The truth about these Snickerdoodle Donuts? I originally posted this as a holiday recipe, but years later it remains one of the most well-loved holiday recipes on Sweet New Roots—and for good reason! There’s never a bad time for a warm, buttery Snickerdoodle bite.
This recipe is the perfect blend of quick baking and comforting flavor, making it a favorite for busy weekends and holiday mornings.
Why Baked Snickerdoodle Donut Holes are Irresistible
5-Stars From Our Readers
“AWESOME!! I have made these twice, once for church snack – huge hit!! Everyone devoured them!! I didn’t change anything. Recipe is great as is.” – Marsha
ingredient spotlight
Blood Orange Olive Oil
This recipe’s secret weapon is the blood orange-fused olive oil—it changes everything! The bright, sweet citrus flavor elevates the classic cinnamon-sugar profile, offering a brightness that you won’t get from plain oil. It’s completely optional, of course, but highly recommended!
Before You Begin: Prep Tips
Ensure your egg and sour cream are at room temperature before mixing. This allows the ingredients to emulsify and react correctly with the leavening agents (baking soda), resulting in a better rise and a more tender crumb.
Use a pastry brush to lightly grease the mini muffin pan with about 1 tablespoon of the oil or cooking spray. Do not overfill the cups! Use only 1 tablespoon of batter per cup.
How to Make Baked Snickerdoodle Donut Holes
Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need to make this recipe:
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredients list in the Recipe Card.
Step One: Combine Wet Ingredients. Move your oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix the room-temperature egg, blood orange-fused olive oil, sour cream, pure vanilla extract, and granulated sugar until well combined.
Step Two: Whisky Dry Ingredients & Mix Batter. In a separate bowl, whisk together the baking soda, all-purpose flour, salt, and ground cinnamon. Next, Use a spatula or large spoon to gently combine the wet and dry ingredients. Mix only until the flour streaks disappear. Over-mixing develops gluten, which results in tough, dense donut holes.
Step Three: Bake the Donut Holes. Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to add about 1 tablespoon of the batter into each mini muffin cup. Bake for approximately 10–12 minutes or until the donuts are lightly golden in color and the tops are slightly springy when gently touched.
Step Four: Dip and Coat. Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool until easy to handle. While cooling, prepare the cinnamon-sugar coating: melt butter in a small bowl, combine the remaining cinnamon and sugar in another bowl. Dip each donut hole first in the melted butter and then immediately roll it in the coating. Place on a serving platter and repeat.
A little note
I replaced the traditional touch of nutmeg with extra cinnamon. For the Snickerdoodle purists out there, you can certainly add nutmeg! See Recipe Notes for exact ratios, and remember to check out the full recipe and ingredients list in the Recipe Card.
A Note from Cortney
Our Christmas Morning Tradition
Here’s the backstory to this recipe: I found this Snickerdoodle Donut recipe in Southern Living shortly after my husband, David, and I got married. My mother-in-law makes delicious Snickerdoodle cookies each year, which David absolutely loves. He says he can’t remember a time when his mom hasn’t had them waiting for him upon his return home for the holidays.
As a newlywed, I wanted to create a new tradition that would taste like home without impeding upon his favorite holiday cookies that only a mother can make so special. I served these Snickerdoodle Donuts on the morning of our first Christmas married and settled into our new home, and the entire family gobbled them up. I knew I’d found the perfect holiday breakfast recipe. These days, David gets to enjoy his mom’s Snickerdoodle cookies and his favorite Baked Snickerdoodle Donut Holes, too!
Make Ahead and Storage
- Storing Batter: You can store the prepared, unbaked batter in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. When ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before scooping into the pan.
- Storage: Store the finished (coated) donut holes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Freeze the uncoated donut holes in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight, then dip in melted butter and roll in the cinnamon-sugar coating right before serving.
Troubleshooting Your Bake
My donut holes are tough or dense.
This is a classic sign of over-mixing. Ensure you only mix the batter until the flour streaks just disappear. The egg and sour cream must be at room temperature for maximum tenderness.
The donut holes didn’t rise.
Your baking soda might be old! Baking soda is sensitive. Check the expiration date. Also, ensure your oven temperature is accurate—if the oven is too cool, the rise will suffer.
My cinnamon-sugar coating is soggy or sticky.
You may have dipped them too soon! The donuts should be easy to handle and slightly cool before dipping in the melted butter. If they are too hot, the butter and sugar will dissolve and slide off.
Don’t forget to pin this for later!
FAQs
Easy Baked Snickerdoodle Donut Holes
These baked Snickerdoodle Donut Holes are tender, cake-like treats rolled in a rich cinnamon-sugar coating. Ready in under 40 minutes, they feature a unique bright citrus note from blood orange olive oil for an irresistible twist on a classic.
- Total Time: 40 mins.
- Yield: 2 dozen 1x
Ingredients
DONUTS
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1/4 cup blood orange olive oil or canola oil
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
CINNAMON-SUGAR COATING
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Move your oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix the room-temperature egg, blood orange-fused olive oil, sour cream, pure vanilla extract, and granulated sugar until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the baking soda, all-purpose flour, salt, and ground cinnamon. Next, use a spatula or large spoon to gently combine the wet and dry ingredients. Mix only until the flour streaks disappear. Over-mixing develops gluten, which results in tough, dense donut holes.
- Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to add about 1 tablespoon of the batter into each mini muffin cup. Bake for approximately 10–12 minutes or until the donuts are lightly golden in color and the tops are slightly springy when gently touched.
- Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool slightly more (they should be easy to handle). While they are cooling, prepare the cinnamon-sugar coating: melt the butter in a small bowl, and combine the remaining cinnamon and sugar in another bowl. Dip each donut hole first in the melted butter and then immediately roll it in the cinnamon-sugar coating. Place on a serving platter and repeat. Enjoy with a cup of coffee, tea, or a cold glass of milk!
Notes
- To make this recipe with nutmeg, use 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg in the donut mix. Use 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg in the cinnamon-sugar coating.
- Feel free to use a lemon- or orange-fused olive oil. If you can’t find a citrus-fused oil for this recipe, do not fret. The Snickerdoodle Donuts are delicious when using high-quality canola oil as well.
- Add orange zest to your batter and the cinnamon-sugar base if you’d like.
- Prep Time: 30 mins.
- Cook Time: 10 mins.
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Did You Make This Recipe?
I would love for you to share it with me below!
AWESOME !!
I have made these twice once for Church snack huge hit !! everyone devoured them !!
I didn’t change anything recipe is great as is ,
I was wondering what the recommendation is for storing over night if they last that long lol !
Room temp or refrigerator ?
Hi Marsha, Thank you so very much for your 5-star review! I sincerely appreciate this feedback, and so glad this recipe went over well! It’s a family favorite and has even gone over well for parties and holiday gatherings.
Yes, if you can’t keep them around for longer than one day, store them in a plastic zipper bag at room temp. They’ll be moist the next day but feel free to zap them in the microwave for just a few seconds with a wet paper towel. Thank you for asking this question. I’ll update the recipe to include a note on this in case others wonder the same.
Thank you, again!
Cortney
Sounds delicious! Can not wait to try these!
They are wonderful. Let me know how they work for you. Enjoy!