Baked Donut Recipe
This recipe for glazed sour cream donuts is easy to whip up and bake in the oven, creating fluffy, moist, cake-style donuts made with simple pantry ingredients. The recipe takes less than an hour to make, bake, and glaze. And I am sharing a special donut baking pan just for the occasion.
| Prep Time | Cook Time/Cool Time | Servings | Prep Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 minutes | 10 minutes/30 minutes | 15 | Beginner + |
DISCLAIMER: This post is sponsored by Zulay Kitchen. As always, the opinions are honest and are all my own.
Just Like Old-Fashioned Donuts
In my Southern kitchen, where the smell of baking always means something good is coming out of the oven, I’ve perfected this donut recipe. They have a warm, comforting flavor, just like an old-fashioned sour cream donut, and are baked to perfection, without the need for frying. They are topped with a sweet, easy glaze, and I am confident you will love them.
Ingredient Notes
One of the great things about this recipe is that it uses simple ingredients right out of your pantry and refrigerator. Sour cream is going to set this recipe apart because it adds that creamy tang and moisture that keeps the donuts soft. If you’re not a big fan of sour cream, you can use Greek yogurt instead.
You can finish off the donuts with a sweet glaze made with just milk and powdered sugar for a rich dessert.
A full printable recipe with measurements and instructions is listed at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.
Tips to Make Perfect Donuts
Be sure to follow these tips for the perfect donuts every time.
- After mixing the wet and dry ingredients, the batter will be very thick. That is what you want because it will create that thick cake-like texture when baked.
- For this recipe, use a disposable piping or Ziplock bag. I learned the hard way that cutting a large opening at the end of the bag means you’ll squeeze too much batter into the pan, resulting in a muffin rather than a baked donut. So, keep the opening small and about the size of the tip of your index finger.
- When the donuts are done baking, they will be golden brown on top. Don’t be tempted to overbake, or they will dry out. They will also be a little darker on the bottom, and that’s normal.
- When you remove the donuts from the oven, dip them into the glaze as soon as possible to seal in some of the moisture. Then, allow the donuts to cool.
How To Make The Best Baked Donut Recipe
Gather your ingredients for the baked donut recipe. You don’t need a donut cutter for this recipe. You can use the handy donut pan. When you order the Zulay Donut Pan, you will get two pans in the package, so you can easily make a dozen baked donuts and save a step.
Start by adding the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a medium-sized bowl. Mix the ingredients together on medium speed and set the bowl aside.
Next, add the sour cream, light brown sugar, melted butter, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl. Mix everything together. I used my large countertop mixer, but you can use a hand mixer as well for this recipe.
Add the eggs to the batter, one at a time, and mix them in.
Next, combine the flour mixture with the batter and mix until well blended. It will be a thick batter.
Pour the batter into a large Ziplock bag and cut the tip off.
Like in the photo below, the donuts will rise quite a bit bigger when you bake them, so be sure not to overfill.
Bake the donuts for 10 minutes.
Glaze Topping
Finally, mix the powdered sugar and milk for the glaze (recipe below) in a small bowl. Dip the donuts into the glaze, place them on a cooling rack, and allow the glaze to harden while they cool.
FAQs, Storage, And Freezing Instructions
Store the donuts in an airtight container and leave them on the counter or in the refrigerator. They will stay fresher longer if kept in the refrigerator.
Can Homemade Baked Donuts Be Frozen?
Yes, baked donuts can be frozen. However, I would freeze them before adding the glaze. Once you thaw them out to room temperature, you can top with the glaze.
Donut Trivia
- What is the most popular type of donut? Glazed, of course!
- Who invented donuts? An American named Hanson Gregory invented the ring shape of the donut. In 1847, he was aboard a lime-trading ship and came up with the idea at the ripe age of 16!
- What is a cake donut? It’s a donut that is leavened with baking powder and without yeast.
Baked Donut Recipe
Ingredients
Donut Mixture
- 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425-degrees.
- Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium-sized bowl.
- In a separate large bowl, add the sour cream, brown sugar, butter, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract and mix well.
- Add the eggs one at a time and mix well.
- Finally, add the flour mixture and mix well.
- Scoop the batter into a large bag and cut a small amount off of the tip of the bag.
- Pipe the batter into the donut pan in a circle.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Make the glaze while the donuts are baking by mixing the two ingredients.
- Once the donuts finish baking, place them into the glaze mixture one at a time. Set on a cookie rack to cool and harden. Allow the donuts to cool for about 30 minutes.
I am a sucker for a good donut and sour cream donuts rank right up there. I wish I could nab one of yours while I wait for mine to bake!
Thanks so much, Carlee! Wouldn’t it be great it we could reach right through the screen?!
Your Baked Donut will be a very special treat! Hope you are having a really good week and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday!
Miz Helen
Thanks so much, Miz Helen!
They were wonderful
Thanks so much, I love to hear that!
I just made these as my very first attempt at baked donuts. OMW, this recipe is a keeper!
Awesome! I love to hear that. Thanks for sharing!
Surprisingly good. Next time I will double dip the glaze.
I made these donuts and they turned out so good my family loved them, thank you for sharing this recipe ❤️
That’s great to hear. Thanks for sharing!
These where ok, I found that they didn’t taste anything like sour cream glazed donuts but still ok.
Perfect in every way. I opted for a half recipe then brushed the finished donuts lightly with melted butter to help hold cinnamon sugar. Very happy
Question
I do not have any Sour cream. Can I substitute my homemade 0% Greek yogurt?
I think that would probably work. I hope you love them.
Can this dough be made and frozen? If so for how long will it be good?
Hi Vanessa,
I haven’t ever frozen the dough. But, you probably can. I would probably leave the sour cream out and then add it in when you thaw it. Hope that helps.
Taste was off. More like a bland cinnamon donut. My son wouldn’t eat it.
I would have to agree with another comment, these didn’t taste anything like sour cream glazed donuts. If it wasn’t for the glaze they would have no taste at all. I’ve seen recipes that call just for the egg yolk only. I’ll try them again that way.
Does anyone know if you could make a bunch of the batter and store it for later use?
Since there are only two of us I divided the recipe exactly in half.
It made a perfect mini dozen!
That’s great! Aren’t they the yummiest?!
My three year old and I made these today and they are AMAZING! We will be making them again.
That’s great to hear! Thank you for sharing!
These donuts look excellent, I cant wait to try them. thanks so much for sharing them at full plate Thursday.
Thank you, Stacy!
How should these be stored, and how long are they good for? Also can they be frozen?
Hi Kaela,
I would keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They can be frozen for up to two months. Hope you love them!
Well, don’t put them in the glaze immediately. They fall apart.
Taste was good but not what I expected for a sour cream donut ike I usually buy.
I’m taking them to work tomorrow, that is the litmus test.
I hope they love them! Let me know what they thought!
How do I get this donut recipe? It is completely blocked by a link that takes me to a suspicious page.
Hi Rosalind, it’s a link to sign up for my newsletter, but give it a try now. You shouldn’t have any problems getting the recipe. Enjoy!
Love these! Just made them a second time this morning. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome!
Very bland and tasteless.. wouldn’t make again
This recipe is great. I don’t understand the people that say “these taste nothing like sour cream doughnuts” maybe you should learn how to read & follow instructions & things would turn out how they are intended to. To the person that posted this recipe, thank you! These turned out fantastic. To all of you who don’t know what you’re doing, stay out of the kitchen & stick to buying doughnuts filled with preservatives & high fructose corn syrup. Thank you again!
If using a sugar sprinkle, before or after baking?
Lynnita
I would do it after so the sugar doesn’t melt. Hope you love it!
I had high hopes. Bland and batter was way to thick. Didn’t have a lot of flavor
Sounds good
What can be substitute for sour cream?
You can substitute sour cream with some plain Greek yogurt. Hope you enjoy them!
Planned to make these but dont have a metal donut pan, instead I have one of those rubber donut moulds. Could that work as well? Would I need to change the baking time?
I haven’t made them in a rubber mold. I think it would work fine. I would read up on it, but I think you do cook them a few minutes longer.
“Newbie” donut 🍩 baker here… how would I change the recipe (need measurements) to make this a chocolate donut with chocolate frosting?
I haven’t made it as a chocolate donut. You could probably add a couple of tablespoons of cocoa to the mix. I would add two tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa to the glaze to make chocolate.
Could you make this batter the night before to bake in the morning?
I think that would work. I would let it sit on the counter for about 10-15 minutes before squeezing it out into the donut pan so it will squeeze out easier. Hope you love it!
I’m not much into sweets. These needs more sugar, less time and added liquid. The dough was stiff. It would be nice I suppose to roll them out. I added 2x the cinnamon and nutmeg. It was still bland.
Needs way more sugar or some kind of flavoring or something. Doesn’t taste or have the texture of a sour cream donut at all. More like a bland cake.
Tried these donuts & were yummy. Had a family request to make chocolate donuts. Can I just add some cocoa powder to this recipe? How much & would I need to adjust any of the other ingredients?
I haven’t added chocolate to these, but you could try and switch out 1/2 cup of flour for 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder. Let me know how they turn out.
Hello,can I use half sour cream and half yogurt?
Hi Liza,
That should work fine. I hope you like them!
Hate when I have to sign up to view a recipe! Won’t do it
Hi Rebecca,
You don’t have to sign up to get the recipe. You should be able to view it and print it without any problem. What showed up when you went to look at the recipe?
can you just pipe free-form donuts or do you have to have a donut pan?
Hi Liz, great question! I would say you would need the pan because they will spread out as they bake. If you don’t mind them spreading out then it would be ok, but they probably wouldn’t spread out in a circular shape.
Can I use greek yogurt in pkace of sour cream?
Hi Denise,
Yes you can. I hope you love it!
Delicious, easy recipe
So glad you liked it!
Easy, quick, and delicious! I substituted our favourite gluten free self raising flour and used dairy free yoghurt in place of the sour cream. I put a little too much batter in the pan, so they were a bit thick.
Those are great substitutes! Thank you for sharing. What kind of flour did you use?