Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
Homemade cinnamon sugar cake donuts with a lightly crisp exterior and a tender, cake-like center. These fried donuts are made without yeast and coated in cinnamon sugar while still warm.
Servings 8 Donuts
Calories 183kcal
Ingredients
Donuts
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch ground nutmeg
Cinnamon Sugar
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- oil for frying You'll need 2-3 cups, depending on the size of your pan. Use vegetable or canola oil.
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until light and bubbly. Add the sugar and mix until combined.2 large eggs, ½ cup sugar
- Add the sour cream and vanilla to the egg mixture. Mix until smooth and combined.½ cup sour cream, ½ teaspoon vanilla
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.2 cups flour, 2½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, pinch ground nutmeg
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until most of the flour is incorporated. Use a silicone spatula to gently fold in the remaining flour. The dough will be wet and sticky. This is normal!
- Transfer the dough to a piece of plastic wrap and shape it into a flat rectangle or square. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 1–2 hours. Chilling makes the dough easier to roll and cut.
- Place the chilled dough on a generously floured surface. Sprinkle a little flour over the top and gently roll into a 10-inch square. Lift the dough occasionally and add more flour underneath as needed to prevent sticking.
- Dip a donut cutter into flour and cut out the donuts. Flour the cutter between cuts to prevent sticking. Gather the scraps and gently reroll to cut additional donuts.
- Heat 1–2 inches of vegetable or canola oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 375°F. Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature.
- Carefully lower a few donuts into the hot oil, leaving enough room between them. Fry for approximately 2 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack to drain. Allow the oil to return to 375°F before frying the next batch.
- While the donuts are still warm, roll them in homemade cinnamon sugar until evenly coated. The warmth helps the coating stick to the donuts. Serve fresh!⅔ cup sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Notes
- Chill the dough. The dough is quite sticky when first mixed. Refrigerating it for 1–2 hours makes it easier to roll and cut without adding too much extra flour.
- Use flour when rolling. Lightly flour your work surface, rolling pin, and donut cutter to keep the dough from sticking. Add more flour only as needed.
- Monitor the oil temperature. Keep the oil as close to 375°F as possible. Oil that's too hot will brown the donuts before the centers cook, while oil that's too cool can make them greasy.
- Don't overcrowd the pot. Fry just a few donuts at a time. Adding too many can lower the oil temperature and cause uneven cooking.
- Coat while warm. Roll the donuts in cinnamon sugar shortly after frying so the coating sticks.
- Enjoy them fresh. Homemade cake donuts have the best texture the day they're made, especially while they're still slightly warm.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Donut | Calories: 183kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 163mg | Potassium: 131mg | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 105IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 1.2mg