Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

The first day of fall is officially here, and I can’t think of a better way to welcome the season than with a batch of warm Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts. They’re soft, fluffy, warmly spiced, and coated in melted butter and plenty of cinnamon sugar while they’re still slightly warm.

The donuts themselves are made with both light brown sugar and granulated sugar, plus Greek yogurt and oil for an extra-soft, moist crumb. Cinnamon and a touch of nutmeg are baked right into the batter before each donut gets its buttery cinnamon sugar coating.

They’re simple, cozy, and basically everything I want to be baking as soon as fall rolls around. Best served slightly warm with a cup of coffee, tea, or whatever you’re sipping on your first crisp morning of the season.

Why You’ll Love These Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

• No frying required! These donuts bake right in a donut pan.
• Incredibly soft and moist. Greek yogurt and oil keep the crumb tender without making the donuts heavy.
• Packed with cinnamon flavor. Cinnamon is baked right into the donuts AND added to the buttery sugar coating.
• Quick and easy. No yeast or rise time means you can have homemade donuts ready in about 30 minutes.
• Made for fall baking. Warm cinnamon, brown sugar, vanilla, and a hint of nutmeg make these the perfect way to welcome the season.

Ingredient Notes

All-Purpose Flour: Gives the donuts structure while still keeping the crumb soft and tender. For the most accurate results, I recommend weighing your flour with a digital kitchen scale.

Light Brown Sugar + Granulated Sugar: Using both gives these donuts the best of both worlds. Brown sugar adds moisture and a subtle caramel flavor, while granulated sugar adds a more classic sweetness.

Greek Yogurt: Full-fat plain Greek yogurt adds moisture and richness without making the donuts heavy.

Neutral Oil: Oil keeps baked donuts softer and more moist than butter alone. Vegetable, canola, or avocado oil will all work well.

Whole Milk: Adds just enough additional moisture to create a smooth, soft donut batter.

Cinnamon + Nutmeg: Cinnamon gives the donuts their signature flavor, while just a touch of nutmeg adds that warm bakery-style flavor in the background.

Vanilla Extract: Vanilla rounds out the cinnamon, brown sugar, and nutmeg and gives the donuts a little extra flavor.

Tips for the Best Baked Donuts

Don’t overmix your batter. Fold the wet and dry ingredients together only until no dry streaks of flour remain. Overmixing can make baked donuts dense instead of light and tender.

Use a piping bag. Transferring the batter to a piping bag makes filling the donut pan much easier, cleaner, and more even.

Don’t overfill the pan. Fill each donut cavity about ¾ full so the donuts have enough room to rise without closing up the center.

Coat them while they’re slightly warm. Let the donuts cool just enough to handle before brushing them with melted butter and tossing them in cinnamon sugar. The coating sticks beautifully to a slightly warm donut.

Don’t overbake them. Baked donuts cook quickly, so start checking them around the 9-minute mark. The tops should spring back when gently pressed.

FAQs

Can I make these without a donut pan?

For the classic baked donut shape, I recommend using a donut pan. You could experiment with baking the batter in a muffin pan, but the baking time will differ and you’ll essentially have cinnamon sugar muffins instead.

Can I substitute sour cream for Greek yogurt?

Yes! Full-fat sour cream can be substituted 1:1 for the Greek yogurt.

Which oil should I use?

Any neutral-flavored oil will work. Vegetable, canola, or avocado oil are all great choices.

Why are my baked donuts dense?

Dense baked donuts are usually caused by overmixing the batter or measuring too much flour. Fold the batter only until everything is combined and, if possible, weigh your flour with a digital kitchen scale.

Can I make these ahead of time?

You can, but cinnamon sugar donuts are definitely at their best the day they’re baked. The coating is freshest and the donuts are at their softest during those first few hours.

Storage & Freezing

Store leftover Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Keep in mind that the cinnamon sugar coating will gradually absorb moisture as the donuts sit, so they’re best enjoyed fresh.

If you’d like to freeze them, I recommend freezing the donuts before adding the butter and cinnamon sugar coating. Place the cooled donuts in an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months.

Thaw at room temperature, then brush with melted butter and toss in fresh cinnamon sugar before serving.

My Favorite Tools for Making Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

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Digital Kitchen Scale: One of my most-used baking tools! Weighing your flour gives you more consistent results and helps prevent accidentally adding too much flour to your donuts.

Silicone Spatulas: Perfect for gently folding the batter without overmixing—and scraping every last bit of batter out of the bowl.

Donut Pan: A nonstick donut pan makes it incredibly easy to get that classic donut shape without having to fry anything.

Piping Bag Set: Makes transferring the batter into the donut pan quick, neat, and so much easier than trying to spoon it in.

Mixing Bowls: A good set of mixing bowls makes it easy to prepare the wet and dry ingredients separately before bringing the batter together.

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

Yield: 12 donuts
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 9–11 minutes
Total Time: About 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

• 1½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• ⅓ cup (80 g) full-fat plain Greek yogurt, room temperature
• ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral oil
• ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk, room temperature
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating

• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

1. Prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease two 6-cavity donut pans with nonstick baking spray and set aside.
2. Combine the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Break up any lumps of brown sugar.
3. Combine the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, Greek yogurt, oil, whole milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
4. Make the batter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold everything together just until combined. Be careful not to overmix.
5. Fill the donut pans. Transfer the batter to a piping bag or large zip-top bag and snip off the end. Pipe the batter evenly into the prepared donut cavities, filling each about ¾ full.
6. Bake. Bake for 9–11 minutes, or until the donuts have risen and the tops spring back when gently pressed. A toothpick inserted into the thickest part of a donut should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
7. Cool. Allow the donuts to cool in the pans for about 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire cooling rack.
8. Make the cinnamon sugar. While the donuts cool slightly, combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and pinch of salt in a shallow bowl. Place the melted butter in a separate shallow bowl.
9. Coat the donuts. While the donuts are still slightly warm, lightly brush or dip each donut in the melted butter. Immediately toss in the cinnamon sugar until generously coated on all sides.
10. Serve. These donuts are best enjoyed fresh and slightly warm!