Treat yourself to a batch of No Yeast Cinnamon Sugar Donuts today. Tossed in cinnamon sugar and eaten still warm. This is the ultimate any day, anytime snack. These donuts are super easy to make with no yeast added, means no rising time or kneading required. You don't even need a donut cutter and that's another bonus for this recipe! Simply mix, roll, and fry.
Although these are best eaten warm straight after frying, you can microwave leftovers for a few seconds. Reheating softens the donuts, bringing them back to their glorious deliciousness.
Just a note on a few ingredients and substitutes if needed
While I've included the full printable recipe below, this is the section to read if you’re wondering about ingredient substitutions or how these ingredients work in the recipe.
Flour: I used cake flour for this recipe which produces a light tender texture. Substitute all purpose or plain flour if you cannot get cake flour.
Sugar: I add just a small amount of white granulated or castor sugar to the dough for sweet flavor.
Baking powder: Baking powder is the raising agent used in the recipe, producing a light, tender texture. The baking powder should be level and not heaped onto the spoon.
Ground Cinnamon Powder: I use just 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder in this recipe. If you prefer a stronger cinnamon flavor, then simply add more according to your taste.
Salt
Egg yolk: The egg yolk is responsible for to the color, flavor, and texture of the donuts. It also enables the dough to hold extra liquid. This helps create moist and sweeter donuts that will still fry with great structure rather than falling apart.
If you prefer an egg free donut recipe, simply substitute the egg yolk with ONE of the following
- 2 Tablespoons of buttermilk
- 2 Tablespoons of plain unflavored yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons sour cream
Oil: Use any neutral flavor oil like canola or sunflower oil.
Vanilla extract
Water
How to make No Yeast Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
While the video and the full printable recipe are written below, this is the process with step-by-step pictures to guide you.
Make the cinnamon sugar: In a bowl, combine the castor sugar and cinnamon powder and set aside.
- Combine the dry ingredients: Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients: In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the water, oil, vanilla extract and egg yolk (or substitute-substitution guide in printable recipe below)
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients: Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and
- Form a soft dough: Mix well with a spoon to form a smooth dough.
- Shape the dough: Roll the dough into about 20 to 30 small balls. To avoid cracks during frying, ensure that the rolled dough is as smooth as possible.
- Fry the donuts: Using a deep pan, add sufficient oil to deep fry the donuts. Using a slotted spoon, drop a few shaped donuts gently into the oil. Do not overcrowd the pan. The donuts will expand as they fry. Fry for about 4 minutes, turning the donuts with a spoon every minute or so.
- Remove the donuts from the oil: Remove the fried donuts from the oil and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Toss donuts in cinnamon sugar: Leave the donuts on the paper towel for about 10 seconds and then roll them immediately in the bowl with the cinnamon sugar. The sugar adheres much better to the warm donuts.
Homemade donuts are best eaten warm and on the same day, it has been prepared.
Tips and frequently asked questions
- How do I keep donuts from cracking while frying?
To avoid cracks during frying, ensure that the rolled dough is as smooth as possible. A great way to achieve a smooth texture is to rub your hands with a little oil before shaping the dough.
Avoid dusting your hands with flour when shaping the dough. Too much flour dries out the dough, producing a dry texture which can also lead to cracks of the fried donuts.
The excess flour also falls off the dough while frying and burns as it collects at the bottom of the oil. This burnt flour residue sometimes clings to the donuts while frying creating an unpleasant taste.
- What is the best type of pot for frying donuts?
The best pots for frying donuts are cast-iron pots and woks. It should also be a deep pot since the donuts need to be completely covered by oil.
Cast iron heats quickly, and evenly, retaining the heat through the frying process.
A wok with its sloped sides reduces the amount of oil splatter outside the pan, and the deep shape lets you use less oil. It’s also easier to scoop out the donuts once it’s fried.
- How to ensure an even golden color batch of donuts?
As you remove the fried donuts, replace it quickly with the unfried donuts. Leaving the oil on the hot stove for too long increases the oil temperature. Without donuts in the oil, the temperature rises, which could burn or quickly brown the next batch of donuts.
- How to avoid greasy fried donuts
Fry donuts in small batches, without overcrowding the pot as they expand while frying.
Too many donuts fried at one time drops the temperature and the donuts absorb too much of oil making them greasy
- How do I know when the donuts are fried properly?
These donuts are cooked in about 4 minutes.
