Remember that time you wanted fresh cinnamon rolls but didn't have two hours to wait? That's exactly how these Christmas Glazed Cinnamon Roll Donuts came into my life!
I was having friends over for brunch last December, and I wanted something special but doable. Emily suggested donuts, and honestly? Best idea she's had in a while. These baked beauties give you all the cinnamon roll vibes without the yeast, the waiting, or the stress. They're done in 30 minutes flat!
What makes these donuts so special is that cinnamon-sugar swirl on top. It bakes right into the donut and creates this amazing caramelized layer that tastes exactly like the center of a cinnamon roll. Then you drizzle on that vanilla glaze, and suddenly your kitchen smells like Christmas morning.
I've made these at least a dozen times now, and they never disappoint. They're soft, moist, and have just enough sweetness to make you smile without making you feel like you ate a sugar bomb. Plus, they use whole wheat pastry flour and Greek yogurt, so they're actually a bit lighter than traditional donuts.
Speaking of quick breakfast treats, if you're looking for more easy morning recipes, you'll love my mini blueberry muffins – they're another 30-minute winner that Emily requests constantly.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love These Cinnamon Roll Donuts
- What You'll Need For Christmas Glazed Cinnamon Roll Donuts
- How To Make Christmas Glazed Cinnamon Roll Donuts
- How To Store Your Cinnamon Roll Donuts
- Tips And Variations For The Best Cinnamon Roll Donuts
- Cinnamon Roll Donut FAQs
- Recipes You May Like
- Time To Make These Christmas Glazed Cinnamon Roll Donuts!
- Cinnamon Roll Donuts
Why You Will Love These Cinnamon Roll Donuts
- Super quick – Ready in just 30 minutes from start to finish
- Baked, not fried – Less mess and way easier than dealing with hot oil
- That cinnamon roll flavor – All the taste you want without the complicated dough process
- Perfectly moist texture – The Greek yogurt keeps these donuts soft for days
- Easy customization – Make them pumpkin spice, apple cinnamon, or gingerbread with simple swaps
- Kid-approved – Emily and her friends go crazy for these every single time
What You'll Need For Christmas Glazed Cinnamon Roll Donuts
For The Donuts
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour – This gives a tender crumb without being too heavy
- ¼ cup granulated sugar – Just enough sweetness in the base
- 1 teaspoon baking powder – Helps them rise and stay fluffy
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon – Because we're going for that cinnamon roll vibe
- ½ teaspoon salt – Balances all the sweetness perfectly
- ⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk – You can use any milk you have on hand
- 1 egg – Binds everything together
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt – This is the secret to keeping them moist
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – Adds that bakery flavor
For The Cinnamon Swirl Topping
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted – Creates that rich, buttery cinnamon layer
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon – Double the cinnamon means double the flavor
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar – I love the slight caramel notes this adds
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened almond milk – Helps the topping spread easily
For The Vanilla Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar – The base of any good glaze
- 1 to 2 teaspoons unsweetened almond milk – Add gradually until you get the right consistency
- ¼ teaspoon salt – Trust me on this – it makes the glaze taste way better
How To Make Christmas Glazed Cinnamon Roll Donuts
Making The Donut Batter
- Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and spray your donut pan really well with non-stick cooking spray. Don't skip this step – I learned that the hard way when my first batch stuck like crazy!
- Grab a large bowl and whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Make sure everything is evenly mixed so you don't get pockets of baking powder.
- In a separate bowl, whisk your almond milk, egg, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract until it's completely smooth. The Greek yogurt might be a bit lumpy at first, but keep whisking – it'll come together.
- Pour your wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Don't overmix here! A few small lumps are totally fine. Overmixing makes tough donuts, and nobody wants that.
- Now for the fun part – getting the batter into the pan. You can use a spoon (which is what I did the first few times), or use a piping bag or a plastic bag with the corner cut off. The piping bag method is way cleaner and gives you prettier donuts.
- Fill each donut cavity about two-thirds full, then gently shake the pan back and forth to level the batter. This helps them bake evenly.
Adding The Cinnamon Topping
- In a small bowl, melt your butter (I just pop it in the microwave for about 20 seconds).
- Stir in the cinnamon, coconut sugar, and that teaspoon of milk. Mix it until it's smooth and pourable.
- Use a spoon to drizzle this cinnamon mixture over each unbaked donut. Don't worry about making it perfect – I like to use the back of the spoon to spread it around a bit, creating swirls.
- Pop the pan in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes. You'll know they're done when they're lightly browned on top and spring back when you touch them gently.
- Let the baked cinnamon donuts cool in the pan for about 3-5 minutes. This is important! If you try to remove them too early, they'll break. Ask me how I know (spoiler: I was impatient and ended up with donut pieces).
