Start the morning right with these super fluffy cinnamon sugar donuts. This easy recipe takes about 5 minutes to prepare by hand—no mixer required—and uses just 11 simple ingredients. Baked rather than fried, these donuts are quick to make and perfect with a cup of coffee.
This recipe was originally published in January 2022 and has been updated with new photos.
If you love fried donuts, there’s something special about them, but baked donuts are my go-to when I want to make donuts quickly and with less fuss. They’re soft, cakey and tender, and easy to throw together in the morning. If you prefer a muffin-style treat, try a cinnamon swirl muffin instead.
About this recipe
- No mixer: Everything is mixed in one bowl—no stand mixer or electric hand mixer needed.
- Baked: The donuts are baked in a donut pan (a 6-cavity metal pan works well). Baking makes preparation and cleanup much easier than frying.
- Warm cinnamon flavor: Cinnamon features in both the batter and the coating so every bite is fragrant and cozy.
- Soft and fluffy: These are cake-style baked donuts—light, tender and moist.
- Simple topping: Brush the warm donuts with melted butter and roll them in homemade cinnamon sugar for a classic finish.
Baked donuts vs. fried donuts
Yeasted donuts use a stretched dough and are typically fried. Cake-style donuts use chemical leaveners (baking powder or baking soda) and can be baked. Baked donuts are easier to make, with less oil and simpler cleanup, while still delivering tender, cakey texture.
Ingredients overview
- Flour: All-purpose flour is used for a light crumb.
- Buttermilk: Adds moisture and tang; sour cream can be used as a substitute in a pinch.
- Ground cinnamon: Use fresh cinnamon for the best flavor.
- Sugars: Light brown sugar goes in the batter; granulated sugar is used for the cinnamon sugar coating.
- Unsalted butter: Melted into the batter and used to brush the warm donuts before coating.
How to make these donuts
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease a donut pan with softened butter or nonstick spray.
Step 2: Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl: all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Step 3: In a separate jug or bowl, whisk the wet ingredients: melted butter, buttermilk, egg and vanilla.
Step 4: Pour the wet mixture into the dry and whisk until smooth, scraping the bowl so no dry pockets remain. Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a zip-top bag with a small corner snipped off, and pipe the batter into the donut cavities about three-quarters full. Bake for 11–13 minutes, until golden and springy. Let the donuts cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Grease the pan again and repeat with any remaining batter.
Step 5: Mix the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl to make the cinnamon sugar coating.
Step 6: Using a pastry brush, gently brush each warm donut with melted butter, then roll it in the cinnamon sugar until fully coated. Place the finished donuts on a rack to cool completely.
Top baking tips
- Measure ingredients by weight with a kitchen scale for the most reliable results—these recipes are developed and tested in metric grams.
- If you use a 6-cavity donut pan, bake one batch, let them cool slightly, then remove and re-grease the pan before filling it again.
- Use a pastry brush to ensure the cavities are well greased so the donuts release cleanly. Softened butter or nonstick spray both work.
- Piping the batter into the pan (piping bag or zip-top bag) is the cleanest approach; you can spoon it if you prefer.
- Brush warm donuts with melted butter rather than dunking them to avoid overly soggy donuts that might fall apart.
More donut ideas
Baked Maple Glazed Donuts-
Glazed Chocolate Cake Doughnuts
-
Chocolate Sprinkle Donuts
-
Brioche Doughnuts with Chocolate Filling
Made this recipe?
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Thank you — Ella
Recipe
Homemade Cinnamon Donuts
Ella Gilbert
Equipment
- Doughnut pan
Ingredients
Donuts
- 125 g (1 cup) all purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 56 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
- 106 g (½ cup) light brown sugar
- 113 ml (½ cup) buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar
- 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- ½ tbsp ground cinnamon
- 115 g (½ cup) melted butter for brushing
Instructions
Donuts
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a donut pan with butter or baking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a jug, combine buttermilk, egg, melted butter and vanilla; whisk until smooth.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold until combined, making sure there are no pockets of flour.
- Pipe or spoon the batter into the donut cavities, filling each about ¾ full. Bake 11–13 minutes until golden and springy. Let cool a few minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack. Re-grease the pan and repeat with remaining batter.
Cinnamon sugar
- Mix the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
- Brush each warm donut gently with melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar until fully coated. Set aside to cool completely.
Notes
These recipes are developed and tested using metric weights. Using a kitchen scale is recommended—cup conversions are provided but may be less precise.
Butter: European-style butter (higher butterfat) yields a richer result, but regular unsalted butter works fine.
Salt: If you don’t have kosher salt, halve the amount when using fine salt (1 tsp kosher = ½ tsp fine).
Buttermilk substitute: Use sour cream if you don’t have buttermilk.
Storage: Store donuts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving.