Easy Baked Donuts Recipe

Baked donuts have a reputation for tasting like cake. I wanted one that tasted like a real donut, without hauling out a pot of oil. Oil in the batter keeps them moist for days, and nutmeg gives them that donut shop flavor. They come out soft, cakey, and sturdy enough to pick up without falling apart.

I followed each step exactly and the donuts were perfect! They taste great, the texture was perfect and they look amazing! My husband even sent a photo to his mom to share his excitement over his “fancy sprinkle donut”.

-Jacki

How I Got These Baked Donuts Soft, Not Dry

I didn’t want to pull out a pot of oil every time I wanted a donut. I also didn’t want a baked donut that tasted like cake. It took about 7 rounds of testing to land on a donut that’s fluffy and still feels like the real thing.

Look at the recipe card and you’ll notice some oddly specific amounts. That’s on purpose. My early batches came out either gummy or too dry, and the fix was never a big swing. Sometimes all a recipe needs is 2 extra tablespoons of milk or oil, where a full 1/4 cup would be too much.

Oil was the other big switch. My first versions used melted butter, and they were great fresh but dry by day two or three. With oil, they stay moist for days. A little nutmeg is what makes them taste like the donut shop.

I’ve been gluten free for 20 years, so I tested these with King Arthur Measure for Measure from the very first batch. My family, my kids, and our friends can’t tell the gluten free donuts from the all-purpose ones. One recipe, and everyone at the table eats the same donut.

My kids think these are the best ever. They love dipping them in glaze and adding the sprinkles.

Why You’ll Love These Baked Donuts

• No mixer needed: Two bowls, a spatula, and about 10 minutes of prep.
• Pantry ingredients: Flour, sugar, milk, eggs, oil, and a few staples you already have.
• Four ways to top them: Chocolate glaze with sprinkles, Krispy Kreme glaze, powdered sugar, or cinnamon sugar.

Baked Donuts Recipe Ingredients

You’ll find the full amounts in the recipe card below.

• All-purpose flour: Measure it right. Too much or too little flour changes the texture fast. I weigh mine on a kitchen scale.
• Nutmeg: Just a little, and it’s the donut shop flavor.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the donut without making it heavy.
• Baking powder: Gives the donuts their lift. No yeast needed.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness.
• Milk: I use whole milk.
• Eggs: Two large eggs.
• Vanilla extract: The main flavor, so use a good one.
• Vegetable oil: The reason these stay moist for days.

How to Make Baked Donuts

1. Prep the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the donut pan, then wipe it with a paper towel so the coating is thin and even.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, nutmeg, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
3. Mix the wet ingredients. Whisk the milk, eggs, vanilla, and oil in a larger bowl. Add the flour mixture a little at a time and stir with a spatula just until combined.
4. Pipe the batter. Spoon the batter into a zip top bag, snip a corner, and fill each well 1/2 to 3/4 full.
5. Bake. Bake 10 to 13 minutes, until the tops spring back when pressed.
6. Cool and release. Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Flip the pan over, tap it on the counter, and the donuts drop right out.

Tips for Filling a Donut Pan

This is the donut pan I use. Before filling the pan I spray it with nonstick cooking spray and use a paper towel to wipe the spray around each donut well. 

Next I transfer the batter to a piping bag fit with a large round tip. You can also use a ziplock bag with one corner cut off. Twist the top of the bag closed and apply pressure with one hand and pipe the batter into the well. Do your best to evenly divide the batter among each donut well. 

I found that piping the batter into the pan is less messy for me than dropping dollops of batter. Also, I think that piping the batter helps to make the donuts look more uniform. 

Baked Donuts vs Fried Donuts

Baked donuts and classic cake donuts both rise with baking powder instead of yeast. The difference is the heat. Fried donuts cook in hot oil, which gives them a crisp outside and a tender inside. Baked donuts cook in the oven, so you get a soft, cakey donut with no crisp shell and no pot of oil to clean up.

Craving the fried version? My Cake Donut recipe is the one to make.

Glazing and Decorating Baked Vanilla Donuts

Note: each topping makes enough for all 12 donuts.

Chocolate Glaze

Chocolate chips, butter, and a little light corn syrup for shine. Dip, let it set for a minute or two, then add rainbow sprinkles.

Krispy Kreme Glaze

Powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla whisked until pourable. Dip once for a light coat, or let it set 15 minutes and dip again for that thick, glossy finish.

Powdered Sugar

Shake the donuts one at a time in a zip top bag of powdered sugar. If it won’t stick, brush them lightly with melted butter first.

Cinnamon Sugar

Same method as powdered sugar, with cinnamon mixed into granulated sugar. A light brush of melted butter helps it cling.

Want more glaze flavors? Try my homemade donut glaze.

How to Store Homemade Baked Donuts

Room temperature: Keep donuts in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days, away from heat. The oil keeps them moist the whole time.

Freezing: Plain and chocolate glazed donuts freeze well. Let them cool completely, wrap each one in plastic wrap, and freeze in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.

Powdered sugar and cinnamon sugar note: Don’t freeze these with the coating on. The sugar turns sticky and slides off as they thaw. Freeze them plain, thaw, then shake them in the coating.

To thaw: Leave them on the counter for about 30 minutes. Plain donuts can also go in the microwave for about 20 seconds.

Baked Donut Recipe Tips

Measure the flour carefully: Too much or too little flour easily changes the texture. Weigh it on a kitchen scale if you have one. If not, fluff the flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into the measuring cup without tapping, and level it with the back of a knife.

Prep the pan right: Spray the donut pan, then wipe it with a paper towel so the coating is thin and even. Wipe the flat top of the pan too, so oil beads don’t sit there while the donuts bake. Don’t skip the spray, or good luck getting the donuts out.

Pipe the batter: Pipe the batter from a zip top bag for uniform, even donuts. Spooning works too, but you’ll need to spread the batter into an even layer.

Check for doneness: Start checking at 10 minutes. The tops should spring back when pressed, and a toothpick in the thickest part should come out clean.

Release them clean: Let the donuts cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Flip the pan upside down and tap it against the counter, and they drop right out.

Baked Donuts Recipe FAQs

More Breakfast Recipes

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