How to Make Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts

If you’re looking for a super quick-and-easy doughnut recipe with no rising or frying required, then this cinnamon sugar doughnut is for you! The only special equipment you’ll need is a doughnut pan. This riff on cake-style doughnuts pairs perfectly with a glass of milk or an autumnal pumpkin spice latte.

Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts Recipe

This gem of a recipe comes from the Taste of Home Test Kitchen and makes a dozen doughnuts. Since it only requires 30 minutes of effort, you can whip up these goodies almost any time! To polish your skills before starting, here’s some general info about how to make doughnuts.

Also, try this gluten-free doughnut recipe to recreate crispy, light doughnuts at home.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 large egg, room temperature, lightly beaten
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Step 1: Mix the ingredients

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients. In another bowl, combine the egg, buttermilk, oil and vanilla; stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just moistened.

Step 2: Fill your pans

Pipe or spoon batter into 2 greased 6-cavity doughnut pans, filling each cavity three-quarters full.

Step 3: Turn up the heat

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the thickest part of the doughnut comes out clean, 10-12 minutes.

Step 4: Cool and coat

Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. In a small bowl combine the sugar and cinnamon to make coating. Roll warm doughnuts in coating.

How to Store Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts

Doughnuts are best on the day they’re made. If you need to store them, keep them on the counter in an airtight container for a day or two. If you prefer to keep them in the fridge, know that it will change the texture a bit.

Reheat leftover doughnuts in the oven before serving, as doughnuts are most delightful when warm.

How to Freeze Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts

If you want to freeze doughnuts, do so before coating them in cinnamon sugar. You can always roll them in the sugar mixture after you thaw and reheat them.

Stack doughnuts in a freezer bag with parchment paper in between, and gently squeeze out as much air as you can. Place in freezer. Alternatively, you can freeze the doughnuts in a single layer on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, and transfer them to a freezer bag when they’re solid.

To thaw a frozen doughnut, simply leave it out on the counter until it reaches room temperature, and then heat it in the oven for a few minutes to make it extra delicious.

Tips for Making Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts

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Can you fry cinnamon sugar doughnuts?

This batter isn’t suitable for frying, but check out our recipes for yeasted doughnuts and old-fashioned doughnuts, which are. Both can be rolled in cinnamon sugar, as can Portuguese-Hawaiian malasadas.

Get even more inspiration with our collection of doughnut recipes.

Can you make baked cinnamon sugar doughnuts without a doughnut pan?

Yes! Not everybody has a doughnut pan, and there are ways to make delicious baked doughnuts without one.

If you don’t care about the doughnut hole, simply oil muffin tin cups and pipe or spoon in your doughnut batter until each muffin cup is three-quarters full. Since these doughnuts won’t have a hole, they’ll take longer to cook. Start checking them after 12 minutes (by inserting a toothpick or skewer into the center to see if it comes out clean), but be aware that they may not be done for 15 or 18 minutes.

Feeling crafty? You can turn that muffin tin into a doughnut pan with a few pieces of aluminum foil.

Up Next: More cinnamon desserts.