These Vanilla Baked Donuts are soft, fluffy, and sweet with a classic vanilla flavor. Baked and not fried, they're topped with a delicious white glaze and rainbow sprinkles. They make an easy treat for any celebration (or just because).
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Our Baked Vanilla Donuts are a hit with the kids (and adults alike). They're elegant enough for birthday parties and celebrations, yet are simple enough to enjoy as an everyday treat. Baking your donuts means less mess - no oil to clean up! And it's a fun experience for the kids to glaze and decorate their donuts in their own special way. These donuts are easy to make, taste wonderful, and will be a hit for dessert. Try our chocolate baked donuts too!
If you love homemade sweet treats as much as we do, make sure to check out our copycat Crumbl milkshake cookies, chewy pumpkin cookies, minty Oreo milkshake and cheesecake milkshake next. Craving something a little fruity? Peach milkshakes are delicious!
Why You'll Love Vanilla Baked Donuts
- They're a healthier alternative to fried donuts and are easy to make at home.
- You can change the glaze color easily with food coloring to make them festive for different occasions and celebrations.
Ingredients
To make the donuts you need:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
To make the glaze you need:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Rainbow sprinkles
Yield: 6 regular size donuts or 12 mini donuts.
Tips from the Chef
- Want to make your donuts more colorful? Add a few drops of food coloring to the glaze. Pink is great for Valentine's Day and baby showers. Green is perfect for St. Patrick's Day. Orange works great for Halloween. Pick a festive color for any holiday or occasion!
- Make mini donuts for birthday parties and classroom celebrations or for small children. This recipe will yield 12 mini donuts using a mini donut pan.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a donut pan with nonstick spray or butter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk the sugar and egg until smooth. Add the milk, vanilla extract and melted butter. Mix until well combined.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Spoon the donut batter into a piping bag or ziplock bag with the tip snipped off, and pipe the batter evenly into the donut pan, filling each cavity about ¾ full.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the donuts spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick comes out clean. If making mini donuts, bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk (or cream), and vanilla extract until smooth. If you'd like a thicker glaze, add more sugar. For a thinner glaze, add a tiny splash of more milk.
- Dip the tops of the cooled donuts into the glaze, letting the excess drip off. Immediately top with rainbow sprinkles before the glaze sets.
How To Store Baked Donuts
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for 4-5 days.
To freeze: freeze plain (unglazed) donuts for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and dip in the glaze before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Make sure your pan is well-greased, especially if it's not nonstick. Let the donuts cool for 1-2 minutes before removing.
Absolutely! Just double all ingredients and bake in batches if needed.
Make sure the donuts are completely cooled before glazing. You can speed up this process by putting them in the fridge for about 5 minutes before glazing. Store glazed donuts at room temperature, making sure the location is not too warm.
Recipe
Baked Vanilla Donuts
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk, or heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a donut pan with nonstick spray or butter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk the sugar and egg until smooth. Add the milk, vanilla extract and melted butter. Mix until well combined.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Spoon the batter into a piping bag or zip-top bag with the tip snipped off, and pipe the batter evenly into the donut pan, filling each cavity about ¾ full.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the donuts spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick comes out clean. If making mini donuts, bake for 8-10 minutes. Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk (or cream), and vanilla extract until smooth. If you'd like a thicker glaze, add more sugar. For a thinner glaze, add a tiny splash of more milk.
- Dip the tops of the cooled donuts into the glaze, letting the excess drip off. Immediately top with rainbow sprinkles before the glaze sets.
Notes
Nutrition
Maddy says
My family loved this recipe! We can't wait to make it again.