Published on October 7, 2022 Updated on January 23, 2024. Published by Megan
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These cinnamon sugar donuts are the perfect baked donut for all your fall and winter mornings. They are soft, fluffy and warm cinnamon donuts, dipped in melted butter and rolled in a homemade cinnamon sugar mixture. Grab your donut pan, a couple of mixing bowls, a whisk and make the best baked donuts the next time you want a cozy and extra special breakfast treat.
Jump to:
- Why Should You Make This Recipe
- Ingredients
- How To Make
- How To Store, Freeze and Thaw
- M's Expert Tips
- FAQ's
- More Breakfast Recipes to Try
- Cinnamon Sugar Donuts Recipe
Why Should You Make This Recipe
I recently fell in love with baked donuts. My Powdered Sugar Donuts, Pumpkin Donuts, Chocolate Donuts, Maple Donuts and Banana Donuts are especially delicious. I am so excited to add these cinnamon donuts to the mix! I know you’ll love this baked cinnamon sugar donut recipe because:
- It has the perfect moist, dense and tender texture. These baked donuts coated in cinnamon sugar stay moist for days. They bake up wonderfully soft and fluffy which pairs deliciously well with the sweet, spicy and crunchy cinnamon sugar coating.
- Tons of cinnamon flavor. Ground cinnamon is baked into the cinnamon donuts and is used to flavor the cinnamon sugar. This baked donut recipe has sweet spicy cinnamon flavor in every bite.
- Easy to make with simple ingredients. These homemade baked donuts are made using the same simple ingredients used to make muffins. This cinnamon and sugar donuts recipe comes together in two bowls with no fancy equipment; just some good old fashioned mixing, baking and rolling.
Ingredients
This cinnamon sugar baked donut recipe requires only a handful of ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your house! Before I show you how to make cinnamon donuts, make sure you have these ingredients ready to go.
For the Baked Donuts
Dry Ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom and salt.
Wet Ingredients: Gatherlight brown sugar, an egg, sour cream, milk, vanilla extract and melted butter.
For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping
Gather melted butter,granulated sugar and ground cinnamon.
Substitutions
These cinnamon sugar donuts are made to be quick and easy. So quick and easy, you can make it as a special breakfast to enjoy any day of the week.. Here are my recommended substitutions to make these homemade baked donuts if you need them.
- Ground Spices: Feel free to use any blend of ground spices. Pumpkin spice, chai spice or apple pie spice would all be wonderful in this baked donut recipe. The total amount of spices for these cinnamon sugar donuts is about 1 ¼ teaspoons.
- Light Brown Sugar: Make these cinnamon donuts fined sugar freeby swapping the brown sugar with maple sugar.
- Sour Cream: Feel free to use an equivalent amount of greek yogurt or buttermilk.
- Milk: Any type of milk will work well in these donuts.
- Unsalted Butter: Use salted butter if needed. Just make sure to omit the added teaspoon of salt listed in the recipe. Vegan or dairy free butter can also be used if needed.
- Eggs: This recipe hasn’t been tested without eggs.
How To Make
This recipe for cinnamon sugar baked donuts is as easy to make as whipping up a batch of muffins. So grab your ingredients and let me show you how to make them!
- Preheat the oven to 350 (177 C). Grease a 6 ct. donut pan or muffin pan (see expert tips). In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom and salt together until well combined.
- In another large bowl, pour the light brown sugar, egg, sour cream, milk and vanilla extract. Whisk well to fully combine. Next, whisk in the butter until fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Whisk well until smooth and fully combined with no lumps.
- Spoon or pipe about one heaping tablespoon of donut batter into each of the prepared donut cavities in the donut pan. This should fill about ¾ of each cavity of the donut pan.
- Bake the donuts for about 8-10 minutes. The donuts are done when the tops bounce back quickly when lightly pressed. Cool the donuts in the pan for 5 minutes before gently taking them out to cool on a cooling rack.
- While the cinnamon donuts cool, melt the butter in one bowl and whisk the cinnamon andsugar until well combined.
- Dip both sides of the cooled donut into the melted butter. Quickly roll the entire baked donut into the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Place each cinnamon sugar donut on the cooling rack. Repeat until all the donuts are coated in the sweet and crunchy coating and enjoy!
How To Store, Freeze and Thaw
Like donuts you get from a donut shop, these baked donuts taste best the day they are made. However, if needed they can be stored and enjoyed later.
- Store donuts at room temperature: These cinnamon sugar donuts are truly best when enjoyed the same day they are made. If needed, place them in a single layer in an airtight container. Store them at room temperature for 2 days.
- To freeze and thaw plain cinnamon donuts: Place the uncoated cinnamon baked donuts in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours. Dip in the melted butter, roll in the cinnamon sugar and enjoy!
M's Expert Tips
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature: This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly.
- Measure the flour properly: I highly recommend using a food scale to get perfectly measured dry ingredients every time.
