Baked Applesauce Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar
Tender baked donuts made with applesauce and warm spices, then brushed with melted butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar. No frying, no yeast, ready in 30 minutes.
Servings 12 donuts
Ingredients
Donuts
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup vegetable oil or melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Make the Donuts
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 6-cavity donut pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together applesauce, milk, egg, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pipe or spoon batter into the donut pan, filling each cavity about ⅔ full.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until donuts spring back when lightly pressed. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove.
Coat in Cinnamon Sugar
- Mix sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Place melted butter in another shallow bowl.
- While donuts are still warm, brush each one with melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated.
- Repeat with remaining batter for a second batch. Serve warm.
Notes
- No donut pan? Use a mini muffin tin to make donut holes. Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes.
- Piping tip: Cut the corner off a zip-top bag to pipe batter cleanly into the pan.
- Storage: Best enjoyed the day they are made. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days.
- Dairy-free option: Use plant-based milk and vegan butter for a dairy-free version.