These baked vanilla donuts have a soft, cake-like texture and are topped with a sweet vanilla glaze and colorful sprinkles. They take just 20 minutes to make, with no deep-frying required.

Vanilla glazed baked donuts cooling on a wire rack.

While fried donuts are delicious, I usually prefer something a little quicker and lighter. These vanilla donuts are baked, not fried, and don’t require yeast or rising time.

Once they’re cool, you can dip them in vanilla glaze and top them with your favorite sprinkles. They’re perfect for a quick breakfast or paired with my banana muffins and pull-apart bread for a weekend brunch spread.

Recipe Highlights

  • Quick and easy: Just mix the batter, fill your donut pan, and bake.
  • Kid-friendly: Fun to decorate with colorful glazes and sprinkles.
  • Customizable: Change the glaze or add your favorite toppings to suit the occasion.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

For the donuts:

Ingredients for baked vanilla donuts: flour, sugar, milk, butter, egg, baking powder, vanilla extract, and salt.

For the vanilla glaze:

Ingredients for vanilla glaze: powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, salt, food coloring, and sprinkles.
  • Flour: All-purpose flour gives the best results.
  • Sugar: Granulated sugar for the batter and powdered sugar for a smooth vanilla glaze.
  • Baking powder: Helps the donuts rise. Make sure it’s fresh.
  • Butter: Melted and unsalted. If substituting salted butter, reduce the added salt.
  • Milk: I prefer skim milk, but whole, low-fat, or plant-based milk works too.
  • Egg: At room temperature for easier mixing.
  • Vanilla extract: Try almond extract or spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or chai for a different flavor.
  • Food coloring: I used Wilton icing colors in pink and rose.

See the recipe card below for a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions.

How to Make Baked Vanilla Donuts

Whisking flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.
Step 1 – In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract in a bowl.
Step 2 – In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
Stirring wet and dry ingredients together to make the donut batter.
Step 3 – Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined.
Donut batter piped into a greased donut pan.
Step 4 – Fill the greased donut pan about ¾ full and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8-10 minutes.
Freshly baked donuts cooling on a wire rack before glazing.
Step 5 – Cool in the pan for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Unglazed donuts on a wire rack beside a bowl of pink vanilla glaze.
Step 6 – While they cool, whisk the glaze ingredients until smooth.
Dipping a baked vanilla donut into pink vanilla glaze.
Step 7 – Dip the tops of the donuts into the vanilla glaze, letting the excess drip off.
Vanilla glazed donuts topped with colorful sprinkles on a wire rack.
Step 8 – Return them to the wire rack and add sprinkles while the glaze is still wet. Let it set before serving.

Recipe Variations

  • Different glazes: Try chocolate, coconut, mocha, or pumpkin spice.
  • Add-ins: Stir mini chocolate chips, berries, or rainbow sprinkles into the batter.
  • Toppings: Finish with toasted coconut, chopped nuts, or crushed candy canes for the holidays.
  • Cinnamon sugar donuts: Skip the glaze and coat the warm donuts in cinnamon sugar.
  • Lemon strawberry donuts: Add lemon zest to the batter and top with a strawberry glaze made with puréed berries.
  • Dairy-free option: Substitute plant-based milk and butter.

Elena’s Tips

  • Measure the flour accurately: I recommend using a kitchen scale. If measuring with cups, fluff the flour, spoon it into the cup, and level it with a knife. Too much flour can make the donuts dry.
  • Room-temperature ingredients: Let the egg and milk come to room temperature so they combine more easily with the melted butter.
  • Don’t overmix: Stir until just combined. Overmixing can make the donuts dense or tough.
  • Grease the pan: Lightly coat the cavities with butter or nonstick spray so the donuts release easily without breaking.
  • Don’t overfill: Fill each cavity about three-quarters full to prevent the batter from overflowing and closing up the holes.
  • No donut pan? You can bake the batter in a muffin pan instead. The result will be more like small vanilla cakes rather than donuts, and the baking time may need adjusting.
  • Cool before glazing: Let the donuts cool completely, or the glaze may become too thin and run off.
  • Add sprinkles immediately: Decorate while the glaze is still wet so the sprinkles stick properly.

Make Ahead & Storage

Make ahead: Bake and glaze the donuts up to 24 hours in advance. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Leftovers: Keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Arrange them in a single layer to prevent the glaze from sticking.

Freezing: Freeze unglazed donuts in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Once solid, transfer to a freezer bag and store for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then glaze before serving.

Plain and glazed donuts arranged on a wire rack.

More Breakfast Recipes

If you’ve made these vanilla baked donuts, leave a comment and rating below. I’d love to know how they turned out for you.

Vanilla glazed baked donuts on a wire rack—light, fluffy, and perfect for a no-fry donut treat.
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How To Make It: Baked Vanilla Donuts

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
(5 stars) 86 ratings
These baked vanilla donuts have a soft, cake-like texture and a sweet vanilla glaze. They take just 20 minutes from start to finish, with no yeast or frying required.

Ingredients

For the donuts

  • 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup + ½ tablespoon (70 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • ⅓ cup + 1½ tablespoon (100 ml) skim milk, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the vanilla glaze

  • ⅔ cup (80 g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 small pinch of salt
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk
  • Optional: food coloring and sprinkles

Equipment

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
    Lightly grease a donut pan with nonstick spray or butter.

Make the donuts

  1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
  3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined. Don’t overmix; a few lumps are fine.
  4. Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared donut pan, filling each cavity about three-quarters full.
  5. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Let the donuts cool in the pan for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the glaze

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt.
  2. Add 1 tablespoon of milk and stir until smooth. If needed, add more milk, about ½ teaspoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
    For a colored glaze, stir in a drop or two of food coloring.

Assemble

  1. Dip the top of each cooled donut into the glaze, then lift and give it a little twist to let the excess drip off.
  2. Return the donuts to the wire rack and add sprinkles or toppings immediately.
  3. Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes before serving or stacking.

Notes

  • Milk: Whole, low-fat, skim, or plant-based milk all work.
  • Piping tip: A piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner snipped off makes filling the pan easier.
  • Don’t overfill: Fill each cavity about three-quarters full. If the holes close during baking, carefully cut them open with a small round cutter or piping tip.
  • Make ahead: Bake and glaze up to 24 hours in advance. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
  • Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
  • Freezing: Freeze unglazed donuts in an airtight container or freezer bag for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then glaze before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 donut, Calories: 198 kcal, Carbohydrates: 36 g, Protein: 3.5 g, Fat: 4.8 g, Saturated Fat: 2.7 g, Cholesterol: 41 mg, Sodium: 290 mg, Fiber: 0.6 g, Sugar: 19 g
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment or share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #aseasyasapplepie. We’d love to see what you come up with!
Author: Elena Tomasi
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American