Baked Cinnamon Sugar Zucchini Donuts

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Zucchini donuts are soft and fluffy with a delicate crumb, packed with shredded zucchini and topped with a crisp, sugary coating. They’re baked, not fried, so none of the mess! Warm from the oven, I’ll bet you can’t eat just one.

Ingredients in Baked Cinnamon Sugar Zucchini Donuts

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup shredded zucchini (excess moisture squeezed out)

Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (for dipping)

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a donut pan with non-stick spray or butter. These are my favorite silicone ones.
2. Finely grate the zucchini and place it in a cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel. Squeeze out as much moisture as possible to avoid overly wet donuts.

1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well combined.
2. Whisk together the sour cream, buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl until smooth.
3. Gently fold the grated zucchini into the wet ingredients.

1. Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Pour the wet ingredients with the zucchini into the dry ingredients. Gently fold until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared donut pan, filling only 3/4 to the top

Bake for 11-12 minutes until the donuts are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes clean.

Let the donuts cool in the pan briefly before transferring them to a wire rack to cool slightly.

In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar

Melt 2 tbsp butter in a flat bowl

Brush the tops of each donut with butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar mixture

Why You’ll Love Baked Cinnamon Sugar Zucchini Donuts

Healthier Option: Baked donuts contain less oil and fat than their fried counterparts, making them a lighter, healthier treat.

Less Mess: Baking eliminates the need for hot oil, reducing the mess and cleanup time in the kitchen.

Easier Process: Baking is often more straightforward than frying, especially for beginners, and doesn’t require constant monitoring or handling of hot oil.

Even Cooking: Baking ensures consistent cooking, so your donuts are perfectly done inside and out.

Do baked and fried donuts taste different?

There are a couple of differences between baked and fried donuts

1. Texture: Fried donuts have a crisp, slightly greasy exterior and soft and airy inside. The frying process gives them that classic donut texture that’s a bit denser and richer. On the other hand, baked donuts are typically lighter and more cake-like, with a soft, fluffy texture throughout and a slightly firmer outer layer.
2. Flavor: Fried donuts often have a richer, more indulgent flavor due to the oil used in frying, which can add a subtle depth to the taste. Baked donuts lack that slight oiliness, resulting in a cleaner, more straightforward flavor profile closer to a sweet bread or cake.

Storing Baked Cinnamon Sugar Zucchini Donuts

Donuts are best eaten freshly baked. They can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for one additional day; however, don’t add the butter and cinnamon sugar until right before eating. Donuts can be warmed in the microwave for 10 seconds or at 350 degrees for 2-3 minutes.

Other donut recipes

Strawberry crunch chocolate crunch donuts

Gingerbread Latte Donuts

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Zucchini Donut

Soft and fluffy inside with a crispy cinnamon sugar coating, and loaded with zucchini

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Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 10

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup grated zucchini excess moisture squeezed out
• For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted (for dipping)

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a donut pan with non-stick spray or butter.
• Finely grate the zucchini and place it in a cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel. Squeeze out as much moisture as possible to avoid overly wet donuts.
• In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well combined.
• Whisk together the sour cream, buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl until smooth.
• Gently fold the grated zucchini into the wet ingredients.
• Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Pour the wet ingredients with the zucchini into the dry ingredients. Gently fold until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
• Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared donut pan, filling each cavity about 3/4 full
• Bake for 11-12 minutes until the donuts are golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Let the donuts cool in the pan briefly before transferring them to a wire rack to cool slightly.
• In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon. Melt the butter in a separate bowl.
• While the donuts are still slightly warm, brush each with a small amount of melted butter, then immediately dip and roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated.

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