Baked Brioche Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar

Introduction

Remember the sweet smell of fresh baked goods from when you were a kid? That warm, comforting feeling you get when you’re about to eat something delicious? Donuts bring special joy, especially when you make them at home. Today, we’ll bring back that happy feeling and make your baking even better with our recipe for Baked Brioche Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar. Get ready to make your kitchen smell wonderful with these light, fluffy, and very tasty donuts. They will become a favorite memory.

Why Make This Recipe

So Light and Fluffy: Say goodbye to greasy, heavy donuts! Our brioche dough makes these donuts incredibly soft and airy. They melt in your mouth.
A Healthier Treat: We bake these instead of frying them. You get all the great taste with less worry.
Easy and Fun: Don’t be scared by brioche. Our simple steps make it easy for new bakers.
That Perfect Cinnamon Sugar Crunch: This gives a great mix of sweet and spice. It adds a nice texture and flavor.
Good for Any Time: These donuts are great for breakfast, dessert, or any time you want a treat. Everyone will love them.

How to Make Baked Brioche Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar

Ingredients of Baked Brioche Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar

For the Brioche Dough:

Active Dry Yeast
Warm Milk (full-fat is best)
Granulated Sugar
All-Purpose Flour
Large Eggs
Unsalted Butter (softened)
Salt
Vanilla Extract

For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

Granulated Sugar
Ground Cinnamon
Melted Unsalted Butter (for brushing)

Directions of Baked Brioche Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar

Preparing the Brioche Dough

Start the Yeast: Put warm milk, a little sugar, and yeast in a bowl. Let it sit until it gets foamy.
Mix Wet Ingredients: Whisk eggs, the rest of the sugar, and vanilla extract into the yeast mix.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a big bowl, whisk flour and salt together.
Make the Dough: Slowly add the wet mix to the dry mix. Stir until you have a rough dough.
Knead the Dough: Put the dough on a lightly floured surface or use a stand mixer. Knead it until it is smooth and stretchy. Then, slowly add the soft butter until it is all mixed in and the dough is soft.
First Rise: Put the dough in a greased bowl. Cover it and let it rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size (1.5-2 hours).
Chill (Good Idea): For easier handling, gently push down the dough. Cover it and put it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Shaping and Second Rise

Roll the Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll the cold dough until it is about 1/2-inch thick.
Cut the Donuts: Use a donut cutter or two different-sized round cutters to cut out the donut shapes and holes.
Arrange for Second Rise: Put the cut donuts and holes on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Leave space between each one.
Second Rise: Cover them loosely with plastic wrap or a clean towel. Let them rise in a warm place until they look puffy (30-45 minutes).

Baking to Golden Perfection

Heat Oven: Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Bake the Donuts: Bake the donuts for 8-12 minutes, or until they are golden brown and puffy. The holes will bake faster, usually 5-7 minutes.
Cool a Little: Move the baked donuts to a wire rack.

The Glorious Cinnamon Sugar Coating

Make Coating: In a shallow dish, whisk sugar and ground cinnamon together.
Brush with Butter: While the donuts are still warm, brush each one generously with melted unsalted butter.
Coat with Cinnamon Sugar: Right away, dip and roll each buttered donut in the cinnamon sugar mix. Make sure it is fully coated.

How to Serve Baked Brioche Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar

With Your Coffee: They are perfect with your morning coffee.
As a Dessert: Serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel syrup.
For Brunch: Put a plate of these homemade donuts on your brunch table. People will love them.
Kid Treat: Give them to kids after school. They are much better than store-bought ones.

How to Store Baked Brioche Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar

These donuts taste best when you eat them the same day you make them. If you have any left, put them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will last for up to 2 days. To make them fresh again, warm them quickly in the oven or microwave.

Tips to Make Baked Brioche Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar

Don’t Overbake: Do not bake them for too long. If you do, your Baked Brioche Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar will become dry. Watch them closely.

Variation

Different Glazes: Instead of cinnamon sugar, try a simple vanilla glaze (powdered sugar, milk, vanilla) or a chocolate glaze.
Filled Donuts: Inject cooled donuts with jam, pastry cream, or chocolate spread for a surprise inside.
Lemon Zest: Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the brioche dough for a brighter flavor.
Nutmeg: A little fresh nutmeg in the cinnamon sugar adds a warm taste.

