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Ah Valentine’s Day! Tis the season to fall in love, or celebrate being in love! Yes, love is all around, as the song goes. Even if it isn’t, that’s still no excuse not to bake a Valentine’s Day treat. These heart-shaped mini sugar doughnuts are always worth making. They are an easy cinnamon roll hack that creates a cute mini doughnut recipe that we can all use to make an easy Valentine’s treat.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella shares a cinnamon roll hack recipe for heart shaped mini sugar doughnuts. This mini doughnut recipe makes a sweet Valentine's Day treat.

Looking for the perfect sweet treat to share with your loved ones this Valentine’s Day? These adorable heart-shaped mini sugar donut holes are easy to make.

You might also like gluten-free sugar cookies, red velvet sugar cookies, amaretti cookies, or vegan gingerbread apple cake.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella shares how to make homemade cinnamon sugar donut holes for Valentine's Day.

Heart shaped doughnuts are not only the perfect Valentine’s Day treat. They are also one of the most indulgent, satisfying treats ever!

These easy donut holes in a heart shape are the perfect combination of sweet, sticky and chewy to satisfy any craving. Getting cravings yet? Valentine’s Day donuts make the cutest sweet treats!

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella shares how to make homemade cinnamon sugar donut holes for Valentine's Day.

A mini doughnut recipe is nice because it means you are allowed to have more than one! It’s Valentine’s Day – who’s counting! And even novice cooks will find this homemade donuts recipe straightforward. You only need a few ingredients and a heart shaped cookie cutter.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella shares how to make homemade cinnamon sugar donut holes for Valentine's Day.

Doughnuts or Donuts?

The spelling of ‘doughnut’ is the traditional one, although ‘donut’ is an alternative spelling, often seen in the United States. No matter whether you spell them as the traditional doughnut or the shortened donut, everyone knows what you are talking about. Do you say doughnut or donut? Personally, I am a doughnut person and will use that spelling here.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella shares how to make homemade cinnamon sugar donut holes for Valentine's Day.

If you have never made your own doughnuts before, you are in for a treat. Warm from the oven, these are indescribably good.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella shares a cinnamon roll hack recipe for heart shaped mini sugar doughnuts. This mini doughnut recipe makes a sweet Valentine's Day treat.

Heart shaped mini sugar doughnuts are perfect for February. When the weather is less than stellar and you are still missing the recent festive season, these doughnuts can cheer the soul.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella shares a cinnamon roll hack recipe for heart shaped mini sugar doughnuts. This mini doughnut recipe makes a sweet Valentine's Day treat.

They are one of the best Valentine donut ideas and are so yummy with a cup of tea or coffee – whichever is your preference. These mini doughnuts can also be wrapped up in a pretty package as a Valentine’s Day treat for your love or for friends or family. These mini sugar doughnut holes make a cheap and unique Valentines idea. They are beyond cute and oh so tasty!

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella shares a cinnamon roll hack recipe for heart shaped mini sugar doughnuts. This mini doughnut recipe makes a sweet Valentine's Day treat.

Cinnamon Roll Hack

These mini heart shaped doughnut holes are made with a can of cinnamon rolls dough and a cinnamon sugar mixtures. These super easy cinnamon roll hack makes creating these Valentine’s treats so easy. In fact, you can make these in less than half an hour. If you are a fan off cinnamon roll hacks, you might like this pumpkin shaped cinnamon roll recipe.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella shares how to make homemade cinnamon sugar donut holes for Valentine's Day.

History of Doughnuts

The earliest doughnuts can be traced back to the Dutch. They made ‘olykoek’ (oily cake) and actually still eat that on New Year’s Eve. Dutch settlers introduced these little delights to New York in the early 1700s, which was called New Amsterdam back then. The sweetened dough was fried in hog’s fat and known as olykoek or dough-nuts.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella shares a cinnamon roll hack recipe for heart shaped mini sugar doughnuts. This mini doughnut recipe makes a sweet Valentine's Day treat.

By the mid-1800s, doughnuts looked and tasted like today’s versions. There were still no heart shaped mini sugar donuts. Instead they were round or roundish, or even round with a hole.

So why do doughnuts often have a hole in the middle? This might have started off as a way to ensure the doughnuts cooked all the way though. Nobody wanted an undercooked, stodgy part in the center.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella shares how to make homemade cinnamon sugar donut holes for Valentine's Day.

Today there are many types of doughnut varieties available, and even shops dedicated to selling only doughnuts. Frosted, powdered, glazed, sour cream, chocolate, jelly, custard, and Boston cream are just some available varieties.

