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    Home » All Recipes

    Published: Feb 1, 2021 · Modified: Nov 29, 2021 by Kelly Hamilton · This post may contain affiliate links

    Cinnamon Roll Donuts

    Jump to Recipe

    These Baked Cinnamon Roll Donuts taste exactly like a cinnamon roll! They have a delicious cinnamon donut base that's layered with a brown-sugar cinnamon mixture and are topped with a rich, decadent cream cheese icing.

    stack of cinnamon roll donuts with bite taken out of the top one
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients needed for cinnamon roll donuts:
    • Step by Step Instructions:
    • Frequently Asked Questions:
    • Tips & tricks:
    • Storing and freezing tips:
    • Want to try more recipes?
    • 📖 Recipe

    I'm back again with another baked donut recipe- I just can't stop myself! These donuts are so good and every time I'm blown away with how easy they are to make.

    These Cinnamon Roll Donuts are baked (not fried) and taste exactly like a cinnamon roll. They have a fluffy cinnamon donut base that has a layer of brown sugar-cinnamon right the middle, exactly like how a cinnamon roll has that filling the middle.

    Then they are topped with an amazing cream cheese icing that just puts it over the top! You have to try this recipe, I promise you won't be disappointed.

    Ingredients needed for cinnamon roll donuts:

    • ingredients for donut batter
    • ingredients for cream cheese icing

    This donut batter is actually very similar to my Crumb Cake Donut batter, but I will point out a few things below:

    • greek yogurt- this is used in the donut batter, you could definitely swap it for plain sour cream as well.
    • milk- I used whole milk for this recipe. You can try non-dairy milk, I just didn't test with any non-dairy milk.
    • brown sugar- light brown sugar is the way to go- make sure to pack it when measuring to remove the excess moisture.
    • cream cheese- the real star of the show! I like using the bricks of cream cheese when it comes to baking. Just make sure to not used whipped cream cheese.
    • butter- I always use unsalted butter when baking, but if you only have salted that is totally fine!

    Step by Step Instructions:

    Step 1: Start with making the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture by whisking together the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and setting it aside for later.

    Step 2: After you preheat the oven and grease your donut pans, you will start making the batter by mixing the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, egg, milk, yogurt, melted (and cooled) butter, and vanilla. Make sure your ingredients are room temperature!

    Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until fully incorporated.

    Step 4: I like to pipe the batter into the donut molds using a ziploc bag- spoon the batter into the bag and cut off one corner. You can also just spoon the batter into the donut molds and spread it out. Fill the donut molds about ¼ of the way full. Sprinkle 1.5 teaspoon of the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture onto the donut batter. Then go back around with more batter, filling the donut cavity ½ full. You don't want to overfill them because they do rise while baking. If you only have 1 donut pan, save some of the batter because this recipe does give you about 9 donuts.

    Step 5: Place the donuts into the oven for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown on top. Once done, transfer them to a wire cooling rack and let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Carefully remove them to allow them to cool completely.

    Step 6: Make the icing- In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese. You don't have to use an electric mixer, but it makes it much easier. Also, be sure to work with room temperature butter and cream cheese! Add in the powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Then mix in the vanilla and ½ tablespoon of milk. If you want the icing to be thinner, add in another ½ tablespoon of milk.

    Step 7: You can either dip your donuts straight into the icing, or you can use a knife to spread it on the top. I dipped mine and it worked great! If your icing is really thin, you might need to dip them twice.

    • wet and dry ingredients before mixing them together
    • donut batter mixed and ready to be spooned into pan
    • donut molds filled ¼ of the way with the brown sugar cinnamon filling on top
    • donuts ready to be baked
    • cream cheese frosting whipped up in a bowl

    Frequently Asked Questions:

    Are cinnamon rolls and these donuts the same?

    Nope! While these donuts take on the flavor profile of a cinnamon roll, they are not cinnamon rolls shaped like donuts. Cinnamon rolls are made from a slightly denser dough and have a cinnamon sugar paste rolled in the middle. Donuts aren't as dense, and we added a layer of brown sugar-cinnamon to these to get that cinnamon roll flavor/effect.

    Is it better to bake or fry donuts?

    There is no denying that any donut is delicious, and the typical donut that you buy from bakeries is fried (that's why they are so good). Baked donuts can actually be a bit healthier for you! While this recipe still contains sugar and butter, we skip the deep frying in oil and go straight to the oven instead.

    That being said, eat whatever kind of donuts make you happy 🙂

    Do baked donuts taste the same as fried ones?

    In my opinion, no they don't. Fried donuts have a distinct taste from being fried. Baked donuts are also denser and more cake-like.

    What kind of donut pan should I use?

    You can use any kind of donut pan! I like using silicone ones, but metal works just as well.

