This Cinnamon Sugar Cake Donuts Recipe is SO easy and is one of our favorite fall treats! Fried until golden, the donuts are lightly crisp on the outside, soft and cakey in the center, and rolled in a sweet cinnamon-sugar mixture that tastes like a churro. Not to mention, the dough comes together quickly with simple ingredients, can be prepped ahead, and fries in just minutes. These are the BEST treat for hosting a brunch or weekend baking!
Why You’ll Love This Fried Cake Donuts Recipe
- Easy to make – Don’t be intimidated by the thought of making donuts from scratch! The batter comes together with super simple steps, and prep time takes just 25 minutes.
- Make-ahead friendly – The dough keeps well in the fridge. So, we like to prep it ahead of time and then fry the donuts just before serving. That way they’re always warm and fresh!
- Bakery-style texture – Crisp on the outside with a soft, cakey center, these cake donuts are what breakfast dreams are made of.
- Crowd-pleasing – As written, the recipe makes enough for 10-12 donuts (and donut holes) and can easily be doubled or even tripled when feeding a crowd. They’re a fun treat everyone always devours!
RELATED: Long John Donuts
Ingredients
Skip store-bought donuts. This homemade cake donuts recipe uses just a handful of simple ingredients, most of which you probably have in your pantry! Here’s what to gather:
- All-Purpose Flour – The base of the dough. Use the spoon and level technique for the perfect light, cakey texture. Substitute a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour to keep the donuts gluten-free.
- Granulated Sugar + Light Brown Sugar – A mix of the two adds sweetness and depth of flavor.
- Baking Powder – Gives the donuts their lift and soft crumb. Make sure it’s fresh!
- Salt + Ground Cinnamon – Enhances flavor with just a hint of warm spice.
- Neutral Oil – Canola, vegetable, or avocado oil keeps the dough moist and is also used for frying.
- Whole Milk + Sour Cream – Adds decadence, flavor, and moisture to the batter.
- Eggs – Two large eggs help bind everything together.
- Vanilla Extract – Enhances the sweetness and adds depth to the flavor.
- Carrot Nub (Optional) – One of our tricks when frying foods at home, this helps keep the oil clean and prevents the donuts from burning.
- Granulated Sugar + Ground Cinnamon – The perfect finishing touch for rolling warm donuts!
How to Make a Homemade Cake Donuts Recipe
This recipe is surprisingly easy! You’ll need a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, plastic wrap, a medium bowl, one large, heavy-bottomed pot, an instant-read thermometer, a slotted spoon, and paper towels. Here’s how to make cinnamon sugar cake donuts at home:
- Create the donut batter – Mix the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Then, add the wet ingredients, and mix on medium-low speed until the dough is smooth and sticky.
- Chill – Scrape down the edges of the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let it chill in the fridge.
- Fry – Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low, and fry the donuts until golden, working in batches.
- Coat – Cool the cake donuts slightly on a paper towel-lined plate, and roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture while warm. Enjoy!
Tips
- You Can Make This Without a Stand Mixer – Whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl. Then, use a rubber spatula to stir in the wet ingredients, and beat the dough for 3 minutes. Once combined, proceed with the recipe as normal.
- Chill the Dough – Don’t skip this step! Chilling makes the dough easier to handle and helps the donuts hold their shape while frying.
- Flour Lightly – When rolling out the dough, use just enough flour to prevent sticking. Too much can make the donuts dense.
- Check the Oil Temperature – Keep the oil steady at around 365°F. If it’s too hot, the donuts will brown too quickly. Alternatively, if it’s too cool, they’ll absorb oil, becoming heavy and soggy.
- Shape the Donuts – Save time by rolling out the dough while the oil heats. Make sure the dough is about ½ inch thick. Then, use a 3 ½ inch donut cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Save the donut holes, and fry those, too!
- Try the Carrot Trick – It might sound strange, but frying with a carrot nub helps keep the oil clean and prevents the donuts from developing a burnt taste. It’s like magic!
- Work in Batches – Fry 2–3 donuts at a time so they cook evenly without crowding the pot.
- Coat While Warm – Roll the donuts in the cinnamon-sugar mixture while they’re still warm for the best coverage. The heat helps the coating stick, making the donuts extra tasty.
You’ll Also Love: Easy Bavarian Cream Donuts
Variations
Powdered Sugar – Skip the cinnamon-sugar coating, and dust the cooled donuts with powdered sugar for a sweet taste.
Glazed Donuts – Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract for a simple glaze. Then, dip the donuts, or add a drizzle while they’re slightly warm.
Chocolate Dip – Melt chocolate chips with a splash of cream or milk, and dip half of each donut in the mixture while it’s warm for a bakery-style finish.
Spiced Sugar Coating – Add nutmeg, cardamom, or pumpkin spice to the cinnamon-sugar for a seasonal twist.
How to Store
Cake donuts are best served right away while they’re still warm. However, they will stay fresh for up to one day, if you can get them to last that long! To store, let the donuts cool completely. Then, transfer them to a sealable bag or an airtight container, and keep them at room temperature. Enjoy as is, or quickly warm them in the microwave to serve.
More Sweet Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love
- Easy Sugar Biscuits
- Easy Coffee Cake Recipe
- Nutella Puff Pastry
- Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls
- Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
- Small-Batch Cinnamon Rolls
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Cake Donuts Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup neutral oil such as canola oil, vegetable oil or avocado oil
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- canola oil vegetable oil or avocado oil for frying
- 2- inch nub of a carrot for frying, optional but recommended
Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
- Add the oil, milk, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla. Mix on medium-low speed for 2 minutes, until a smooth and very sticky dough forms.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let the dough chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Mix the cinnamon-sugar coating ingredients together in a medium bowl. Set aside for later.
- In a large heavy bottom pot, heat 2 inches of oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 365°F when measured with an instant-read thermometer. Once the desired temperature is achieved, reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain the consistent temperature.
- Carefully place the carrot nub into the hot oil with a slotted spoon. This will prevent the donuts from burning in the oil and keep the oil nice and clean.
- While the oil is heating up, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to ½-inch in thickness, and use a 3 ½-inch donut cookie cutter to cut out donut shapes. Save the donut holes and fry them up, too!
- Carefully lower each donut into the pot with a slotted spoon (about 3 donuts can fit at once with some donut holes) and cook for about 2 minutes on each side until lightly golden brown. Cook donut holes for about 1 minute on each side.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the hot donut to a paper-towel lined plate or pan to cool for 5 minutes.
- Roll each warm donut into the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat.
Notes
- Instead of using a stand mixer, easily use a large mixing bowl with a whisk for the dry ingredients. Then, swap to a rubber spatula when adding the wet ingredients. Beat for an extra 3 minutes if mixing by hand.
- Donuts are best enjoyed the day of, but are still tasty stored in a ziploc bag on the counter overnight.
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