Best Baked Cinnamon Recipe

I’m sharing my Homemade Donuts Recipe that relies on a clever pantry shortcut to get the batch into the oven and finished in under 30 minutes.

I never thought a tray of quick baked treats could make me lick my fingers and ask for more, but Best Baked Cinnamon did exactly that. Light and fluffy, these Cinnamon Donuts have a little magic that starts with all purpose flour and a splash of buttermilk, but I still cant explain how they vanish so fast.

I tested them on a lazy Sunday and now they show up at every impromptu gathering. If you’re curious about the fuss and like Baked Doughnuts that feel both runaway indulgent and strangely wholesome, you might want to steal a peek at my notes.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: main structure, mostly carbs, small protein and very little fiber.
• Granulated sugar: pure sweet carbs, adds tenderness and that familiar cinnamon-sugar touch.
• Eggs: add protein, help bind and brown, they make crumb richer and moist.
• Buttermilk or yogurt: gives tang, acidity reacts with leaveners, keeps cake tender.
• Butter: adds flavor and fat, gives moistness and crisp edges when baked, so good.
• Cinnamon: warm spice, low calories, big flavor punch that makes it smell like fall.
• Vanilla extract: tiny bit boosts sweetness and aroma, makes everything taste rounder and cozy.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 large eggs room temp
• 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk or plain yogurt if you dont have buttermilk
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) melted unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup (60 g) unsalted butter melted for coating
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar for coating
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon for coating

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a donut pan well with butter or nonstick spray, or oil it with a paper towel so the donuts come out clean.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour, 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp fine salt and 1 tsp ground cinnamon until evenly mixed.

3. In another bowl beat 2 large room temp eggs, then add 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk (or plain yogurt if you dont have buttermilk), 1/4 cup (60 ml) melted unsalted butter and 1 tsp vanilla extract; whisk until smooth.

4. Pour the wet into the dry and stir gently with a spatula until just combined, a few lumps are ok, dont overmix or the donuts get dense.

5. Transfer batter to a piping bag or a sturdy zip-top bag with the corner snipped, and pipe or spoon into the donut cavities filling about 3/4 full; dont overfill or they will overflow.

6. Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes, until the donuts spring back lightly and a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs, not wet batter.

7. Let donuts sit in the pan 2 to 3 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto a wire rack; they should be warm but not piping hot for the coating to stick without melting away.

8. While donuts cool a touch, mix the coating: stir together 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar and 2 tsp ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl; have 1/4 cup (60 g) melted unsalted butter in another bowl for brushing.

9. Brush each warm donut with the 1/4 cup melted butter then toss or roll it in the cinnamon sugar until well coated; do this right away while donuts are still warm so the sugar sticks, if you wait the coating wont adhere as well.

10. Serve warm for best results, or store cooled donuts in an airtight container for 1 day; to refresh, warm briefly in a 300°F oven for 4 to 6 minutes. Quick tips: if batter seems too thick add a tablespoon of milk, pipe from the bottom of the bag for neater rings, and dont crowd the oven so they bake evenly.

Equipment Needed

1. Donut pan, nonstick 6 or 12 cavity
2. Large mixing bowl
3. Medium mixing bowl
4. Whisk
5. Rubber spatula
6. Measuring cups and spoons
7. Piping bag or sturdy zip top bag with the corner snipped dont overfill it
8. Pastry brush for the melted butter
9. Shallow bowl for the cinnamon sugar
10. Wire cooling rack and a toothpick to test doneness

FAQ

Best Baked Cinnamon Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Buttermilk (1 cup): use 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar, let sit 5 minutes, or plain yogurt thinned with a little water to 1 cup.
• All purpose flour (2 cups): swap with a 1-to-1 gluten free flour blend (same measure), or use whole wheat pastry flour for a slightly nuttier, denser crumb (same measure).
• Eggs (2 large): for vegan or egg-free, use 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 6 tbsp water, let gel), or 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce per egg for extra moisture.
• Granulated sugar (3/4 cup and 1/2 cup coating): replace with packed light brown sugar 1:1 for deeper flavor, or use 3/4 cup honey or maple syrup but reduce the buttermilk by about 3 tablespoons and bake a bit longer; for the coating, coconut sugar works 1:1.

Pro Tips

1) Weigh or spoon-and-level your flour, dont pack the cup down or youll end up with dense donuts. A kitchen scale is the easiest way to get the same texture every time.

2) Mix only until the batter is just combined, a few lumps are fine. Overmixing makes them chewy. If the batter looks too thick add a tablespoon of milk at a time till it flows easily into the bag.

3) Pipe from the bottom of the bag, twist the top to force batter down, and fill the cavities about 3/4 full so they dont overflow. Put the donut pan on a rimmed baking sheet so you can move it in and out of the oven without spills.

4) Brush the donuts while warm but not piping hot so the cinnamon sugar sticks, and toss right away. If you need to store extras, keep them uncoated in an airtight container and sugar them just before serving. To refresh, warm gently in a 300 F oven for a few minutes or microwave one for 8-10 seconds, but dont overdo it or the coating will melt.