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Home » Recipes » Breakfast & Brunch

Baked Apple Cinnamon Donut Holes

By: Kathryn Doherty | Last Updated: Mar 5, 2025 | Published: Oct 4, 2018
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These baked apple cinnamon donut holes are super soft on the inside with an irresistible crispy cinnamon-sugar coating. They make a fun fall breakfast treat!Apple cinnamon donut holes in a large white bowl with strawberries and a glass of milk in the background.

Hello from Iowa! I've been here for a couple of days as part of an Iowa Corn Quest trip with some fellow bloggers, visiting farms and learning about all things CORN!

It's been so fun and I can't wait to share more with you in a full post about the visit soon.

At the same time, I'm excited to get home to my family tonight. And then I'll be in go-go mode because I've got to get us ready for our camping weekend! ❤️

Eeek, I'm so excited! In the meantime, let's move it right along...

It’s fall breakfast week here on the blog apparently. On Monday I shared my whole wheat pumpkin pancakes and today I’ve got these baked apple cinnamon donut holes for a fun fall breakfast treat! ❤️

Cause who doesn’t love some donuts?!

(I’ve previously made my whole wheat cinnamon sugar baked donuts and my whole wheat chocolate baked donuts if you want to check those out. And these baked pumpkin donut holes are so yummy, too.)

These apple donut holes are melt-in-your-mouth soft on the inside and dunked in a delicious cinnamon sugar coating for a crispy exterior that's seriously addictive!

Homemade baked donut holes in a large white bowl with strawberries and milk to the side.

Now, y’all know that I usually use natural sweeteners in my cooking and baking.

(Check out my whole category of healthy fall baking recipes for tons of those!)

But sometimes, you just gotta use a little sugar.

And can I just say, my kids get seriously excited about those times.

They gobble these up so fast!

Actually, everyone does. I’ve made these for brunch parties before and wow, they are such a hit! ❤️

Baked apple cinnamon donut holes in a mini muffin tin Baked apple cinnamon donut holes piled up in a large bowl and bowls for dunking in a butter and cinnamon sugar coating

Notes on these baked apple cinnamon donut holes:

  • I use white whole wheat flour, but you can also use regular whole wheat flour or even all-purpose flour instead.
  • Do make sure to use unsweetened applesauce for this recipe.
  • I usually let these cool completely before dunking them, but you can serve them warm as well.
  • Making these baked donut holes for a party? You can bake the mini donut muffins ahead of time and then wait until you are ready to serve them to dunk them into the butter and cinnamon-sugar coating.
  • If you have some very little kids, you can just leave off the cinnamon-sugar coating and have a healthier apple mini muffin for them. (I’ve tried them that way too and they are still delicious!)
  • These are best stored in the fridge after the first day so they don't get too soft/soggy. They'll keep there for an additional 2-3 days. You can also freeze them for up to 2-3 months.

A small hand lifting a baked apple cinnamon donut hole from a bowl

(My hand model/5-year-old son is going in for one! )

I hope you add these baked apple cinnamon donut holes to your fall weekend plans. I think they will become a fast favorite!

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

P.S. Check out these other fun fall apple breakfast recipes:

  • Whole wheat apple cinnamon breakfast cookies
  • Apple cinnamon quinoa breakfast muffins
  • Whole wheat pumpkin applesauce bread
  • Slow cooker apple butter, no sugar added

A white bowl full of small donut holes with a cinnamon sugar coating with a bowl of strawberries and a glass of milk to the side.
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4.42 from 17 votes

Baked apple cinnamon donut holes

These baked apple cinnamon donut holes are super soft on the inside with an irresistible crispy cinnamon-sugar coating. They make a fun fall breakfast treat!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time12 minutes mins
Total Time22 minutes mins
Yield: 36 donut holes

Ingredients

For the donut holes:

  • 1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour (see notes)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • ½ cup milk of choice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the cinnamon sugar coating:

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl and mix well.
  • In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the butter and brown sugar until smooth. (I think a hand mixer works best for this but you can use a fork and just beat it really well.) Add the egg and mix again. Add the applesauce, milk and vanilla and stir to combine.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
  • Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray. Add the batter to the muffin tin, filling each about ¾ full.
  • Bake at 350 for 12-13 minutes, until set. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a baking rack or paper towels and let cool.
  • Meanwhile, melt the butter for the coating in a small bowl. In a separate small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon until well mixed.
  • Dunk the top of each mini donut hole into the melted butter and then cover in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  • Set back on the baking rack or paper towels and let sit for a minute to set up.

Notes

I use white whole wheat flour, but you can also use regular whole wheat flour or even all-purpose flour instead.
I usually let these cool completely before dunking them, but you can serve them warm as well.
Need to make these ahead? You can bake the mini donut muffins the day before and then wait until you are ready to serve them to dunk them into the butter and cinnamon-sugar coating.
If you have some very little kids, you can just leave off the cinnamon-sugar coating and have a healthier apple mini muffin for them.
These are best stored in the fridge after the first day, so they don't get too soft/soggy. They'll keep there for an additional 2-3 days. You can also store leftovers in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 2donut holes | Calories: 140kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 123mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or follow me on Instagram @familyfoodonthetable and tag me in your photo!
Close up of homemade baked donut holes in a large white bowl with strawberries and milk to the side.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jennifer

    September 05, 2020 at 10:05 am

    I don’t know what I did wrong, but these came out really gummy. I was expecting more of a cake like, fluffy texture. Any thoughts? I love the concept!

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      September 07, 2020 at 3:17 pm

      Uh-oh, they should definitely not be gummy. I've made these lots and lots of times and they come out fluffy and light and definitely more on the cake-like side. I'm not sure what happened for you Jennifer. It could be an ingredient issue, measurement, oven temperature or time, hard to know. I'm so sorry they didn't work for you though!

      Reply
4.42 from 17 votes (17 ratings without comment)

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Hi there! I’m Kathryn Doherty, a cookbook author, mom of two, and devoted food and home cooking nut. I’ve got lots of easy recipes to help you get delicious food on the table for your family!

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