- Don’t overmix the cinnamon donut batter: Always use the lowest speed on your electric mixer or mix in the dry ingredients by hand. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Cool the donuts in the pan for no longer than 5 - 10 minutes.
- Fully coat the donuts in the cinnamon sugar mixture. You must use melted butter to get the cinnamon sugar to fully coat the donuts. These baked donuts truly taste incredible with the sweet and crunchy topping so really go for it!
- Make these as baked apple cider donuts by using my Apple Cider Donut Muffins recipe and following the baking steps and time for this recipe.
FAQ's
Can I make these baked cinnamon donuts in different pan?
Yes! If you don’t have a donut pan and still want to make this maple donuts recipe, use a muffin pan instead! Fill each cavity of a 12 ct. muffin pan ¾ full. Bake at 350 F (177 C) for 18 - 20 minutes or until the tops of the muffins bounce back when gently pressed.
Why are my baked donuts wet?
Donuts have a lot of moisture. Therefore when they are stored in an airtight container, the water evaporates into the container where the donuts and glaze take on a wet texture.
What is the difference between baked donuts and fried donuts?
Fried donuts are yeast based. When fried they become light and airy when fried in hot oil. Baked donuts have a denser, more cake like texture and rely on leaveners such as baking powder to provide some lift.
More Breakfast Recipes to Try
- Mini Pancakes
- Brioche French Toast Casserole
If you try thisCinnamon Sugar Donuts Recipeplease rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me onInstagramusing @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! - M
Cinnamon Sugar Donuts Recipe
Megan
These cinnamon sugar donuts are the perfect baked donut for all your fall and winter mornings. They are soft, fluffy and warm cinnamon donuts, dipped in melted butter and rolled in a homemade cinnamon sugar mixture.
4.85 from 13 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 9 minutes mins
Cooling Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 24 minutes mins
Course Breakfast, Celebrations, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 10 donuts
Equipment
1 6 ct. donut pan
1 whisk
Ingredients
Baked Cinnamon Donut
- 1½ cups (180 g) all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg or cardamom
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg (US), room temperature
- ¼ cup (59 ml) milk, room temperature
- ¼ cup (60 g) sour cream, room temperature
- 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, melted
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup (200 g) graunlated sugar
- 2 -3 (6-9 g) ground cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 (177 C). Grease a 6 ct. donut pan or muffin pan (see expert tips).
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom and salt together until well combined.
In another large bowl, pour the light brown sugar, egg, sour cream, milk and vanilla extract. Whisk well to fully combine. Next, whisk in the butter until fully combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Whisk well until smooth and fully combined with no lumps.
Spoon or pipe about one heaping tablespoon of maple donut batter into each of the prepared donut cavities in the donut pan. This should fill about ¾ of each cavity of the donut pan.
Bake the donuts for about 8-10 minutes. The donuts are done when the tops bounce back quickly when lightly pressed. Cool the donuts in the pan for 5 minutes before gently taking them out to cool on a cooling rack.
While the cinnamon donuts cool, melt the butter in one bowl and whisk the cinnamon andsugar until well combined.
Dip both sides of the cooled donut into the melted butter. Quickly roll the entire baked donut into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place each cinnamon sugar donut on the cooling rack. Repeat until all the donuts are coated in the sweet and crunchy coating and enjoy!
Notes
Store donuts at room temperature: These cinnamon sugar donuts are truly best when enjoyed the same day they are made. If needed, place them in a single layer in an airtight container. Store them at room temperature for 2 days.
Can I make these cinnamon sugar baked donuts in different pan? Yes! If you don’t have a donut pan and still want to make this baked donuts recipe, use a muffin pan instead! Fill each cavity of a 12 ct. muffin pan ¾ full. Bake at 350 F (177 C) for 18 - 20 minutes or until the tops of the muffins bounce back when gently pressed.
Keyword Baked Donuts, Baked Donuts Recipe, Cinnamon Donuts, Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
did you make this recipe?tag @olivesnthyme on Instagram
More Donuts
- Powdered Sugar Donuts
- Pumpkin Donuts
- Blueberry Donuts
- Chocolate Donuts
Reader Interactions
Comments
Jerrie Rankin says
This was the best donut recipe I have ever tried. I can’t seem to get donuts to turn out good when they are baked and these were fabulous! I shared them with the neighbor and they asked for the recipe immediately. Thank you!Reply
Megan says
Hi Jerrie, Thank you so much for the kind words! I am so happy to read how much you and your neighbor loved these donuts!
Reply
Miah says
Today is the one year anniversary of my grandfather's passing. He loved donuts and coffee. I miss the long talks and laughs we'd share while munching on donuts and sipping on hot cups. I made these today to celebrate him. They are delicious! The perfect amount of cakey sweetness. And dipped in coffee! I was in heaven. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Thank you for giving me this moment to remember all the donuts I ate along side the best human being I've ever known.Reply
Megan says
Miah, thank you for such a lovely review. My heart is filled knowing this recipe was able to bring you a moment of joy and connection to your late grandfather.
Reply
