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Incredibly light and soft baked cake donuts dusted with a coating of cinnamon sugar will satisfy your sweet cravings with each scrumptious bite. You can stuff them with creamy and velvety Italian pastry cream, also the chocolate version, or enjoy them plain.
These delightful treats you will crave and are surprisingly easy to make. The best part- no mess with hot frying oil! Make any morning or afternoon special with baked cinnamon sugar donuts! You will also love Zeppole Recipe (Easy Italian Donuts), Authentic Struffoli Recipe, and Bomboloni (Italian Donuts with Cream Filling).
Table of Contents
- Cinnamon Sugar Baked Donuts
- Simple Ingredients for Cinnamon Sugar Baked Donuts
- Equipment
- Best Cinnamon Sugar Baked Donuts with Cream Filling
- Do I Need to Add the Pastry Cream Filling to These Donuts?
- Variations for Baked Donuts
- Are Baked Donuts Healthier Than Fried Donuts?
- Italian desserts you will also enjoy…
- Cinnamon Sugar Baked Cake Donut Cream Filling Recipe
Cinnamon Sugar Baked Donuts
Donuts are a classic and favorite treat, but making traditional fried donuts from scratch can be time-consuming and messy. That’s why we love these baked donuts.
My mom loves to gather the grandchildren around her kitchen and make these sweet baked donuts. What child doesn’t love donuts?
These are fun to make with children and require no mess or danger of hot oil.
They love pouring the dough in the round donut cake mold. It’s a fun activity and a yummy treat for the entire family. We also love to deliver them to neighbors and friends.
Shop this CucinaByElena two in one cutting and charcuterie board here!
Simple Ingredients for Cinnamon Sugar Baked Donuts
Donuts
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Baking powder
- Ground cinnamon
- Orange zest
- Kosher salt
- Egg, lightly beaten
- Whole milk
- Butter, melted
- Pure vanilla extract
For the filling
1 recipe for Italian Chocolate Pastry Cream (Crema Pasticcera) or Italian Pastry Cream (Crema Pasticcera) Recipe
Equipment
Where can I buy the donut cake pan mold? Here is the link to the one we love. You can also use mini muffin tins.
Best Cinnamon Sugar Baked Donuts with Cream Filling
Reasons to Love These Baked Donuts:
- No electric mixer required
- Baked, not fried
- Filled with a melt-in-your-mouth Italian pastry cream filling (chocolate and/or vanilla)
- Subtle orange and vanilla flavor
- Coating of sweet cinnamon sugar
- Soft, dense, and cake-like
- Perfect for birthdays and celebrations
Fun and happy!
Do I Need to Add the Pastry Cream Filling to These Donuts?
In short, no! The filling makes them a little extra special on a day you have more time for the extra step. These sweet, soft, and tender baked donuts taste delicious all on their own!
These baked donuts offer a soft and tender cake-like crumb that is simply perfect!
Variations for Baked Donuts
- Add fresh blueberries.
- Mix in chopped nuts.
- Try other extracts, such as almond extract, for a birthday cake-like flavor.
- Whisk in other spices and cinnamon (nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspices).
- Use half-brown sugar in place of granulated sugar for additional flavor.
- Bake as mini muffins if you are without a donut pan.
- Finish with this orange vanilla almond glaze
- Finish with this simple vanilla glaze
- Decorate with sprinkles
Are Baked Donuts Healthier Than Fried Donuts?
Yes, they are! A typical fried, glazed donut will be around 269 calories, while a baked donut will have much fewer. The difference is that you won’t be dealing with any extra fat from the oil frying when you bake. I’m not much of a calorie counter.
My nonno taught me a little bit of everything in moderation. If you want to eat a little lighter this time of year- these are the perfect alternative to a fried donut with delicious flavor and texture.
Italian desserts you will also enjoy…
BEST Authentic Sicilian Cannoli Recipe
Simple Italian Apple Cake (one bowl)
Easy Almond Sponge Cake with Italian Cream
Vanilla Cake Roll with Cream and Berries
Easy Italian Pear Cake (Torta di Pere) Easy
Italian Crumble Cake Pastry Cream Filling
LEMON YOGURT LOAF CAKE (blueberries)
Donut recipe adapted from Ina Garten
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Cinnamon Sugar Baked Cake Donut Cream Filling
Incredibly light and soft baked cake donuts dusted with a coating of cinnamon sugar will satisfy your sweet cravings with each scrumptious bite. You can stuff them with creamy and velvety Italian pastry cream, also the chocolate version, or enjoy them plain. These are a delightful treat you will crave and they are surprisingly easy to make. Best part- no mess with hot frying oil! Make any morning or afternoon special with a batch of baked cinnamon sugar donuts!
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the donuts
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the filling:
- 1 recipe for Italian Pastry Cream or Italian Chocolate Pastry Cream
Instructions
- Make Italian pastry cream as directed and let cool in fridge at least 4 hours to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 doughnut pans well.
- Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter, orange zest, and vanilla. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Spoon the batter into the baking pans, filling each one a little more than three-quarters full. Bake for 17 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then tap the doughnuts out onto a sheet pan.
- For the topping, melt the 8 tablespoons of butter in an 8-inch sauté pan. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Dip each doughnut first in the butter and then in the cinnamon sugar, either on one side or both sides.
- To fill the donuts, simple cut them in half and ad 1-2 tablespoons of the prepared pastry cream in the center of the cut donut and cover with the other half. Best fresh. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Sweet
- Method: Italian
- Cuisine: Italian
We make these with the kids and it’s so fun!
Yes! Delicious and fun!
Hello
How was I adapt this recipe to make jam donuts for the kids (ie without the donut holes in the middle). Would the batter consistency allow for me to roll out and use a cutter?
Thanks in advance !
This batter works well with the molds. You can certainly try it the other way and see!