Baked cinnamon sugar donuts are soft, cake-style donuts made in a donut pan instead of deep frying. They’re quick and easy to make, and coated in melted butter and cinnamon sugar for classic bakery-style flavor. Ready in about 45 minutes, this simple from-scratch recipe yields perfectly spiced and ultra moist donuts.
I originally published this recipe in 2015, and I’ve since updated it with new photos and extra success tips for consistently excellent results.
Who doesn’t love fresh, warm, homemade donuts—especially when they’re coated in buttery cinnamon sugar? These baked cinnamon sugar donuts are soft, cakey, and packed with cozy spice flavor. They’re baked instead of fried, so they’re quick, easy, and perfect for beginner bakers.
You can mix the batter by hand, bake them in about 10 minutes, and finish them with a dunk in melted butter and cinnamon sugar. If you love classic cake donuts from a bakery, you’ll adore this homemade version.
We’ve been making them this way for years!
Why You’ll Love These Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts:
- No mixer needed—just a couple bowls and a whisk
- Baked, not fried—no standing over the stove or hot oil required
- Soft, cakey texture—like a classic cake donut
- Warm cinnamon and nutmeg flavor in every bite
- Ready in about 45 minutes
- Coated in buttery, crunchy cinnamon sugar for that irresistible finish
Why Bake Donuts Instead of Frying?
Baked donuts are easier to make at home because they don’t require hot oil or special equipment. Instead of frying, the batter is baked in a donut pan, which creates a soft cake-style donut with a lighter texture. Baked donuts are also wonderful if you have young bakers helping in the kitchen because they’re quicker and less fussy than traditional fried donuts!
Most of my donut recipes are baked, not fried, so you have many delicious ways to use your donut pan. Think chocolate frosted donuts… maple glazed donuts… pumpkin donuts… apple cider donuts… you get the idea!
That said, if you’d like to try making traditional yeasted and fried donuts, I have a recipe for homemade glazed doughnuts that’s a great place to start.
Don’t have a donut pan? You can use a muffin pan instead. See the Notes section beneath the recipe below for instructions.
Ingredients You Need for Baked Donuts & Why
We’re using my standard baked donut recipe as the base. It’s what I use for my chocolate frosted donuts, lemon poppy seed donuts, chai spice donuts, and banana donuts.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is best for baked donuts.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda: Lifts up the donuts as they bake.
- Salt: Key for flavor balance.
- Cinnamon + Nutmeg: Truly gives these donuts that special bakery taste and aroma; don’t skip!
- Egg: To bind the ingredients together.
- Brown Sugar: Sweetened and adds moisture.
- Milk: Thins out the thick batter *just* right.
- Yogurt or Sour Cream: Adds flavorless moisture that won’t weigh the crumb down.
- Butter: For texture as well as that irresistible buttery flavor.
- Vanilla: Another key flavor for cinnamon sugar donuts.
The Process is Super Simple
You only need a couple bowls and a silicone spatula—no mixer required!
Make the donut batter: Whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another, then combine until just mixed. So easy! The batter is thicker than most cake batters—that’s exactly what you want for structured, tender, cakey donuts.
Fill the donut cavities: Because the batter is thick, it’s easiest to transfer it to the pan using a piping bag or a large zip-top bag with the corner snipped. Just spoon the batter into the bag, trim off a bottom corner, and squeeze the batter into the donut cavities.
Just like this:
The donuts bake up VERY quickly. Let them cool in the pan for a couple minutes, then an additional few minutes on a cooling rack.
The Best Cinnamon Sugar Coating for Donuts
This finishing touch is what really makes these freshly baked donuts shine. Each warm donut gets:
- A quick dip in melted butter
- A generous roll in cinnamon sugar
The butter helps the coating stick and gives the donuts that irresistible old-fashioned donut shop flavor. Every bite is soft inside with a lightly crunchy, sweet exterior.
Prefer icing on your donuts instead? Try my strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla donut frostings instead.
Baked Donuts Success Tips
- Don’t overmix the batter. For soft and springy donuts, mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Pipe the batter into the pan. For the neatest donut shape, pipe the batter into the donut pan using a zipped-top bag with the corner snipped (or use a piping bag). Because the batter is thick, spooning it into the pan can be messy.
- Enjoy them fresh. These donuts are best enjoyed the same day, but leftovers keep well for about 2 days, or you can freeze them.
