The best thing about these vegan donuts is how easy they are to make! Everyone will love these cinnamon sugar coated donuts that are baked, not fried.
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Would you like to have fresh, warm donuts in just 20 minutes? That’s all it takes to make these EASY Cinnamon Sugar Coated Vegan Donuts! Perfect to enjoy along with a nice cup of tea or coffee.
The only special tool you will need is a donut pan. I highly recommend getting one (or two) so you can make your very own baked vegan donuts at home! It’s such a fun thing to bake with kids, and pretty hard to mess up. If you don’t have a donut pan and want to make these like NOW, you can make them in a muffin pan instead! But they are so much better in a donut pan.
How do you make baked vegan donuts?
It’s so easy. First, whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Then, pour in the soy milk, applesauce, melted vegan butter and vanilla. Mix until combined.
Spoon into a greased donut pan. Bake for about 9-10 minutes, until lightly golden brown on the sides.
Let the donuts cool in the pan for a few minutes, then carefully pop them out and transfer to a wire rack with a large sheet of parchment paper underneath it (to catch the mess).
Dunk them into melted vegan butter, on each side, then into cinnamon sugar. Coat with the cinnamon sugar all over, then place back on the wire rack.
Substitutions & Tips
- Oil Free: For oil free donuts, you could skip the melted vegan butter in both the batter and the coating. The cinnamon sugar still sticks but the donuts will taste much lighter.
- Gluten Free: I haven’t tested it, but a decent gluten free flour blend should work well here. Don’t try subbing all almond flour, that will not work.
- Other flours: Whole wheat pastry flour will work, or white whole wheat, perhaps even oat flour or spelt flour though I haven’t tested those.
- Don’t have applesauce? Simply substitute an extra tablespoon of melted vegan butter instead.
- Non-dairy milk: It is fine to use any non-dairy milk here in place of soy milk, such as almond, coconut or oat milk.
I think you will LOVE these donuts! They are
- Baked, not fried, so much lighter than regular donuts
- Perfectly sweet with a delicious cinnamon sugar coating
- Quick & easy to make
- So fun for kids to help bake!
- Made with easy to find ingredients
Want more vegan donut or muffin recipes?
- Vegan Chocolate Glazed Donuts
- Vegan Chocolate Donuts
- 1 Bowl Vegan Blueberry Muffins
- Easy Vegan Banana Muffins
Cinnamon Sugar Vegan Donuts
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons soy milk
- 1 tablespoon applesauce
- 1 tablespoon melted vegan butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Topping
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup melted vegan butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a donut pan with non-stick spray.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Pour the soy milk, applesauce, melted vegan butter (1 tablespoon) and vanilla into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix well with a large wooden spoon to combine. The batter will be similar to cake batter; not too thick but not very runny either.
- Spoon the batter into the donut pan, OR fill a large ziplock bag with the batter, cut a hole in the corner and pipe into the pan, filling about 3/4 of the way full. Be careful not to overfill, as the donuts will rise and you might lose the "hole" of your donut.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown. If your donut pan is larger than mine, they could take a few extra minutes to bake. Let cool for two or three minutes in the pan, then carefully transfer to a wire rack with a large piece of parchment paper beneath it (to help with the mess).
For the Topping
- Stir together the sugar and cinnamon for the topping in a medium bowl, and melt the vegan butter in a separate bowl.
- Dip the donuts into the melted butter, both sides or just one side if you prefer. Then dunk the donut into the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat.
- Serve immediately, or within one day for best results. Leftover donuts will keep for two days at most, covered and at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- May substitute whole wheat pastry flour or spelt flour for the all purpose flour. I haven't tested them with gluten-free flour, but it would likely work.
- May use any kind of non-dairy milk in place of the soy milk.
- These donuts should freeze well, though I haven't tested it. Simply freeze, then thaw overnight and perhaps warm in the microwave.
- If you don't have a donut pan, consider making these as little muffins instead! Bake at the same temperature for 18-20 minutes, then coat in the melted vegan butter and cinnamon sugar.
- For oil free donuts, simply omit the melted vegan butter in the batter and the coating. The cinnamon sugar will still stick, but the donuts will taste lighter and less rich.
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally published in December of 2018, and has been reposted with new photos and some additional tips and substitutions. The recipe in unchanged.
Been making these for a few years now – they are delicious and always a hit! Thank you!
You are welcome, Jenna! I am so glad you are enjoying the donuts! Thanks for your fabulous review and feedback!
Just made these last night and they turned out amazing! The only substitution I made was to add a little brown sugar into the topping mixture. They will definitely be in the regular rotation now.
I’m so glad you loved the donuts! Thanks for your idea and fabulous review!
How many does it yield??
About 8 donuts.
I’m thinking of making these in a mini donut maker, have you tried?
I haven’t tried it, but I think it will work!
I have to share, I made these donuts using brown sugar and it was a no no! But will try again using granulated sugar! Felt the need to post in case anyone tries it with brown sugar! I t came out chewy like brownies still ate them lol thanks Nora! No substitute on the sugar
Hahaha, thanks so much for testing this out and leaving your feedback!
Hi I received a donut pan for Christmas and had to try this recipe. I substitute the flour for gluten free 1:1 and Truvia sagar 1:1 for the granulated sugar. Taste good, but still a little flimsy. We live in a high altitude 7000 above sea level. Any suggestions for higher altitude baking
Just made these, and my husband and I both don’t like them. They just taste like butter and sugar. Wish I had at least tried one before dipping them all in butter/sugar. They look good. But they soaked all the butter up when doing the final dip. Will try again and do something different for the topping. But these are going in the trash.
