Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

These Cinnamon Sugar Donuts are the softest baked cinnamon donuts that are coated in the most delicious combination...cinnamon sugar! They're so soft and fluffy and can be made in under an hour! Best yet, these little sugary clouds are gluten free, nut free eggless and easily vegan!

Biting into one of these Cinnamon Sugar Donuts is like biting into a cloud. The texture is just incredible! Not only are they delicious, but they're super easy to make! The batter mixes up with just a whisk, no mixer needed and in less than one hour!!!

For more donut recipes, check out my Baked Apple Cider Donuts, Cookies and Cream Donuts and Funfetti Donuts. 

Reasons to Love these Donuts

• Allergy Friendly- These donuts are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
• Soft & Fluffy- The donuts are so super soft and delicious.
• Cinnamon Sugar- These babies are dipped in butter or vegan baking stick and dunked in two coats of cinnamon sugar!

Ingredient Notes

• Gluten Free Flour- If you also have nut allergies, make sure to use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility.  I really love to use this gluten free flour because it’s nut safe but it does contain dairy. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce.
• Cornstarch and Water- These are eggless donuts so this mixture helps bind everything together.
• Milk- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non dairy, use a non dairy milk of your choosing.
• Unsalted Butter or Vegan Baking Sticks- In this recipe we actually used melted!
• Cinnamon- We use it in the batter and in the sugar that we coat the donuts with!

See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.

Substitutions and Variations

This recipe has not been tested with these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!

Here are the step by step instructions to make these donuts!

Make the Donuts

Step 1: Mix The Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, the granulated sugar, the baking powder, cinnamon and the salt. Set aside.

Step 2: Melt the Butter/Vegan Baking Stick

Put the 2 tablespoons of butter or vegan baking stick in a small heat safe bowl.

Microwave in 10 second increments until melted. Set aside to cool.

Step 3: Make the Cornstarch Water

In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the cornstarch and water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.

Step 4: Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch water mixture, the milk, the cooled melted butter and the vanilla until combined.

Make sure the melted butter isn't hot because if you pour hot butter into the cold milk, it will be chunky.

Step 5: Mix The Wet Ingredients Into The Dry

Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry and use a whisk to combine. If it gets too thick, switch to using a spatula.

Step 6: Fill The Donut Pans

Either spoon the batter into the greased donut pans and fill to almost the top or put all the batter into a piping bag or a zip top bag with the corner snipped off and pipe the batter into the donut pans.

Fill each well to almost the top. Smooth the batter with a tiny knife or the back of a small spoon.

Step 7: Bake

Bake the donuts in the center rack of the 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. The donuts should be risen and spring back at you when gently touched.

If you gently poke the donuts and a dent forms, they're not done baking. You can also insert a toothpick and make sure it comes out clean.

Step 8: Let The Donuts Cool

Let the donuts cool in the pans for at least 5 minutes before taking them out. If you try to take them out too soon, they will stick and break apart into a giant mess.

Once 5 minutes is up, use a small spatula to loosen them from the pan.

Place the donuts on a cooling rack with a baking sheet underneath. The next part is a bit messy.

Make The Topping

Step 1: Melt The Butter/Vegan Baking Stick

Put the 12 tablespoons of butter or vegan baking stick in a medium heat safe bowl.

Microwave in 20 second increments, stirring after each time, until the butter is melted.

Step 2: Mix the Cinnamon Sugar

Place the 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon together in a bowl. Whisk to combine.

Step 3: Dip the Donuts

Take one donut and dip it in the melted butter or vegan baking stick. Do it quickly, you don't want it submerged too long but you do want the entire donut coated. Both sides.

Immediately put the donut into the bowl of cinnamon sugar and coat all over. Repeat these two steps with the rest of the donuts.

Step 4: Let Them Dry

Place each finished donut on the cooling rack with the baking sheet underneath (to prevent a big mess). Let them dry a bit.

Step 5: Dip them In The Cinnamon Sugar for a 2nd Time

You don't have to do this step, but I like my donuts loaded with cinnamon sugar.

Dip each donut again in just the cinnamon sugar. NOT the melted butter.

