Cinnamon Sugar Baked Donuts (Printable)

Fluffy baked donuts with a fragrant cinnamon-sugar coating, ideal for a quick and tasty treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 3/4 cup buttermilk (or milk plus 1 teaspoon vinegar)
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Coating

11 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
12 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
13 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a standard donut pan to prevent sticking.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until evenly blended.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract until homogenous.
04 - Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and stir gently until just combined; avoid overmixing to maintain fluffiness.
05 - Spoon or pipe the batter evenly into the prepared pan, filling each cavity approximately three-quarters full.
06 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the donuts spring back when lightly pressed.
07 - Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
08 - Combine sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Brush each warm donut with melted butter and immediately dip into the cinnamon-sugar to coat evenly.
09 - Serve the donuts warm or at room temperature for optimal enjoyment.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They're ready in under 30 minutes, which means fresh, warm donuts before your coffee gets cold.
  • No deep fryer means no oil splatters on your clothes or lingering fried-food smell in your kitchen.
  • The baked texture is impossibly soft—light enough to feel a little fancy but comforting enough to eat three without guilt.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter is the number one way to end up with tough, dense donuts instead of fluffy ones—mix just until you can't see dry flour, then stop.
  • The cinnamon coating only sticks to warm donuts brushed with butter, so don't skip that step or let them cool completely before coating.
  • Your donut pan matters; some are deeper than others, so if yours runs deep, adjust your fill level slightly to avoid overflow.
03 -
  • Sift your dry ingredients together if your kitchen is humid or if you're using an older box of baking powder that might have clumped—it takes 30 seconds and makes a real difference.
  • Use an instant-read thermometer on your oven; some run hot or cold, and even a 25-degree swing can change your donuts from perfect to slightly overdone.
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