These baked cinnamon sugar donuts are one of those recipes that feels special but couldn’t be easier to make. They’re soft, buttery, warmly spiced, and coated in just the right amount of cinnamon sugar. Serve them warm with coffee, add them to a weekend brunch spread, or bake a batch just because you’re craving donuts!
And if you’re baking for a crowd, go ahead and double the recipe—they disappear fast!
P.S. Looking for a baked chocolate cake-style donut recipe? You can find one on page 205 of my NYT best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101!
Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 donuts
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These baked cinnamon sugar donuts are soft, moist cake-style donuts made in a donut pan instead of fried. Ready in about 45 minutes, this easy homemade donut recipe is coated in melted butter and cinnamon sugar for classic bakery-style flavor. The recipe yields just 8 donuts, so be sure to double the recipe if you’re feeding a crowd.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (65g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (60g/ml) milk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60g) sour cream or plain yogurt, at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease donut pan(s) with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Make the donuts: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, brown sugar, milk, and sour cream together until smooth. Whisk in the melted butter and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix. The batter will be very thick.
- Spoon the batter into the donut cavities or, for ease, I recommend transferring the batter into a large zip-top bag. Cut a corner off the bottom of the bag and pipe the batter into each donut cavity, filling each about halfway.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. To test, lightly press the top of a donut. If it springs back, they’re done.
- Cool donuts in the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Re-grease the pan and bake the remaining donut batter.
- Top the donuts: Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Dip the donuts in the melted butter, then dunk into the cinnamon sugar mixture, coating all sides.
- These donuts taste best served shortly after coating. Cover leftover donuts tightly and store at room temperature for 1–2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: You can freeze the baked donuts for up to 2–3 months. For best results, freeze them before adding the butter and cinnamon sugar coating. Let the donuts cool completely, then place them in a freezer-friendly container or zip-top bag with parchment between layers to prevent sticking. Thaw the donuts overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for a couple hours. Warm them briefly in the microwave for about 10–15 seconds, if desired. Once thawed and slightly warm, dip each donut in melted butter and roll in the cinnamon sugar coating before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Donut Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack
- Muffins: You can bake this batter in a standard 12-count muffin pan instead of a donut pan. The recipe yields around 8 muffins. Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full and bake at the same temperature for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the muffins cool for a few minutes, then dip the tops and sides in melted butter and coat in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Milk: For the donut batter, any milk works, dairy or non-dairy. I’ve tested with unsweetened vanilla almond milk, whole milk, and skim milk.
- Can I Double This Recipe? Yes, absolutely. The recipe yields just 8 donuts. To double for 16 donuts, simply double all of the ingredients.
Reader Comments and Reviews
These turned out so well! I didn’t have a doughnut pan so I piped them into the bottom of muffin tins and when they were cooked I poked a hole with a big straw in each one to make them look like doughnuts. They were DELICIOUS
Can you use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar?
Hi Sandy, we haven’t tested it ourselves, but you can certainly give it a try. The taste, texture, and structure of the donuts will be slightly different as a result. Let us know how it goes!
Light and fluffy! Best baked donuts I’ve had.
I make this all the time for my family and they (and especially i) love it!!
Can I substitute applesauce for the yogurt?
Yes, that substitute should be fine in this recipe. Enjoy!
Oh.My. Holy Cannoli!!!! These were amazing!!! They were perfect on a snow day and I had all the ingredients on hand! this was a really easy recipe to follow!!
I made these today with gluten free flour and they turned out GREAT! I was worried because gluten free can be quite different than other baking, but they have a great texture. I used Robin Hood Gluten Free Flour and baked them for 16 mins in a muffin tin. Thanks for the recipe!
I have tried several baked donut recipes and this is the best. I used a donut pan and a brownie bite pan which made perfect donut holes.
I would love to make this recipe! But I have a nut allergy… I was wondering if you have any recommendations for how to switch out the nutmeg? Should I add more cinnamon or just leave out nutmeg with no changes?
Hi Emily! You can leave the nutmeg out without any other changes.
I made these morning but added 3/4 cup of fresh cranberries, zest of 1 orange, and subbed 50ml fresh orange juice & 10ml heavy cream for the milk. So tender and delicious!
Hi, we love these donuts! I would like to make them for kids in my sons preschool, but one the kids doesn’t tolerate dairy products. Is there a way to make it non-dairy? I see I can replace regular milk with almond or soy milk, but what about yogurt? Thank you for your help!
