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    Home » Doughnuts

    Baked Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts

    Published: Aug 1, 2022 · Modified: Jan 24, 2022 by Sally · 19 Comments

    Jump To Recipe

    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.

    Baked cinnamon sugar doughnuts stacked on top of each other, one with a bite taken.

    This recipe was originally published in August 2019 and has been updated with new photos and more helpful content. The recipe remains the same!

    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 cleanup. 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.

    Overhead of cinnamon sugar doughnuts.

    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.

    All ingredients needed for cinnamon sugar doughnuts laid out in small bowls.

    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 baked doughnuts.

    • Plain flour – also known as all purpose 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.
    Four cinnamon sugar doughnuts stacked on top of each other from above.

    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.

    Doughnut pans are pretty easy to find in most homewares stores, and Kmart now sells one. After you’ve made these once, you’ll realise that the special pan is 100% worth it for easy, fresh doughnuts at home.

    Step one and two of making the doughnut batter in a glass mixing bowl with a whisk.

    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.

    Doughnuts in a doughnut pan before and after baking.

    Pour the batter into a doughnut pan that has been lightly greased with cooking oil and bake for 8 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.

    Dunking the doughnuts in butter and cinnamon sugar.

    Once the doughnuts are cool enough to handle, turn them out onto a wire rack and dunk each in the dairy-free butter and then cinnamon sugar mixture to coat completely. Set aside and repeat with all.

    These doughnuts are best served immediately while still a little warm.

    Three cinnamon doughnuts stacked on top of each other.

    More baked doughnut recipes:

    Baked Chocolate Doughnuts
    Crumb Cake Doughnuts
    Vegan Maple Glazed Doughnuts
    Biscoff Baked Doughnuts
    Glazed Baked Doughnuts

    Baked Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts

    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.
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Morning Tea
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 8 minutes
    Total Time: 18 minutes
    Servings: 9 doughnuts
    Author: Sally
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    For the doughnuts:

    • 1 ¼ cups plain flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 egg room temperature
    • ½ cup white sugar
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 tablespoon canola oil
    • ½ cup dairy-free milk

    For the coating:

    • 1 cup white sugar
    • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • ⅓ cup (80 grams) dairy-free butter melted

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 180°C and lightly spray a doughnut pan with cooking oil.
    • In a medium size bowl sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and mix gently with a spatula to combine.
    • In a large bowl, whisk together egg, sugar and vanilla. Add in oil and whisk until combined. Add in dry ingredients and whisk, slowly add in the dairy-free milk until batter is smooth.
    • Pour batter into a large piping bag or ziplock bag and cut off the tip. Pipe batter into the doughnut pan ensuring each hole is only half full.
    • Place in the oven and bake for 8 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in the pan for 2 minutes and turn out onto a wire rack.
    • Mix together the sugar and cinnamon for the coating in a small bowl and set aside. In another small bowl, melt the dairy-free butter in the microwave.
    • Once they are cool enough to handle, dunk the cooked doughnuts in the melted dairy-free butter and then in the cinnamon sugar mixture until coated. Repeat with all doughnuts. These are best enjoyed straight away but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days.

    Notes

    I have a 6 hole doughnut pan, so I repeat steps 4 and 5 with the remaining batter to make 9 doughnuts in total.
    Dairy-Free Milk: For this recipe I used oat milk, but almond or soy would work perfectly as well.
    I use Nuttelex Buttery to replace butter in most of my recipes as it is vegan and gives a ‘buttery’ flavour without being greasy. As this is an Australian product, the closest US alternative I believe is Earth Balance. Otherwise any dairy-free butter will work.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 242mg | Potassium: 49mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg

    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.

    Have you made this recipe?Leave a comment and a rating below and tag your creations with #eightforestlane on Instagram!
    Not fom Australia? Check out my US Conversion Guide

    More Doughnuts

    • Baked Chocolate Doughnuts
    • Vegan Red Velvet Doughnuts
    • Crumb Cake Doughnuts
    • Christmas Wreath Doughnuts

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Robyn

      January 06, 2022 at 6:38 am

      What is the nutritional information for the donuts? How many Calories, Carbs, Fat per donut?

      Reply
    2. Pooja

      December 19, 2021 at 8:36 am

      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

      Reply
      • Sally

        December 19, 2021 at 6:47 pm

        So glad you enjoyed them!

    3. Kristina

      July 12, 2020 at 11:37 pm

      These are a hit for the whole family! Has anyone tired freezing them?

      Reply
      • Sally

        July 13, 2020 at 7:03 am

        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!

    4. Ellen

      February 18, 2020 at 4:54 am

      Can’t wait to try this!

      Reply
      • Sally

        February 22, 2020 at 11:57 am

        Thanks Ellen!

    5. Marcellina

      August 24, 2019 at 11:05 am

      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.

      Reply
      • Sally

        August 25, 2019 at 9:45 am

        Completely agree! Thanks Marcellina 🙂

    6. Andrea

      August 20, 2019 at 7:22 pm

      I LOVE cinnamon doughnuts!! These look so beautiful and I love that they are baked, not fried. Yum 🙂

      Reply
      • Sally

        August 22, 2019 at 7:10 am

        Thanks Andrea!

    7. Sylvie

      August 18, 2019 at 6:04 pm

      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!

      Reply
      • Sally

        August 18, 2019 at 6:33 pm

        Thanks so much! The nutmeg makes all the difference.

    8. Megan Ellam

      August 18, 2019 at 5:33 pm

      Oh how I love donuts. These look amazing!

      Reply
      • Sally

        August 18, 2019 at 6:33 pm

        Me too!

    9. Adrianne

      August 18, 2019 at 4:47 pm

      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

      Reply
      • Sally

        August 18, 2019 at 6:35 pm

        Haha you’re always welcome Adrianne but I cannot guarantee there will be any left!

    10. Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes

      August 18, 2019 at 10:33 am

      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!

      Reply
      • Sally

        August 18, 2019 at 6:36 pm

        Nothing beats a classic! I hope you try these soon, they are sooo good!

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