Description
These Mini Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donut Bites are delightful, bite-sized treats that combine a soft, moist cake donut with a sweet cinnamon sugar coating. Baked not fried, they offer a lighter twist on traditional donuts while still delivering rich flavor and a perfect balance of cinnamon and sugar. Perfect for breakfast, snack time, or dessert, these donuts are easy to make in mini muffin tins and taste best when coated in melted butter and cinnamon sugar.
Ingredients
Scale
Donut Batter
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- â…“ cup vegetable oil (or avocado oil)
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ cup salted butter (melted)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Place the oven rack in the center position and preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to ensure even baking of the donut bites.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, egg, vegetable oil, sour cream, whole milk, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add dry ingredients: Gradually add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt to the wet ingredients. Whisk gently just until most lumps are gone to avoid overmixing.
- Prepare pans: Spray two mini muffin pans with non-stick cooking spray to make removing donuts easy. Spoon about 1 ½ tablespoons of batter into each muffin cup, filling each one evenly.
- Bake donuts: Place both muffin pans together on the center oven rack. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the donut bites have risen and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Avoid overbaking to keep them soft.
- Melt butter: While the donuts bake, melt the salted butter in a small bowl and set aside for coating.
- Make cinnamon sugar: In a large zip-top bag, combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon. Seal the bag and shake it well to mix thoroughly.
- Cool donuts: Once baked, allow the donuts to cool for a few minutes so they are warm but not hot enough to melt the sugar coating too quickly.
- Coat donuts: Working one donut at a time, gently dip each into the melted butter to fully coat it, then shake off excess. Place several donuts in the cinnamon sugar bag and gently shake until coated evenly.
- Serve and enjoy: Remove the coated donuts from the bag, tap off excess sugar, and serve fresh for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use mini muffin pans to achieve perfect bite-sized donuts.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep the donuts tender and fluffy.
- Adjust cinnamon amount in sugar coating to taste for more or less spice.
- Donuts are best enjoyed the same day but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute milk and sour cream with plant-based alternatives and use a suitable vegan butter.
