Gluten-Free Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

These gluten-free cinnamon sugar donuts are soft, tender, and coated in buttery cinnamon-sugar. A perfect baked donuts recipe that makes 48 mini breakfast treats!

Saturday mornings at my grandmother’s house always started the same way—the smell of cinnamon and warm sugar wafting through the kitchen, a paper bag filled with still-warm donuts waiting on the counter. We’d gather around, fingers sticky with cinnamon sugar, fighting over the last one before they even had a chance to cool.

Well… recreating that memory without gluten seemed impossible for years. Every attempt produced dense, gummy rings that bore no resemblance to those pillowy childhood treats. Then I discovered the magic of baked donuts—no deep fryer required, no complicated techniques, and results that rival any bakery.

These gluten-free cinnamon sugar donuts emerge from the oven impossibly tender, get dunked in melted butter, and rolled in that irresistible cinnamon-sugar coating. Who needs a donut shop when you can have 48 mini donuts ready in about 30 minutes? The hardest part is convincing yourself to share them.

Why You’ll Love These Gluten-Free Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

Baked, not fried, for easier cleanup – no vat of hot oil to manage or splatter to clean, just simple oven baking in mini donut pans.

Impossibly tender, cake-like texture – the combination of butter and oil creates a moist crumb that stays soft for days.

Classic sugar coated perfection – that buttery cinnamon-sugar shell takes these from good to absolutely addictive.

Makes 48 mini donuts for a crowd – perfect for breakfast treats at family gatherings, brunch parties, or meal prep for the week.

The Secret to Perfect Baked Donuts

Room temperature ingredients create the lightest texture. Cold butter and eggs don’t cream properly, resulting in dense donuts. Pull your butter and eggs out 30-60 minutes before starting. According to King Arthur Baking, room temperature ingredients emulsify better, creating a more uniform crumb.

The butter-oil combination is intentional. Butter provides flavor and richness, while oil keeps the donuts moist longer. Pure butter donuts can become dry by day two; this combination stays tender for days.

Don’t overmix the batter. Once you add the flour, mix only until combined. Overmixing develops the xanthan gum too much, creating a gummy, chewy texture instead of tender cake.

Dunk in butter while still warm for maximum coating. The warmth helps the butter penetrate the surface, and the slightly tacky exterior grabs more cinnamon sugar. Cold donuts won’t absorb the butter properly.

Ingredients

Donut Batter

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup vegetable, corn, or canola oil
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 11 1/4 ounces (about 2 2/3 cups) all-purpose gluten-free flour
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your flour blend contains it)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 to 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup milk

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

• 5 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Equipment You’ll Need

Mini donut pans are essential for this recipe—standard size pans won’t work with these proportions and baking times. You’ll need enough pans to hold 12-24 donuts per batch, or plan to bake in multiple rounds. Also required: a stand mixer or hand mixer, mixing bowls, a gallon-size zip-lock bag for piping, scissors, cooling rack, and shallow dishes for the butter and cinnamon sugar.

Pro Tip: Invest in at least two mini donut pans to speed up the process. With 48 donuts to make, single-pan batches take forever.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare the Pans and Oven

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). This high temperature creates quick rise and a slightly crisp exterior that contrasts beautifully with the soft interior.

Spray your mini donut pan cavities generously with non-stick cooking spray. Get into all the crevices, including the center posts—these donuts will stick without proper greasing.

Make the Batter

In the bowl of your electric mixer, cream together the room temperature butter, oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and slightly fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. The mixture should look unified with no visible egg streaks.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum (if needed), cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda. This dry whisking distributes the leavening agents evenly, preventing pockets of baking soda in your finished donuts.

You know… the amount of nutmeg is listed as a range because it’s a strong spice. Start with 3/4 teaspoon if you’re nutmeg-shy, or go full force with 1 teaspoon if you love that warm, cozy flavor.

Combine Wet and Dry

Add the flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture in alternating additions, beginning and ending with the flour. This means: flour, milk, flour, milk, flour.

Mix on low speed just until everything is thoroughly combined—no dry flour should be visible, but don’t beat aggressively. The batter will be thick but pourable.

Fill the Pans

Scoop the batter into a gallon-size zip-lock bag and seal tightly, pressing out excess air. Use scissors to snip off a bottom corner, creating a piping bag.

Squeeze the batter into the donut pan cavities, filling until almost flush with the top. The donuts rise slightly during baking, so slightly underfilling is fine.

Pro Tip: If you don’t have a zip-lock bag, use a spoon to fill the cavities, then smooth the tops. A small offset spatula helps distribute batter evenly.

Bake to Perfection

Bake at 425°F for exactly 7 minutes. The donuts are done when they’re pale golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out clean.

Don’t overbake—these donuts go from perfect to dry quickly at this high temperature. They should look barely golden, not deeply browned.

Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 2-3 minutes. This brief rest allows them to firm up enough to handle without falling apart.

