These cinnamon sugar donuts are really a delight! They are baked in your oven, making them so incredibly quick and easy to make.
With the easiest pantry ingredients, you can whip these little donuts up in a flash. They are light, fluffy, and finished with the most wonderful cinnamon sugar coating.
Perfect for your most special Christmas morning breakfast, but easy enough for any day of the year, I think you’re going to love them!
I’m always looking for an excuse to make homemade baked donuts. But honestly, when they are this easy to make, maybe I need to find reasons not to make them.
Growing up, we always had traditional fried donuts, or these delicious shortcut biscuit donuts. I have to say, it’s well worth purchasing a donut pan so you can bake your donuts instead, so you can feel just a touch less guilty about this indulgence.
If you love these donuts, be sure to check out my yummy Homemade Baked Donuts which are topped with a chocolate icing! If you don’t have a doughnut pan you will love this meltaway muffin adaptation, too.
These cinnamon sugar doughnuts are just as good as fried, and bonus! They won’t leave your kitchen smelling like grease for days.
They’re so easy the girls even help me make them. I slightly adapted this recipe years ago from the Barefoot Contessa Foolproof cookbook, and it’s a keeper!
Why You’ll Love Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
- Pantry Ingredients (+ milk, egg and butter)
- Fun to roll in Cinnamon + Sugar
- Kid love Them
- Easy to Customize
★★★★★
5 STAR REVIEW
“I have made these twice now and love them! So easy to make, with simple ingredients, and they are SO yummy! ”
—TESS—
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Flour and Sugar – Nothing fancy here, all purpose flour and white sugar work perfectly.
- Baking Powder – This helps the donuts to rise during baking and helps to get them light and fluffy.
- Salt – Adding salt to baked goods really helps to bring out the flavors.
- Cinnamon – Use ground cinnamon powder. Check that it’s not stale by rubbing a little bit between your fingers – it should release an aroma.
- Milk and Butter – Adds moisture to the batter. Use whatever milk you have on hand. Unsalted butter is best here – if you do use salted, reduce or eliminate the added salt in the batter.
- Vanilla – You can make your own vanilla extract or use store bought. If possible, choose pure vanilla extract over imitation, if you can.
- For the Coating – Butter, sugar and cinnamon.
Variations
- Add a teaspoon of nutmeg
- Instead of a traditional cinnamon sugar mixture, use Apple Pie Spice for a fall spin.
Tools to Use
- Mixing Bowls
- Measuring Cups + Measuring Spoons
- Donut Pan
- Baking Spray (this one is my favorite but you can use whatever you have on hand)
- A baking sheet and wire rack (to help make clean-up and cooling easy)
How To Make Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease doughnut pans with baking spray to prevent sticking.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Combine wet ingredient and gradually add dry ingredients until just combined.
- Spoon batter into pans, filling just over 3/4 full.
- Bake as directed. Allow to cool 5 minutes before removing. While cooling, melt butter and mix up the cinnamon sugar topping.
- Lightly dip each donut in butter, followed by cinnamon and sugar mixture and serve warm.
Tips
- Need help with baking conversions? Check out my Essential Measurement Conversion Chart or use the servings bar in the recipe card.
- Don’t overmix the donut batter, the ingredients should be just combined. Over mixing can cause them to become chewy rather than light and fluffy.
- Don’t overfill your donut pan – Fill 3/4 full to allow for rise.
- These cinnamon sugar donuts are ready to come out of the oven when they are golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- If you are making them ahead of time, they can be reheated in the microwave or oven before serving.
Scaling up, down or substituting? You’ll love this printable Measurement Conversion Chart!
Frequently Asked Questions
In the United States, donut and doughnut are used interchangeably. Both spellings are grammatically correct, although doughnut is the traditional spelling and is accepted worldwide.
Let’s be honest, baking donuts instead of frying them is definitely a healthier option. They are baked using less fat, so they are a great option if you have a donut craving but don’t want to indulge in a traditional fried donut.
To Store
- Room Temperature – Store these baked cinnamon sugar donuts at room temperature for up to two days, in an airtight container.
- Refrigerate – Let the donuts cool completely and store them in an airtight container up to a week.
- Freeze – You can also freeze donuts by wrapping them in plastic wrap or foil and placing them in a freezer bag. Thaw them at room temperature.
Dietary Considerations
- Nut Free
- Vegetarian
- To Make Gluten Free: be sure to choose a 1:1 gluten free flour for baking.
More Sweet Brunch Inspiration
Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups white granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 egg large
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons butter melted, unsalted
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Topping
- ½ cup butter melted
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F and spray donut pans with nonstick spray.
- Combine dry ingredients and set aside.
- Combine wet ingredient and gradually add dry ingredients until just combined.
- Spoon batter into pans, filling just over ¾ full.
- Bake 14-15 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes before removing. While they are cooling, combine cinnamon and sugar for your topping, and melt the butter in the microwave.
- Lightly dip each donut in butter, followed by the cinnamon and sugar mixture and serve warm.
Julie’s Tips
Tips
- Don’t overmix the donut batter, the ingredients should be just combined. Over mixing can cause them to become chewy rather than light and fluffy.
- Don’t overfill your donut pan – Fill 3/4 full to allow for rise.
- These cinnamon sugar donuts are ready to come out of the oven when they are golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- If you are making them ahead of time, they can be reheated in the microwave or oven before serving.
Reheat
- Warm in microwave or oven before serving.
Video
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
I made the muffin version of this today and it was divine. Fluffy and full of flavor!
Thank you SO much for sharing! I’m glad you enjoyed them!
I have made these twice now and love them! So easy to make, with simple ingredients, and they are SO yummy!ย
Thanks, Tess! I really appreciate you coming back to share!
about how many donuts will this recipe make?
Hello!
You should get approximately 24 donuts if you use the pan we’ve linked in the post. You’ll see that noted in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!
I hope that helps – enjoy!
Julie
So there is a donut pan? Certain brand to use or what? I know my grandkids and the big kids will love these.
Thanks!
There are a lot of them out there, but this is the one I use. http://rstyle.me/~cz-a86R4 Enjoy!
I would be great if I could print the recipe w/o wasting 4 sheets of paper printed on both sides and all that ink. I will not be looking at your recipes in the future!
You actually can! Just click where it says “print” directly above the recipe and it will print on a 1/4 page like a recipe card. Enjoy!
Wow, could you be anymore rude??
You actually CAN print out certain pages. Maybe try browsing your printer settings before coming on here with your snippy attitude.
I have the cookbook, too. I guess I need to make these ASAP. Have a happy day, Julie!!