These Gingerbread Donuts are perfect for Christmas morning! They are full of gingerbread spices, are super soft, and are coated in cinnamon sugar.
These baked gingerbread doughnuts takes everything we love about gingerbread cookies and places it inside of a moist and cakey breakfast treat!
Spices such as cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg are combined with molasses to make a super quick and easy donut in less than 30 minutes.
Looking for more gingerbread recipes? Then check out these chocolate gingerbread cupcakes and gingerbread muffins.
Why You'll Love These Donuts
- The quick prep time makes them a perfect breakfast choice.
- They're baked, not fried.
- With warm spices, they're a great choice for the holiday season.
- All you need are mixing bowls; no hand mixer needed.
- They're covered in cinnamon sugar!
Homemade donuts are some of my favorite things to make, especially on holiday mornings.
They're stress-free since all you do is bake them! Plus, since they're more like cake donuts, they are super soft and fluffy in texture.
Expert Baking Tips
- Donut Pan: I recommend a silicone donut pan like this one or a non-stick one. I have both of these and use them interchangeably. Be sure to spray your pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- 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 Sugar Coating: Make sure that both the donuts and melted butter are cooled before dipping the donuts into the butter and cinnamon sugar. Dip each donut about 3 times into the cinnamon sugar.
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.
- Spices: A combination of ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg are used to create that warm gingerbread flavor.
- Molasses: Use unsulphured molasses, as it contains no preservatives or artificial flavors. I like to use Grandma’s molasses as it is pure molasses.
- Yogurt: I used vanilla, but you could also use plain or greek yogurt. If you don't have yogurt, you could even use sour cream.
- Milk: I used 2% milk but feel free to substitute it with your milk of choice (such as almond milk or coconut milk).
Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions on how to make these Christmas donuts.
Step 1: Dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
Step 2: Wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, brown sugar, molasses, milk, yogurt, and vanilla extract until combined.
Step 3: Combine the ingredients. Add the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and gently fold together using a silicone spatula until combined.
Step 4: Pipe the batter. Scoop the batter into a piping bag or a zipped-up sandwich bag and pipe the donut batter into each donut cup, filling it up just barely to the top.
Step 5: Bake. Bake the donuts for 9-11 minutes. Allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully removing them and setting them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 6: Cinnamon sugar topping. Dip the cooled donuts into the melted butter (just one side of the donut) and then into the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Repeat with the rest of the donuts.
Storing 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 at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you do, since we’re making donuts. I recommend Wilton’s non-stick donut pan (I have two of these) or this silicone one.
Yes you can! You will have a total of 12 donuts. Just be sure to bake each pan separately.
Yes, all you would need is a mini donut pan. Just note that the baking time might be less.
Happy baking!
More Christmas Recipes
Gingerbread Donuts
Equipment
- Donut Pan
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
Ingredients:
Gingerbread Donuts
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup molasses
- ¼ cup milk, room temperature
- ¼ cup yogurt (plain or vanilla), room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 6-count donut pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
Gingerbread Donuts
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, brown sugar, molasses, milk, yogurt, and vanilla extract until combined. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and gently fold everything together using a silicone spatula 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.
- Bake the donuts for 9-11 minutes (10 minutes is perfect for me). To check if the donuts are done, touch the top of one carefully with your finger. If it bounces back, they're done. You could also take a toothpick to check the center. If it comes out clean, then they're done. Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before carefully removing them and setting them on a wire rack to finish cooling.
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- In a microwaveable-safe bowl, melt the butter. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Dip the cooled donuts into the melted butter (just one side of the donut) and then into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Repeat with the rest of the donuts. I dipped each donut into the cinnamon sugar three times.
- Keep leftover donuts in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.
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