In fact, fancy doughnuts are so popular, the plain kind are often sold as ‘old fashioned’. Another variation is the ‘spudnut’ or potato doughnut, but that isn’t usually the best Valentine’s Day treat!

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella shares a cinnamon roll hack recipe for heart shaped mini sugar doughnuts. This mini doughnut recipe makes a sweet Valentine's Day treat.

Tip and Tricks for Perfect Doughnuts

If you are going to make these donuts shaped like small hearts, you will want to ensure they come out as perfect as possible. It is a delicious recipe and super easy, which is perfect. RIGHT!?! Its truly the perfect Valentine’s Day treat.

The dough needs to be smooth and just a little bit sticky. If the heart shaped mini sugar doughnuts dough is too sticky, you can sprinkle with a little bit of flour.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella shares a cinnamon roll hack recipe for heart shaped mini sugar doughnuts. This mini doughnut recipe makes a sweet Valentine's Day treat.

This step is completely optional for this cinnamon roll hack mini doughnut recipe, but you can choose to let the dough rise for about half an hour somewhere warm. This can be on top of the refrigerator, in a sunny spot on the windowsill or even on the countertop if the kitchen is warm.

Cooking the doughnuts is the easy part because there is no guesswork involved with this mini doughnut recipe. When baking a cake in the oven you will hope it cooks perfectly – not too little or too much.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella shares how to make homemade cinnamon sugar donut holes for Valentine's Day.

When frying doughnuts though, you can see them cook. This means you can see when your heart shaped mini sugar doughnuts change from pasty off-white to golden brown. As soon as they are golden brown, that means they are done!

Roll them in the cinnamon sugar coating as soon as they are done, so it sticks properly, then let them cool down. Don’t bite into one until they have at least cooled partially. They can be piping hot inside.

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella shares a cinnamon roll hack recipe for heart shaped mini sugar doughnuts.

Can You Fill These Doughnuts?

Heart shaped mini sugar doughnuts are typically not filled. This is mainly because they are small to begin with. However if you want to go the extra mile and fill them, go ahead. I would suggest Nutella!

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella shares a cinnamon roll hack recipe for heart shaped mini sugar doughnuts. This mini doughnut recipe makes a sweet Valentine's Day treat.

You can use two parts Nutella to one part heavy cream, and pipe it in using a pastry bag. You might want to save this for larger doughnuts though, since it is far less fiddly with those!

Food blogger, Bella Bucchiotti of xoxoBella shares a cinnamon roll hack recipe for heart shaped mini sugar doughnuts. This mini doughnut recipe makes a sweet Valentine's Day treat.

Mini Sugar Doughnut Holes Recipe

5 from 7 votes

Heart Shaped Mini Sugar Doughnut Holes

These mini heart shaped doughnut holes are easy to make with a can of cinnamon roll dough. They are the perfect easy treat for Valentine's Day.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • In a dutch oven or saucepan, heat 2” of canola oil to 350 degrees F.
  • In a large mixing bowl, mix granulated sugar with cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk powdered sugar and warm milk.
  • Lightly flour a flat surface area or cutting board. Separate the biscuits and roll flat with a rolling pin to about ½” thick. Use a 2” heart shaped cookie cutter to cut dough into small hearts.
  • Carefully drop the hearts into the canola oil and fry for 1 minute per side. Remove from oil and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil.
  • Place donuts on a wire rack over a cookie sheet or covered surface to catch any spills. Brush donuts with glaze, then dip both sides in cinnamon sugar mixture. It is best to do one at a time so the glaze does not set before dipping.
  • Repeat with all donuts.
  • To make the dip: Add cream cheese, strawberries, sugar, whipping cream, and vanilla extract to a food processor or blender. Pulse for 15 to 20 seconds, or until smooth.
  • Serve the mini heart shaped donuts with dip and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 121IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

Maybe you will choose to enjoy these heart shaped mini sugar doughnuts with the kids. This mini doughnut recipe is also nice with coffee after a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. Although making them heart shaped is a great Valentine’s Day treat, they are too good to only enjoy in February!

Other Valentine Recipes to Try

Bella Bucchiotti

Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.

 

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5 from 7 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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8 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    These heart-shaped mini sugar doughnuts are simply delightful! Everyone in the family loved every bite!

  2. 5 stars
    These heart-shaped donuts are such a nice idea especially as Valentine’s Day is coming up. I will try to make them with my kids.