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Sweet Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts are tender, warmly spiced and lightly crisp outside.
Sweet Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts are made with cinnamon, nutmeg and a soft, easy to handle dough. Once fried and coated in cinnamon sugar, they make a lovely homemade treat
Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts are soft, lightly spiced and sweet on the outside. What topping would you choose?
Why You Will Love and Enjoy These Sweet Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts
- These Sweet Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts are the sort of homemade treat that’s hard to leave alone once they’re fried and coated. The cinnamon and nutmeg give the dough a lovely warm flavour, while the crunchy sugar coating adds just the right finish.
- Soft and tender: The dough fries up with a lovely texture without being complicated.
- Warmly spiced: Cinnamon and nutmeg give these doughnuts plenty of flavour without making them overly sweet.
- Easy to customize: Make them large or small, fry the doughnut holes too, and adjust the cinnamon sugar to suit your taste.
Sweet Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 24 to 30 depending on size 1x
- Category: Cake Cupcakes Cookies and Tarts
- Method: Moderate Baking
- Cuisine: Dutch
Description
Soft, tender doughnuts with a lightly spiced centre and a generous cinnamon sugar coating. They’re simple to make, fry up beautifully, and are especially good while they’re still a little warm.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dough
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 1/2 tbsp soft butter
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 large egg
- 6 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 4 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Frying
- Oil, enough for deep frying
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1 cup sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream 1 1/2 cups sugar and 3 1/2 tbsp soft butter with an electric mixer until well combined and creamy.
- Add 1 1/2 cups milk and 1 large egg, then mix until combined.
- Add 3 cups all-purpose flour, 4 1/2 tsp baking powder, 3/4 tsp salt, 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon and 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg. Mix with the electric mixer until you have a thick, soft mixture.
- Add another 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour gradually, mixing as you go. Add the remaining 1/2 cup all-purpose flour only if needed. You’re looking for a soft dough that holds together and can be rolled out without being excessively sticky. Don’t dump in all the flour at once, as you may not need every bit of it.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently bring it together. Roll the dough to about 1/2 inch thick. If it’s sticking badly, dust the surface and rolling pin lightly with flour rather than working lots of extra flour into the dough.
- Cut the dough into doughnuts using a doughnut cutter or two round cutters. Gather the scraps, gently press them together, reroll once, and cut more doughnuts. Try not to keep reworking the scraps or the doughnuts can become a bit tough.
- Heat enough oil for deep frying to about 350⁰F (175⁰C). If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a small piece of dough into the oil. It should rise to the surface and bubble steadily without browning immediately. If the oil is too hot, the outside will brown before the centre cooks.
- Carefully lower a few doughnuts into the hot oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Fry for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning once, until puffed and nicely golden brown. The exact time will depend on the thickness of your doughnuts, so check the first batch before cooking the rest.
- Remove the doughnuts with a slotted spoon and let them drain on paper towel or a wire rack. Keep an eye on the oil temperature between batches so it stays around 350⁰F (175⁰C).
- For the coating, mix 1 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
- While the doughnuts are still warm but cool enough to handle, roll them in the cinnamon sugar, turning them so the coating sticks all around. If you let them cool completely first, the sugar won’t cling quite as well.
- Serve warm or let them cool completely. And yes, tasting one while it’s warm is basically part of the process.
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Rashida
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 177
- Sugar: 17.3 g
- Sodium: 67.9 mg
- Fat: 1.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37.5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3.2 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
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Additional Information and Tips
- Do I need all 6 cups of flour? Not necessarily. Start with 5 1/2 cups and add the remaining 1/2 cup only if the dough needs it. The finished dough should be soft and rollable rather than stiff.
- How sticky should the dough be? It should be soft and manageable, with just enough flour added to prevent it from sticking excessively. A little flour on the work surface is better than adding too much flour directly to the dough.
- How thick should I roll the dough? Roll it to about 1/2 inch thick. This gives the doughnuts enough height while still allowing the centres to cook properly.
- What temperature should the oil be? Aim for 350⁰F (175⁰C). Keeping the oil around this temperature helps the doughnuts brown properly without cooking the outside too quickly.
- Can I fry without a thermometer? Yes. Drop a small piece of dough into the oil. It should rise and bubble steadily. If it browns almost immediately, the oil is too hot. If it barely bubbles, the oil needs more time to heat.
- Why shouldn’t I overcrowd the pot? Adding too many doughnuts at once lowers the oil temperature. Fry them in small batches so they cook evenly and don’t absorb unnecessary oil.
- How long do the doughnuts need to fry? About 2 to 3 minutes per side is a good starting point. The exact time depends on their thickness and your oil temperature, so check the first batch and adjust as needed.
- Can I fry the doughnut holes? Absolutely. They cook faster than the larger doughnuts, so keep a close eye on them and turn them as needed.
- Can I reroll the scraps? Yes, but try to reroll them only once. Gently press the scraps together rather than kneading them, as overworking the dough can make the doughnuts tougher.
- When should I add the cinnamon sugar? Roll the doughnuts in the cinnamon sugar while they’re still warm. The coating sticks much better when there’s still a little warmth and surface moisture.
- Can I use a different coating? Yes. You can use plain sugar, increase the cinnamon for a stronger spice flavour, or add a small pinch of nutmeg to the coating. For a different finish, a light glaze can also be used instead of cinnamon sugar.
- Can I substitute the milk? Whole milk gives the dough a richer texture, but 2% milk can be used. Plant-based milk can also work, although the texture may vary slightly depending on the type.
- Can I substitute the butter? Soft margarine can be used in place of butter. The flavour will be slightly different, but the doughnuts should still work well.
- Can I substitute the egg? A commercial egg replacer can be used if needed. Since the egg contributes moisture and structure, the texture may be a little different.
- How should I store the doughnuts? Store completely cooled doughnuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They’re best fresh, as the cinnamon sugar coating and fried texture will gradually soften.
- Can I freeze them? Yes. Once completely cooled, place the doughnuts in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 2 months. For the best texture, freeze them without the cinnamon sugar coating, then thaw and refresh them gently before rolling them in fresh cinnamon sugar.
Sweet Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts deliver soft, tender centres with warm cinnamon and nutmeg throughout. A generous cinnamon sugar coating gives them the finishing touch, making them an easy homemade treat worth frying while the craving is fresh
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