Baked Vanilla Glazed Donuts — Slightly dense and cake-like, these vanilla glazed donuts are baked rather than fried. Perfect for weekend brunches and special occasion breakfasts!
Easy Baked Glazed Donut Recipe
When I bought my donut pan, I didn’t know I was going to enjoy making homemade donuts as much as I have been. But boy, I’m glad I finally got around to picking up that donut pan.
These donuts remind me of the Original Krispy Kreme Glazed Donuts. These vanilla donuts are baked, not fried, so they are not exactly the same as KK’s, but they’re remarkably similar.
Let’s face it, baked and fried, apples and oranges, but you’d be surprised how similar these are.
If you’ve never had a KK doughnut, you’re missing out!
No Krispy Kreme? No drive-thru? No problem.
It’s probably better that way, anyway. And you can make these baked vanilla donuts.
They are dense and yes, they are a ‘cake-style’ donut, but they are very moist. They are not cakey or dry like many cake-style donuts tend to be. You know those donuts that taste like you’re eating dry cardboard or ground up chalk?
These are not like that at all. The texture of them is what you’d have if there was a marriage between a donut and a muffin top. Moist and dense.
This recipe is so easy and yielded great tasting donuts. Like, you need these in your life, right now!
I loved that they were not fried because I just don’t make fried food. Not because of health or dietary objections. Oh no, that’s not the reason I don’t do fried food.
It’s because the thought of standing in front of a pot of grease and having it splatter all over me, my stove top, and stink up my house with that grease smell that lingers for days is a triple whammy.
No thanks. I’ll bake, sans grease. In 10 minutes of baking time I can have these bad boys.
What’s in the Baked Vanilla Glazed Donuts?
To make the baked vanilla donuts, you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Buttermilk
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Butter
And to make the vanilla glaze recipe, all you’ll need is:
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Milk or heavy cream
How to Make Baked Vanilla Glazed Donuts
From start to finish — making the batter, baking the donuts, letting them cool for 5 minutes, and then glazing them, and even doing the dishes — this recipe was a 30-minute project.
Simply whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then add in the wet ingredients.
Using a piping bag or a Ziplock bag with a tip snipped off, pipe the batter into a 6-count donut pan.
Bake the vanilla donuts until they spring back quickly when gently poked.
Let the donuts cool for about 5 minutes before dipping into the vanilla glaze.
Can I Make This Recipe Without a Donut Pan?
Yes! If you don’t have a donut and really don’t foresee yourself buying one, you can make these donuts as muffins instead. I tried that with the leftover batter because I could have made 7 donuts but instead I made 6 donuts + 2 small muffins.
But maybe looking at these will convince you to just buy the stinkin’ donut pan. I have no idea what took me so long, either.
Can I Bake These in a Mini Donut Pan?
I’m sure you could, but I don’t have the patience for baking mini foods so I can’t advise you on the bake time. I’d fill the mini donut pan about 2/3 full and watch them like a hawk in the oven!
Can I Add Sprinkles?
Of course! Add the sprinkles a minute or two after you’ve glazed the vanilla donuts.
Can Glazed Donuts Be Frozen?
Yes! Let the vanilla glazed donuts cool completely on your counter, then seal inside a freezer bag for up to three months. When ready to eat, thaw on your counter.
Tips for Making Baked Vanilla Donuts
I think making the glaze with some sort of cream, rather than water or milk, is best. That’s what I did because I love a good, rich glaze. I want to try making the glaze with coconut milk next.
Interestingly enough, the baked glazed donuts got better the second day. There were two donuts left over and 24 hours later, the glaze had really soaked into the donuts leaving them heavier, denser, and even more moist and rich.
If you like “light and airy” donuts that are really cakey and dry, don’t make this recipe. And definitely don’t let them sit with a glaze on them for 24 hours. But I actually love that really dense and heavy texture. I’ve always said I love leftovers.
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Baked Vanilla Glazed Donuts
Ingredients
For the Donuts:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt, I omitted
- 6 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
For the Glaze:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, use more if you like a stronger vanilla flavor
- 1-2 teaspoons milk or heavy cream
Instructions
For the Donuts:
- Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F and lightly grease or cooking-spray a donut pan (or muffin tin).
- In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon (and salt).
- Add buttermilk, egg, vanilla and melted butter. Whisk or stir to combine.
- Use a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip (or a Ziploc bag with a corner cut off) to pipe the batter into a 6-donut pan. Or just be extra neat and do this with a spoon, which is what I did.
- Bake 8 to 11 minutes in the preheated oven, until donuts spring back when touched or until dough is set. Donuts will not be golden brown, but should be springy. (I always underbake my baked goods but in my oven these took 10-11 minutes to set up)
- Allow to cool slightly before removing from pan, about 5 minutes.
For the Glaze:
- While donuts are baking or cooling, make the glaze by combining powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and liquid of your choice. Add the water or milk, one teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.
- Dip the donuts into the glaze while warm (or cool).
- Add sprinkles or other extras at end, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Baked Donut Recipes:
Baked Chocolate Sprinkle Donuts — Making donuts at home is as easy as making muffins! These chocolate sprinkle donuts are baked rather than fried so you can have seconds, of course!