I have a granddaughter allergic to eggs. I am going to try frosting them and sprinkles. The other kids can’t eat donuts around her, so I will try this now that you tested the dipped in butter and sugar way
Hi Nora
I love your recipes. Can I substitute the sugar with Truvia baking sugar. It is 1:1. Trying to cut our sugar intake
Thank you for your help
It hasn’t been tested but as long as it’s a granulated sugar substitute, the donuts should hopefully be fine. Happy baking!
Wow!! Amazing!!! I substituted the regular all purpose flour for King Arthur gluten free flour, and it turned out perfectly!
As another flavor option, I used this recipe to make Chinese five spice donuts! Just substitute the cinnamon for Chinese five spice, and you are good to go! They are SO delicious! 😋
Thanks again Nora! I’ve tried many of your recipes using gluten free flour, and just about all the recipes that I have tried have worked very well! Keep up the good work!
Hi Ellie. Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, and great ideas and feedback! It’s good to know that many of my recipes work gluten free! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Cooked these in a muffin pan, maybe for a bit longer than the recipe called for by a minute or two. Poked with toothpick to confirm they were done. They turned out great!!!
Fabulous they turned out for you, and that you loved them! Thanks for sharing your wonderful feedback and review!
Using the silicone donut pans and they took about 23min to bake but turned out perfect. Just FYI incase someone else uses the silicone. As a prego vegan that is craving a donut at midnight I was so happy to find this easy recipe.
Hi Nina! Donut cravings are real! Glad you loved this recipe! Thanks for sharing your tips, feedback and awesome review! Wishing you health and wellness during your pregnancy!
Our family loves these donuts. Can these donuts be frozen to use later? We have tried to do a powdered sugar on top but it melts into the donut- any ideas ?
They should freeze just fine, but I wouldn’t coat them with the cinnamon sugar until you are ready to eat them.
Katie, you can try a double coating of powdered sugar. Toss or dip in powdered sugar, wait a few minutes and recoat. This works with snowball cookies, so I think it would work with the donuts.
Can you add pumpkin puree to this batter without messing with the consistency too much?
I haven’t tried it, but if you just add it the donuts will be too moist and it will cause issues. You could just go make my Vegan Pumpkin Donuts instead.
My 10 year old daughter and I made a double batch of these today. They were a hit! Even our non-vegan neighbors enjoyed them and asked about the recipe 👍
Hi Karree. How fun for you and your daughter! I”m thrilled the donuts were a hit! Thanks for your wonderful review and feedback!
Hi Nora!
I want to try ur donuts; is there a way u can do these using a donut cutter verses a donut pan?
Sorry, a donut cutter won’t work here because these are baked cake-style donuts, not yeast donuts.
These were so easy to make. I want to try them as donut holes next!
I’m glad you loved them! Thank you for your great review!
Super easy and simple recipe! Light fluffy donuts 🙂 definitely what I was aiming for.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful review! I’m so glad you loved the donuts!
Loved this recipe! I had to give up dairy & eggs as I’m a breastfeeding mom with a colicky baby. This is the first baked food I’ve had in months and it was SO good. I don’t have vegan butter at my supermarket so I subbed with coconut oil and they were delicious!
How wonderful you were able to enjoy baked donuts! Thank you for your fabulous review! Best wishes with your new baby!
Amazing!! Easy to make and delicious. Loved the soft consistency.
Thank you, Bea, for your wonderful review and feedback!
Just made the recipe, wonderful, easy, delicious.
I subbed peanut butter instead of applesauce and coconut sugar instead of granulated. Made less sweet donuts and they were delicate and fluffy. Thank you for this recipe, will be my go to from now on!
You are welcome, Gargi. I love your ideas! Thank you for sharing them! So glad you loved the donut recipe!
I finally got some donut pans so gave this recipe a go, but with some minor changes to make them orange cinnamon sugar donuts. I subbed out 2 tbsp of milk for fresh squeezed orange juice and added the zest of one orange to the batter. It was perfect! I did need to make a more cinnamon sugar for topping than the recipe instructs. Thanks for another bangin recipe!
Your donuts sound delicious, Emily! Thanks for sharing your fabulous review and ideas!
Can I use a flax egg mixture instead of the applesauce?
Yes, that will work just fine. Enjoy!
Hi there, is there any way to still fry these?
Thank you!!
I haven’t tried frying this recipe, so I’m not sure it will work or not. It might, but the batter is quite runny and different than when you fry donuts. Let me know how it works for you if you try it!
You can also try yogurt! I used cashew yogurt instead of apple sauce came out bomb!!
Hi! I decided to go the silicone donut pan route and there are no instructions included. Does anything need to change, like time or temperature? I’m very excited to try these (Wordle answer was DONUT this week and have been thinking about them ever since)
These should work just fine in a silicone pan. No changes needed. Enjoy the donuts!
Loved these. So easy and delicious. Love all your recipes.
Thanks for your fabulous feedback and review! I appreciate you using my recipes!
We have extremely sensitive stomachs in our house and I used spelt flour, no butter just doubled the applesauce and used coconut milk as alternative and also coconut sugar and it was a success in my home! Thank you so much for this we have been cutting down on sugar intake and this was the perfect treat for a sweet tooth!
I’m so glad the recipe worked out for you! Thanks so much for sharing the changes you made and for your fabulous review!