    Tips & tricks:

    • Don't overfill the donut pan- Overfilling the donut pan can cause your donuts to rise and spill out over the tops- trust me, I've done it a million times. Try to fill your donut mold ½ way or just a little more.
    • Every oven is different- be sure to watch your donuts carefully in order to not over bake (or under bake). I also tested this recipe using silicone donut molds, baking times may vary for metal pans. I also put my donut molds onto a baking sheet while baking.
    • Make the icing as thick or thin as you want- By adding milk to the icing, you can thin it out to dip your donuts in. If you prefer thicker icing, use less milk.
    • Warm them up for a true cinnamon roll experience- nothing is better than a warm cinnamon roll, so pop one of these bad boys in the microwave for a few seconds to enjoy it warm!

    Storing and freezing tips:

    These will stay fresh stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them for up to 1 month.

    pro tip: warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds to really get a full cinnamon roll feel!

    rows of donuts lined up, focusing on one donut with a bite taken out of it.

    Want to try more recipes?

    • Crumb Cake Donuts
    • Red Velvet Donuts
    • Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tarts

    This post contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something off of one of those links I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting my blog!

    📖 Recipe

    Cinnamon Roll Donut Recipe

    Kelly Hamilton
    These Baked Cinnamon Roll Donuts taste exactly like a cinnamon roll! They have a delicious cinnamon donut base that's layered with a brown-sugar cinnamon mixture, and are topped with a rich, decadent cream cheese icing.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 12 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 9 donuts
    Calories 229 kcal

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowl Set
    • Donut Pans
    • Whisk
    • Electric Hand Mixer

    Ingredients
     
     

    brown sugar cinnamon filling

    • 3 tablespoon light brown sugar packed
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

    donuts

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
    • ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
    • 1 large egg
    • ¼ cup milk at room temperature
    • ¼ cup plain greek yogurt at room temperature
    • 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter melted

    cream cheese icing

    • 3 oz cream cheese at room temperature
    • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temperature
    • 1 cup powdered sugar
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 tablespoon milk

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray donut molds with nonstick spray and set aside.
    • Make the donut filling by mixing together the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
    • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, egg, milk, yogurt, and vanilla. Add in the cooled melted butter and mix until all combined. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. Scoop this mixture into a large ziploc bag to pipe into the donut molds. You could also just spoon the batter into the molds if you prefer.
    • Fill the donut mold ¼ full with batter. Sprinkle 1½ teaspoon of brown sugar cinnamon filling over each donut, and then add more batter on top to fill the donut molds about half-way full. If you only have 1 donut mold, just save some batter/filling for a second batch. Don't overfill the donuts because they rise while baking.
      If you are using silicone donut molds, place them on a baking sheet before putting them into the oven.
    • Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown on top. Transfer the donut molds to a wire rack and allow them to cool inside the donut molds for about 5 minutes. Carefully take the donuts out of the mold and allow them to cool before icing.

    Make Icing

    • Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy. You can do this by hand but it'll take a little extra elbow grease. Add in the cup of powdered sugar a little bit at a time. Once it comes together, beat for another 1-2 minutes. Add in the vanilla and a ½ tablespoon of milk to start. Mix until smooth. If it seems too thick still, add the other ½ tablespoon of milk.
    • You can either dip the tops of the donuts straight into the icing or use a knife to spread the icing onto the donuts. I dipped mine and it worked perfectly! If your icing is thin, you might need to dip them twice.

    Notes

    • Don't overfill the donut pan- Overfilling the donut pan can cause your donuts to rise and spill out over the tops- trust me, I've done it a million times. Try to fill your donut mold ½ way or just a little more.
    • Every oven is different- be sure to watch your donuts carefully in order to not over bake (or under bake). I also tested this recipe using silicone donut molds, baking times may vary for metal pans. I also put my donut molds onto a baking sheet while baking.
    • Warm them up for a true cinnamon roll experience- nothing is better than a warm cinnamon roll, so pop one of these bad boys in the microwave for a few seconds to enjoy it warm!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 253mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 323IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was! Share on Instagram and tag @bake.andbacon
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Taylor says

      November 05, 2021 at 9:26 am

      5 stars
      This was the perfect comfort food for my weekend baking needs! Such an easy recipe, everyone loved it. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Kelly Hamilton says

        November 10, 2021 at 11:36 am

        Thanks so much for trying these donuts, Taylor!

        Reply
    2. Beth says

      July 16, 2021 at 12:24 pm

      5 stars
      I love this recipe! You really get a cinnamon roll taste & the icing is amazing.

      Reply
      • Kelly Hamilton says

        July 16, 2021 at 12:24 pm

        So happy to hear you love this recipe!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kelly! I'm the self-taught baker, food photographer, and dog mom behind Bake & Bacon. I'm here to bring you easy recipes for my favorite things- delicious breakfasts and decadent desserts!

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