Hi Joana, We haven’t tested these with a dairy free yogurt but you can certainly try. Let us know how they turn out!
Wonderful recipe! I didn’t have yogurt or sour cream so I added 1/4 Duke’s mayo — moist and delicious!
Good Morning!
I’ve made these previously and they were amazing. I’m wanting to add blueberries the second time around and wonder if there’s anything I should alter about the recipe (maybe slightly less yogurt or milk)? When I add blueberries to my banana bread I use one less banana because the added moisture from the blueberries makes up for it. Curious if the same applies here!
Hi Danielle, I’m so happy you enjoyed these donuts! We haven’t tested this recipe with blueberries- I’d recommend making the recipe as written and adding about 1/2-1 cup of blueberries. If you try it out, let us know how it goes!
OMG !! Made them yesterday and they were devoured and disappeared in a blink of an eye
Ok, I’m the (embarrassed) loser who complained about the amount because I did NOT read the recipe correctly. I had to post again, now that I see the finished product: PERFECT! Wish I could post a picture – they look EXACTLY like your pics and are delicious! As usual, your recipe is THE BEST! I can’t wait to try all the other variations.
Hi, these look really yummy and I can’t wait to make them!!
Would they still taste good if we don’t use the sugar topping and eat them plain?
If we make them the night before, should we warm them before serving or is room temp fine?
Thanks!
Hi Sierra, You can skip the cinnamon and sugar for plain donuts. Feel free to warm them slightly in the morning if you wish. Enjoy!
OMG I just tried this recipe and the donuts are delicious! I can’t believe something this simple can be so fantastic! Thank you Sally – your recipes are always the best.
Liz
Oh my…these are phenomenal!! Which is very dangerous for my waistline, as I love donuts and you made this recipe so simple. Thank you so much!
Your recipes are consistently fantastic. I love that I can try something new and feel confident that it will turn out great. Thank you!!
These were amazing! Yum yum yum. Very simple and just hit the spot! Delicious.
I made these for breakfast today and they were delicious! Next time I will only put the cinnamon and sugar on top of the donut instead of the whole thing so they aren’t too sweet.
These are amazing and so easy! Will be making these again for sure. Thank you!
Can you prepare the batter ahead of time and refrigerate until baking? How long will it hold?
I don’t recommend it. The baking powder is initially activated once it’s wet.
I’ve never made donuts before…and the process of frying them seems daunting, especially the stories of grease fires. THESE WERE AMAZING! They were so easy (incredibly easy… I don’t know an easier recipe for anything!) and delicious. I will make these and more baked donuts so much more often now! Half the batch is already gone, and they have only been out and ready for 10-15 minutes!! Thank you so much!!
These were delicious! My whole family loved this quick and yummy snack.
Last month, these were the first donuts I ever attempted to make and they turned out perfectly! Very easy to make and my family loved them. The smell that came out of my kitchen was amazing. The donut pan is definitely a worthwhile investment! Looking forward to trying out another donut recipe next.
Second recipe I have made of yours Sally and what can I say, Wow! These donuts are perfect. Perfect texture, balance of flavours. Again, I didn’t need to tweak anything like in other recipes. I always turn to you now when I need to find a reliable recipe. I’m going to try your red velvet cake next.
Hi Sally. I just wanted to ask if I could omit the yogurt and nutmeg? And if I don’t have a donut pan what should I bake the donuts in?? And by the way I love your recipes, they are so delicious. Whenever I want to make something new I always check your website first. 🙂
Hi Zara! I don’t recommend omitting the yogurt, but you can replace it with sour cream. Yes, you can omit the nutmeg. See recipe note #2 for baking these in a muffin pan!
Ok thanks, I just asked because if I told someone that I put yogurt in the donuts, they would hesitate eating it. And also can I make the donut base from one of your other recipes? Do u recommend yeast or no yeast donuts?
Hi, can I make donut holes instead since I don’t have a donut pan?
Hi Gurleen, You can use a mini muffin pan and bake for about 9-10 minutes. That’s how long it takes my spiced apple cider donut holes and the recipes are somewhat similar.
This was my first try making donuts and everyone was extremely impressed! I used a mini Bundt cake pan cause that’s all I had and just had to fill them up half way instead of 2/3-3/4. I actually wish I filled them a little less but other than that they were AMAZING!!! Had one the day after with coffee and man, what a breakfast!