Cinnamon Roll Donuts recipe for Secret Recipe Club! Baked cinnamon doughnuts are covered in a cinnamon sugar coating and drizzled with a sweet glaze.
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Secret Recipe Club
Secret Recipe Club time again! For those who haven’t seen my previous Secret Recipe Club posts, this club includes three group of bloggers who are assigned a different blog each month and secretly make a recipe to post on their specified Monday reveal day. I look forward to my assignment email every month and discovering new blogs. It is also fun to see what someone chooses from your blog.
This month I was assigned to Cook with Sara. Sara lives in the Midwestern part of the US and has been cooking since a young age. Her interest grew by watching her mother in the kitchen. On her blog, Sara shares old and new family-friendly recipes with everyday ingredients. I decided on her Cinnamon Roll Donuts immediately when I saw them, but also pinned her Avocado Strawberry Spinach Salad, Double Coconut Muffins, Caramelized Peach and Brie Quesadillas, and Bistro Mac & Cheese for later.
Cinnamon Roll Donuts
These Cinnamon Roll Donuts have the amazing cinnamon roll flavor with only a fraction of the work. No yeast, no rolling, no rise times- just a delicious baked donut with a cinnamon brown sugar topping and powdered sugar glaze. I divided the mixture between these two baked doughnut pans (on Amazon). If you are only using one pan, be sure to clean out any excess topping thoroughly before re-greasing and refilling with the next batch. Any leftover topping will burn during the second baking time.
The easiest way to fill the (well-greased) pan is to transfer the batter to a piping bag or large ziploc bag with the corner snipped off. You can also gently spoon the batter in until each cavity is 2/3 full. Don’t have a doughnut pan? Use a mini muffin pan to make doughnut bites- the cooking time may vary.
It hasn’t happened to me (yet), but others have commented that the topping may bubble over and make a mess of the oven. Place the donut pan on a rimmed cookie sheet just in case to catch anything. If you happen to have any extra topping, it can be swirled into the batter right before baking.
Bake until puffed and barely golden. The tops should spring back when lightly touched. Allow the doughnuts to rest in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing. This will make them easier to move without the risk of sticking to the pan or crumbling. These Cinnamon Roll Donuts are best within a few hours of baking.
Looking for more cinnamon-based recipes?
Try my Kanelsnegle (Danish Cinnamon Rolls), Maple Cinnamon Latte, and Cinnamon Brown Sugar Toaster Pastries.
Here is what everyone else made from Group C:
- Garlic Chicken with Polenta from My Wholefood Family
- Strawberry Vanilla Smoothie from Sew You Think You Can Cook
- Cocoa Spiced Almonds from Dessert Before Dinner
- Baked Duck Eggs in Portobello Caps from Natural Noshing
- Cookie Butter Granola from The Big Sweet Tooth
- Brownie Cake with Strawberries from Where is My Spoon
- No Bake Turtle Walnut Brownies from Cooking with Traci
- Rocky Road Brownies from Savory Moments
- Whole Wheat Yorkshire Pudding from Simple and Savory
- Asian-Style Slaw from Join Us, Pull Up a Chair
- Blueberry Baked French Toast from Cook with Sara
- Salted Caramel Apple Pie from Making Miracles
- Pizza Buns from Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
- Gnocchi with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Garlic Cream Sauce from Loving Life
Cinnamon Roll Donuts Recipe
Adapted from Cook with Sara
Cinnamon Roll Donuts
Ingredients
Cinnamon Topping:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Doughnuts:
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Pinch salt
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease two baked doughnut pans.
To make the cinnamon topping:
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the brown sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch, and milk. Once it has almost come to a boil, remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract.
- Pour around 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon topping into each cavity of the greased doughnut pan.
To make the batter:
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir in the buttermilk, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Pipe or spoon the batter into the cavities of the pan over the cinnamon topping about 2/3-3/4 full.
- Bake in preheated oven until lightly golden and the doughnut springs back with touched, 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool in pan 5-10 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool to room temperature. A small spoon or knife around the edges will help release them (be careful not to scratch the pan).
To make the glaze:
- In a small bowl, whisk the milk into the powdered sugar until smooth. If too thin, add more powdered sugar. If too thick, add a little more milk. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled doughnuts and serve after it sets slightly.
Amy (Savory Moments)
Oh yum – what a decadent and delicious recipe! Nice SRC pick!
Patricia @ Grab a Plate
I think I might try these this morning! They look fab and sound sooo good with so much less work than regular donuts! Yum!
sara
I am so glad you liked these. I had your blog this month, too! Too funny. And we both made breakfast things!
oureatinghabits
What cute little donuts! love your heart pan!
Sarah E.
Love the combination of two breakfast goodies!! They look divine!
Anne
These look sooo good. I love cinnamon
Sarah @ Champagne Tastes
Oh man.. These look DELICIOUS!! I wish I was eating one right now.. Yum. Also I’m super jealous of your heart pan 🙂
Lisa | Garlic + Zest
That’s such a fun idea! And these little cinnamon rolls are irresistible! How do I join that club?
Steph @ Steph in Thyme
What gorgeous donuts! I need a heart shaped donut pan in my life!
Sarah
This is genius…why didn’t I think of this??? It’s the best of every breakfast favorite, all in one delicious, hand-held bite! Can’t wait to make a batch! 🙂
Adina
Wonderful looking donuts. They would make a great breakfast for me now. 🙂
Rafeeda@The Big Sweet Tooth
What a delicious choice! Looks absolutely lipsmacking…
Susan @ My Wholefood Family
Oh boy these look delicious and way too easy to make! Love the heart shape 🙂
heather @ join us, pull up a chair
Oh wow these look really good. I’ve been itching to make donuts lately and this might be the recipe I use.
Karly
Oh, you stop it right now. You have me drooling like an absolute maniac over here. Like, cinnamon roll donuts!? AND they’re baked. Pure genius.
lk529
You know I’m all over these!
Sophie
I can’t believe how easy they are to make! I love cinnamon rolls and have always made them the old fashioned way. But these make it a breeze to get the same great taste.Thanks Tara!
Karen
Those look delicious! Now I need a heart shaped donut pan! =/