These baked cinnamon sugar doughnuts are soft, delicious and so easy to make at home, you can have fresh doughnuts ready to eat in under 20 minutes! This recipe makes just 9 doughnuts and is also dairy free and uses ingredients you probably already have in the pantry.
If you love these but are looking for an egg free recipe, then you definitely should try these vegan pumpkin doughnuts which are also coated in cinnamon sugar.
Featured Comment
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ohh these were light, fluffy cinnamon clouds which tasted divine. Best thing was they were ready in a flash just as the recipe suggested!!! Thank you – Pooja
Cinnamon doughnuts have always been my favourite. I will always choose the simple cinnamon doughnut when presented with a cabinet of brightly coloured glazed or iced versions, every single time.
While doughnuts are traditionally fried, I love the idea of baked doughnuts. They are so much easier to make at home, a little healthier, and require much less clean-up. The result is a doughnut that is a little more on the cakey side, but still has that distinct flavour as if from your favourite bakery.
This recipe is also great as it’s a smaller batch making just 9 doughnuts meaning that you don’t end up with a huge amount of leftovers and can just enjoy them while still warm, fresh from the oven.
Key Ingredients
These doughnuts are a great option when you want to make something without needing to go and pick up specialty ingredients as it uses basic pantry staples. I can usually guarantee that I will have everything ready to go to make a batch of dairy free baked doughnuts.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Plain flour – also known as all purpose flour in the US.
- Baking powder – keeps the doughnuts light and fluffy.
- Cinnamon – used in both the doughnut batter and the cinnamon sugar coating.
- Nutmeg – This is the key to that traditional bakery doughnut flavour and you absolutely do not want to leave it out.
- Egg – at room temperature.
- White sugar – used in the doughnuts themselves plus extra for the cinnamon sugar coating.
- Vanilla – make sure to use vanilla extract instead of imitation vanilla essence.
- Canola oil – makes them soft and moist. You can use any light-tasting / flavourless oil.
- Dairy free milk – I use oat milk in the batter, but you could use soy or almond, or even regular if you do not need these to be dairy free.
- Dairy free butter – dunking the doughnuts in melted dairy free butter gives the doughnuts an extra richness as well as giving the cinnamon sugar something to stick onto. I use Nuttelex buttery for the best flavour, the closest US alternative I believe is Earth Balance.
Equipment and Tools
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Doughnut Pan – these pans are inexpensive and are a worthwhile investment if you want to start making delicious homemade baked doughnuts!
Step-By-Step Instructions
This baked doughnut recipe is pretty simple with just a few steps and no electric mixer needed. You’ll need a bowl, a whisk and a doughnut pan.
Start by mixing together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. This step helps ensure that the dry ingredients will combine more evenly into the wet ingredients without needing to overmix.
In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar, vanilla and oil.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix together with the dairy free milk until you have a thick batter.
Pour the batter into a doughnut pan that has been lightly greased with cooking oil and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly touched.
Depending on how big your doughnut pan is, you may need to do this in two batches like I do.
While the doughnuts are baking, melt the dairy free butter and mix together the extra cinnamon and sugar.
Once the doughnuts are cool enough to handle, turn them out onto a wire rack. While still warm, brush the doughnuts with the dairy free butter and then dunk them in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat completely. Set aside and repeat with all.
These doughnuts are best served immediately while still a little warm.
DOUGHNUT OR DONUT?
When writing up this recipe I stopped and pondered a few moments on the spelling of doughnut. Was it doughnut or donut? On googling this question it told me that doughnut was the British/Australian English spelling while donut was the American English spelling. Both were acceptable.
As doughnuts are traditionally associated as an American food vs a British one, would the spelling of donut make more sense when referencing a recipe even though I am Australian? Would spelling it donut make the recipe more accessible globally?
But then I asked some American food bloggers and the debate began. Doughnut is still considered the correct English spelling in the US however it is the rise of companies just as Dunkin Donuts that have popularised the alternate spelling.
