Description
Learn how to make delicious Mini Donut Bites. Easy recipe with step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or whole wheat pastry flour for a nuttier flavor)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup buttermilk (or ½ cup milk mixed with 1 teaspoon lemon juice, let sit 5 minutes)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled (or vegetable oil for dairy-free)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the coating: ½ cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, the milk and lemon juice swap is a trick I picked up during those budget-friendly college dinners. It’s a great way to add that subtle tang and helps the donuts rise beautifully without needing specialty ingredients.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a mini donut pan or line a baking sheet with parchment paper if you don’t have one. I remember when I first started baking, I didn’t have special pans, so improvising was key—trust me, it works!
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until evenly combined.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg, then add the buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold together just until combined. The batter will be slightly thick but smooth—avoid overmixing to keep the bites tender.
- Using a spoon or piping bag, fill each cavity of the mini donut pan about ¾ full. If you’re using a baking sheet, drop small tablespoon-sized dollops spaced apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. I like to peek in at the 10-minute mark because ovens vary, and you want to catch that perfect doneness.
- While the bites are baking, mix the cinnamon and sugar for the coating in a shallow bowl.
- Once the bites are out of the oven, let them cool for 2 minutes. Then, while still warm, toss them gently in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until coated. This step is where the magic happens—just like those family dinners, the final touch brings everyone together.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely or serve warm for that melt-in-your-mouth experience.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: International
Keywords: Mini Donut Bites, recipe, cooking, food