- Carefully transfer them to a cooling rack and let them cool completely before glazing. I know it's tempting to glaze them warm, but the glaze will just melt off and make a mess.
Making The Vanilla Glaze
- In a small bowl, mix together your powdered sugar and salt.
- Add the almond milk one teaspoon at a time, stirring after each addition. You want a thick but pourable consistency – think somewhere between honey and maple syrup.
- Once your donuts are completely cool, drizzle that beautiful glaze all over them. I like to use a spoon for a rustic look, but Emily insists we use a piping bag for "prettier" donuts.
How To Store Your Cinnamon Roll Donuts
These donuts taste best the day you make them (obviously!), but they'll stay fresh for a couple days.
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. After that, they start to lose their soft texture.
If you want to keep them longer, pop them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Just bring them back to room temperature before eating – they taste way better that way.
Want to make them ahead? Bake the donuts without the glaze and freeze them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. When you're ready to eat them, thaw at room temperature and add fresh glaze. Works like a charm!
Tips And Variations For The Best Cinnamon Roll Donuts
Don't have a donut pan? No problem! Use a regular muffin tin instead. Fill each cup about halfway and bake for the same time. You'll get baked cinnamon muffins instead of donuts, but they taste just as good.
Want to switch up the flour? All-purpose flour works perfectly as a 1:1 substitute. Your donuts will be slightly lighter in texture but still delicious.
Here's something fun – you can turn these into pumpkin spice donuts by adding ½ cup pumpkin puree and reducing the almond milk to 2 tablespoons. Add an extra ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg, and boom – fall donuts!
For apple cinnamon donuts, fold in ½ cup of finely diced apples into the batter. They add moisture and a nice texture contrast.
The glaze is super flexible. Sometimes I add a splash of maple syrup instead of using all powdered sugar. Or if I'm feeling fancy, I'll add a tiny bit of espresso powder for a coffee glaze. Emily thinks I'm weird for that one, but try it before you judge!
Make sure your oven temperature is accurate. I once made these in my mom's oven (which runs hot), and they were overdone in 12 minutes. An oven thermometer is your friend here.
Cinnamon Roll Donut FAQs
Yes! All-purpose flour works great as a 1:1 substitute. Your donuts will be just as delicious with a slightly lighter texture.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Yes, you can use a muffin tin instead. Fill each cup about halfway and bake for the same time, checking for doneness with a toothpick.
Absolutely! Freeze unglazed donuts in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and add fresh glaze before serving.
Recipes You May Like
- Baked Pumpkin Donuts – Another amazing baked donut recipe with all those cozy fall spices
- Pumpkin Scones with Maple Cinnamon Glaze – If you love the cinnamon glaze on these donuts, you'll go crazy for these scones
- Mini Blueberry Muffins – Another quick breakfast treat that's ready in 30 minutes
Time To Make These Christmas Glazed Cinnamon Roll Donuts!
I'm telling you, once you make these cinnamon roll donuts, you'll understand why I make them at least twice a month during the holidays. They're that perfect combination of easy and impressive.
The best part? Your house will smell absolutely amazing while they bake. Last Christmas morning, Emily woke up to the smell and said it was better than any alarm clock. I have to agree!
These donuts bring all the cozy cinnamon roll vibes without any of the complicated yeast dough drama. Just mix, bake, glaze, and enjoy. It's that simple.
Make a batch this weekend and watch them disappear faster than you can say "easy donut recipe." Don't forget to save this recipe to Pinterest so you can find it again when you need a quick breakfast win!
Cinnamon Roll Donuts
Equipment
- Donut Pan (6 Donuts)
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon Topping
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened almond milk or preferred milk
Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 teaspoons unsweetened almond milk or preferred milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a donut pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pastry flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until evenly distributed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond milk, egg, greek yogurt, and pure vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until fully incorporated.
- Spoon the donut batter into the donut pan. You can use a spoon or a piping bag. Gently shake the pan back and forth to level the batter evenly.
- In a small bowl, melt 1 tablespoon butter and stir in the cinnamon, coconut sugar, and milk until smooth.
- Use a spoon to drizzle the cinnamon topping over the unbaked donuts in the pan. You can use the back of the spoon to spread it evenly around the donuts.
- Bake the donuts for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned and firm.
- Remove from the oven and let the donuts cool in the pan for 3-5 minutes before gently transferring to a cooling rack. Make sure the donuts are cool before glazing.
- To make the glaze, add powdered sugar to a bowl with salt. Stir together and add almond milk 1 teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
- Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the cinnamon rolls, or use a piping bag for more precision. Enjoy!
