Cinnamon Sugar Mini Baked Donuts
A simple mini baked donut recipe with cinnamon and sugar. This recipe can be used with a mini donut pan or a mini donut maker!
Mini Baked Donut Recipe Overview
These mini baked donuts are a style of cake donuts that are baked instead of fried. This keeps the donuts soft and tender and they are much easier to make than frying!
Baked cake donut batter is very similar to a muffin batter. It requires very simple ingredients and a few easy steps and these donuts are hot out of the oven in less than 20 minutes!
What is the difference between Fried and Baked Donuts
There are two categories of donuts: yeast donuts and cake donuts. Yeast donuts are made with a yeast dough and require a lot more time to rise before they are baked or fried. Cake donuts are leavened with a chemical leavening (baking soda and/or baking powder) and are much quicker to make than yeast donuts.
Both cake donuts and yeast donuts can be baked or fried. Fried donuts are the most traditional style. They come out crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle. Baked donuts keep a softer crust and are also fluffy in the middle.
How to Make Baked Donuts
This baked donut recipe makes fluffy cake donuts and is incredibly easy to mix together. The batter comes together in just a few simple steps. It is important that you do not over-mix the batter so you keep the donuts very light and fluffy!
Step 1: Mix Wet & Dry Ingredients Separately
In a large mixing bowl whisk together all of the dry ingredients until well incorporated. Then mix the wet ingredients together well in a separate mixing bowl.
Step 2: Mix the Wet and Dry Ingredients Together
Add the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk together just until smooth. You don’t want to over-mix the batter. or the donuts will be tough.
Step 3: Bake the Donuts
You can bake the donuts in a mini or regular donut pan or in a mini donut maker. I love making these as mini donuts. They are so perfect!
If you are using a traditional donut pan, fill a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the batter and pipe it evenly into the pan.
Step 4: Top the Donuts
Dip the baked donuts in melted butter and then roll in cinnamon sugar to coat them. You could also use a simple vanilla glaze or chocolate glaze if you wanted to do other flavors!
FAQ About Baked Donuts
- How long to baked donuts last?: All donuts are best eaten the same day they are made. That said, you can store your baked donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. Warm a few seconds in the microave to refresh.
- How long can you keep donut batter?: Donut batter should be baked within about an hour after being made. The chemical leavening will become weaker as time goes on and your donuts will not rise as well.
- Do you need to refrigerate donuts?: Typically you do not need to refrigerate donuts unless they are filled with a cream cheese filling.
Try my fried Apple Cider Donuts recipe!
Baked Cinnamon Sugar Mini Donuts
A simple recipe for baked mini cinnamon sugar donuts. Light and fluffy mini cake donuts tossed in cinnamon sugar. This recipe can be used with a mini donut pan or with a mini donut maker!
Ingredients
For the Donuts
- 5 TBSP (71 gr) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (99 gr) sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup (113 gr) milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tsp baking powder
- pinch salt
- 1 & 1/2 cups (181 gr) all-purpose flour
For the Topping
- 1/4 cup (57 gr) butter, melted
- 1/4 cup (50 gr) sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325ºF. Lightly oil mini donut pan and set aside (alternatively you can use an electric mini donut maker or mini muffin pans)
- In a medium bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla and mix until just combined (mixture will look curdled).
- Add in the baking powder and the salt and mix until just incorporated. Mix in the flour just until combined. You don't want to over-mix this batter.
- If using mini donut pan, transfer mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip or into a ziplock baggie with the tip cut off. Pipe into the pan only filling 1/2 of the way fill. If using the mini muffin pan, fill each well 1/2 full
- Bake at 325ºF for 8-10 minutes. *If using a mini donut maker, bake for 4-5 minutes. Allow to cool just slightly before dipping in topping.
- Melt the butter for the topping and set aside. Combine the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl. Dip each donut lightly in the melted butter then roll in cinnamon and sugar.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 78Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 67mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 0gSugar: 6gProtein: 1g
233 Comments on “Cinnamon Sugar Mini Baked Donuts”
My sister gave me a mini donut pan and I finally stumbled across this recipe for baked mini donuts. So glad, because they were yummy. I messed up the first dozen (they looked underdone, not brown), so I left them in for another 5 minutes. They were edible, but seemed a bit dry. I took the 2nd dozen out after 10 minutes and they looked under, but they were fluffy and not as dry as the 1st batch. I rolled them in the cinnamon sugar immediately (didn’t need the melted butter). By the way, I was able to get 3 dozen mini donuts out of this recipe. I will make them again, maybe try a maple glaze or perhaps rolled in powdered sugar.
They are so good, even when they are already cold, they are so delicious and so soft. I definitely will make them again. Thank you for the recipe.
You’re welcome!
Hi. Do you think this recipe can be fried instead of baked? I dont have donut pans nor a donut maker. Thanks.
Hi there, no this is a thin batter that really only works to be baked. If you want a fried cake donut, you can use this recipe: https://bakerbettie.com/cake-donuts-chocolate-ganache/
Should you let the batter rest for, 1/2 hour it has baking powder in the mix.
Hi! Do I need to use an electric mixer, stand mixer or hand mixer? Making this early as a breakfast surprise and don’t want to wake anyone up with the sound.
Yes, you will need at least a hand mixer to cream the butter and sugar together.
Lovely little treats. I used my electric donut cooker, got two dozen donuts. Very tender and extremely tasty. A real winner! (Too bad about my diet…)
Awesome!
Can I Fry it instead?
They were so good thank you for the recipe l used a donut machine and it was a bit faster do you have any recipes for different topings
I’m glad! I have recipes for chocolate ganache and powdered sugar glaze on my site that would be perfect for topping or dipping donuts!
Can these be made at high altitude?