These Vegan Cinnamon Sugar Cake Donuts are bakery style, classic cake donuts. These baked donuts are easy to make at home in a donut or muffin pan. They have the perfect cakey texture, and are coated in cinnamon sugar for a delicious finish. Completely vegan, dairy and egg free!
I worked at a vegan bakery after college, and one of our specialties was donuts (of course!)
So when I decided to create a recipe for my site, I already had a few tricks up my sleeve to make a delicious donut.
But, something difficult to nail down was texture. When you get a classic cake donut at a non-vegan bakery, there's a texture particular to cake donuts that many recipes online don't quite get: slightly dense and truly cakey, but not dry or overly thick.
If I'm going to publish a cake donut recipe, I want it to be perfect! So I set to work testing for that perfect cakey texture. And I'm excited to share that the recipe below has exactly that. And with no weird ingredients!
This is the donut you'll make over and over. It's perfect for breakfast, brunch, dessert, parties, and more! Delicious with coffee.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love These Vegan Cinnamon Sugar Cake Donuts
- Dietary needs - these donuts are completely vegan, dairy-free, and egg-free. And no deep frying!
- Bakery style, at home - the type of donut you'd expect from a bakery
- Soft and tender - classic cake donut texture, but baked in the oven
- Great for breakfast or dessert - these guys make an indulgent breakfast or a fun dessert
- No special equipment - easy to make even if you don't own a donut pan
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Donuts
- Nondairy Milk: I typically use soy milk, since it has a higher protein content, which aids in vegan baking. Any non-dairy milk will work though.
- Vegan Yogurt: I recommend using a yogurt on the thinner side, prefereably one with a bit of protein. I use Kite Hill's non-dairy Greek yogurt. When testing, I made a batch with Cocojune yogurt - it worked, but the texture with the thinner, yet more protein-packed yogurt was significantly better
- Vegan Butter: I use Earth Balance butter sticks, but any vegan butter will work. Preferably one that comes in sticks, rather than a tub.
- Organic Cane Sugar: use organic sugar to make sure the recipe is vegan.
- Vanilla
- All-Purpose Flour: I have not tested this with a gluten-free flour. I do think it would work with a gluten-free all purpose
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Nutmeg: to me nutmeg is the key to getting a nice flavor in vegan baked goods. It gives a nuttiness and subtle sweetness. For this reason, almost all of my muffin and cake recipes have nutmeg
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- Melted Vegan Butter: When I worked at the bakery, we did not use butter to keep the cinnamon sugar on the donuts. I tried SO hard to make this work, and create a lighter coating, but truly butter is the best solution. If you want to skip the butter, you'll need to work quickly, coating the donuts in sugar as soon as they get out of the oven, with the donuts as hot as you can handle. After having several batches using butter, I have to say that I quite like the extra depth of flavor from the butter
- Organic Cane Sugar: use organic sugar to make sure the recipe is vegan.
- Cinnamon
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray the donut pan generously with cooking spray.
Step 2. In a large bowl whisk the milk, yogurt, and butter.
Step 3. Add the sugar and vanilla and whisk again.
Step 4. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Whisk well until no clumps remain and batter starts to thicken - it is good to whisk thoroughly here, we want the gluten to develop.
Step 5. Fill each hole in a donut pan about halfway full with batter - I use 2 scoops of a small cookie scoop to help me get an even amount in each hole. This recipe makes about 20 donuts, so you'll need to do a second round if you only have one pan - the leftover batter will hold up resting for 20-30 minutes at room temp while the first batch bakes.
Step 6. Bake the donuts for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the tray on a wire rack 3-5 minutes. Then use the thin edge of a spatula to gently remove each donut from the mold. Place the finished donuts on a wire rack and allow to cool until they are easy to handle.
Step 7. Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the sugar and cinnamon for the coating.
Step 8. Arrange the melted butter and cinnamon sugar mixture next to each other for easy coating.
Step 9. Dip each donut very quickly in the butter and then toss in the sugar mixture. Do not let the donuts sit in the butter or they will soak up too much of the liquid and become soggy. Repeat with the remaining donuts. Enjoy!
Pro Tip: No donut pan? No problem! These donuts bake up so nicely in a mini muffin tray, for donut holes! Bake time stays the same.
Cake Donuts vs Yeast Donuts
Cake donuts are: dense, with a tender crumb. Batter-based, quick to prepare, and lend themselves to a baked version.
Yeast donuts are: light and airy, with a slight chewiness. Dough-based, requiring resting, proving, and usually get fried.
Both are delicious, but cake donuts are SO much easier to make at home.
Elizabeth's Kitchen Notes
- Don't overfill: only fill the donut pan cavities halfway. Any higher and you'll end up with donuts that are incredibly lopsided on one half
- Pipe or scoop: I never feel like getting out a piping bag to fill my donuts, so I use a cookie scoop. It also helps in ensuring you're getting the same amount of batter in each tray.
- Don't over-bake: 20 minutes is really all you need. After that you'll end up with dry donuts.
- The bottom is the top: another bakery trick. Because you bake in a donut pan, the prettier side is the one that sat in the donut pan. If you care about a pretty presentation, flip the donuts upside down to serve
- Store at room temp: the donuts stay soft for 3-4 days if stored in an airtight container at room temp. Immediately placing them in the fridge made them hard and more dense. After the 3-4 days at room temp, they should go to the fridge in order to stay fresh.
FAQ & Expert Tips
Yep! I loved these in a mini muffin tray. I wouldn't recommend a full size muffin tray, or you'll get a super dense donut. In a mini muffin tray, baking time remains the same as written in the recipe below.
For best texture, store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. After that, transfer to the fridge for best freshness.
Recipe Prayer
Lord, thank you for these donuts. Thank you for special treats for us to enjoy. Amen.
Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Cinnamon Sugar Cake Donuts
Equipment
- 12 Hole Donut Pan can also use a mini muffin pan
Ingredients
Donuts
- ¾ Cup Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk I recommend soy milk, but any non-dairy milk will work
- ¼ Cup Vegan Yogurt I recommend Kite Hill Greek yogurt, but any non-dairy yogurt will work
- ¼ Cup Melted Vegan Butter
- 1 Cup Organic Cane Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Nutmeg
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- ½ Cup Melted Vegan Butter
- 1 Cup Organic Cane Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray the donut pan generously with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl whisk the milk, yogurt, and butter.
- Add the sugar and vanilla and whisk again.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Whisk well until no clumps remain and batter starts to thicken - it is good to whisk thoroughly here, we want the gluten to develop.
- Fill each hole in a donut pan about halfway full with batter - I use 2 scoops of a small cookie scoop to help me get an even amount in each hole. This recipe makes about 20 donuts, so you'll need to do a second round if you only have one pan - the leftover batter will hold up resting for 20-30 minutes at room temp while the first batch bakes.
- Bake the donuts for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the tray on a wire rack 3-5 minutes. Then use the thin edge of a spatula to gently remove each donut from the mold. Place the finished donuts on a wire rack and allow to cool until they are easy to handle.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the sugar and cinnamon for the coating.
- Arrange the melted butter and cinnamon sugar mixture next to each other for easy coating.
- Dip each donut very quickly in the butter and then toss in the sugar mixture. Do not let the donuts sit in the butter or they will soak up too much of the liquid and become soggy. Repeat with the remaining donuts. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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