Expert Baking Tips

• Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups however, when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape. 
• Mix in the Butter Slowly- When pouring the butter into the milk, do this a little bit at a time while whisking. This way the butter won't form chunks in the cold milk.
• Smoothing the Batter- Many gluten free flour batters have a way of staying exactly as they are placed, when baked. If you leave it misshapen after put it into the donut pans, that’s how they will remain when baked. When the batter is in the donut pans, gently smooth the top with a butter knife or the back or a small spoon.
• Pipe The Batter- You could use a spoon to put the batter in the greased donut pans but it is much easier to pipe the batter in. No piping bag? No worries! Simply put all the batter in a gallon size zip top bag and snip off a corner. Pipe the batter into the donut wells and fill almost to the top.

Recipe FAQs

Other Donut Recipes You'll Love

📖 Recipe

Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

Author: Lee

These Cinnamon Sugar Donuts are the softest baked cinnamon donuts that are coated in the most delicious combination...cinnamon sugar! They're so soft and fluffy and can be made in under an hour! Best yet, these little sugary clouds are gluten free, nut free eggless and easily vegan!

5 from 10 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Assembly Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 14 donuts

Calories 318 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For The Donuts

• ▢ 2 cups gluten free flour
• ▢ 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 2 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons of water
• ▢ 1.5 cups milk of choice
• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, melted
• ▢ 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For The Topping

• ▢ 12 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, melted
• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

 

For The Donuts

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 2 donut pans well with vegetable oil.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, the granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and the salt. Set aside.
• Put the 2 tablespoons of butter or vegan baking stick in a small heat safe bowl.

  Microwave in 10 second increments until melted. Set aside to cool.
• In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the cornstarch and water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch water mixture, the milk, the cooled melted butter and the vanilla until combined. Make sure the melted butter isn't hot because if you pour hot butter into the cold milk, it will be chunky.
• Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry and use a whisk to combine. If it gets too thick, switch to using a spatula.
• Either spoon the batter into the greased donut pans and fill to almost the top or put all the batter into a piping bag or a zip top bag with the corner snipped off and pipe the batter into the donut pans.
• Fill each well to almost the top. Smooth the batter with a tiny knife or the back of a small spoon.
• Bake the donuts in the center rack of the 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. The donuts should be risen and spring back at you when gently touched.
• If you gently poke the donuts and a dent forms, they're not done baking. You can also insert a toothpick and make sure it comes out clean.
• Let the donuts cool in the pans for at least 5 minutes before taking them out. If you try to take them out too soon, they will stick and break apart into a giant mess. Once 5 minutes is up, use a small spatula to loosen them from the pan.
• Place the donuts on a cooling rack with a baking sheet underneath. The next part is a bit messy.

For The Topping

• Put the 12 tablespoons of butter or vegan baking stick in a medium heat safe bowl.
• Microwave in 20 second increments, stirring after each time, until the butter is melted.
• Place the 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon together in a bowl. Whisk to combine.
• Take one donut and dip it in the melted butter or vegan baking stick. Do it quickly, you don't want it submerged too long but you do want the entire donut coated. Both sides.
• Immediately put the donut into the bowl of cinnamon sugar and coat all over. Repeat these two steps with the rest of the donuts.
• Place each finished donut on the cooling rack with the baking sheet underneath (to prevent a big mess). Let them dry a bit.
• You don't have to do this step, but I like my donuts loaded with cinnamon sugar. Dip each donut again in just the cinnamon sugar. NOT the melted butter.

Video

Notes

For Vegan: Use a gluten free flour free from dairy, vegan sugar, vegan baking sticks instead of butter and use a non dairy milk. 

All Purpose Flour: I cannot test this due to celiac disease, but use 2 packed cups of regular flour (336 grams) and 1 ¼ cups of milk.

Storing: Once the donuts have cooled, individually wrap them each in aluminum foil. Try to create a teepee with the top of the foil so it isn't touching the cinnamon sugar as much. Keep at room temperature for up to 2 days. 

Freezing: Once the donuts have cooled completely, individually wrap them each in aluminum foil and the pop in a zip top bag. Freeze for up to 30 days. To defrost, place wrapped donuts at room temperature until soft. About 2 hours. 

 

Nutrition

Calories: 318kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 3gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 156mgPotassium: 46mgFiber: 2gSugar: 38gVitamin A: 393IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 85mgIron: 1mg

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