For this reason, the colloquial spelling of the shortened donut has become acceptable and pretty common. Even in Australian the popular food chain Donut King has kept the US spelling.
So after spending way too much time learning about the history of the word, I decided to stick with the original spelling of doughnut, but no matter how you spell it, these baked treats are still amazing.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! If you don’t have a doughnut pan, you can divide the batter into a greased muffin tin, filling each cavity about ⅓ full. The shape won’t be the same, but they’ll still taste delicious. You could also use a mini muffin tin for bite-sized doughnut holes.
Yes they freeze well! Freeze the doughnuts in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then warm them slightly in the microwave for just a few seconds to get that freshly baked taste.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More baked doughnut recipes:
Baked Chocolate Doughnuts
Vegan Maple Glazed Doughnuts
Biscoff Baked Doughnuts
Glazed Baked Doughnuts
Baked Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts
Ingredients
For the doughnuts:
- 1 ¼ cups plain flour/all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg room temperature
- ½ cup white sugar/granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- ½ cup dairy free milk
For the coating:
- 1 cup white sugar/granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup (80 grams) dairy free butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and lightly spray a 6-hole doughnut pan with cooking oil.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir gently with a spatula to combine.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar, and vanilla extract. Add the oil and whisk until combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, whisking gently. Slowly pour in the dairy free milk, whisking until the batter is smooth.
- Transfer the batter into a large piping bag or a ziplock bag with the tip cut off. Pipe the batter into the doughnut pan, filling each cavity about halfway.
- Place in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Let the doughnuts cool in the pan for 2 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack.
- In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon. In another small bowl, melt the dairy free butter.
- Once cool enough to handle, use a pastry brush to brush each doughnut with the melted dairy free butter, ensuring an even coating. Then, roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated.
- These doughnuts are best enjoyed fresh. You can store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
This recipe was originally published in August 2019 and has been updated in 2022, and again in 2025 with new photos and more helpful content. The recipe remains the same!
Jules says
I would really like to make these! they look so good! I just have one question, would it be possible to use regular butter instead of dairy free? I cant wait to make them!
Sally says
Yes, that will work fine for these!
Robyn says
What is the nutritional information for the donuts? How many Calories, Carbs, Fat per donut?
Pooja says
Ohh these were light, fluffy cinnamon clouds which tasted divine.
Best thing was they were ready in a flash just as the recipe suggested!!!
Thank you
Sally says
So glad you enjoyed them!
Kristina says
These are a hit for the whole family! Has anyone tired freezing them?
Sally says
Yes I have! I just put them in an airtight container in the freezer and when I want one just let it defrost on the bench at room temp. Finally a 10 second zap in the microwave and you’d almost think they were freshly baked!
Ellen says
Can’t wait to try this!
Sally says
Thanks Ellen!
Marcellina says
I’m glad you stuck with doughnuts! It’s crazy how everything is being abbreviated! Anyway, your doughnuts look amazing. I’m going to have to get my hands on a doughnuts pan.
Sally says
Completely agree! Thanks Marcellina 🙂
Andrea says
I LOVE cinnamon doughnuts!! These look so beautiful and I love that they are baked, not fried. Yum 🙂
Sally says
Thanks Andrea!
Sylvie says
I love a good donut and yours look soooo fluffy and delicious! I have always preferred the baked ones over the fried ones so this recipe is perfect. Love the nutmeg in the batter too!
Sally says
Thanks so much! The nutmeg makes all the difference.
Megan Ellam says
Oh how I love donuts. These look amazing!
Sally says
Me too!
Adrianne says
Ermagawd Sally. I am coming to your house right now. Like I am literally going to get my keys, get in the car and come over. These look SO good and delicious. Just like the ones from the shops. Yum and good stuff girl x
Sally says
Haha you’re always welcome Adrianne but I cannot guarantee there will be any left!
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes says
I just bought a doughtnut pan, and have been wanting to make this sure a while!
Cinnamon sugar is such a classic combination, Sally – I love it!
Sally says
Nothing beats a classic! I hope you try these soon, they are sooo good!