Cinnamon Sugar Donuts have a fluffy baked cinnamon donut base and are rolled in cinnamon sugar for a simple but delicious donut. These donuts are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet snack!
Baked donuts are one of my favorite treats to make. They are so easy, healthier than fried donuts, and full of flavor.
If you're looking for more easy and delicious donut recipes check out S'mores Donuts, Blueberry Donuts, or Banana Donuts.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Cinnamon Sugar Donuts are so easy to throw together for a fun snack or a delicious breakfast or brunch treat.
- From the time you gather all of your ingredients until you are eating these delicious donuts is less than thirty minutes.
- 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 flavor to the donuts.
- 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.
- Vanilla extract is a must in baked goods just like salt. Real vanilla adds a better flavor than imitation vanilla.
- Granulated Sugar will add sweetness to the topping.
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.
- You can add chocolate chips, nuts, or fruit to these donuts to change up the flavor.
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: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F). Spray your donut mold with non-stick spray and set it aside.
STEP 2: In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the flour, light brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. Be sure there are no lumps.
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. Spoon or pipe the batter into your molds and fill them up about ¾ of the way to the top.
STEP 6: 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 the oven and let the baked cinnamon donuts cool in the molds until cool enough to remove. Then cool the donuts completely before rolling in cinnamon sugar.
STEP 7: In a small bowl combine the sugar and cinnamon. Mix until well combined.
STEP 8: When the donuts have mostly cooled roll each donut in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat fully.
Expert 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 sugar 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 Sugar Donuts
Ingredients
For Cinnamon Donut:
- 1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (107 grams) light brown sugar
- 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
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
For Cinnamon 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.
- 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.
For Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
- In a small bowl combine the sugar and cinnamon. Mix until well combined.
For Assembly:
- When the donuts have mostly cooled roll each donut in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat fully.
Notes
- The provided nutrition information is an estimate. The calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
- 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.
Kelly says
Made these today, loved them!
Ellie Haley says
So glad you enjoyed them!
Angie says
Made them super easy to do. Only made 4 could be my mold but 100/10. I woUld make again
Rachel says
Loved these donuts!
Super easy and quick to make.
I had never made donuts and they turned out PERFECT
I will be making these again sometime
❤️
Caylee says
Hello! These look amazing! I was wondering how far These can be made in advance? How should they be stored? ThAnks!
Ellie Haley says
I would make them the day you want to serve them! You could make the batter ahead of time, pipe it into the molds, put it in the fridge or freezer and then bake before you’re ready to serve. You can store them in an airtight container
Delores says
Made these this morning. Absolutely delicious! Will definitely be making them again.
Ellie Haley says
So so glad to hear this! Thanks for the review!
Hailey Johnson says
EASY AND DELICIOUS!!! I loved making these with my 3yO! I will be coming back to these ❤️
Ellie Haley says
Yay!! So glad y’all enjoyed them!
Cyndi says
In the ingredIEnt pictures is shows vanilla as an ingredient. But nowhere in the list of ingredients is in included? Do you use it or not?
Ellie Haley says
So sorry about that! The recipe has been updated to include the vanilla
Michelle says
This was my first time making donuts. I filled The Molds too much, but other than that they turned out amazingly well. I will make them Again and will Adjust how much i Fill the pan.
Ellie Haley says
Yay! So glad you liked them!
Alex says
The baked doughnut recipes on the site are to die for! I made the blueberry ones the other day and the cinnamon sugar ones today. Easy and delicious, definitely a new staple recipe in our home.
Ellie Haley says
Thank you for the kind words!
Anonymous says
Can these be made with c sugar in of br sugar?
Ellie Haley says
I’ve never tried it so I can’t say 100% that it would work but I don’t see why it wouldn’t!
Anonymous says
I made these, OMG, delicious!! I've never made or have ever had a baked DONUts, these are delicious, you need to try them!!
Deb says
I made these, OMG, delicious!! I've never made or have ever had a baked DONUts, these are delicious, you need to try them!!