These baked cinnamon doughnuts bring warm spice, a tender cake-like crumb, and a simple vanilla glaze to the table without the mess of frying. The batter comes together in one bowl pair, bakes in about 12 minutes, and gives you a dependable weekend breakfast or afternoon treat. Each baked cinnamon doughnut is best glazed once cool enough to keep the icing smooth, then served with coffee, tea, or fresh fruit.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!What are baked cinnamon doughnuts?
They are soft, ring-shaped cake doughnuts flavored with ground cinnamon and finished with a thin vanilla glaze. Baking keeps the texture light and tender while making the recipe straightforward for a home kitchen. The glaze adds sweetness and a delicate finish without hiding the cinnamon.
Why this recipe works
A modest amount of melted butter keeps the crumb moist, while baking powder gives the doughnuts lift without requiring yeast. Mixing the wet and dry ingredients only until combined helps prevent a dense result. Cooling before glazing matters because warm doughnuts can thin the icing and make it slide away.
How to make baked cinnamon doughnuts
Gather flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, milk, egg, butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk for the glaze. Grease the pan thoroughly, especially around the center posts.
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar for the glaze
- 2 tablespoons whole milk for the glaze
Mix and fill the pan
Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a standard 12-cavity doughnut pan. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together. In another bowl, whisk the milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until no dry streaks remain. Spoon or pipe the batter into the cavities, filling each about two-thirds full.
Bake and glaze
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The doughnuts are ready when they spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out clean. Cool them in the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a rack. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth, dip the cooled doughnuts, and allow the excess glaze to drip away.
Exact method
- Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a standard 12-cavity doughnut pan.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.
- Whisk the milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla in a second bowl. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until no dry streaks remain.
- Pipe or spoon the batter into the pan, filling each cavity about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the doughnuts spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
- Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Dip the cooled doughnuts into the glaze and let the excess drip back into the bowl.
“Made the Baked Cinnamon Doughnuts with Vanilla Glaze tonight and wow — perfect weeknight dinner. Will definitely make again!”
Serving ideas
Serve the doughnuts at room temperature with coffee, black tea, or warm milk. For a brunch plate, add sliced apples, berries, or a spoonful of plain yogurt. If you want a stronger cinnamon aroma, dust the glaze lightly with cinnamon while it is still wet.
Tips and optional variation
Use a piping bag or a zip-top bag with one corner snipped to fill the pan evenly. Do not overmix the batter, and check early because pans and ovens vary. Optional variation: add a small pinch of nutmeg to the dry ingredients for a gently warmer spice profile; this is optional and does not change the primary recipe.
Planning the bake
Measure the flour by spooning it into a dry measuring cup and leveling the top; packing flour can make the batter too thick. Have the pan greased before mixing because the leavening starts working as soon as the wet and dry ingredients meet. If the batter seems uneven, use a spatula to scrape the bowl once, but resist the urge to keep stirring.
The doughnut pan should sit on a level oven rack so the rings bake evenly. Leave a little room at the center and around the top of each cavity because the batter rises. If you are using a smaller pan, bake in batches and keep the remaining batter covered while the first batch cooks.
Troubleshooting the texture
A dry doughnut usually points to too much flour or a few extra minutes in the oven. A gummy center can mean the cavities were overfilled or the doughnuts needed another minute. Since the color may remain pale, rely on the spring-back test and toothpick rather than waiting for deep browning.
For a thicker glaze, add powdered sugar a spoonful at a time. For a thinner drizzle, add milk gradually. Dip only once the doughnuts are fully cool, and place them on a rack over a tray so the glaze can set without pooling around the base.
Storage and reheating
Keep glazed doughnuts covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, freeze them unglazed in a sealed container, thaw at room temperature, and glaze just before serving. A few seconds in the microwave can soften a room-temperature doughnut, but heat briefly so the glaze does not melt completely.
Search answers for baked cinnamon doughnuts
Can you bake cinnamon doughnuts without a mixer?
Yes. A whisk and spatula are enough; mix by hand only until the batter is combined.
How do you know they are done?
They should spring back lightly and a toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
When should you glaze them?
Glaze after the doughnuts have cooled so the icing stays on the surface.
“Packed with flavor and so simple. Exactly what I wanted from this Baked Cinnamon Doughnuts with Vanilla Glaze!”
Recipe FAQs
Can I use a different milk?
A similar plain milk can work, though whole milk gives the richest crumb and smoothest batter.
Why did my doughnuts turn dense?
Overmixing or overfilling the cavities can make them heavy. Stir just until combined and fill only two-thirds full.
Can I glaze them while warm?
Wait until they are cool. Warm doughnuts thin the glaze and make it run off.
These baked cinnamon doughnuts are an easy way to make a warmly spiced treat with a tender crumb and a simple finish. Bake a batch when you want a quick breakfast centerpiece or a small, shareable dessert.
Baked Cinnamon Doughnuts with Vanilla Glaze
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar for the glaze
- 2 tablespoons whole milk for the glaze
Instructions
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a standard 12-cavity doughnut pan.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.
- Whisk the milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla in a second bowl. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until no dry streaks remain.
- Pipe or spoon the batter into the pan, filling each cavity about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the doughnuts spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
- Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Dip the cooled doughnuts into the glaze and let the excess drip back into the bowl.
