A cross between ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls and donuts, these cinnamon roll doughnuts make the perfect treat for any breakfast or brunch! They’re soft, fluffy and coated in a quick vanilla glaze.
Start by proofing the dough in a lightly greased bowl for about an hour until puffy and doubled in size. Next, knock the dough back and turn it out onto a floured work surface.
Filling
Regardless of their origins, both cinnamon rolls and donuts are fried pastries that are filled with a variety of ingredients including butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Some versions even contain a glaze or icing on top.
While the two desserts are often confused with each other, they are actually distinct and do not have much in common other than their crescent-shaped nature and sweet filling. Cinnamon buns, on the other hand, are a bit more rounded in appearance and usually contain more icing in the middle of their dough than donuts.
Both of these foods can be made vegan with the use of plant-based substitutes like margarine and almond milk instead of butter or shortening. They also have fewer calories per serving when compared to traditional cinnamon rolls.
A typical cinnamon roll recipe is made with flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and butter or shortening. Some recipes also include milk to add more richness.
After combining the ingredients, form a smooth ball of dough that is just large enough to cover a rolling pin. Set aside.
In the meantime, combine the melted butter with cinnamon and brown sugar in a small bowl. Stir to blend. Spread the cinnamon mixture evenly over the entire surface of the dough.
Next, fold the dough in half and then cut it into 12 equal strips, about 1 inch wide. Repeat this process with the remaining dough.
Once you have made the dough, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise until it has doubled in size (about 1 hour). You can use a baking sheet lined with parchment to make these donuts easier to prepare.
Then, cut a 1-inch hole in the center of each donut. Fry in hot oil until golden and crisp on the outside, about 3 minutes or so. Remove carefully with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
These donut holes can be topped with a variety of things, such as icing, sprinkles, nuts, fruit-flavored glazes, jelly, chocolate bars, and more. They are best served fresh and warm, but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Dough
If you love cinnamon rolls, you’ll absolutely love these donuts. They’re ooey-gooey, with an irresistible glaze that coats every inch of them. They’re perfect for breakfast or dessert. And best of all, they’re made with simple ingredients.
Start by making the dough. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir together with a whisk until well-combined. Add the buttermilk, egg and oil and stir until well incorporated.
Next, make the cinnamon topping. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar and cinnamon together until they’re combined and crumbly. Spread a little of the topping over each donut before baking. Bake until lightly browned and bubbly.
Once baked, let the donuts cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully remove them from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Before they’re completely cooled, sprinkle them with a little bit of cinnamon icing. This icing makes the donuts extra sweet and sticky, which is really what you’re looking for in this recipe.
For a simpler icing, you can also use store-bought frosting and drizzle it over the top of the donuts before baking. It’s a great alternative to the traditional icing and is much less messy.
To shape these donuts, I like to scrape the batter into a pastry bag or a zipped-up sandwich bag. Using this method makes it much easier to pipe the batter into the donut cups, and the bag cuts down on any spills.
If you’re not a fan of the piping bag, you can also spoon the batter into each donut cup. Just be sure to fill the donut cups up just barely to the top so you don’t overflow.
Once the donuts have cooled, top each one with the cream cheese icing. You can also make a vanilla glaze and drizzle that over the donuts for added flair.
Proofing
Proofing is the final rise of yeasted bread dough before it’s shaped into loaves, braids or rolls. It’s the process of letting dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until it’s ready to bake.
First, you’ll need a proofing container (or basket), which will hold the dough while it rises. Some containers work better than others, so make sure to choose one that has enough room to allow the dough to rise uninhibited.
You’ll want to pick a container that’s nonstick so the dough doesn’t stick to it, but it also needs to be roomy enough for the dough to expand as it proofs. If your proofing basket is too small, it’ll prevent the dough from rising to its full potential and could make for dense loaves.
To check the proofing time, you’ll want to gently poke a piece of bread dough with your finger. The dough should puff up to about twice its original size, indicating it has proofed for a sufficient amount of time.
The proofing time will vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the humidity, but you can generally expect to see the dough double in about 90 minutes. If the dough doesn’t double as quickly, you might want to proof it for a longer amount of time — or try a different recipe.
Activating yeast is the key to making dough rise and develop flavor. For a good proof, activate your yeast with a small amount of sugar and warm water (105-110 degrees Fahrenheit).
Once the dough is kneaded and ready to rise, it’s time to shape it into a donut. This is a fairly quick process that’s ideal for a busy weeknight.
Fry
Whether you need to whip up a quick treat for the kids or just want to make a batch of something to enjoy with coffee, these cinnamon roll donuts are easy and only require two ingredients. Just pop open a can of your favorite cinnamon rolls and fry them up! This small batch recipe is perfect for breakfast, brunch or dessert!
Cinnamon roll donuts are a classic pastry, especially in Northern Europe, where they originated. They are often dipped in cream cheese icing, but you can top them with your favorite holiday sprinkles too!
To prepare the donuts, pour about 2 inches of oil into a deep pot or Dutch oven. Heat the oil until a thermometer reads 355 degrees F. It should be hot enough to fry the donuts, but not so hot that they cook too quickly.
While the oil is heating, open and separate each cinnamon roll from its package. Use a large decorator’s tip (for cake decorating), an apple corer, or a clean water bottle cap to cut out the center. Save these centers to make donut holes later!
You’ll need to fry the cinnamon rolls and donut holes in batches so that the oil temperature doesn’t drop. Fry them for a few minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through.
Once the donuts are fried, remove them from the oil and let them cool on paper towels to soak up excess oil. Repeat with the remaining donuts and donut holes.
If you’re looking for an easy dessert to prepare during the winter, these fried cinnamon roll bites are just the thing. They’re made with only two ingredients and are a fun twist on elephant ear treats! They’re great for breakfast or a snack and can be enjoyed with icing, cinnamon sugar, or chocolate sauce.
This recipe is best served fresh out of the oven or at room temperature for a week, but they can also be frozen to save for later. If you’re using frozen dough, thaw it before making the icing.