Crumb Cake Donuts are a marriage of two dessert favorites, and I think you can guess which ones pretty easily — cake and donuts! These donuts are baked – not fried – and are the best donuts you’ll ever taste! If you like a classic coffee cake or crumb cake, this is the recipe for you. These donuts make a great after school snack treat, dessert or even special breakfast.
A big, warm crumb cake takes me back to my childhood. My mom used to make them all the time for either us kids, or a neighbor or friend who she wanted to give something special to. The smell of the warm cinnamon baking in the oven used to send my senses soaring! I always want to create similar sensory memories for my kids in the kitchen, and I knew just what to do. A marriage of my childhood with theirs: Crumb Cake Donuts!
I made this recipe for the kids last week for an after school snack, and they nearly lost their minds. Gemma walked in the house, and yelled in delight, “WHAT is that smell?!” To say I was happy with the reaction is an understatement. She and Chloe gobbled up a few straight away with rave reviews!
Why You’ll Love Crumb Cake Donuts
- Healthier Than Classic Donuts: These cake donuts are baked instead of deep fried. Plus, even though they’re definitely a treat, they’re relatively low in sugar compared to their classic donut counterparts. They’re still absolutely delicious, but not too sweet to be served for a special weekend breakfast or along with brunch.
- Easily Transform into Muffins: Sometimes I call these “donut muffins” because the texture resembles more of a muffin or cake consistency. Baking them in a donut pan adds a little extra fun, but if you don’t have a donut pan, you can 100% make these in a muffin tin. Easy peasy!
- Simple to Make: Since these cake donuts are baked, they’re just as easy to make as a regular crumb cake or muffin. No deep frying required! Making homemade donuts doesn’t have to be as daunting as it seems.
The Ingredients
For the Donuts:
- All purpose flour: Accurately measure your flower by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off with a straight edge.
- Baking powder & baking soda: These ingredients work together to make the donuts light and fluffy.
- Salt: Because every sweet needs a little salt!
- Cinnamon: For the heavenly flavor and smell.
- Unsalted butter: Be sure to melt the butter gently and allow it to cool slightly before adding it to the other ingredients.
- Large egg: Use room temperature eggs for this recipe. You can easily warm eggs if you need by placing them in a bowl of warm (not hot!) water.
- Light or dark brown sugar: Tightly pack the brown sugar into the measuring cup.
- Whole milk: Use plant based milk in the recipe if you want!
- Sour cream or whole milk greek yogurt: This ingredient makes the crumb cake donut extra moist and delicious.
- Vanilla extract: For that delicious vanilla flavor.
For the Crumb Topping:
The crumb topping uses a lot of the same ingredients as the donuts, but with a little bit of granulated sugar. It adds a crunchy, delicious texture to the top of the donuts that (in my opinion) makes the whole recipe!
- Light or dark brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter, melted
- All purpose flour
- Cinnamon
*See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for complete measurements/ingredients.
How to Make Baked Crumb Cake Donuts
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Place all the crumb topping ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
3. Place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon (use the measurements listed under “for the donuts”) in a bowl and whisk to combine.
4. Place the butter, egg, brown sugar, milk, sour cream and vanilla (use the “for the donuts” measurements) in a large bowl or a standing mixer and beat for 2 minutes on medium speed or until creamy.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time until thoroughly combined making sure not to over beat.
6. Grease donut pan (or muffin tin). If you only have one donut pan you can make a second batch after the first set of donuts bake.
7. Place the batter in a pastry bag or a large zipper bag, and using scissors, cut off 1/2 inch tip to create a DIY pastry bag. Twist to press the mixture out. Pipe the batter into the donut pan.
8. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the crumb topping on each donut and gently press to adhere. Use your finger to make sure the center of the donut is uncovered.
9. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until topping is just about to turn golden.
10. Allow donuts to cool for 5-10 minutes for topping to set and cool before enjoying.
How to Make This Recipe Into Crumb Cake Muffins
Since this donut recipe is a cake donut recipe, you can easily make these into muffins instead of donuts. You follow the instructions but instead, spoon the batter into a greased muffin tin filling each cup 3/4 of the way and bake for 18-21 minutes. Muffins are slightly larger than donuts so you may only have enough batter for 8-10 muffins.
Storage/Freezing Instructions
- To Store: Donuts can be stored at room temperature in a covered container for 2 days and refrigerated for 4-5 days.
- To Freeze: Add crumb cake donuts to labeled zipper bags or containers and freeze for up to 4 months.
Tips for Perfect Crumb Cake Donuts
- Don’t Overmix. Overmixing can result in tough, dense donuts. Fold the ingredients together until just combined. It’s okay if there are a few lumps still. Overmixing the batter can lead to gluten development which can make the donuts chewy instead of fluffy.
- Use a Donut Pan. I love making donuts, so I’ve invested in a donut pan! It’s so much fun to get the opportunity to make a homemade treat that might seem daunting to make from scratch. Donuts in the comfort of your own kitchen are always a win!
- Don’t Overfill. When filling the donut pan, ensure to not overfill the cavities. Fill each donut about 2/3 full to allow room for them to rise while they bake without overflowing. I use a piping bag (or zipper bag with the corner snipped off) to make it easier to fill each donut.
- Press the Crumb Topping. After you spoon the crumb topping onto the donuts, lightly press the crumbs into the donut batter. This will ensure that they adhere to the donuts when they bake.
More Easy Baked Homemade Donut Recipes
- Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts
- Lemon Pound Cake Mini Doughnuts
- Baked Blueberry Doughnuts
- Air Fryer Donuts
- Gingerbread Donuts
This Crumb Cake Donut recipe shows you just how easy it can be to make homemade donuts. So anytime you’ve got a craving for coffee and donuts, you can have them ready to go in a little over 30 minutes! Let me know what you think of these Crumb Cake Donuts if you make them and tag me on social media so I can see!
Crumb Cake Muffin Donuts
Equipment
- donut pan or muffin tin
Ingredients
For the Donuts:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup whole milk (plant based works too!)
- 1/4 cup sour cream or whole milk greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Crumb Topping:
- 1/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place all of the crumb topping ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Place the first 5 ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Place the 6 remaining ingredients in a large bowl or a standing mixer and beat for 2 minutes on medium speed or until creamy.
- Add the dry ingredients a little at a time until throughly combined making sure not to over beat.
- Grease donut pans (or muffins tin). If you only have one pan you can repeat after the first set of donuts bake.
- Place the batter in a pastry bag or a large zipper bag and using scissors, cut off 1/2 inch tip to create a pastry bag twisting the top of using a zipper bag to press the mixture out. Pipe the batter into doughnut pan.
- Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the crumb topping on each doughnut and gently press to adhere. Use your finger to make sure center of doughnut is uncovered.
- Bake doughnuts for 13-15 or until topping is just about to turn golden.
- Allow doughnuts to sit for 5-10 minutes for topping to set and cool before enjoying.