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.
So so good! Used pea milk in place of soy milk and they turned out great!
Really great recipe that the whole family enjoyed. Thank you for sharing.
Dear Nora,
I make these all the time. They are a crowd pleaser! Is the nutrition info for one small donut? Thanks in advance!
Thanks! So glad you enjoy them! If you made 8 donuts (this depends on your donut pan), then the info is for 1 donut.
Hello Nora
I am excited to try out your recipe. We are not completely vegan and I was interested in just doing eggless doughnuts so would it be ok to use just regular butter in place of the vegan butter and use butter for the applesauce since I don’t have that on hand? Also can I use 2% milk?
Thank you for your time.
Sure, I don’t think that would be a problem. Thank you!
These were easy and delicious! I had to cook mine for just a little longer due to the pan that I used. I brushed the butter on before dipping 🙂 So yummy!
My son went out and bought fresh mini donuts. The smell was killer so I searched up and found this recipe. It did not disappoint!!!! My 12 yr old did a side by side tasting and these donuts won him over!! Awesome recipe! Thank you!
Wow, that’s so great!! Thanks for the comment!!
Damnit I ate them all.
These were seriously good… they don’t need the cinnamon n sugar even on the outside. I made them both ways and kids liked them with just half dipped…
today I’m trying your French toast casserole. My new favorite site ! Thank you !
You’re so welcome!!
would these work in an air fryer?
They probably would, yes!
these are the best vegan baked donuts i’ve found by far! ?✨
Hi Nora
In the vegan doughnut recipe can we add something else instead of the Apple sauce ?
Would it change the taste or texture of final doughnut?
Sure, you can actually just add more melted vegan butter in place of the applesauce if desired. It works great.
OMG! these are amazing and so easy. These might be my new go to for desserts. Thanks you for sharing. Note the above only makes about 8 donuts…you will want more!!!! lol so next time going to double the recipe.
Thanks for the comment! I’m so glad they’re amazing!
These donuts are amazing! I used the recipe as instructed for the donuts (omitted the cinnamon) …. then when they were cool used Betty Crocker whipped icing on them ….. then using my food processor ~ crumbled up oreos and them dipped in that ~ so had “cookies n cream” donuts. So simple ~ so easy. I just used a Wilton 6 donut pan. And once the first 6 were done ~ just refilled and back in the oven for the other two. Thanks so much
That sounds totally fantastic, thanks for sharing!
Hi! Can I still make this without the donut mould holder thingy? Or is the consistency too soft to fry?
I don’t think it will work well to fry the dough. You could make them in a muffin pan if needed.
Hi! Can I substitute the vegan butter with coconut oil instead since the recipe requires melter butter or?
Yes, that works!
These doughnuts were amazing!! I was surprised at how good they were, being baked and all. I tripled the recipe, and made 20 . I also made a vegan glaze, and did half cinnamon sugar, and half with glaze. Thank you for another fabulous recipe!
Wonderful! Thank you.
5 Stars for ease of making and another 5 stars for deliciousness!
I was making these donuts to take and share with my daughter and her husband and accidentally omitted the cinnamon in the donut (not the topping). I took them to her house to complete with the topping and she ate one naked donut and loved it! She said it reminded her of vanilla wafers. They were great, we never put the cinnamon on at all so I guess I’ll have to make them again 🙂
Her husband put chocolate on his and declared it delicious as well! This recipe is a good basic recipe for all kinds of favorite donuts, just add your favorite topping or icing: chocolate, coconut, lemon, maple, etc.
You are my go to vegan recipe site Nora, I love all your recipes, I haven’t had a failure yet. Thanks so much for making being vegan so much easier for a 60+ yo woman who has only been vegan for a couple of years!
Wow, thanks so much for the great comment!!
Will these work in silicone donut pan?
Yes, they should work just fine in a silicone pan.
Can you substitute the all purpose flour for coconut flour?
No, sorry coconut flour doesn’t work well to substitute for all purpose flour, at least not in this recipe.
i dont have apple sauce and soya milk in that place what can i use pls tell me thank u ❤
You can substitute more melted vegan butter or oil for the applesauce and any other milk you’d like.
These donuts are so tasty! I’ve tried them with cinnamon and sugar, which was delish, but I also tried a vegan glaze this time.
They are super quick and easy to make too!
I’m so glad you like them!!
I can’t have apple sauce what could I use instead thanks
You could sub more vegan butter melted, or even non-dairy yogurt.
These are absolutely amazing. Skip dinner and just eat donuts amazing. So easy also. Thanks for another great recipe!
You’re welcome!
They are great probably should only sugar one side though it’s a lot of sugar!
I made these in my muffin tin! So good, I want to make them for my friends now lol.
I’m so glad they’re good!
if I don’t have vegan butter what can I substitute it with?
An oil, such as coconut oil (melted). But I wouldn’t dip them in oil, just skip that part and coat in cinnamon sugar.