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.
Crazy good, another hit! I made my own applesauce with a little chopped apple and ripe mango and used chocolate almond milk for the liquid. I’ll definitely do it again
I’m so glad you loved the donuts! Your additions sound delicious! Thank you for taking time to share your great review and comments! Happy cooking!
Hello . I have not made your recipe yet. But I was wondering. I’m doing an even and they was me to make the donuts fried . Do you think you recipe will be good ? I would probably use a scoop to make donuts holes.
Hi there, 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.
Literally the best vegan donuts I’ve ever had! Mine turned out amazing! My fiancé & I gobbled them all up so fast! What a treat! And they were suuuuuper easy to make! Highly recommended 🙂 Thank you so much for the recipe!!!
Shoot! I forgot to mention I subbed all purpose GF flour instead & they were perfect!
You are welcome! I’m glad that you guys loved the donuts! Thank you for taking your time to share your review and comments!
This worked very well with GF flour! I used 3/4 cup King Arthur GF blend and 1/4 cup GF oat flour (to offset the grainier texture of GF flour that I don’t like.). They were perfect to take with us to the cider mill
Hi Ashley! Thanks for sharing your great review and comments! I’m glad the donuts were perfect for you!
The family approved and the plate was empty within seconds. Another wonderful recipe from Nora cooks thank you!
Thanks for sharing your great review! I’m so glad you love the donuts!
I absolutely love these donuts. They are extremely easy to make and come out delicious, perfect for the fall season
Hi Kelli! Thanks for sharing your great review and comments! I’m glad you love the donuts, and wish you a happy fall! Happy cooking!
These look great as we are an egg free house due to a food allergy. Can they be made with regular milk?
I’m sure it won’t make a difference. Hope you enjoy the donuts!
My first time leaving a comment/rating here, and I will try to rate more often. But these donuts were spectacular. So easy and delicious! Thank you for making this wonderful website. Almost everything you suggest turns out AMAZING.
Thank you so much for your kinds words, great review, and comments. I’m so glad you are enjoying my website! Happy cooking to you as you journey through my recipes! Let me know how they go for you. Thanks again!
Absolutely delicious – this is a great recipe. The recipe yielded 18 mini donuts for me. What a hit at the party! Thank you!
I’m thrilled the donuts were a hit at the party! Thanks for sharing your review and comments!
For a small donut pan, does anyone know the servings this recipe will yield? Thanks!
I’m not sure what small exactly means, so it’s hard to say. I usually get about 8 fairly small donuts.
Looks so sweet and delicious! Would make a special breakfast treat 🙂
So good!!Please go make!
Hi Nora! I’m so excited to try this recipe! How much cocoa powder should I add to this recipe if I were to make them chocolate donuts?
Thank you for all the amazing recipes! I tell everyone about you!
I’m not sure, but I would go make my Vegan Chocolate Donuts instead. Similar recipe, but made with chocolate in mind. 🙂 Hope that helps, and thank you so much, you’re too kind!
Hi Nora,
I think you have amazing recipes, to which I am very thankful for. I actually just made your double layer vegan cheesecake and omg, my family and I think it’s the best cheesecake we’ve ever had, even prior to 4 years ago when we decided to introduce ourselves to the vegan lifestyle. I was so happy they turned out and every bite brought me joy.
Anyway, I am wondering if these donuts turn soggy from being dipped in butter afterwards? I tried a similar donut hole recipe a few years ago and they were soggy after a few hours.
Thank you so much! I’m glad you are enjoying the recipes here. I don’t find the donuts turn soggy, but if you really want to avoid the chance of sogginess, simply brush a little melted vegan butter on them instead of dipping. Thanks!
These are delicious! Made them with my 3 1/2 yr old. I subbed 1/2 the flour for whole wheat, coconut oil for butter, maple syrup for vanilla, and cut the sugar to 1/3 cup for the donut. A 6 donut silicone pan took about 14-15 minutes at higher elevation. Thanks for a great recipe!
How fun! I’m glad you loved the donuts! Thank you for taking your time to share your wonderful review and comments!
“Leftover donut”! ????
Could you substitute canned pumpkin purée for the apple sauce?
Sure, that would be good!
Use so many times now love this! Thank you x
Delicious! I’ve been making another recipe (not yours) for many years. These surpass those by a long shot. Do not taste ‘vegan’.
I do have a question. Want to make for a big party- can I make ahead- no topping? And freeze? Thanks! Keep up the awesome work!!
I’m glad you love the donuts, Melody! Yes, they should freeze just fine. As you say, without the cinnamon sugar coating. Thanks for sharing your wonderful review, and I appreciate your upbeat comments!
These donuts are fabulously delicious!!! And do easy to make!
I’m glad you love the donuts! Thanks for sharing your comments!
Perfect! The donuts came out so fluffy and moist, and the recipe is quick & easy. I didn’t have applesauce so I substituted one serving of egg replacer (Bob’s Red Mill)
I’ll be making these again soon! 🙂
Thank you for sharing your great review! I’m glad you love the donuts, and that they turned out great for you! Happy cooking!
OMG! These are so good and simple to make. They hit the spot. Thank you
I’m so glad you loved them! Thank you for sharing your review!
These look wonderful! I have been craving a vegan apple cider donuts. Do you think I could substitute apple cider for the non-dairy milk?
I’m sure you could! I actually have a recipe for Apple Cider Donuts if you want to check it out.
try adding a TBS of grated orange peel into the batter for a real treat
Sounds delicious, Bill! Thanks for sharing!
This is BY FAR the best vegan dessert recipe I have found that actually works! It came out just like I wanted it to and it was so GOOD! I exceeded my expectations! Definitely keeping this is the book for future recipes!
Thank you for sharing your great review, Jazmine! I’m thrilled the donuts were good and came out just right for you!
Made these last night. With my 3 and 1.5 year old. I ran out of vanilla so I used a hazelnut coffee creamer for half of the milk. I also did not have a donut pan so we used a mini muffin pan. They turned out great!! Just like donut holes. I love your recipes they are so easy and pretty much fool proof as I do a lot of baking with toddlers. And have never been disappointed with any of your recipes.
Hi Kevin! How fun, and what a memory maker, cooking with your toddlers! It’s great for me to read that you find my recipes easy and delicious! I’m glad the donuts turned out great! Happy cooking to you guys! Thank you for sharing your fun review!
Well, I’ve done it again—posted a question without paying attention to the recipe instructions ? I asked how to store them & how long they keep. Sorry! Donuts are in the oven now!
On a positive note, every recipe I’ve made from your site has been phenomenal! Anytime I am looking for a particular recipe that’s been made vegan I check your site first? Thank you for sharing great plant based recipes!
That’s okay! Thank you so much, I’m glad you are enjoying the recipes!