Cinnamon Roll Donuts are fluffy baked donuts flavored with cinnamon, topped with a brown sugar cinnamon crumble, and drizzled with cream cheese icing.
Donuts and cinnamon rolls are two of the best things out there, so combining them is truly the best of both worlds! These baked donuts make a great treat, breakfast, or brunch.
If you're looking for more delicious donut recipes check out these Churro Donuts, S'mores Donuts, or Chocolate Chip Donuts.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- From start to finish the donuts can be ready in about 30 minutes.
- They are versatile and can be eaten for breakfast, brunch, or just a sweet treat.
- Baked donuts are healthier than fried donuts. You skip all of the oil, making these donuts better for you!
- These donuts are made without yeast, so you don't have to wait around for them to rise.
Ingredients
- Measuring the all-purpose flour correctly is very important. I suggest weighing your flour out. If you want to use a measuring cup, make sure you spoon the flour into the cup and level it off with a knife. Don’t use the cup to scoop directly from the flour.
- Light brown sugar adds flavor and a softer texture to the final product.
- Salt is a must in baked goods. It will help to balance out the sweetness and improve the overall flavor.
- Baking powder will help the baked donuts to rise.
- Ground Cinnamon will add extra flavoring to the donut base and flavor the crumble.
- Full-fat sour cream will make the donuts extra moist and fluffy.
- I always make sure to use unsalted butter when baking because there is no “standard” for the amount of salt they can add to butter. So if you add salt to a recipe and then use salted butter you could end up with a very salty end product.
- It will be easier to incorporate the egg into the batter if they are at room temperature.
- The cream cheese needs to be very soft in order to create a smooth icing.
- Powdered sugar will give structure and sweetness to the icing.
- Milk will thin out the icing and make it easier to pipe.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- The sour cream can be substituted for greek yogurt.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Step-By-Step Instructions
STEP 1: In a small bowl combine all of the ingredients and use clean hands or a fork to break up the butter. The crumble should look like wet sand.
STEP 2: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F). Spray your donut mold with non-stick spray and set it aside. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the flour, light brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.
STEP 3: In a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients.
STEP 4: Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until they are well combined. The batter will be thick.
STEP 5: Spoon or pipe the batter into your molds and fill them up about ¾ of the way to the top. There should be plenty of room for the streusel.
STEP 6: Sprinkle the crumble over the top of each donut. Add your desired amount.
STEP 7: Place your donuts in the pre-heated oven. They usually take about 15-17 minutes to bake, but I started checking them around 10 minutes to see if the pan needs to be turned. You’ll know they are finished when you lightly press on a donut and it springs back.
STEP 8: Remove from the oven and let the baked donuts cool in the molds until cool enough to remove. Then cool the donuts completely before icing.
STEP 9: Combine all of the ingredients for the cream cheese icing in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Add more milk if too thick.
STEP 10: Use a piping bag or a fork to drizzle the icing over each donut.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use a silicone mold. There a million donut molds out there, but I prefer silicone molds by a long shot. They make it so easy to remove the donuts after baking.
- Don't overmix. If you want tender and fluffy donuts make sure you only mix as much as you need to. Overmixing the batter will make the baked donuts tough.
- Use a piping bag to fill your mold. This is not necessary, but it will give your donuts a much cleaner looked and it's easier to fill the molds this way.
- Oil the donut mold. A must! Oiling the mold will make it much easier to remove the donuts and clean the molds.
Recipe FAQ's
I wouldn't recommend it. Donuts are best eaten the same day that they are made.
You can, however, make the batter ahead of time, refrigerate it or freeze it (depending on how far ahead of time you are making the donut batter), and then bake the donuts when you are ready to eat them.
Baked donuts are denser and cakier than a fried donut, but they don't lack any flavor.
Storage Tips
ROOM TEMPERATURE
Cinnamon Roll Donuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, though they are really best the day they are baked.
REFRIGERATOR
If stored correctly in an airtight container the donuts can last up to 1 week in the fridge.
FREEZER
If stored correctly in an airtight container the donuts can last up to 2 months in the freezer.
More Recipes You'll Love
Recipe
Cinnamon Roll Donuts
Ingredients
For Crumble:
- 3 tablespoons (22 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (26 grams) light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter softened
For Donuts:
- 1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (107 grams) light brown sugar packed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup (114 grams) full-fat sour cream
- 2 ½ tablespoons (35 grams) unsalted butter melted
- 1 large egg
For Icing:
- 2 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
For Crumble:
- In a small bowl combine all of the ingredients and use clean hands or a fork to break up the butter. The crumble should look like wet sand.
For Donuts:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Spray your donut mold with non-stick spray and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the flour, light brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.
- In a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients, make sure the melted butter has cooled or it will curdle the sour cream and cook the egg.
- Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until they are well combined. The dough will be much thicker than you think it will be, so don’t be alarmed. Also, be sure not to overmix your dough or your baked donuts will be tough.
- Spoon or pipe the batter into your molds and fill them up to the top. If you’re using a silicone mold, place it on a cookie sheet before you put them in the oven, this will make it easier to get them in and out of the oven.
- Sprinkle the crumble over the top of each donut.
- Place your donuts in the pre-heated oven. They usually take about 15-17 minutes to bake, but I started checking them around 10 minutes to see if the pan needs to be turned. You’ll know they are finished when you lightly press on a donut and it springs back.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove from pan and allow to cool completely before icing.
For Icing:
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Add more milk if too thick.
- Use a fork or piping bag to drizzle the icing over each donut.
Notes
- Don't overmix. If you want tender and fluffy donuts make sure you only mix as much as you need to. Overmixing the batter will make the baked donuts tough.
- Oil the donut mold. A must! Oiling the mold will make it much easier to remove the donuts and clean the molds.
- The provided nutrition information is an estimate. The calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
Madeline says
These were AMAZING!!
Donna says
What tYpe/brand of donut mold do you RECOMMEND?
Ellie Haley says
These are the exact molds that I use and I love them! https://amzn.to/3kbWMZa
I highly recommend using silicone!