These homemade buttermilk baked donuts are light and fluffy with an old-fashioned donut shop charm. They're baked using simple pantry ingredients and finished with a classic vanilla glaze.
These baked donuts are incredibly easy to make. Because they are yeast-free, they are also quick because there's no rising time involved in making the batter. All you need is a couple of mixing bowls and a wooden spoon—no stand mixer or any special equipment besides a donut pan.
These donuts make a great addition to your dessert or brunch table. Try them with my strawberry farmhouse cake and Dutch baby pancakes, or these lemon Dutch baby pancakes. When making any of these recipes, use homemade vanilla extract for the best flavor.
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⭐️ Why this recipe works
- Versatile: Easy to customize with various glazes and toppings.
- Simple ingredients: Uses pantry staples that are readily available.
- Family-friendly: Great for baking with kids, offering a fun and delicious activity.
- No Mess, No Fuss: Eliminates the mess and hassle of deep-frying, offering cleaner and simpler preparation.
🧾 Ingredients overview
- Buttermilk: Gives the donuts a tender crumb and a slight tanginess.
- Flour (all-purpose): The backbone of the donuts, providing the necessary structure. It's the standard choice for yielding a balanced texture that's neither too dense nor too airy, ideal for this type of pastry.
- Sugar: In addition to creating the perfect sweetness level, sugar also affects the texture and color of the donuts. It's indispensable for the dough and the glaze, contributing to the golden-brown finish and the crisp exterior that encases a soft interior.
- Egg: Helps to bind all the ingredients, contributing to the texture.
- Baking powder & Baking soda: These leavening agents are key for a light, airy donut.
- Vanilla extract: A flavor enhancer that adds a warm, aromatic depth.
- Butter: Introduces richness and tender mouthfeel, contributing to the moist and soft texture of the donuts. It also plays a crucial role in flavor development, offering a slight nuttiness and depth.
- Optional additions (like chocolate chips, blueberries): Allow for creative flavor variations.
For precise measurements and additional ingredients, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
👩🏻🍳 Here's how to make it
Baked donuts step-by-step
- Preheat your oven to the specified temperature and grease your donut pan with non-stick spray.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, thoroughly mix buttermilk, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until they're just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Fill the donut pan: Carefully spoon or pipe the batter into the donut pan, filling each cavity evenly.
- Bake: Place in the oven and bake until they turn golden and a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Prepare the glaze: While the donuts are cooling, mix powdered sugar with a little milk in a bowl until you achieve a smooth, slightly thick glaze. Adjust the consistency with more milk or powdered sugar as needed.
- Cool and glaze: Once the donuts are cool enough to handle but still warm, dip each one into the glaze, letting the excess drip off, or use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over them. Place them on a wire rack to set the glaze before serving.
💡 Chef's Guide: Expert Tips
Drawing from a decade in Michelin-starred kitchens and Cordon Bleu training, here are my top tips for recipe success.
- Don't overmix: To keep the donuts tender, mix until just combined.
- Measuring flour: Fluff, Spoon, and Level Accuracy in measuring flour is crucial. First, fluff up the flour in its container. Then, spoon it into your measuring cup without packing it down. Finally, level it off with the back of a knife. This method prevents the flour from being overly compacted, which could lead to dense donuts.
- Find the Perfect Consistency: If the glaze is too thick, add milk (or water) a teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. If it's too thin, gradually add more powdered sugar until it thickens up. The goal is for the glaze to smoothly coat a donut and set without dripping off excessively.
- Cooling Before Glazing: Allow the donuts to cool slightly before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting off. However, glazing while they're still a bit warm can help the glaze set nicely.
- Use a Piping Bag for Filling the Pan: For an even and clean way to get the batter into the donut cavities, use a piping bag or a large zip-top bag with a corner snipped off. This method offers more control than spooning the batter in.
- Test for Doneness: Since every oven is different, start checking for doneness a few minutes before the recipe suggests. A toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs when inserted into a donut.
🍯 Storing and reheating leftovers
- Room-Temp: Keep the donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Fridge: If not consumed within 3 days, store the donuts in the fridge, still in an airtight container, for up to 2-3 additional days.
- Freezer: Unglazed donuts can be frozen for longer storage. First, freeze them on a baking sheet to avoid sticking, then transfer to a freezer bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
❓Recipe FAQ's
If you don't have buttermilk, you can make a quick substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes before using.
