Baked Doughnuts (Baked Donuts)

These soft and fluffy baked doughnuts are the perfect treat when you’re craving something sweet, but don’t want the hassle (or oil) of deep frying. Golden on the outside, pillowy soft on the inside, and endlessly versatile. Whether you’re new to baking or a seasoned pro, this recipe is straightforward and delivers bakery-style results.

What are Baked Doughnuts?

Baked doughnuts (or baked donuts, as they’re commonly called in the US) are a lighter, oven-baked alternative to traditional fried doughnuts. Instead of working with a yeasted dough that’s deep-fried, these are made from a cake-style batter that’s specially adapted for a firm but tender donut. The batter is piped into doughnut trays or silicone moulds, then baked in the oven until soft, fluffy, and golden.

Because the batter is baked rather than fried, baked doughnuts have a tender, cake-like crumb and a light texture that practically melts in your mouth. They’re perfect for glazing, dipping in sugar, or decorating, and they stay beautifully soft without any oiliness.

They’re also the perfect size for a little treat and have far less frosting than a cupcake would. Whether you call them baked doughnuts or baked donuts, they’re a quick and easy way to enjoy fresh, homemade doughnuts straight from the oven – no frying required.

These are the doughnut trays I use

I like to use these mini doughnut trays. You could also opt for a larger mould or different material. I’ve linked mine just below the image, tap the button to take you there.

Why You’ll Love These Baked Doughnuts

• Light and fluffy texture – no kneading, proofing, or deep frying required
• Balanced flavour – not overly sweet, so perfect when paired with glazes or fillings
• Quick & easy to make – no kneading (as it’s cake batter), no deep fryer required, and simple pantry-friendly ingredients
• Customisable – sugar-coated, glazed, filled, or plain, they’re the perfect blank canvas

What Makes These Baked Doughnuts Special

The special thing about these baked doughnuts is that they’re actually made from an adapted cake batter. They have enough structure to hold firmly in your hands as well as having the perfect soft bite.

They’re also the perfect size for a treat with far less frosting/glaze than a traditional cake or cupcake would have. They’re tender, moist, and bouncy – so much so that you really don’t miss the traditional enriched dough version.

Let’s talk about some of the ingredients

I’ll cover the key ingredients below, but the full recipe with quantities and instructions can be found at the end of this post

• Plain flour/All purpose flour
• Large eggs – I always use large eggs when baking, which is generally the standard size. In the UK, each large egg will weigh between 63-73g. These may be classed as extra large eggs in the USA
• Greek Yogurt – this adds moisture and tenderness, while the flavour also balances out some of the sweetness
• Full fat milk powder – also commonly sold as full cream milk powder. This adds tenderness to the crumb and richness to the flavour. I use milk powder in almost all of my bakes for these reasons and swear by it
• Neutral oil – i.e. a flavourless oil such as sunflower/vegetable/rapeseed
• Vanilla – I like to use a high quality vanilla bean paste which provides a more intense flavour

The Key Tips for Perfect Baked Doughnuts

• Room temperature ingredients – this allows the ingredients to mix more readily and more evenly, for a better emulsion
• Don’t mix all the wet ingredients all at once – having a mixing order allows for even distribution of ingredients and uniformity
• Bake just until lightly golden – over-baking can dry them out. They should feel light and springy to the touch

How to Make Soft & Fluffy Baked Doughnuts

First, start by whisking the oil, butter, and sugar together until smooth

Add in the eggs, yogurt, vanilla, and milk powder and whisk once again. The yogurt and milk powder help substantially with both flavour and texture

Next, add in the milk and whisk the wet mix together well. After this, sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt (I pre-sifted mine)

Mix the baked doughnut batter until smooth and then transfer to a piping bag or squeezy bottle

Pipe the batter equally into greased and floured doughnut trays and bake until lightly golden

Allow the doughnuts to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, feel free to glaze or dunk in anything you prefer. I’ve opted for cinnamon sugar and a classic vanilla glaze

Allow the doughnuts to sit on a wire rack. This is mainly for the glazed doughnuts to allow the glaze to set and dry, and for any excess to drip off

More Glaze & Filling Ideas

• Chocolate ganache – Dark, milk, or white chocolate combined with warm cream to form a smooth ganache. Pour this over the doughnuts and allow to set
• Cardamom sugar – toss the doughnuts in a mix of ground green cardamom with granulated sugar. A mixture of cinnamon and cardamom also works well
• Jam or pastry cream – For filled doughnuts I recommend using a small apple corer to remove some of the doughnut in order to create space for fillings. Alternatively, slice the doughnuts in half and place the filling in the middle (like you would with layered cakes)

Frequently Asked Questions

Which doughnut trays to use?

I have the doughnut trays I use linked in the blog above.

How long will baked doughnuts keep?

You can store these donuts in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature, or 5-7 days refrigerated. If refrigerating, allow to come to room temperature before consuming to ensure optimal texture.

Can I make the doughnut batter in advance?

You can prep the batter up to ~60 minutes ahead of time. As these doughnuts rely on baking powder for the rise, there’s not much leeway on prepping ahead of time. Baking powder starts reacting as soon as it is in contact with the wet ingredients. As modern day baking powders are double acting (second reaction is initiated with heat), you do get some flexibility.

Can I fill these doughnuts?

As the texture is more cake-like rather than bread-like, filling requires a slightly different process. I would use an apple corer or a similar device to remove small portions of the doughnuts, allowing for space to fill. Or slice in half and sandwich, like you would with a layered cake.

If you enjoyed this recipe

Please do let me know! Leave a review and a rating below, I’d love to know how you got on.

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Until then, happy baking!

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Baked Doughnuts recipe