Mind if we let you in on a little secret? It's SUPER easy to make homemade baked donuts, and they taste just as good as the expensive ones you'd buy at a bakery. Oh, and they're freezer-friendly, too!  🙌

homemade baked blueberry donuts, from Shelf Cooking

Is it just us, or are donuts one of the world's most incredible foods?! We can resist the urge to drive through Starbucks or Chick-fil-A, but that “hot now” sign at our favorite donut shop gets us every time.

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So, rather than spending an arm and a leg feeding our donut cravings, we started making homemade baked donuts. And boy, oh boy, if you've never made them, you are in for a TREAT! Freezer-friendly, crazy delicious, and so easy to customize, this recipe is one you'll use again and again. Are you ready for it?

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HOW TO MODIFY THIS HOMEMADE BAKED DONUTS RECIPE

taking homemade donuts out of baking mold, from Shelf Cooking

Besides the fact that these donuts are DELICIOUS with a capital “d,” we love that they're the poster child for shelf cooking. If you have ingredients you need to use up, throw them in your donuts. Want to batch cook some breakfast items for the week? Donuts to the rescue! These are just the best. Here's how you can modify the recipe if you need to:

  • Add-Ins – The last time we made these, we used blueberries because we had a bunch leftover from making blueberry muffins. But you can mix and match! Use a cup of chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, crushed nuts, shredded coconut, candy, mini marshmallows, diced fruit, or any other mix-ins you have on hand.
  • Butter – Want to make this one dairy-free or vegan? Swap in vegan butter.
  • Baking Soda/Baking Powder – Are you out of baking soda or baking powder? Use one of these baking soda substitutes or baking powder stand-ins if you need to.
  • Vanilla Extract – If you don't have vanilla on hand, try our recipe for homemade vanilla extract.
  • Milk – Use any kind! Almond, oat, regular, coconut. This recipe is great for dietary restrictions.

As you can probably tell, there are about a billion ways to customize this recipe, so go for it, and have some fun! Want some inspiration? We can help get those culinary wheels turning!

5 OTHER BAKED DONUT VARIATIONS TO TRY

If you want to make a few different batches of these donuts, we don't blame you! Here are five other variations to try:

  • Lemon Blueberry Donuts – If you loved our lemon blueberry bread recipe, then you'll love these donuts. Just use one cup of blueberries for your mix-in, add a tablespoon of lemon juice to your batter and garnish with some fresh lemon zest.
  • Chocolate Donuts – Add two tablespoons of cocoa powder to this recipe, and voila! You just made chocolate donuts. Make them extra chocolatey with a cup of chocolate chips.
  • Apple Spice – Who's ready for fall?! Replace half the butter in this recipe with apple sauce, sprinkle in a healthy dose of cinnamon, and used diced apples as your add-in.
  • Zucchini Chocolate Chip – What, the what?! It's a yummy combo. Promise. Use half a cup of shredded zucchini and half a cup of chocolate chips in place of the one cup of mix-ins.
  • Hawaiian Donuts – Add a cup of diced, drained pineapple, and toss in a handful of coconut shreds. Yummy!

There are hundreds of combinations to try, so go shop your pantry and have some fun experimenting!

TO FROST OR NOT TO FROST?

pouring chocolate on homemade donuts, from Shelf Cooking

Do you need frosting for these homemade baked donuts? Well, that's up to you! We think they're yummy without the frosting, but if you want a fancier treat, go for it. Here are three simple frosting options:

  • Chocolate Drizzle – Melt some chocolate (bars or chips) and drizzle or spread on top.
  • Homemade Icing – Mix half a cup of powdered sugar with a tablespoon of water or milk.
  • Leftover Storebought Frosting – Have a little leftover frosting from a batch of cupcakes? Go ahead and use it up!

You can also shake some powdered sugar on top if you'd like, or add on some sprinkles, coconut shreds, or crushed nuts. There is no wrong way to top a donut!

FREEZER INSTRUCTIONS

These donuts freeze like a dream! Make a few batches on the weekend and your future self will thank you. Here's what to do:

  • To Freeze – Allow them to cool completely, then wrap individually in plastic wrap, add to a freezer bag, and freeze. Don't forget to label! We suggest using them within three months.
  • To Thaw – Pull your donuts out the night before you plan to eat them and allow them to thaw either on the countertop (if the glaze doesn't contain milk) or in the fridge. We like to reheat ours in the microwave to make them nice and gooey again!

Are you drooling already? Because we are! Without further ado, let's get to that recipe.

OUR FAVORITE EASY HOMEMADE BAKED DONUTS RECIPE

For this recipe, we highly recommend using a silicone donut mold! It makes cleanup and prep a breeze. Place your molds on a baking sheet before you start pouring the batter. It's less messy that way! Ready to get to the goods? Here we go!

homemade baked blueberry donuts, from Shelf Cooking

Easy Homemade Baked Donuts

Shop your pantry and use your favorite ingredients to make an easy batch of donuts your family will love. Because these are baked, they're way less fattening than the fried kind, and these are also WAY cheaper than the ones you'd buy at the store.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16

Equipment

  • Silicone donut mold

Ingredients
  

  • ¼ cup melted butter
  • 1¼ cups milk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup mix-ins (fruit, candy, nuts, etc.)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Glaze

  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp water or milk

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Place donut molds on a baking sheet and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine your butter, milk, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and vanilla. Once combined, stir in your flour.
  • Gently fold in the mix-ins of your choice.
  • Once your batter is ready, carefully pour it into your donut mold. You should have enough for 16 donuts.
  • Bake for around 20 minutes, cool on a rack, then top with the garnishes of your choice or frost if you'd like.

Notes

Pro Tip: Place your donut mold on a cookie sheet BEFORE adding the batter to the mold. Trust us. It's way easier this way! 
Keyword homemade baked donuts

Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy, huh?! We're so pumped for you to try these!

Now that you know how to make the world's easiest homemade baked donuts, you've got a tough decision ahead! Which flavor combo will you try first?

Leave a comment and let us know what your all-time favorite donut flavor is!

image with text that reads "easy baked donuts", from Shelf Cooking

Looking for a few more freezer-friendly breakfast options to try?

Bake it away!