Make sure not to overmix the batter, which can develop the gluten and make the donuts dense. Mix just until the dry and wet ingredients are combined.
Absolutely! You can add chocolate chips, blueberries, or chopped nuts to the batter. Just fold them in gently after combining the wet and dry ingredients.
This could be due to expired baking powder or baking soda. Ensure your leavening agents are fresh for the best rise. Also, be careful not to overfill the donut pan, which can hinder expansion.
To help the glaze set, ensure the donuts are completely cool before glazing. If the glaze is too thin, add more powdered sugar to thicken it. After glazing, let the donuts sit at room temperature until the glaze hardens.
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The BEST Buttermilk Baked Donuts
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 medium eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup icing sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon cherry juice or a drop of food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix wet ingredients: In another bowl or a measuring jug, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, vanilla pod seeds, melted butter, and vanilla extract until well incorporated.
- Prepare donut pans: Lightly grease standard or mini donut pans with cooking spray or melted butter.
- Fill the pans: Pour the batter into the donut pans, filling each cavity about ¾ full.
- Bake: Place in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the donuts are golden and bounce back when lightly touched.
- Cool: After baking, allow the donuts to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Make the glaze: In a bowl, combine the icing sugar and milk, whisking until you have a thick glaze. Adjust the thickness with more icing sugar if it’s too thin.
- Glaze the donuts: Dip the top of each cooled donut into the glaze, then place back on the cooling rack. If you wish to decorate, do so while the glaze is still wet.
Notes
- Glaze thickness: Add more icing sugar if the glaze is too runny.
- Doneness test: Insert a toothpick into a donut; it’s done if there are a few crumbs. A clean toothpick might indicate the donuts are overbaked.
Nutrition
Meet the Chef!
Hi, I'm Debs. Cordon Bleu trained chef and recipe developer. I help you get incredible dinners on the table fast with fool-proof recipes and step-by-step instructions along with tips and tricks that I've learned over a 10-year career in professional kitchens.
Ashley says
These are the best baked donuts I've tried. They don't get too dry and have great flavor. Due to a dairy allergy I subbed butter with a vegan butter stick and the butter milk with soy milk and a tablespoon of lemon juice. They are a little more dense than I anticipated, maybe a smidge undercooked trying to determine the right time for the pan size.
Ellie says
Super light and airy and I love the tang of the buttermilk. I didn’t have donut tin so I used a cupcake tin and filled the “donuts” with raspberry preserve. Came out amazing! Made edits to the frosting by dividing in three parts and adding coco powder and raspberry jam to a third.
Martha says
This is awesome!! This is exactly what I had in mind when I was looking for ideas how to decorate mini donuts for a wedding dessert table. I have a question: for the decoration with fresh flowers, should I do it the same day of the wedding or it will be fine the day before? What’s your recommendation? Thank you in advance. Nicely done!! God bless you.
Debs says
Hi Martha! You'll want to leave the flowers off until the very last minute. Once they're placed on the doughnuts they do start to wilt quickly, especially if it's hot outside. But, they will look absolutely stunning for a dessert table. Let me know how it goes!
Di@Bibbyskitchen says
The prettiness thing I've seen all week! So lovely. They look feathery light.
Debs says
Thanks so much Di!
TaraLynn says
They Look Delish!!!!!!
Beyhan says
Thank you for this easy recipe, Debs! Already saved it for my next Donut Baking Adventure 😀
I'm looking forward to giving it a try.
Debs says
That's awesome!!! Hope you love this recipe! Let me know how it turns out.
kellie@foodtoglow says
Hi Debs. I just saw that the lead image for this gorgeous recipe is shortlisted for the Pinterest Food & Drink Award for best styling. I couldn't agree more with your selection! These pretty pastel donuts, and their varied sizes (v clever) really jumped out off the screen. Good luck in the final!
Debs says
Thanks so much Kellie! I was shocked to be shortlisted! Good luck to you as well! Your lentil and lemon broth looks absolutely heavenly!
Eneida Mason says
SOOOOOO CUTE!!! Cant wait to make, making tonight! Thanks for all the decorating ideas 🙂
Debs says
Thanks so much, Eneida! Have fun decorating them and even more fun eating them!