Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

These baked cinnamon sugar donuts are soft, fluffy cake donuts made in a donut pan, brushed with melted butter while warm and rolled in a sweet cinnamon sugar coating. They taste like the old-fashioned bakery kind, with no frying, no yeast and no waiting for dough to rise.

Why You’ll Like These Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

A touch of nutmeg and cinnamon in the batter gives these donuts that classic cake-donut flavor, while buttermilk keeps them moist and tender. Brushing them with butter right after baking helps the cinnamon sugar stick in a thick, even layer, so every bite is sweet and buttery on the outside and soft in the middle.

• No frying: they bake in the oven, so there is no pot of hot oil and much less mess.
• Quick and simple: pantry ingredients and about 25 minutes from start to finish.
• Kid friendly: little hands love helping roll the warm donuts in cinnamon sugar.

Ingredients for Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

For the Donuts

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup buttermilk or whole milk
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (or 1/4 cup neutral oil)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

You will need a standard 6-cavity donut pan, a large mixing bowl, a whisk, a piping bag or zip-top bag, a pastry brush and a shallow bowl for the coating. Makes about 12 donuts.

Ingredient Notes

The flour: Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off. Packing it in makes the donuts dense and dry.

Buttermilk or milk: Buttermilk gives the softest, most tender crumb and a slight tang. Whole milk works too. To make a quick substitute, stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar into 1 cup milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Butter or oil: Butter adds rich flavor, while oil makes the donuts a little more moist and keeps them soft longer.

The nutmeg: Just a small amount gives that familiar bakery donut taste.

How to Make Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

Step by Step

1. Prepare the pan. Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease the donut pan well with butter or nonstick spray, making sure to coat the center posts.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.
3. Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla until smooth.
4. Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula just until no dry flour remains. A few small lumps are fine.
5. Fill the pan. Spoon the batter into a piping bag or a zip-top bag and snip off one corner. Pipe the batter into each cavity, filling it about two-thirds to three-quarters full.
6. Bake. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the donuts are lightly golden and spring back when pressed gently. A toothpick should come out clean.
7. Cool briefly. Let the donuts rest in the pan for 2 to 3 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack. Clean and grease the pan, then bake the remaining batter.
8. Make the coating. In a shallow bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Put the melted butter in a second small bowl.
9. Coat the donuts. While the donuts are still warm, brush each one all over with melted butter, or quickly dip both sides. Roll it in the cinnamon sugar, pressing lightly so the coating sticks. Return to the rack and serve warm.

Tips for the Best Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

Do Not Overfill the Pan

Filling the cavities only two-thirds to three-quarters full keeps the center hole open. Too much batter rises over the posts and bakes into a muffin shape.

Watch the Bake Time

Donuts bake quickly and can dry out in a minute or two. Start checking at 9 minutes and pull them as soon as they spring back.

Coat While Warm

Warm donuts soak up the butter, which helps the cinnamon sugar cling in a thick, even layer. If they cool completely, the coating will not stick as well.

Use Room Temperature Ingredients

Room temperature eggs and buttermilk blend smoothly with the melted butter so it does not clump, which gives a more even batter and a fluffier texture.

Variations

• Apple cider donuts: replace the buttermilk with reduced apple cider and add a pinch of ground ginger and allspice.
• Pumpkin spice: swap 1/2 cup of the buttermilk for pumpkin puree and use 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Brown sugar cinnamon: use half brown sugar and half granulated sugar in the coating for a deeper caramel flavor.
• Glazed: skip the coating and dip the tops in a simple glaze of powdered sugar, milk and vanilla.
• Donut holes: bake the batter in a greased mini muffin pan for 8 to 10 minutes, then butter and roll as directed.

Storage

Room temperature: These donuts are best the day they are made. Store leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. An airtight container can make the sugar coating damp.

Reheating: Warm a donut in the microwave for 8 to 10 seconds, or in a 300°F oven for about 3 minutes, to bring back that fresh-baked softness.

Freezer: Freeze uncoated donuts in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, warm briefly, then brush with butter and roll in cinnamon sugar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make baked donuts without a donut pan?

Yes. Bake the batter in a greased muffin pan, filling each cup halfway, for 12 to 15 minutes. They will be shaped like muffins but taste the same once coated.

Why are my baked donuts dry?

The most common causes are too much flour or overbaking. Spoon and level the flour, and take the donuts out as soon as they spring back when touched.

Can I use oil instead of butter?

Yes. Use the same amount of a neutral oil in the batter. For the coating, melted butter gives the best flavor, but a light spray of oil also helps the sugar stick.

How do I keep the cinnamon sugar from falling off?

Coat the donuts while they are still warm and brush them generously with melted butter so every surface is moist before rolling in the cinnamon sugar.