These vegan donuts start with a cinnamon and vanilla batter which is baked (not fried!) into puffy, tender rounds. A dip in melted vegan butter and dusting of cinnamon-sugar adds the perfect crunchy coating!
Fall is around the corner and that means it’s time for cider and donuts! While these homemade donuts aren’t apple cider donuts per se, they do contain applesauce and they have a crunchy cinnamon sugar coating that just feels like a crispy autumn afternoon.
I like to bake my donuts as opposed to deep frying them. Not only are baked donuts just a bit healthier than regular donuts, but it saves you from having to figure out what to do with all of the leftover frying oil – always such a pain!
In order to bake these vegan cinnamon sugar donuts, you will need a donut pan. While it might not be something I use every day, it’s honestly one of the most fun pieces of kitchen equipment that I own! To be able to easily whip up my own donuts at home is a simple luxury that takes just a bit of time, and I love how it enables me to play around with different toppings, glazes, and fillings.
Ingredient Notes
- Flour – Use plain, all-purpose flour to make these donuts. The liquid ratio is correct for that type of flour specifically so I don’t recommend swapping in another type of flour in this recipe.
- Cane sugar – We’ll be incorporating sugar into the donut batter itself, and then using a bit extra for the crunchy sugar coating at the end. Use organic granulated sugar (cane sugar) instead of refined white sugar, which is typically not vegan. You could also use coconut sugar!
- Baking powder – Necessary to help your donuts bake up fluffy and soft.
- Ground cinnamon – Cinnamon is going into the batter itself to help flavor your donuts, and also will be used in the coating to finish. If you want, you can skip it and just stick to sugar, but trust me, the subtle spice of the cinnamon mixed with crunchy sugar is wonderfully delicious!
- Soy milk – Most any plant-based milk will work in this donut recipe. I used soy milk but almond milk, oat milk, and even coconut milk will do the trick. Whichever you go with, make sure to use unflavored, unsweetened non dairy milk.
- Melted vegan butter – Just like the sugar and cinnamon, we’ll be using this ingredient in the batter itself and to make the coating stick after baking. Use whichever brand or variety is your favorite, or peruse our Best Vegan Butter review for a few of our top recommendations.
- Vanilla extract – A small flavor enhancer that makes a big difference! The floral sweetness of vanilla extract gives your donuts just a little extra punch.
- Applesauce – A great binding agent that also adds moisture to your vegan donuts. Since we are incorporating sugar as a standalone ingredient, I recommend using unsweetened applesauce.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat and combine. Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 6-hole donut pan. If using a nonstick or silicone pan like mine, there is no need to prepare it but if your pan is metal, you may want to give it a light spritz of oil. In a mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, cane sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon.
- Mix dry ingredients. Use a whisk to thoroughly blend the dry ingredients.
- Add wet ingredients. Add soy milk, melted (and cooled!) vegan butter, vanilla extract, and applesauce.
- Stir. Stir just until the donut batter comes together.
- Transfer. Spoon the batter into a piping bag and pipe a ring into each pocket of the donut pan. Only fill each pocket about ¾ full, as overfilling them will cause the holes to disappear once baked!
- Bake. Transfer the donut pan to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, until lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely before removing them from the donut pan.
- Coat. Place the remaining melted and cooled vegan butter in a medium bowl and in a separate bowl, combine cane sugar and ground cinnamon. Gently dip the donuts in the melted vegan butter, then place them in the cinnamon sugar mixture and rotate to achieve an even coating. Arrange them on a wire rack to dry.
- Enjoy! For the best texture, serve your vegan donuts right away!
Tips From Ligia
No piping bag?
That’s ok! In lieu of a piping bag, just scoop your donut batter into a large ziploc bag and snip off one of the bottom corners. Boom, you just made your own piping bag!
Mix the batter gently.Â
Overmixing the batter can result in tough donuts with a dense texture. Stir the batter just until it comes together–it’s okay if there are a few lumps remaining.
If using a silicone donut pan like mine:
It may help to place it on a baking sheet before filling it and placing it in the oven. The silicone can sometimes be quite soft and a little wobbly to handle so using a baking sheet can add some stability.
How To Store
At Room Temperature Pack your donuts in an airtight container or wrap them in plastic wrap to store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Refrigerating To keep them fresher for a bit longer, stick your vegan donuts in the fridge for up to a week.
Freezing For even longer storage, let the donuts cool completely, then wrap them individually in plastic wrap or parchment paper. Pack them into a zip-top freezer bag or other freezer-proof container and freeze for up to 4 months.
Thawing Leave the frozen donuts at room temperature for 1 hour or place the frozen donuts in a 300°F oven for 10-12 minutes.
Reheating Pop your donuts in the microwave briefly, just 10-15 seconds should do the trick, or place them in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes to warm them and refresh their texture.
Vegan Donuts Recipe
Ingredients
For the Donuts:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cane sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ – ½ tsp cinnamon, as you like
- 1/3 cup soy milk
- 2 Tbsp vegan butter, melted and cooled
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp applesauce
For the Coating:
- 3 Tbsp vegan butter, melted and cooled
- ¼ cup cane sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 6-hole donut pan. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cane sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon.
- Whisk the dry ingredients until well mixed.
- Add the soy milk, melted/cooled vegan butter, vanilla extract, and applesauce.
- Gently stir just until the batter comes together.
- Transfer batter to a piping bag and pipe a ring into each pocket of the donut pan. Each pocket should be about ¾ full.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes. The donuts should be light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the thickest part should come out clean. Allow to cool completely before removing from the donut pan.
- Place the remaining melted and cooled vegan butter in a medium bowl and in a separate bowl, combine the cane sugar and ground cinnamon. Coat the donuts in the melted butter, then dust with cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Enjoy immediately for best texture!
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