Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

Fried to golden perfection, these Cinnamon Sugar Donuts bring together sweetness and warm spice flavor. Serve them with a steaming cup of coffee in the morning for a sweetly indulgent breakfast.

Table of Contents

• The Ultimate Homemade Donut Holes
• What You’ll Need
• How to Make Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
• Tips for Success
• Variation Ideas
• How to Store Extras
• Can I Freeze These?
• More Tempting Homemade Donuts to Try
• Get the Recipe

The Ultimate Homemade Donut Holes

Made right at home, these fresh donut holes simply can’t be beat. The light sweetness of the classic topping makes them the perfect morning treat. There’s a warmth to the cinnamon that combines with the familiarity of the flavors to turn these into a wonderful comfort food.

One of the best things about this recipe is its simplicity. The lack of complicated flavors makes these donut holes the ideal breakfast crowd-pleaser. They’re even better than the kind you’d find at a bakery!

What You’ll Need

Just a handful of ingredients go into this classic pastry. You can find exact amounts by scrolling down to the printable recipe card.

• All-Purpose Flour: Use the scoop and level method.
• Salt
• Baking Powder: Not baking soda.
• Egg
• Butter: Melted.
• Milk: I like to use 2% milk for this recipe.
• Nutmeg
• Cinnamon
• Granulated Sugar
• Oil

How to Make Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

In just 4 easy steps, you can have over a dozen donut holes that taste even better than the kind from the bakery. Check out the helpful hints as well to make sure things run as smoothly as possible.

1. Mix the Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and baking powder in a medium-sized bowl, then set it aside.
2. Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the egg, sugar, butter and milk in a large-sized bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine them thoroughly. The batter will be sticky, so either use a spoon or a pastry bag to pipe the dough for frying.
3. Fry: Pour 2 inches of oil into a large, deep skillet for frying. Heat the oil and keep it between 365°F to 375°F, using a candy or food thermometer to measure the heat. Roll the dough into small balls, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, with floured hands to keep them from sticking. Quickly drop the balls into the oil. Cook the donut balls on each side for 1 to 2 minutes, flipping them as needed. When the donuts are cooked through and golden brown, remove them from the oil and place them on a paper towel.
4. Add the Topping and Serve: While the donuts are still hot, drop them into a bowl with half a cup of sugar and a few sprinklings of cinnamon. Move the donuts around until they are coated completely. The fresher the donuts are out of the oil, the more the cinnamon-sugar coating will stick to them. Serve them with coffee.

Tips for Success

It’s pretty much impossible to mess these ones up. Follow these tips for great results every time.

• Spoon and Level: One of the most common mistakes to make in a baked product is adding too much flour. You can avoid this issue by using the spoon and level method. Instead of scooping flour directly out of the bag with the measuring cup, use a spoon to fill the cup and then level it off.
• Check the Heat of the Pan: If you don’t have a candy or food thermometer, don’t worry. You can test the oil by pouring a drop of water into the pan. If the water sizzles across the top, it’s ready.
• Be Quick: The donut holes will lose their shape if you roll them ahead of time, so work quickly and drop them into the oil as you go. Make sure not to leave them in there too long.

Variation Ideas

These super simple donuts are the perfect canvas to express your creativity. Here are a few ideas to help you shake things up!

• Powdered Sugar: If you’re not feeling the cinnamon and sugar, feel free to switch it up with confectioner’s sugar. Its sweetness makes it another classic donut topping.
• Maple Glaze: Another option is to skip the dusting altogether and use a glaze instead. I particularly love maple glazed donuts because of the breakfast vibes they bring to the table.
• Chocolate Covered: Whether or not you also plan to roll them in cinnamon sugar, chocolate makes a great addition to these donuts. My favorite thing to use for this is a simple ganache, though lots of other options would also work if you want a harder chocolate layer.

How to Store Extras

While these donuts can definitely be stored for a few days, I really recommend trying to eat them as close to the time you made them as possible. If you do have some left over, go ahead and stick them in an airtight container and keep them on the counter.

Can I Freeze These?

Yes, these donut holes can absolutely be frozen. This is often a better option than leaving them for days on the counter, which can leave them hard and dry. If you decide to freeze them, just go ahead and pack them into a double-lock freezer bag for up to 3 months and thaw them completely overnight before digging in.

More Tempting Homemade Donuts to Try

• Mini Powdered Sugar Doughnuts
• Maple Glazed Pumpkin Donuts
• Air Fryer Donuts

4.5 from 208 votes

Print Pin Recipe

Yield: 18

Cinnamon Sugar Donut Holes

This donut holes recipe with cinnamon sugar is a 30-minute sweet treat for breakfast. They're golden, fluffy, and perfect with coffee.

Prep Time15 minutes minutes

Cook Time15 minutes minutes

Total Time30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 egg
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• ½ cup milk
• Cinnamon and sugar
• Oil

Instructions 

• Whisk together the flour, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and baking powder in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
• Whisk together the egg, sugar, butter, and milk in a large-sized bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine thoroughly. The batter will be sticky, so either use a spoon or a pastry bag to extrude the dough for frying.
• Pour oil into a large, deep skillet for frying. You want the oil to be about 2 inches deep. Heat the oil and keep it between 365°F to 375°F (I use a candy thermometer to measure the heat). You can test the oil by pouring a drop of water into the pan; if it sizzles across the top, it’s ready.
  
  Roll the dough into small balls, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, with floured hands to prevent sticking. Quickly drop the balls into the oil (they will lose their shape if you roll them ahead of time, so work quickly and drop them in as you go).
• Cook donut balls for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, flipping as needed. When the donuts are cooked through and golden brown, remove them from the oil and place them on a paper towel.
• While the donuts are still hot, drop them into a bowl with half a cup of sugar and a few sprinklings of cinnamon. Move the donuts around until they are well-coated. The fresher the donuts are out of the oil, the more the cinnamon/sugar coating will stick to them.

Nutrition

Serving: 3, Calories: 117kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 13mg, Sodium: 126mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 14g

© Jessica

Cuisine: American

Category: Breakfast, Breakfast Ideas, Desserts

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