Easy spiced donuts get a generous dunk in a spiced sugar coating for extra pep in every bite.
A few weeks ago I hosted a virtual baby shower with friends, and now I’m joining a whole group of bloggers to celebrate one of our favorites: donuts. Cate, the guest of honor, truly loves donuts—so we made everything donut-related to celebrate her.
Cate and I connected online years ago and finally met in person last summer. She’s warm and genuine, and we’ve kept in touch since then, trading texts and photos about pregnancy and workouts. Her in-laws live near me, so we’re hoping Baby ChezCateyLou will bring them to our area more often.
Now, on to the donuts. These baked chai donuts are spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger and finished with a buttery, spiced sugar coating. They’re tender, subtly sweet, and full of warm chai flavor.
I’m a chai fan—especially cardamom—so these donuts were inevitable. I’ve baked donuts before (funfetti and red velvet versions), and this chai version brings a cozy, spicy twist. After baking, each donut is dipped in melted butter and then rolled in a mixture of sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger for a crunchy, aromatic finish.
Baked donuts are simple to make and use a familiar muffin-style batter. For moisture and structure I use brown sugar, milk, and plain yogurt—Greek yogurt is great because it keeps things tender without excessive fat. Pipe or spoon the batter into a greased donut pan and bake until the edges just begin to brown.
After they cool slightly, dip each donut in melted butter and roll it in the spiced sugar. The result is a donut that’s soft and lightly sweet inside, with a crisp, fragrant coating outside. They’re most enjoyable on the day they’re made but keep well at room temperature for a couple of days or can be frozen for longer storage.
We adored these donuts. The plain, uncoated donut is already excellent—balanced spice and light sweetness. The spiced sugar coating elevates them into a sweet-and-spicy treat perfect with coffee or as a celebratory breakfast.
Heat one in the microwave for a few seconds if you want that freshly-baked feel on day two or three. Soft, tender, and warming from the spices—these might become your new favorite donut.
If you prefer other flavors, try funfetti, baked pumpkin, or red velvet donuts for more variety. Hol(e)y donut party indeed.
Baked Chai Donuts
10 mins
12 mins
22 mins
Ingredients
DONUTS
- 1 cup (120g) flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup (67g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) butter, melted
- ¼ cup (60mL) milk
- ¼ cup plain yogurt (regular or Greek)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
SPICED SUGAR COATING
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted (for dipping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Spray a donut pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
DONUTS
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, salt, and brown sugar. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together egg, melted butter, milk, yogurt, and vanilla until smooth. Add to dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Transfer batter to a large zip-top bag, snip a corner, and pipe or spoon into donut wells, filling ⅔ to ¾ full.
- Bake 10–12 minutes, until edges begin to brown. Cool on a wire rack until cool enough to handle before coating.
SPICED SUGAR COATING
- In a shallow bowl, combine granulated sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a shallow bowl. Dip each cooled donut in the butter, then roll in the spiced sugar until coated. Transfer to a wire rack to set. Donuts are best the day they are made but keep at room temperature up to 2 days or freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat briefly if desired.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided as a courtesy. Changing ingredients or quantities will alter the estimates.
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Calories: 312 kcal
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Carbohydrates: 41 g
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Protein: 3 g
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Fat: 16 g