These cinnamon roll donuts are topped with a sweet cinnamon sugar topping and vanilla glaze, making them taste just like cinnamon rolls! The donuts are super soft, fluffy, and perfect for any breakfast occasion.
These cinnamon donuts are baked in a donut pan and have a cake-like texture. Each bite is so soft and bursting with cinnamon flavor!
Before baking, the donuts are sprinkled with a brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter mixture that tastes exactly like the filling in a cinnamon roll. You definitley need to make these!
Looking for more cinnamon desserts? Then check out these: cinnamon streusel coffee cake, cinnamon toast crunch cake, and apple cinnamon muffins.
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Why You'll Love These Donuts
- They're topped with a vanilla glaze.
- Instead of fried, they're baked.
- The cinnamon topping makes them taste just like a cinnamon roll.
- The interior is light and fluffy.
- They're perfect for breakfast, brunch, and holidays!
Donut recipes are some of my favorite to create and eat, but these baked cinnamon roll donuts are my absolute favorite!
You'll need a donut pan since they're baked in the oven. These nonstick pans are awesome, along with these silicone ones.
Ingredients Needed
Here are some notes on the ingredients we'll be using. For the full ingredients list, look at the recipe card below.
- Baking Powder: I find that donuts rise better with baking powder instead of baking soda.
- Cinnamon: Use ground cinnamon in both the donut batter and the cinnamon topping.
- Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and chewiness.
- Milk: I used 2% milk but feel free to substitute it with your milk of choice.
- Yogurt: Using yogurt in baked goods help them to be more moist and soft. You can use either plain or vanilla yogurt. If you don't have yogurt, you could even use sour cream.
Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions on how to make these baked doughnuts.
Step 1: Dry ingredients. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
Step 2: Wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, brown sugar, milk, yogurt, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
Step 3: Combine ingredients. Add the dry ingredients into the wet and gently fold together using a silicone spatula until combined.
Step 4: Pipe the donut batter. Scoop the batter into a piping bag or a zipped-up sandwich bag. Simply cut a corner off of the bottom of the bag and pipe the donut batter into each donut cup, filling it up just barely to the top.
Step 5: Cinnamon topping. In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter with a spoon. Use that spoon to sprinkle the cinnamon topping over each unbaked donut.
Step 6: Bake. Bake the donuts for 10-12 minutes. Allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully removing them and setting them on a wire rack to finish cooling.
Step 7: Make the glaze. In a small bowl mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk with a fork. Use a spoon to drizzle over each donut and serve immediately.
Storage Tips
Although donuts are best consumed the same day they are made, they will last for a short amount of time.
Keep leftover donuts in an airtight container in the refrigerator or on the counter for up to 2 days.
Expert Baking Tips
- Donut Pan: You'll need a 6-count donut pan like this one or a non-stick one. I have both of these and use them interchangeably.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: It's important for the milk, egg, and yogurt to be at room temperature so they'll incorporate into the batter more smoothly. I recommend removing these ingredients from the refrigerator 1 hour before baking.
- Donut Batter: I find it so much easier to scrape the donut batter into a pastry bag or a zipped-up sandwich bag and pipe the batter into the donut cups. This method makes it less messy too.
- Cinnamon Topping: Use a spoon or your fingers to sprinkle the brown sugar cinnamon mixture over the batter before baking.
Recipe FAQs
Yes you do, since we're making donuts. You'll need just one 6-count donut pan.
I have no idea! If you try it out, please let me know in the comments below.
Yes you can! You will have a total of 12 donuts. Just be sure to bake each pan separately.
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below. I love hearing from you! Also, please tag me on Instagram and check out my Pinterest for even more recipe ideas.
More Donut Recipes
📖 Recipe
Cinnamon Roll Donuts
Equipment
- Donut Pan
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients:
Donuts
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup milk, room temperature
- ¼ cup yogurt (plain or vanilla), room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon Topping
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Vanilla Icing
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon milk
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 6-count donut pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
Donuts
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, brown sugar, milk, yogurt, and vanilla extract until combined. Add the dry ingredients into the wet and gently fold together using a silicone spatula or wooden spoon until combined (be careful not to over mix).
- Scoop the batter into a piping bag or a zipped-up sandwich bag. Simply cut a corner off of the bottom of the bag and pipe the donut batter into each donut cup, filling it up just barely to the top.
Cinnamon Topping
- In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter with a spoon. Use the spoon to sprinkle the cinnamon topping over each unbaked donut.
- Bake the donuts for 10-12 minutes. Use a toothpick to check the center. If it comes out clean, then they're done. Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully removing them and setting them on a wire rack to finish cooling.
Vanilla Icing
- In a small bowl mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk with a fork. Use a spoon to drizzle over each donut and serve immediately.
- Keep leftover donuts in an airtight container in the refrigerator or on the counter for up to 2 days.
These literally taste like a cinnamon roll! The texture is soft and fluffy and the cinnamon flavor really shines.