The Best Baked Cinnamon Sugar Mochi Donuts (Small Batch, GF)
These cinnamon sugar mochi donuts are light, chewy, can easily be made vegan, and are naturally gluten-free. They’re one of my favorite donuts ever, and if you ever try them, you’ll understand why.

Estimated cost: $4.18 per 1/2 dozen, $0.69 per donut
What is Mochi?
Mochiko is a popular ingredient used in Japan. It is referred to as sweet rice flour or glutinous rice flour, but is naturally gluten-free despite its name. It is widely used to make rice cakes known as mochi, but mochiko can be added to brownies, cookies, waffles, and more! Adding mochiko to a recipe will make the food chewier and slightly denser. You can find mochiko in the baking aisle at some Asian markets or order it online.
I hope you give these cinnamon sugar mochi donuts a try. If you want to make a dozen donuts instead, simply double the recipe! To store them, place them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. However, they’re better eaten the day that they’re made. This is because as time passes, the donuts become softer and a tad soggier. If you want them to last for more than one day, I recommend rebaking them at 350°F/177°C for 5-10 minutes!
If you make these donuts, I’d love to see! You can tag me at #bitesbybianca / @bitesbybianca on Instagram. Enjoy! 🙂
Check out my other mochi donut recipes here: ube coconut mochi donuts, oreo mochi donuts, matcha mochi donuts
Small Batch Cinnamon Sugar Mochi Donuts
Ingredients
For the donuts:
- 1 c mochiko sweet rice flour, see notes (160g, $1.23)
- ½ c brown sugar (100g, $0.55)
- 1 tbsp cinnamon ($0.14)
- 1 tsp baking powder ($0.07)
- ¼ tsp salt ($0.01)
- ½ cup milk, see notes (118 mL, $0.09)
- 1 egg, see notes ($0.17)
- 2 tbsp butter, melted and cooled OR neutral oil (28g, $0.31)
- 1 tsp vanilla ($0.42)
For the cinnamon sugar topping:
- ½ c sugar (100g, $0.19)
- 1 tbsp cinnamon ($0.14)
- 6 tbsp butter (84g, $0.93)
Instructions
For the donuts:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C.
- Dry ingredientsIn a medium bowl, whisk together the mochiko flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Wet ingredientsIn another medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugars until smooth. Add in the egg and vanilla, mixing until combined.
- While whisking, stream in the milk, until batter in uniform smooth.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Mix until there are no dry clumps remaining.
- Transfer the donut batter into a container with a spout, like a large measuring cup. Alternatively, you can use a spoon or ladle.
- Grease your donut pan using cooking spray or butter. Pour or spoon the batter into each cavity, filling it all the way to the top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until donut springs back when poked. Cool donuts in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer them onto a wire rack and let them cool completely before adding the toppings.
For the cinnamon sugar topping:
- In a medium bowl or plate, mix the sugar and cinnamon.
- In a medium bowl, add melted butter.
- Dip the tops and bottoms of a donut into the bowl with the melted butter, then dip the donut into the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with the remaining donuts.
- Serve donuts at room temperature.
Thanks for this recipe…It is my “go to” easy, delicious dessert recipe that my friends enjoy and ask for. I recently made a batch using a different brand (Shirakiku) v. Koda Farms b/c my local HMart didn’t have Koda Farms in stock and was only selling the Shirakiku brand (I suppose due to supply chain issues).
I followed the recipe as always and the batter was unusually runny. I was extremely nervous that it would not turn out right. The donuts came out fine, but they were flat. I will try again using a bit more of the mochiko and maybe even add more baking powder.