Baked Lemon Donuts with Lemon Glaze — These taste like the Starbucks lemon loaf, but in donut (or mini muffin) form!! Easy, no mixer recipe with a tart-yet-sweet lemon glaze that’s PERFECT!
Banana Donuts with Browned Butter Caramel Glaze — Banana bread in the form of soft, fluffy baked donuts and donut holes!!
Baked Cinnamon Donuts — If you’re a cinnamon roll fan, you’re going to love these donuts.
Cinnamon Sugar Mini Donut Muffins – Part cinnamon-sugar donut hole, part mini-muffin, no matter what you call them, they’re fast and easy to make, and so tasty and pop-able.
My donut pan is one of my favorite kitchen purchases. Definitely worth the money!
These look fantastic, especially the texture. And I agree about the icing – the more the better in my book! :) I love a good chocolate glazed donut from Dunkin’ Donuts once in a blue moon, but you’re right that there are definitely some locations that have better donuts than others. I generally feel like I can make a better donut (with less scary ingredients) at home.
Glad Im not the only one who thinks that about DD’s. And yes, at-home donut pan is the best 8 bucks Ive spent in awhile!
MMMMMMM. I love Krispy Kreme, but the last time I gorged, I mean had some I felt really sick afterward:( SOOOOO, making a semi healthier version at home sounds like just what the doctor ordered for this preggie chick:) haha.
congrats on the cinnabun in your oven :)
These donuts look tremendous. That donut pan of yours is really making some beautiful sweets – love it! And I am completely loving that wood panel/tabletop – gorgeous photos!
thanks for the photo compliments, Melissa. Means a lot coming from you :)
I’m not even hungry and I want these right now.
When we were kids my grandmother would make them (or we’d help) and just used the canned biscuits. Krispy Kreme was a fave and I think b/c they didn’t have one in the city I grew up in – just in the city where my dad was living. So it was a huge treat when we stayed with him on the weekends.
omg.. those look soo good. I don’t dare get a donut pan or I’d probably make them all the time.
mm yes dense and moist over cakey anyday! Glad the family loved them, they must seriously love how much you’ve been baking lately! I used to buy the french cruellers from DD’s growing up. And the jelly donut were also my favorite!
The look so delicious! I love the glaze that you added on top. They almost (*almost*) look too pretty to eat. ;)
I got my doughnut pan and started playing this weekend! I WILL come up with my version of the perfect gluten free/dairy free doughnuts if it kills me. I do love the pan though!
oooh, Sarena I can’t wait to see that!! I have been trying for a while… and eating all the yummy “trials” ;) -Kris
I am thinking that the flour could be replaced with an almond/coconut or some other GF mix and for milk, use almond milk. The buttermilk is thick/dense so if using almond milk, the flour could be thicker and denser, i.e. like an almond or coconut flour would be. Then add more baking soda/powder. If also removing the egg, further compensations are necessary but it’s do-able..I just haven’t the time to trial it…I’ll save that project for you :)
These look great and I actually prefer baked donuts to fried. The fried ones seem to sit in my stomach like a lead weight. I’ll gladly take the taste of a Krispy Kreme without the heartburn :)
These look delicious! Headed to BB and Beyond today for my donut pan!
I know hat you are into pinterest – I tried signing up but am on the waiting list. Any way you could send me an invite? I am addicted already and don’t even have an account :)
What’s your email address that you want it sent to?
It’s Tara.kavanagh@ymail.com – thanks! :)
just did it
never heard of ymail but I copy/pasted it into an invite!
Thank you so much! I’m about to waste a lot of time.. I think ymail is yahoo’s version of gmail but it never took off, lol
awesome recipe and photos! i agree: cakey donuts are the best.
i am with you on avoiding frying – the thought of really hot grease and me not being confident is enough to keep me away. so i have never made donuts. for me, it’s one of those things where i am happy to buy one when i want one.
the most popular donuts in canada are tim horton’s. i have fond memories of enjoying them, way back to childhood. my favourites are choco glazed, choco coconut, and chocolate walnut crunch. a good apple fritter is also divine (at the market, say).
glad your donuts were such a hit with the family! sounds like the pan was a good $8 “investment” and will be used a lot!
our neighbor in aruba is canadian and they own several Horton’s. I love their coffee that he brings down…and I bet the donuts are great. He doesn’t bring those down though :)
All I can think about right now is how much I want a donut! These look absolutely wonderful. I also love Krispy Kreme donuts but try to stay away from anywhere that sells them as I can easily inhale several in a sitting!
Good morning! This doesn’t have to do with donuts, but I have to tell you, I made your homemade Butterfinger bars last night and they were INCREDIBLE – Tasted just like the real thing! Even the texture was similar! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
thanks for LMK! that’s awesome and glad they were a hit!!
YUM – ok, you’ve convinced me. I’m going to get myself a donut pan as soon as I return back to the states. I actually looked for one here in HK today when I was grocery shopping but there were none :( I may have to hit up an actual cake shop to get one!
These doughnuts look so yummy! I need to invest in a doughnut pan so I can bake some up : )