There’s a hush that falls over the house on holiday mornings—twinkling lights still glowing from the tree, the muffled clatter of someone trying to sneak downstairs without waking the dog, and the unmistakable scent of warm cinnamon sugar drifting from the kitchen like a sweet, spiced promise that today is going to be magical. For me, those first crack-of-dawn moments are sacred. I slip into my softest flannel, heat a shallow lake of oil in my favorite heavy pot, and whisk together the batter for the fluffiest cinnamon-sugar donuts you’ll ever taste. No yeast, no waiting, no fuss—just pillowy rings that fry up in minutes and get rolled in a generous cloak of cinnamon-kissed sugar while they’re still hot enough to melt the crystals into a whisper-thin glaze.

I started making these donuts on Thanksgiving morning more than a decade ago, when overnight guests were sleeping on every horizontal surface and the turkey needed another four hours before it claimed the oven. I wanted something fast but unforgettable, a treat that would keep hungry cousins from picking at the marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes while the parade played in the background. One bite and the entire family declared a new tradition. Since then, these donuts have made an appearance at Christmas brunch, New-Year’s-Day breakfast, and every pajama-clad birthday in between. They’re crisp at the edges, tender within, and the cinnamon-sugar exterior crackles ever so slightly when you pull them apart—like the best snickerdoodle and the best donut had a beautiful holiday baby.

Why This Recipe Works

No-Yeast Batter: Baking powder lifts these donuts so you can fry and serve in under 30 minutes.
Buttermilk Magic: Adds tangy flavor and reacts with the soda for extra fluff.
Holiday Spice Blend: A whisper of cardamom and nutmeg makes the cinnamon sing.
Shallow-Fry Method: Uses just 1½ inches of oil—less mess, less waste, same golden crust.
Double-Coat Sugar: Roll once for sparkle, again after 30 seconds for a bakery-style shell.
Make-Ahead Friendly: Mix the dry blend the night before; wake up and dash to donut glory.

Ingredients You'll Need

Great donuts start with great ingredients—fresh flour, real butter, fragrant spices—but they don’t need to be fancy. Below is a quick field guide to what matters and what you can swap in a pinch.

All-Purpose Flour: I use unbleached; it gives the donuts a creamy crumb and pleasant chew. If you only have bleached, reduce the buttermilk by 2 tablespoons to keep the batter from becoming too slack.

Granulated Sugar: You’ll need some in the batter for tenderness and more for that signature crunchy coat. Organic cane sugar adds faint caramel notes, but regular white sugar fries up just as crisp.

Ground Cinnamon: Look for Vietnamese or “Saigon” cinnamon if you can find it—higher oil content means bigger holiday aroma. In a blind sniff test, my nephews always pick the Vietnamese jar.

Unsalted Butter: Melted butter in the batter keeps these cake donuts moist without the greasiness you sometimes get from oil-only recipes. If you’re dairy-free, substitute refined coconut oil; the donuts will taste faintly of coconut, which is lovely with cinnamon.

Buttermilk: The acid tenderizes gluten and reacts with baking soda for extra lift. No buttermilk? Stir 1 tablespoon white vinegar into 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon whole milk and let stand 5 minutes.

Eggs: One whole egg plus one yolk equals richness and structure. The extra yolk also lends that bakery-yellow interior you see in old-fashioned donut shops.

Leavening Trio: Baking powder for lift, baking soda for browning, and a pinch of cream of tartar for crisp edges. It’s a tiny amount of chemistry that pays big dividends.

Holiday Spices: Nutmeg whispers “eggnog,” cardamom hints at Scandinavian Christmas cookies, and a pinch of black pepper makes the cinnamon taste…more cinnamony. Feel free to omit any you don’t love, but try the full medley once.

Neutral Oil: Peanut, canola, or sunflower all work. You want something with a high smoke point and neutral flavor so the spices can shine. Save the expensive extra-virgin olive oil for salad; it would bully these gentle donuts.

How to Make Homemade Cinnamon Sugar Donuts for Holiday Morning Treats

Whisk the Dry Blend

In a large bowl, combine 2½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar, 2½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, and a pinch of black pepper. Whisk for a full 30 seconds to distribute the leaveners; lumpy baking powder equals lopsided donuts.

Build the Wet Team

In a medium bowl, melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter and let cool slightly so it won’t scramble the eggs. Whisk in ¾ cup well-shaken buttermilk, 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until the mixture is homogenous and glossy. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet in all at once.

Fold, Don’t Beat

Using a silicone spatula, fold the batter with as few strokes as possible—think 12 to 14 turns. The dough will look shaggy and a bit floury; that’s perfect. Over-mixing develops gluten and yields tough, puck-like donuts. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let it rest while you heat the oil; this brief pause hydrates the flour and relaxes any accidental gluten.

Set Up Your Frying Station

Clip a candy thermometer to the side of a heavy 4-quart pot and add 1½ inches of neutral oil. Heat over medium until the thermometer reads 350 °F (177 °C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels and place a wire rack on top. Stir together 1 cup granulated sugar and 1½ tablespoons ground cinnamon in a shallow pie plate; you’ll coat the donuts hot, so have a pair of tongs or chopsticks ready.

