These baked cinnamon sugar donuts are not only crazy delicious but are so easy to make! Consisting of pillowy, soft buttermilk donuts that are lightly brushed in melted butter before being coated in cinnamon sugar, these donuts do not disappoint. Bonus, they are baked making for an easy quick breakfast or sweet treat!
Why You Will Love This Baked Donut Recipe
- So easy to make
- Made with simple, readily available ingredients
- Pillowy, soft texture that melts in your mouth
- Packed with the sweet, aromatic flavor of cinnamon without being overwhelming
How to Make Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
I love the fact that these donuts can be whipped up within minutes using simple, everyday ingredients. The soft, melt in your mouth texture of these donuts with the added crunch from the cinnamon sugar coating is a match made in flavor heaven! Here is what you will need to make recipe:
Key Ingredients
- Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Ground Cinnamon
- Ground Nutmeg (Optional)
- Salt
- Egg
- Light (Reduced Fat) Buttermilk
- Unsalted Butter
- Vanilla Extract
- Dark Brown Sugar
- Granulated Sugar
Tips for Making Baked Donuts from Scratch
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients – when all of the ingredients are at the same temperature, the donut batter will come together easily without any lumps of unmixed ingredients present. Using room temperature ingredients will also help against the risk of overmixing the batter.
- Do Not Overmix Donut Batter – overmixing the donut batter will result in dry, crumbly donuts. Donut ingredients should be mixed just until the batter comes together without any presence of unmixed flour.
- Generously Grease Donut Pan – baked donuts are notorious for sticking to the baking pan. To prevent sticking, I generously grease each cavity of the donut pan with melted butter. Alternatively, baking spray may be used in place of melted or softened butter.
- Do Not Overbake Donuts – donut baking pans tend to be darker in color. Dark baking pans absorb more heat resulting in faster baking time and a browner bake. To prevent ending up with dry, over baked donuts, I recommend baking donuts at 350F between 9-10 minutes. The baking pan should be rotated halfway through bake time to allow for even baking of the donuts.
How to Store
Baked donuts are best eaten the day it is baked. However, leftover donuts stored in an airtight container will last 2-3 days in the fridge and 1-2 months in the freezer. When ready to serve frozen donuts, thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature to restore soft texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Baked Donuts be Made Gluten-Free?
Yes, absolutely! I tested this recipe using my favorite 1 to 1 gluten-free flour mix and the results turned out beautifully. Just make sure that the gluten-free flour you are using contains xanthan gum listed as an ingredient.
Can Recipe be Made as Muffins?
Yes, it sure can! If you do not have a donut pan, this recipe may be made as muffins instead for yield of 5-6 muffins. For a larger yield, double the recipe. Muffins may require an additional 1-2 minute bake time. To test if muffins are done, insert a toothpick into the center of one. If the toothpick comes out clean, then muffins are done. Proceed with the instructions in the recipe card for coating muffins in cinnamon sugar.
Looking for more quick bake recipes, checkout the links below:
Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
Consisting of pillowy, soft buttermilk donuts that are lightly brushed in melted butter before being coated in cinnamon sugar, these baked cinnamon sugar donuts are crazy delicious. Bonus, they are baked making for an easy quick breakfast or sweet treat!
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 10 Minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6–7 Donuts 1x
Ingredients
Baked Buttermilk Donuts
- 1 Cup (130 g) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, Spooned and Leveled
- 3/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg, Optional
- 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1 Large Egg, Room Temperature
- 1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons (90 ml) Light (Reduced Fat) Buttermilk, Room Temperature
- 1/4 Cup (50 g) Brown Sugar, Light or Dark, Packed
- 3 Tablespoons (42 g) Unsalted Butter, Melted and Cooled
- 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1/2 Cup (100 g) Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons (28 g) Unsalted Butter, Melted
Instructions
Baked Buttermilk Donuts
- Preheat oven to 350F. Generously grease a standard donut pan.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg (optional), baking powder and baking soda into a medium mixing bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- In a separate small mixing bowl, add and whisk together the egg, brown sugar, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla extract.
- Pour liquid mixture into bowl with the dry ingredients and gently mix until donut batter comes together, about 1-2 minutes. Take care not to over mix batter.
- Transfer donut batter into a large pastry bag or Ziplock. Cut off about a 1/4” of the tip of bag and pipe the batter into the prepared donut pan.
- Bake donuts for 9-10 minutes rotating the pan half-way through bake time. Donuts are ready when a toothpick inserted into one comes out clean.
- Allow donuts to rest in pan for 5 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- Place melted butter in a small dish. Set aside.
- In a separate small mixing bowl/container,whisk together the sugar and cinnamon.
Assembly
- Use a pastry brush to apply melted butter onto the top and bottom of the cooled donuts.
- Dip the top and bottom of each donut into the cinnamon sugar mixture making sure that the donuts are fully coated. I like to roll the sides of each donut in the cinnamon sugar as well.
- Once coated in cinnamon sugar, the donuts are ready to be served.
Notes
- Baked donuts are best eaten the day it is baked. However, leftover donuts stored in an airtight container will last 1-2 days in the fridge and 1-2 months in the freezer. When ready to serve frozen donuts, thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature to restore soft texture.
- Do not have a donut pan, no worries! Baked cinnamon sugar donuts maybe baked as equally delicious muffins. Follow the recipe that same just use a muffin pan in place of a donut pan. Keep in mind that muffins may require an additonal 1-2 minutes or more bake time.
- If you are using full-fat buttermilk, increase the amount used in recipe by 1 tablespoon. For example, instead of 6 tablespoons, use 7 tablespoons as full-fat buttermilk tends to be thicker than light (reduced fat) buttermilk.
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