However, this is just an approximate time and can vary by a few minutes. To check if the donuts are cooked, remove from the oil and allow it to rest on a paper towel for about 1 minute.
Then break one apart. The inside should be light and fluffy with no raw dough in the center. The outside should have a soft texture, with a golden-brown color. Use this time as a guide to fry your remaining batch of donuts.
Enjoy ♥
If you like this recipe how about trying out my other donut and dessert recipes
Still hungry for more?
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No Yeast Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
Ingredients
For the donuts
- 1 cup cake flour see note 1
- 1 ½ Tablespoons castor or white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg yolk see note 2
- 1 Tablespoon canola or sunflower oil
- ¼ cup water see note 3
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the cinnamon sugar
- ¼ cup castor sugar see note 4
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
To make the cinnamon sugar
- In a bowl, combine the castor sugar and cinnamon powder and set aside.
To make the donuts
- Combine the dry ingredients: Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients: In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the water, oil, vanilla extract and egg yolk (or buttermilk)
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients: Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix well with a spoon to form a smooth dough.
- Shape the dough: Roll the dough into about 25 to 30 small balls. To avoid cracks during frying, ensure that the rolled dough is as smooth as possible. See note 5
- Fry the donuts: Heat 2 inches (5 cm) oil over medium high in a heavy based small to medium sized pot, wok or small but deep-frying pan (skillet) to 370°F (185°C) to or until it takes 20 seconds for a small cube of bread to turn golden. See note 6
- Using a slotted spoon, drop a few shaped donuts gently into the oil. Do not overcrowd the pan. See note 7
- The donuts will expand as they fry. Fry for about 4 minutes, turning the donuts with a spoon every minute or so. See note 8
- Remove the donuts from the oil: Remove the fried from the oil and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Leave the donuts on the paper towel for about 10 seconds and then roll them immediately in the bowl with the cinnamon sugar. The sugar adheres much better to the warm donuts.
- Homemade donuts are best eaten warm and on the same day it has been prepared.
Video
Notes
- I used cake flour for this recipe which produces a light tender texture. Substitute all purpose or plain flour if you cannot get cake flour.
- The egg yolk is responsible for to the color, flavor, and texture of the donuts. It also enables the dough to hold extra liquid. This helps create moist and sweeter donuts that will still fry with great structure rather than falling apart. If you prefer an egg free donut recipe, simply substitute the egg yolk with ONE of the following: 2 tablespoons of buttermilk OR 2 tablespoons of plain unflavored yogurt OR 2 tablespoons of sour cream.
- The water doesn’t need to be warm, so tap water is perfectly fine to use in this recipe.
- Preferable to use castor sugar because of its fine texture rather than granulated sugar with a grainy texture
- To avoid cracks during frying, ensure that the rolled dough is as smooth as possible. A great way to achieve a smooth texture is to rub your hands with a little oil before shaping the dough. Avoid dusting your hands with flour when shaping the dough. Too much flour dries out the dough, producing a dry texture which can also lead to cracks of the fried donuts.The excess flour also falls off the dough while frying and burns as it collects at the bottom of the oil. This burnt flour residue sometimes clings to the donuts while frying creating an unpleasant taste.
- Check the temperature of the oil before adding the donuts without a thermometer: a small cube of bread dropped into the oil should take 20 seconds to turn golden. If it browns at the edges within the first few seconds, your pan is already getting too hot, and the oil will smoke soon. Take it off the heat for a few seconds to cool before you add the donuts.
- Fry donuts in small batches, without overcrowding the pot as they expand while frying. Too many donuts fried at one time drops the temperature and the donuts absorb too much of oil, making them greasy.
- These donuts are cooked in about 4 minutes. However, this is just an approximate time and can vary by a few minutes. To check if the donuts are cooked, remove from the oil and allow it to rest on a paper towel for about 1 minute. Then break one apart. The inside should be light, with no raw dough in the center. The outside should have a soft texture, with a golden-brown color. Use this time as a guide to fry your remaining batch of donuts.
This looks delicious!!! 😍
Thank you ☺️
These look great! Can I use a syringe to inject jelly into them?
Thank you!
Hi Jill, thank you 🙂
These donuts have more of a cake like dense texture compared to yeast donuts which are lighter and airier.
Injecting with jelly will not fill out the donut as when injected in an yeast donut.
I do have a great recipe with jam filled donuts here if you would like to give it a try
I hope this helps 🙂
https://thegardeningfoodie.com/no-knead-jam-filled-donuts/