Shape the Donuts

Turn the rested dough onto a lightly floured counter and pat into a ½-inch-thick rectangle. Dust a 3-inch round cutter and a 1-inch cutter for the hole; stamp out as many donuts as possible, gathering scraps, re-rolling once, and cutting again. Excess dough can be rolled into donut holes or twisted into cruller-like ropes. Keep the shapes under a floured tea towel so they don’t dry out.

Fry to Golden Glory

When the oil is steady at 350 °F, gently lower 2 or 3 donuts in at a time. Fry 60–75 seconds per side; they will puff dramatically and turn a deep chestnut. Flip once with a spider or slotted spoon. Adjust heat as needed—too hot and the crust scorches before the center cooks; too cool and the donuts absorb oil like sponges.

Double-Coat in Cinnamon Sugar

Transfer the hot donuts to the paper towels for 15 seconds—just long enough to wick off surface oil—then roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Wait another 30 seconds; the residual heat will draw the first coat into a thin syrup. Roll a second time for that bakery-style crust that shatters delicately when you bite in.

Serve Immediately

Pile the donuts on a platter lined with parchment and scatter a few extra pinches of cinnamon sugar over the top for visual sparkle. They’re best within the first hour—crisp edges, cotton-soft centers—but no one complains if you re-warm day-olds in a 300 °F oven for 5 minutes.

Expert Tips

Oil Temperature Sweet Spot

Keep the frying window between 340 °F and 355 °F. If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a 1-inch cube of bread into the oil; it should sizzle immediately and turn golden in 60 seconds.

Overnight Dry Mix

Whisk the flour, sugar, leaveners, and spices the night before. Cover tightly. In the morning you’re one bowl and two eggs away from fresh donuts—perfect for bleary-eyed holiday hosts.

Minimal Oil Absorption

Drain on a wire rack set over paper towels, not directly on the towels. Air circulation underneath keeps bottoms crisp and prevents steam from making the sugar soggy.

Re-Use Frying Oil

Let oil cool completely, strain through a coffee filter, and store in a dark bottle. It’s good for three fry sessions or until it smells off or smokes prematurely.

Gluten-Free Swap

Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend that contains xanthan gum. Chill the cut donuts 15 minutes before frying; this sets the shape and prevents excess spread.

Color-Coded Sugars

Tint half the sugar with a few drops of beet juice for a dusty rose coat—fun for Valentine’s brunch—or add a pinch of turmeric for golden Hanukkah donuts.

Variations to Try

Maple Glaze: Replace the cinnamon sugar with a quick dip in 1 cup powdered sugar whisked with 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup and 1 tablespoon milk.
Orange-Cardamom: Add 1 teaspoon orange zest to the batter and a pinch of ground cardamom to the sugar coating for a Nordic twist.
Peppermint Bark: Swap half the cinnamon in the sugar for crushed candy canes and finish with a drizzle of melted dark chocolate.
Apple Cider: Reduce 1 cup apple cider down to ¼ cup syrup; cool and use in place of buttermilk for autumnal flavor.
Coconut Sugar: Roll in coconut sugar mixed with cinnamon for a lower-glycemic option and a subtle caramel note.
Savory Breakfast Sandwich: Skip the sugar coating, split cooled donuts, and fill with fried chicken and a drizzle of hot honey for an indulgent brunch burger.

Storage Tips

Like most fried treats, these donuts are at their peak within the first two hours. If you somehow end up with leftovers, store them completely cooled in a paper-towel-lined airtight container at room temperature up to 24 hours. Reheat in a 300 °F oven for 5–6 minutes to revive crisp edges. For longer storage, freeze the un-coated donuts on a parchment-lined sheet until solid, then transfer to a zip-top bag for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature, warm in the oven, and roll in fresh cinnamon sugar just before serving.

Make-ahead shortcut: mix the dry ingredients and the cinnamon-sugar coating, store each in separate airtight jars up to 1 week. In the morning, whisk the wet ingredients, fold, cut, and fry—total active time is under 20 minutes, perfect for excited kids and hungry guests.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can, but they’ll be more like muffin rings. Pipe the batter into greased donut pans and bake at 350 °F for 10–12 minutes. Brush with melted butter while warm, then roll in cinnamon sugar. Expect a softer, cake-like texture rather than the crisp edges frying delivers.

The oil temperature was too low. When the fat isn’t hot enough, the dough sits in the oil longer, acting like a sponge. Maintain 340–355 °F and fry in small batches so the temperature doesn’t plummet.

Absolutely. A 2-inch cutter yields adorable mini donuts that fry in 45 seconds per side—perfect for a donut-hole platter. A 4-inch cutter gives diner-style slabs; just lower the oil temp to 340 °F and fry 90 seconds per side.

Skip the microwave—it makes sugar melt and crusts rubbery. Instead, place donuts on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and warm in a 300 °F oven for 5–6 minutes. If they’re un-coated, you can flash-fry them again for 10 seconds per side at 350 °F, then re-roll in cinnamon sugar.

Yes. Double every ingredient but fry in two pots or work in small batches; crowding lowers oil temperature and leads to greasy donuts. You can also hold the raw cut donuts on a parchment-lined tray dusted with flour for up to 1 hour before frying—cover with plastic wrap so they don’t dry out.

Drop a 1-inch cube of soft bread into the oil. It should dance and sizzle immediately, turning golden in about 60 seconds. If it browns faster, lower the heat; if it just sits, raise it. A wooden spoon handle works too—dip the dry end; steady bubbles should form around the wood.