These homemade baked donuts are the perfect sweet treat for the whole family! They are best served with chocolate icing and generously topped with sprinkles, of course.
Easy and fun to make, you’ll have a batch of baked donuts in just 20 minutes! They really are just that simple, and such a fun way to treat the whole family with a fabulous breakfast.
This week, my friend visited from Saint Louis with her two sweet daughters and I had to make a kid favorite – chocolate iced donuts with sprinkles! In 20 minutes, we had a room full of smiles and chocolate moustaches.
Who doesn’t love a donut? And when they are homemade, even better.
This recipe is not only quick, but so much easier (and healthier) than fried doughnuts. They bake to perfection – soft and tender inside with a little crunch on the outside.
These are so much fun to make for holidays because any kind of special sprinkles will create an instant festive vibe. Try pink and red for Valentine’s Day donuts, make them birthday themed, or create the cutest Christmas donuts like we did for the holidays.
No matter when you make them, I just know you’re going to love them too!
Why You’ll Love these Baked Donuts
- Staple Ingredients
- Great for Guests but Easy Enough for a Weekday
- Kid love Them
- Fun to Decorate
Ingredients and Substitutions
You just need a handful of staple ingredients to make these delicious treats!
- Flour: Standard all purpose flour is perfect for this recipe, use your favorite brand.
- Sugar: Use white sugar to make these donuts deliciously sweet.
- Baking powder: Baking powder increases the volume and lightens the texture of the donuts.
- Salt: Adding salt brings out the sweetness in baked goods.
- Egg and whole milk: To help bind the ingredients together and add a creaminess.
- Vanilla extract: You can make your own vanilla extract or use store bought. If possible, choose pure vanilla extract over imitation, if you can.
- Chocolate icing and sprinkles: Used to decorate the baked donuts.
Variations
- If you like, you can use a vanilla, strawberry or plain icing.
- You can also top them with my Cream Cheese Glaze or Orange Glaze.
- Make them into Cinnamon Sugar Donuts with a few simple tweaks.
Tools to Use
- Mixing Bowls
- Measuring Cups + Measuring Spoons
- Donut Pan
- Baking Spray (this one is my favorite but you can use whatever you have on hand)
- A baking sheet and wire rack (to help make clean-up and cooling easy)
How to Make
- Preheat oven and spray donut pans.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and set aside.
- In large mixing bowl, combine egg, milk, butter and vanilla. Mix dry into the wet until just combined.
- Spoon batter into pans, filling just over ¾ full. Bake as directed.
Tips
- Use the Toothpick Test – Insert a toothpick in the center. When it comes out clean, it’s done.
- Don’t over mix the donut batter, the ingredients should be just combined. Over mixing can cause the donuts to become chewy rather than light and fluffy.
- The donuts will rise when baked, so fill the molds 3/4 full so that they won’t over flow.
- We used a mini donut pan (linked in the tools section above). If you use a pan with larger cavities, you’ll need to bake for longer.
- Let the donuts cool before pouring the icing sugar over them. If they are too warm, the icing will fall off of them rather than stick.
- Scaling up, down or substituting? You’ll love this printable Measurement Conversion Chart!
Frequently Asked Questions
They aren’t going to taste quite the same. The distinctive taste of yeasty fried donuts is a standalone treat, but these baked donuts are a tasty treat all their own. Bonus – you skip the calories of deep frying, and the mess too!
Generally speaking, all traditional donuts are fried. Baked donuts don’t use yeast, and they are a little healthier because you skip all the oil in the fryer.
The leavening agent is the simple difference. While traditional cake donuts and yeast donuts are both fried, yeast donuts are leavened with yeast, while cake donuts use baking powder or baking soda.
To Store
- Room Temperature – Store these baked donuts at room temperature for up to 2-3 days, in an airtight container.
- Refrigerate – Let the donuts cool completely and store them in an airtight container in the fridge up to a week.
- Freeze – You can also freeze donuts by wrapping them in plastic wrap or foil and placing them in a freezer bag for up to three months. Thaw them at room temperature.
Dietary Considerations
- Nut Free
- Vegetarian
- To Make Gluten Free: be sure to choose a 1:1 gluten free flour for baking.
More Donut Inspiration
Homemade Baked Donuts
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups white granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg (size large)
- 1¼ cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted, unsalted)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For topping
- chocolate icing
- sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray donut pans.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and set aside.
- In large mixing bowl, combine egg, milk, butter and vanilla. Mix dry into the wet until just combined.
- Spoon batter into pans, filling each cavity to ¾ full. Bake 14-15 minutes.
Julie’s Tips
- Use the Toothpick Test – Insert a toothpick in the center. When it comes out clean, it’s done.
- Don’t over mix the donut batter, the ingredients should be just combined. Over mixing can cause the donuts to become chewy rather than light and fluffy.
- The donuts will rise when baked, so fill the molds 3/4 full so that they won’t over flow.
- We used a mini donut pan (linked in the tools section above). If you use a pan with larger cavities, you’ll need to bake for longer.
- Let the donuts cool before pouring the icing sugar over them. If they are too warm, the icing will fall off of them rather than stick.
How to Store
- Room Temperature – Store these baked donuts at room temperature for up to 2-3 days, in an airtight container.
- Refrigerate – Let the donuts cool completely and store them in an airtight container in the fridge up to a week.
- Freeze – You can also freeze donuts by wrapping them in plastic wrap or foil and placing them in a freezer bag for up to three months. Thaw them at room temperature.
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
Great donuts. Tasted and looked amazing. Thanks very much.
Thanks, Michelle! I appreciate you taking a moment to comment and rate – it’s always helpful for others considering a recipe. I hope you try more of my easy recipes!
How much longer should I bake this batter in a full size donut pan? I don’t have a mini donut pan and don’t want to go buy one. I realize I can test with a toothpick but a minute? Two minutes? Thanks!
Is chocolate icing and chocolate frosting the same?
Hi Christina,
Yes, in this case it’s the same! Frosting is generally considered to be thicker and fluffier, and icing is a little thinner and more glossy as a finished product. I hope that helps!
Julie
Can these be made in an air fryer?
Hi Ginny,
We’ve never personally tested that but what a great idea! Please report back if you give it a try.
We’ll try to do that this summer and see if we can add instructions!
Enjoy,
Julie
Can this donut recipe be changed to Splenda and how much? Thank you
I haven’t tested it, but if you do, let me know
Can these be frozen after they are baked?
Hi Heather!
Yes, they can be frozen! You can find this info under the “how to store” section of the post, but we’ll add it to the recipe card notes too.
Room Temperature – Store these baked donuts at room temperature for up to 2-3 days, in an airtight container.
Refrigerate – Let the donuts cool completely and store them in an airtight container in the fridge up to a week.
Freeze – You can also freeze donuts by wrapping them in plastic wrap or foil and placing them in a freezer bag for up to three months. Thaw them at room temperature.
I hope that helps!
Julie