Cinnamon Sugar Donut Holes
You can score a hole-in-one with these bite-sized delights! Best part? You only need two simple ingredients for the batter and the recipe takes mere minutes to prep. Oh my goodness, they’re SO good: Think soft, moist, cakey deliciousness dusted with a cinnamon-y-sugar coating. Plus, they’re just 40 calories a pop! Trust me, you will love this recipe a hole lot!
Cinnamon Sugar Donut Holes
Oh my goodness, they’re SO good: Think soft, moist, cakey deliciousness dusted with a cinnamon-y-sugar coating.
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 (~15oz) box vanilla or yellow cake mix
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce, plain or cinnamon*
- 1 cup water
Cinnamon-Sugar Topping
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, more for a stronger cinnamon flavor
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
* See note below on applesauce swap.
Instructions
Donuts:
- Preheat oven to 325˚. Liberally mist a donut hole pan(s) (you can use a mini muffin tin, if you don’t have a donut tin) with nonstick oil spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, applesauce (or pumpkin/sweet potato puree) and water. Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon batter into the prepared tins (fill each compartment only about ¾ way, as they will puff in oven). Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until donut holes are cooked and a toothpick comes out clean. Set pan(s) on counter and let slightly cool before removing holes.
Cinnamon-Sugar Topping:
- In small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon. One at a time, brush the melted butter onto each donut top, then sprinkle on some sugar followed some cinnamon (alternatively, you can dip the donut tops directly into the sugar-cinnamon mix). Enjoy warm or room temperature.
Notes
Equipment note
This recipe requires a donut hole tin or mini muffin pan—unfortunately, it will not work without one of these molds. I experimented with a few different methods—using just a sheet pan, doling out a small amount of the batter with an ice cream scooper, and even refrigerating the batter for an hour before using it to help it firm up, but it was still too thin to hold its shape. Ingredient swap
You can swap applesauce for 1 cup canned pumpkin or sweet potato puree. Boxed cake mix amount and water-adjustment
Try to find a brand of cake mix that is as close to the recommended 15 ounces as possible. If the mix is less than 15 ounces, you will need to reduce the amount of water added. The final texture of the mixture (before you bake it) should be similar to a thick pancake batter. To achieve this, start off by adding only 1/2 cup of water and mixing thoroughly. If it seems too dry, gradually add water by the tablespoonful. After each tablespoon of water, mix well and determine whether the batter has reached the desired consistency. Modifying for Gluten-Free
• This recipe will work using a gluten-free cake mix, however, the texture may change a little because of the varying types of gluten-free flours used from brand to brand. For example, a gluten-free 1:1 (also known as a gluten-free all-purpose baking flour) will seamlessly work, whereas almond flour might have slight texture change, albeit, it will still be delicious. • Also, when adapting this recipe to be gluten-free, you’ll need to reduce the amount of water (especially if the mix is less than 15 ounces). The original recipe calls for 1 cup of water, but I recommend starting with just 1/4 cup. Mix thoroughly, and aim for a texture similar to thick pancake batter. If it feels too dry, gradually add a few tablespoons of water at a time, mixing well after each addition, until you achieve the desired consistency. • For reference, I experimented with two mainstream gluten-free cake mix brands: Betty Crocker GF Yellow Cake Mix (15oz) and Simple Mills GF Vanilla Cake mix (11.5oz). The Betty Crocker GF mix yielded the closest result to the original recipe, while the Simple Mills GF mix needed to bake for five minutes longer and resulted in a relatively different texture (likely because it’s made with almond + coconut flours). For both GF mixes, you’ll need to reduce the water from 1 cup. I used only 1/4 cup of water for Simple Mills GF mix (11.5oz), and 1/2 cup of water for the Betty Crocker GF mix (15oz).
This recipe requires a donut hole tin or mini muffin pan—unfortunately, it will not work without one of these molds. I experimented with a few different methods—using just a sheet pan, doling out a small amount of the batter with an ice cream scooper, and even refrigerating the batter for an hour before using it to help it firm up, but it was still too thin to hold its shape. Ingredient swap
You can swap applesauce for 1 cup canned pumpkin or sweet potato puree. Boxed cake mix amount and water-adjustment
Try to find a brand of cake mix that is as close to the recommended 15 ounces as possible. If the mix is less than 15 ounces, you will need to reduce the amount of water added. The final texture of the mixture (before you bake it) should be similar to a thick pancake batter. To achieve this, start off by adding only 1/2 cup of water and mixing thoroughly. If it seems too dry, gradually add water by the tablespoonful. After each tablespoon of water, mix well and determine whether the batter has reached the desired consistency. Modifying for Gluten-Free
• This recipe will work using a gluten-free cake mix, however, the texture may change a little because of the varying types of gluten-free flours used from brand to brand. For example, a gluten-free 1:1 (also known as a gluten-free all-purpose baking flour) will seamlessly work, whereas almond flour might have slight texture change, albeit, it will still be delicious. • Also, when adapting this recipe to be gluten-free, you’ll need to reduce the amount of water (especially if the mix is less than 15 ounces). The original recipe calls for 1 cup of water, but I recommend starting with just 1/4 cup. Mix thoroughly, and aim for a texture similar to thick pancake batter. If it feels too dry, gradually add a few tablespoons of water at a time, mixing well after each addition, until you achieve the desired consistency. • For reference, I experimented with two mainstream gluten-free cake mix brands: Betty Crocker GF Yellow Cake Mix (15oz) and Simple Mills GF Vanilla Cake mix (11.5oz). The Betty Crocker GF mix yielded the closest result to the original recipe, while the Simple Mills GF mix needed to bake for five minutes longer and resulted in a relatively different texture (likely because it’s made with almond + coconut flours). For both GF mixes, you’ll need to reduce the water from 1 cup. I used only 1/4 cup of water for Simple Mills GF mix (11.5oz), and 1/2 cup of water for the Betty Crocker GF mix (15oz).