Flip the pan over to release the donuts onto a cooling rack. If any stick, run a thin spatula around the edges.

Repeat for Remaining Batches

Spray the pan again with cooking spray between each batch—this is essential, not optional. Any residue from the previous batch can cause sticking.

Continue filling, baking, and cooling until all batter is used. You should get approximately 48 mini donuts.

Prepare the Topping

While the donuts cool slightly, prepare your coating station. Melt the salted butter in a shallow bowl wide enough to fit a donut.

In another shallow bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Stir well to distribute the cinnamon evenly throughout—you shouldn’t see any cinnamon clumps.

Coat the Donuts

Work while the donuts are still warm but cool enough to handle. Dip each donut into the melted butter, turning to coat all surfaces. Let excess butter drip off briefly.

Man, oh man… immediately transfer the buttery donut to the cinnamon sugar mixture. Roll and press to coat completely, ensuring the sugar adheres to every surface.

Place the coated donuts on a serving platter or back onto the cooling rack. Repeat with all donuts.

Serve warm or at room temperature—though warm is infinitely better if you can manage it.

Make It Your Own

Make standard-size donuts instead of mini. Well… use a regular donut pan and increase baking time to 10-12 minutes. You’ll get approximately 16 standard donuts instead of 48 mini.

Create a maple glaze variation. Skip the butter dip and instead drizzle with a glaze made from 1 cup powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, and 1-2 tablespoons milk.

Add chai spices for fall flavor. Replace the cinnamon in the batter with 2 teaspoons chai spice blend, or add 1/4 teaspoon each of cardamom and ginger alongside the existing spices.

Make chocolate donuts. Reduce the flour by 3 tablespoons and add 1/4 cup cocoa powder. Roll in cinnamon sugar as written, or dip in chocolate glaze instead.

Apple cider donuts are just one swap away. Replace the milk with fresh apple cider and increase nutmeg to the full teaspoon for that classic fall flavor.

Dairy-free adaptation works beautifully. Use dairy-free butter and your preferred plant-based milk. The texture remains excellent.

Common Problems & Solutions

Problem: The donuts are gummy and dense.
The batter was overmixed, developing too much structure from the xanthan gum. Mix only until the flour is just incorporated—visible flour streaks are fine to mix away, but stop there.

Problem: The donuts stuck to the pan.
The pan wasn’t greased well enough, or you tried to remove them too soon. Spray generously before each batch and wait the full 2-3 minutes before inverting.

Problem: The cinnamon sugar won’t stick.
The donuts cooled too much before coating, or you didn’t use enough butter. Coat donuts while still warm and dunk generously in melted butter before rolling in sugar.

Problem: The donuts are dry.
Overbaking is the most common cause. Seven minutes at 425°F is the maximum—check at 6 minutes if your oven runs hot. Also ensure you used oil in the batter, not all butter.

Problem: The donuts are flat and didn’t rise properly.
Check your baking powder and baking soda—both lose potency over time. If they’ve been open more than 6 months, replace them.

Storage & Meal Prep

Method	Duration	Notes
Counter (coated)	2-3 days	Store in airtight container
Counter (uncoated)	3-4 days	Coat just before serving for best texture
Refrigerator	Not recommended	Sugar coating becomes sticky
Freezer (uncoated)	2-3 months	Thaw, warm briefly, then coat

For the best make-ahead strategy, bake the donuts and store them uncoated in an airtight container. Just before serving, warm them briefly in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes, then dunk in butter and roll in cinnamon sugar. This method delivers that fresh-from-the-oven experience even days later.

The sugar coating absorbs moisture over time, so pre-coated donuts are best enjoyed within 24 hours for optimal texture.

Your Questions Answered

Serving Suggestions

These gluten-free cinnamon sugar donuts make the ultimate breakfast treat for lazy weekend mornings. Pile them on a platter while still warm and watch them disappear—48 seems like a lot until you realize how addictive they are.

Serve alongside fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, and crispy bacon for a complete brunch spread. The sweet donuts balance beautifully with savory breakfast items.

For a dinner party dessert, stack mini donuts on a tiered stand next to coffee and espresso for a casual, help-yourself finale. They pair wonderfully with other elegant offerings like gluten-free dairy-free panna cotta.

Balance your menu with savory options earlier in the day—try gluten-free grilled teriyaki salmon for dinner, with gluten-free mango salsa as a bright appetizer, saving these sweet baked donuts for the next morning’s breakfast.

Let’s Get Baking!

There’s something wonderfully nostalgic about cinnamon sugar donuts—they transport you straight back to childhood, sticky fingers and all. The fact that these are gluten-free, baked (not fried), and ready in 30 minutes makes the memory-making even sweeter.

I’d love to see your donut creations! Share your photos on Pinterest and tell me in the comments if you tried any variations. Did you go with the chai spice option? Make chocolate donuts? Your experiments inspire other home bakers to get creative with their breakfast treats.