipe it into each well, about 3/4 full.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Don't wait until they're golden – you'll over bake them.
• While the donuts are baking, mix together the cinnamon and sugar in a large ziplock bag.
• Carefully remove the hot donuts from the pan and immediately put them into the cinnamon sugar mixture and shake to fully coat.
• Serve warm & enjoy!

Notes

• If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make some by adding 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar OR lemon juice to a measuring cup. Finish filling up 1 cup with milk and let sit for 5-10 minutes to curdle. Done. Buttermilk.
• Don’t have a donut pan? You can bake these in a muffin pan and cut out the centers or use balls of tin foil or marbles to make the hole before you pour the batter in.
• The donuts should easily release from the pan when done baking but if they need help, just run a toothpick along the side of the pan and they should pop out.
• You’ll want to coat the donuts with the cinnamon and sugar while they’re super hot so the mixture sticks.
• The donuts are best when served hot and fresh but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight bag or container for up to a week.

⭐️ Final Step! Please let me know how you liked this recipe by leaving a review and rating below. Your feedback supports my small business and allows me to continue providing free, high quality recipes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 132kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 78mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 22IU | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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