FAQs

Can I prepare the brioche dough for these Baked Brioche Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar ahead of time?

Yes! You can make the brioche dough up to 2 days before you bake. After the first rise, push the dough down gently. Cover it tightly and put it in the refrigerator. This makes the flavor better and the dough easier to handle. Just let it warm up a little before you roll and shape it.

Why are my Baked Brioche Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar not as fluffy as I expected?

Several things can make donuts less fluffy. Make sure your yeast is active (it should foam with warm milk and sugar). Do not knead the dough too much. Give it enough time for both the first and second rises – they should look clearly puffy. Also, check that your oven temperature is correct.

Can I use different spices for the coating of these Baked Brioche Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar?

Absolutely! Cinnamon sugar is a classic, but you can try other spices. A pumpkin spice mix, apple pie spice, or even just sugar are tasty choices that go very well with Baked Brioche Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar.

Baked Brioche Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar on a marble table

Classic Baked Brioche Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar

These classic baked brioche donuts are light, airy, and coated in a delightful cinnamon sugar mixture. Perfect for a sweet breakfast or a special treat, they offer a less greasy alternative to traditional fried donuts.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 20

Total Time 8

Servings 12 donuts

Calories 300 kcal

Equipment

Small bowl
Medium bowl
Large bowl
Stand mixer with dough hook
Whisk
Plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel
3-inch donut cutter
Baking sheets
Parchment paper
Wire rack
Shallow dish
Microwave-safe bowl

Ingredients

For the Brioche Dough:

2.25 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
0.75 cup Warm Milk (full-fat is best), warmed to 105-115°F (40-46°C)
0.25 cup Granulated Sugar + 1 tablespoon, divided
3 cups All-Purpose Flour plus more for dusting
2 Large Eggs at room temperature
0.5 cup Unsalted Butter (1 stick or 113g), softened
0.5 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

0.5 cup Granulated Sugar
1 tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
0.25 cup Melted Unsalted Butter for brushing

Instructions

Making the Dough

Combine warm milk, 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar, and active dry yeast in a small bowl; stir and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy to ensure yeast activation.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, the remaining ¼ cup of granulated sugar, and vanilla extract; pour this into the foamy yeast mixture and whisk well.
Whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
Gradually pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed or by hand until a shaggy dough forms with no dry spots of flour remaining.
Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes until somewhat smooth and elastic; slowly add the softened unsalted butter, one tablespoon at a time, and continue kneading for another 5-7 minutes until the dough is very smooth, soft, and elastic.

Rising and Chilling

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased large bowl, turning once to coat, then cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot for 1.5-2 hours until doubled in size.
Gently punch down the risen dough to deflate it, re-cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight, as chilling makes the dough easier to handle and improves flavor.

Shaping and Second Rise

On a lightly floured surface, roll the cold brioche dough until it is about ½-inch thick.
Use a 3-inch donut cutter or two different-sized round cutters to cut out donut shapes and holes; re-roll any scraps gently to cut additional donuts if desired.
Carefully transfer the cut donuts and donut holes to baking sheets lined with parchment paper, ensuring at least 2 inches of space between each.
Loosely cover the baking sheets with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let them rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes until visibly puffy and almost doubled in size.

Baking and Coating

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) about 10-15 minutes before the second rise is complete.
Bake the donuts for 8-12 minutes until golden brown and puffy; donut holes will bake faster, typically 5-7 minutes, so watch them carefully.
Remove the baking sheets from the oven and transfer the baked donuts and holes to a wire rack to cool slightly for about 5 minutes.
While the donuts are cooling, whisk together the ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon in a shallow dish, and melt the ¼ cup unsalted butter in a microwave-safe bowl.
While the donuts are still warm, brush each donut and hole liberally with the melted unsalted butter, then immediately and generously roll each in the cinnamon sugar mixture, ensuring full coating.
Serve your Classic Baked Brioche Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar warm and enjoy!

Notes

Chilling the dough for at least 4 hours makes it much easier to handle and enhances the flavor. When baking, watch the donuts carefully, especially the smaller holes, to prevent them from over-browning. For the best experience, serve these delicious brioche donuts warm after coating them generously in cinnamon sugar.

Baked Brioche Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar: 1 Perfect Treat