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featured cinnamon sugar donuts.

Cinnamon Sugar Donuts Recipe

Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Proof: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 15 Donuts
Calories: 254kcal
Cinnamon Sugar Donuts are simple, sugary, and cozy homemade treats that I make every fall and winter! These classic fried donuts are sprinkled to perfection with sweet and earthy cinnamon sugar, making each bite even better than the last.
Print Recipe

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer Optional
  • Dutch Oven

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup buttermilk 170 grams, lukewarm
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 38 grams
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 7 grams (1 envelope)
  • 3 eggs 150 grams, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 grams
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour 480 grams
  • 9 tablespoons unsalted butter 127 grams, softened and cubed (1 stick and 1 tablespoon)
  • vegetable oil for frying

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

  • cup granulated sugar 99 grams
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 18 grams

Instructions

  • Combine the lukewarm buttermilk, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Whisk to dissolve the yeast. Leave for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
    ¾ cup buttermilk, 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
    yeast added to lukewarm milk and sugar in a glass bowl.
  • Add in the eggs, vanilla, and salt.
    3 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon salt
  • Add the flour. Mix using a dough hook on your mixer or by hand. Knead on low-medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until it forms a ball around the hook.
    4 cups all-purpose flour
    flour being added to wet ingredients for cinnamon sugar donuts in a stainless steel bowl.
  • Slowly incorporate the butter cubes, one piece at a time, and knead well. The dough has to be glossy and smooth.
    9 tablespoons unsalted butter
    cinnamon sugar donut dough after mixing in a stainless steel bowl.
  • Once all of the butter is incorporated, turn the mixer up to medium speed and knead for 10-12 minutes.
  • Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to proof in a warm, draft-free place for about one hour or until doubled in size.
    cinnamon sugar donut dough after proofing in a glass bowl.
  • Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll to about 1/2" thickness, and use a donut cutter to cut out donuts (save the donut holes).
    cinnamon sugar donut dough ready to be cut out with a circle cutter and a rolling pin.
  • Cover them with plastic wrap as you re-roll and cut out the remaining dough. Allow the donuts to proof at room temperature for 30-45 minutes.
    cut out cinnamon sugar donut dough with a round cutter.
  • Fill a Dutch oven at least 2-3" deep with canola/vegetable oil and heat to about 350-360°F. Fry the donuts, three at a time, for 30 seconds on each side for a total of about 2-3 minutes (about 1 minute for the donut holes).
    vegetable oil
    cinnamon sugar donuts being fried.
  • Remove donuts from the oil with the spider tool and place on a tray lined with paper towels.
  • Once slightly cooled, toss each donut in the bowl of cinnamon sugar, and set aside to cool.
    ⅔ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
    cinnamon sugar donut being dipped in cinnamon sugar.

Notes

Storage: Store cinnamon sugar donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Individually wrap and freeze fully-cooled donuts for up to 3 months. Allow frozen donuts to thaw for a few hours in the refrigerator before reheating.

Nutrition

Serving: 1donut | Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 88mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 280IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg