The Best Baked Donut Recipe (+ Video)
This recipe for glazed sour cream donuts is a sweet treat. They are easy to whip up and bake in the oven. It is the best-baked donut recipe and takes less than an hour to make, bake, and glaze. And I have a special donut baking pan just for the occasion.
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Just Like Old Fashioned Donuts
Old-fashioned donuts are some of my favorite desserts. And we all love donuts, but we don’t always like them fried.
Can Donuts Be Baked Instead Of Fried?
Absolutely! And they taste wonderful baked. I am going to show you how to make them in this recipe.
This recipe is a great way to make sour cream cake donuts without all the fried fuss and grease.
And, if this is your first time making donuts, you will be pleasantly surprised because the recipe is super easy.
DISCLAIMER: This post is sponsored by Zulay Kitchen. As always, the opinions are honest and are all my own.
We Love An Easy Homemade Donut Recipe
We really love donuts around here, and there’s no hiding it, but I’ve never been one to make them at home, and it’s mainly because it seems like a lot of work.
But I found out about a donut pan set from Zulay Kitchen that I thought would be fun to try out. And it made the process so easy, and there’s no frying involved.
It’s a non-stick donut pan that’s a great addition to the kitchen.
I ended up making several dozen donuts with the pans and have been very happy with how the donuts baked and turned out.
The recipe is super easy and always comes out delicious. You can vary it a little bit and choose different glazes or top with chocolate or another type of frosting.
Y’all will love this dessert.
Kitchen Tools for the Easy Donut Recipe
I first heard about Zulay Kitchen after my husband made a delivery to them last year. I love that they are a local company here in the Tampa Bay area.
Be sure to check out their extensive list of kitchen items, including a Bento Lunch Box, lemon-lime squeezer, cookie press, cheesecake pan, and one of our favorites…the milk frother.
My husband can’t drink his coffee without using the milk frother first. Seriously, he LOVES that thing. And coffee always tastes great with a baked glazed donut.
What Ingredients Do I Need For The Old Fashioned Sour Cream Donuts?
Dry Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Light brown sugar, packed
Wet Ingredients
- Sour cream
- Butter, melted
- Vegetable oil
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
Glaze
- Powdered sugar
- Milk
A full printable recipe with measurements and instructions is listed at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.
By the way, donut or doughnut?
Doughnut is the grammatically correct way to spell the delicious treat, but we’ve Americanized it over here, and most people spell it donut.
So, either spelling will work, and I will come running for a donut or doughnut every time. As long as you have one, I don’t care how you spell it.
If you love donuts, you’ll love this tasty lemon pound cake recipe and this scrumptious pound cake recipe.
How To Make The Best Baked Donut Recipe
Gather your ingredients for the baked donut recipe. You don’t need the 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 of the piping bag so you can add the donut batter to the pan. For best results, don’t cut a large hole. Keep it fairly small, about the size of the tip of your index finger.
Tips to Make Perfect Donuts
- TIP: For this recipe, use a disposable piping bag. I learned the hard way that if you cut a large opening at the end of the bag, you will be squeezing too much batter into the pan, and you will end up with more of a muffin instead of a baked donut.
- I had to transfer my batter into another bag because I cut the original hole too large, and it was adding too much to the pan.
- The picture below is the perfect amount for the donut pan. And if you go a little over or under, it’s ok. They will still taste great.
Like in the photo below, the donuts will rise quite a bit bigger when you bake them.
Other Donut Toppings
- Cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top of the glaze to make cinnamon sugar donuts.
- Chocolate glaze made with cocoa, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Sprinkle a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon on top of the glaze.
- Top with some holiday sprinkles for festive glazed donuts.
Bake the donuts for 10 minutes.
Donut Baking Pan
I was excited to get the donut pan from Zulay Kitchen because we’d tried some of their other kitchen items and loved them so much. Since I made this recipe, I have used the pan several more times, and it cleans up very easily. It’s also dishwasher-safe to make life easier. The pan is a non-stick pan, but I decided to test that out. I used non-stick spray on one pan and nothing on the other, and in the long run, I didn’t need the non-stick spray because the donuts slid right out of the pan. Easy peasy.
After the donuts are baked, they will be a little darker on the bottom, and that’s normal. They will be golden brown on the top.
Baked Glazed Donut Recipe
Finally, mix the powdered sugar and milk for the glaze (recipe below) in a small bowl. Dip the donuts into the glaze, place it on a cooling rack, and allow the glaze to harden.
Who says you need to go to a donut shop for the best donuts? The donuts are great breakfast treats, especially when they are freshly glazed. This is such a simple glaze recipe, and it takes about one minute to mix it up and dip a donut.
This has become one of our favorite recipes around here, and it’s fun to try different toppings on the fresh donuts. It doesn’t take a large amount of time to make them, and that is part of why we love them! Be sure to get the recipe, bake them up, and grab a cup of coffee to enjoy with your donut.
How Do I Store The Donuts?
You can store the donuts in an airtight container and leave them on the counter or in the refrigerator.
Tips for making the old-fashioned baked donut recipe
- Once you add the donut batter to a large baggie, cut a small hole in the bottom corner. Otherwise, you will be adding too much batter to the donut pan, and the donuts will rise and look more like a muffin.
- When you remove the donuts from the oven, dip them into the glaze as soon as possible to seal in some of the moisture.
- Bake the sour cream donut recipe for 10 minutes because anything over will cause the cake donuts to be a little dry. It’s okay if the inside of the donut is still a tad moist.
Creative Donut Flavors and Toppings to Try
Here are some fun flavors to try with your donuts to switch things up now and again:
- Chocolate lover’s dream – Dip your donuts in some decadent chocolate icing for an indulgent dessert. Or add some unsweetened cocoa powder and sugar to make chocolate cake donuts.
- Fruity delights – Add some fresh fruity glaze such as lemon, raspberry, or a blueberry compote topping.
- Spicy donuts – Add some warm and aromatic spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom for a cozy and comforting treat.
- Crunchy Textures – Roll your donuts in crushed nuts, sprinkles, or cookie crumbs for an added layer of flavor and texture.
- Try a Savory Twist – Donuts aren’t just for a sweet tooth! Try some savory flavors like cheddar cheese, bacon, or herbs for a unique treat.
- Old-fashioned flavors – Sprinkle your favorite seasoning on top after dipping them in the glaze. Or do it while the donuts are on the baking sheet before they go into the oven. You can also drizzle on some maple glaze for a deep flavor.
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.
Grab a glass of warm milk and give some of these classic cake donuts a try.
Can Homemade Baked Donuts Be Frozen?
Yes, baked donuts can be frozen. However, I would freeze them before adding glaze. Once you thaw them out to room temperature, you can add the glaze to the baked donuts.
Are Baked Donuts Healthier Than Fried?
Yes, baked donuts, on average, are healthier than fried ones because you are baking them and not frying them in grease, which typically has more calories.
More Delicious Desserts
- An old-fashioned fudge recipe with peanut butter is a great addition to any party.
- Hello Dolly bars are an easy treat to make with only a few ingredients.
- Pecan pie cobbler is a hit with any crowd.
Old Fashioned Sour Cream Donuts
This homemade baked donut recipe is a delightful way to satisfy your donut craving with less hassle. Using simple ingredients, you can create fluffy donuts that are perfect for Christmas morning or as a warm treat the next day. I am guessing this recipe will become one of your favorite things.
Baked Donut Recipe with Sour Cream (+ Video)
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.