Nutrition Information per serving
Serving Size: 1 donut holeCalories: 40Carbohydrates: 8gProtein: 0gTotal Fat: 0.5g— Unsaturated Fat: 0.5g— Saturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 65mgPotassium: 4mgFiber: 0gTotal Sugar: 4g— Natural Sugar: 0g— Added Sugar: 4g
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.
I’m hoping you loved this recipe!
If you made it and want to share feedback, I’d be so grateful to hear from you. Please leave a review below or tag @joybauer on Instagram!
I made these for my family while on vacation. They took 20 minutes to make, and only 2 minutes to completely disappear. Wow. Unreal.
Hi Julia. So happy to hear the whole family enjoyed! No leftovers is always a good sign…may have to double the recipe next time, LOL 🙂
Yummy I used spice cake mix
Hi Bonnie. Thanks for stopping by! Glad you enjoyed the recipe and we’re guessing the spiced cake mix only helped elevate the flavor!
—Team Joy
You’re the best.
your family and friends love you more during Holidays! Thanx 4being on TODAY enjoy it always. Specifically since I’m from NY. Joy, your recipe donut holes may this recipe be ok in 8×8 or 8×9 inch pan for cake instead? If no cupcake pan? Thanks
Hi! Thanks so much for your sweet comments and for your interest in this recipe. Yes, it should will work in a square pan—I’m not sure the exact bake time, but it should be similar to what the branded box cake mix recommends for that specific size pan. And be sure to keep an eye on it; you can always insert a clean toothpick into the center to check. Hoping you love the recipe!
I was wondering if a chocolate cake mix could be used. It would probably be not as healthy as the vanilla or yellow, but much healthier than other desserts.
PS Your recipes as great!!!
Hi Meg. Yes, you can use chocolate cake mix for this recipe! If you decide to give it a shot, we’d love to hear how it turns out.
—Team Joy
Love making these. So easy and tasty. I use pumpkin for my recipe and a full T. of cinnamon with 2 T of Truvia
Hi. Thanks for sharing your experience and we love your swaps—they sound delicious! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
—Team Joy
Hi Joy
Would this recipe work ok with Gluten Free cake mix?
Hi Diane! You can definitely use a gluten-free cake mix in this recipe-but note that different brands will yield different results since GF flour formulations vary. We experimented with a few mainstream brands (see the recipe notes below for full details!), and found that they worked well with some minor adjustments in water. When working with a GF cake mix, Joy recommends that you start with only ¼ cup water (versus 1 full cup that the original recipe calls for) and increase to ½ cup if the batter is too dry. Also, the shape may be a bit flatter using a GF mix, but they’ll still taste delicious If you decide to give it a try, let us know which brand you use and how it turns out!
-Alison
How many donut holes make a serving? Is it just one. Did I miss this information somewhere.
Thank you,
Hi Antoinette. Thanks for your question! The nutrition information at the bottom of the recipe is based on 1 donut hole…so it’s 40 calories per 1 donut hole. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
—Team Joy
I’m dying to make these but don’t have a donut pan or mini muffin pan… any ideas?
Hi Lisa. Joy is going to be testing out this recipe in the next week or so…hand-rolling the donut holes and using a mini ice cream scooper to see if they can be made without a donut pan or mini muffin pan. We’ll let you know it turns out! Thanks for your interest in the recipe!
—Team Joy
Has anyone tried this using a gluten free cake mix?
Hi Melanie! Yes, Joy experimented with a few mainstream GF cake mix brands and found that they worked well with some minor adjustments in water. We updated the recipe notes with full details on Joy’s findings. If you decide to try it with a GF cake mix, we’d love to hear how it turns out!
-Alison
The taste of these donut holes is terrific,but they are too wet/soggy. I can only wonder if the downsized 13 oz cake mix is to blame. Next time should I use less applesauce than the recipe suggested?
Hi Karen! We’re so sorry to hear that the texture was too moist in your batch. Yes, it was likely because your cake mix volume was less than in the original recipe. When using a smaller amount of cake mix, Joy recommends starting with half the water and increasing slowly (one tablespoon at a time) until you achieve a texture similar to thick pancake batter. It sounds like you’re using a standard cake mix; if it was a gluten free mix, that will also require less water.
Check out Joy’s updated recipe note for the exact details on managing various cake mixes. We hope this helps; if you decide to give it another try (we hope you do, but understand if you’d rather try something else!!), let us know how it turns out!
-Alison
Made it several times works up well with mini muffin pan great grand kids love them
Hi Cece!! So glad to hear that this was a repeat winner for you and your family!! Thanks for baking along with Joy! — Eliza (Team Joy)