Baked Doughnut Recipe
This Baked Doughnut Recipe is a great healthier alternative to fried donuts. These are Homemade Yeast Doughnuts that are definitely worth the effort! Make them cinnamon sugar or vanilla glazed for Krispy Kreme donuts right at home!
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Table of Contents
Baked Yeast Donuts
I’m a sucker for light, airy yeast raised donuts. My preference are glazed donuts, but, cinnamon sugar coated donuts are a close second. This donut recipe includes instructions for both, so choose your favorite.
Homemade Yeast Donuts are a bit labor intensive so it is more of a special occasion food. Or when you just have that urge to spend some time in the kitchen. But trust, the time and effort is definitely worth the payoff.
Ingredients Needed For Yeast Donuts From Scratch (screenshot for grocery list)
• All Purpose Flour
• Granulated Sugar
• Active Dry Yeast
• Large Eggs
• Salt
• Unsalted Butter
• Oil – Nonstick
How To Make Baked Yeast Doughnuts
- Combine warm water and yeast in measuring cup. Let sit in warm area for 5 mintes to proof yeast. Combine flour, sugar, yeast/water mixture, eggs and salt int large mixing bowl. If using a stand mixer use the dough hook attachment to mix on a medium speed for around 8 minutes or until the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl. You can also do this by hand using a wooden spoon, dough whisk or similar.
- Leaving the mixer on a medium speed, add the softened butter a little at a time making sure to fully incorporate the butter into the dough each time. When all the butter has been added, leave the mixer running on a low-medium speed for a further 5 minutes or until the dough is very smooth and elastic. If you’re not using a mixer, knead the dough by hand for 8-10 minutes.
- Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and leave the dough to rise and double in size. This will take approximately 1 hour depending how warm your kitchen is. It may take up to 3 hours if your kitchen is very cold.
- When the dough has risen, punch the air out of it and put it in the fridge for 24 hours. *See notes.
- When you’re ready to cook the donuts, line three baking trays with floured parchment paper.
- Roll the dough out until it is about 1/2 inch thick then use a 3.5 inch donut cutter (orsomething round, like a glass) to cut 15 donuts out of the dough. I then used an upturned piping nozzle to cut the donut holes from the middle of each donut. Anything small and round will work just as well.
- Transfer 5 donut rings and 5 donut holes to each baking tray, leaving space in-between them. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise for an hour or so.
- Meanwhile make your toppings.
- To make the Cinnamon coating, mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, melt the butter – you will use this to brush the donuts with later to give the cinnamon sugar something to stick to.
- To make the vanilla glaze, put the butter, sugar and vanilla into a small saucepan and melt together. When it has melted add the hot water a tablespoon at a time until the glaze reaches a runny consistency.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF
- Place donuts and holes onto greased baking sheet. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until golden brown. Flip once during cook time.
- While the donuts are still hot add the various toppings: Dip donuts into vanilla glaze. Brush the others with the butter that you melted earlier and dip them into the cinnamon sugar. Do the same with the donut holes. Transfer to cooling rack for 5 minutes to allow glaze to set.
Are Donuts Better Baked Or Fried?
This is a matter of personal preference. I enjoy both. Sometimes you just crave that greasy fried donut and other times a light baked donut sounds better.
Baked donuts will have less oil, fat and calories. But both are a treat.
Ingredients Needed Donut Glaze
Vanilla Glaze:
- butter
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
- hot water
Cinnamon Sugar:
- sugar
- cinnamon
- unsalted butter
Are Baked Donuts Good?
Absolutely!
These are not going to be 100% like the deep fried version. If only. They are a really wonderful alternative if you are trying to cut back on those fried foods.
How To Store Baked Doughnuts
Let them cool completely. Store in an air tight container or covered securely with plastic wrap. Donuts are best when enjoyed the day they are made, but, will last 1-2 days when properly stored.
More Dessert For Breakfast Recipes:
Classic Cream Puffs – Baked Cake Donuts – Mini Pancake Cereal – Air Fryer Donuts – Cheater Cinnamon Rolls – Homemade Rice Pudding
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BAKED DOUGHNUT RECIPE
Equipment
Ingredients
- DONUTS
- • 1/2 Cup Warm Water
- • 3 Cups All Purpose Flour*
- • 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
- • 2 1/2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
- • 4 Large Eggs
- • 2 teaspoons Salt
- • 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter softened and cut into small cubes
- • Vegetable Oil or Nonstick Spray for greasing
- CINNAMON SUGAR
- • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- VANILLA GLAZE
- • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- • 2 cups powdered sugar
- • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- • 2-4 tablespoons hot water
Instructions
- Combine warm water and yeast in measuring cup. Let sit in warm area for 5 mintes to proof yeast.
- Combine flour, sugar, yeast/water mixture, eggs and salt int large mixing bowl.
- If using a stand mixer use the dough hook attachment to mix on a medium speed for 8-10 minutes or until the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl. You can also do this by hand using a wooden spoon, dough whisk or similar. *If dough is too wet and is dripping, not binding, add more flour a little at a time while mixing until the dough comes together.
- Leaving the mixer on a medium speed, add the softened butter a little at a time making sure to fully incorporate the butter into the dough each time. When all the butter has been added, leave the mixer running on a low-medium speed for a further 5 minutes or until the dough is very smooth and elastic. If you’re not using a mixer, knead the dough by hand for 8-10 minutes.
Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and leave the dough to rise and double in size. This will take approximately 1 hour depending how warm your kitchen is. It may take up to 3 hours if your kitchen is very cold.
When the dough has risen, punch the air out of it and put it in the fridge for 24 hours. *See notes.
When you’re ready to cook the donuts, line three baking trays with floured parchment paper.
Roll the dough out until it is about 1/2 inch thick then use a 3.5 inch donut cutter (or something round, like a glass) to cut 10-15 donuts out of the dough. Use a donut hole cutter or an upturned piping nozzle to cut the donut holes from the middle of each donut. Anything small and round will work just as well.
Transfer 5 donut rings and 5 donut holes to each baking tray, leaving space in-between them. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise for an hour or so.
Meanwhile make your toppings.
To make the Cinnamon coating, mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, melt the butter – you will use this to brush the donuts with later to give the cinnamon sugar something to stick to.
To make the vanilla glaze, put the butter, sugar and vanilla into a small saucepan and melt together. When it has melted add the hot water a tablespoon at a time until the glaze reaches a runny consistency.
Preheat oven to 350ºF
Place donuts and holes onto greased baking sheet. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until golden brown. Flip once during cook time.
While the donuts are still hot add the various toppings: Dip donuts into vanilla glaze. Brush the others with the butter that you melted earlier and dip them into the cinnamon sugar. Do the same with the donut holes. Transfer to cooling rack for 5 minutes to allow glaze to set.
Notes
Nutrition
Welcome!
Nicole Harris is the recipe creator behind WonkyWonderful, sharing fast, budget-friendly meals for busy families. Since 2012 she’s been developing 30-minute dinners, kid-approved favorites, and holiday dishes with flair - all with real ingredients and no fuss. She grew up stretching simple pantry staples into something delicious, and that shows up in every recipe: easy, affordable, and full of flavor. Read more...
