Easy Baked Donuts Recipe You Can Make Anytime

I used to be that mom who panicked when the kids asked for “something special” for breakfast. You know the drill – burnt pancakes, smoke alarms, tears (mostly mine).

Then I discovered these baked donuts.

Now, when my 8-year-old bounces into the kitchen asking if we can “make something fun,” I actually smile instead of internally screaming. Because this recipe? It’s basically foolproof. And in a house where I once set off the smoke alarm making toast, that’s saying something.

These aren’t just donuts – they’re my secret weapon against chaotic weekend mornings. The kind that makes you look like you have your life together, even when you’re wearing yesterday’s yoga pants and haven’t brushed your teeth yet.

How I Discovered This Recipe (And Why It’s Actually Realistic)

I’ll be honest – this wasn’t some family heirloom recipe passed down through generations. I found it after scrolling through Pinterest at 11 PM one night, desperately searching for something that would make the kids forget I’d burned their grilled cheese earlier that day.

The original recipe called for cake flour and fancy vanilla extract. Um, no. I adapted it with what I actually keep in my pantry: regular all-purpose flour, the vanilla from Costco, and whatever milk was in the fridge.

Four years later, we’ve made these probably 50 times. They’re foolproof, which is exactly what this family needs.

The Great Donut Pan Disaster

Let me tell you about the first time I made these. I was so excited about my new donut pan (wedding gift that sat in the cabinet for THREE YEARS) that I forgot to grease it properly. Just a quick spray of cooking spray, figured that would do it.

Wrong. So wrong.

Half the donuts came out looking like abstract art. The other half… well, let’s just say we ate a lot of broken donut pieces that morning. Now I use butter to grease the pan, every single cavity, and dust it with a little flour. Takes an extra two minutes but saves you from wanting to throw the whole pan out the window.

My Go-To Brands and Swaps That Actually Work

Flour: King Arthur all-purpose. I’ve tried store brands and they work fine, but King Arthur gives me the most consistent results.

Vanilla: Whatever’s on sale at Costco. The fancy stuff is nice, but honestly? These donuts are getting glazed and eaten by kids who put ketchup on everything.

Milk: I use whole milk, but I’ve done 2% when that’s what we had. Even tried oat milk once when my daughter was going through her “I’m lactose intolerant” phase (she’s not). Still worked.

Butter: Salted. I know, I know – baking calls for unsalted. But I always forget to buy it, and the tiny bit of extra salt actually makes the donuts taste better.

The Little Tricks That Make All the Difference

Don’t overmix the batter. I cannot stress this enough. It should look a little lumpy, like muffin batter. The first few times I made these, I mixed until smooth and wondered why they were tough. Lesson learned.

Fill the donut pan 2/3 full. I use a sandwich bag with the corner cut off – way easier than trying to spoon batter into those little wells. The kids think this is the coolest thing ever.

Bake at 350°F for exactly 12 minutes. I’ve tried 375° to speed things up. Don’t. They get brown on the outside and gummy inside.

Let them cool for 5 minutes before removing. I know you want to dive right in, but trust me on this one. They’ll fall apart if you’re too eager.

How My Family Actually Eats These

My 12-year-old likes them plain. Just straight up donut, no glaze, no powdered sugar. Kid has the most boring taste buds on the planet.

My 8-year-old wants ALL THE TOPPINGS. Chocolate glaze, sprinkles, sometimes even crushed cookies on top. She’s the reason we can’t have nice things.

My husband likes them with just a simple vanilla glaze and his coffee. Though he did admit once that he’s snuck a few of the sprinkle-covered ones when she wasn’t looking.

Me? I eat them warm from the oven with my coffee before anyone else wakes up. It’s the small victories, you know?

The Recipe That Actually Works

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For Basic Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3-4 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease donut pan with butter and dust with flour.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Whisk together melted butter, egg, milk, and vanilla.
4. Combine wet and dry – but don’t overmix! Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir just until combined. Batter should be lumpy.
5. Fill donut pan 2/3 full using a sandwich bag with corner cut off or a spoon.
6. Bake 12 minutes until tops spring back when lightly touched.
7. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan.
8. Make glaze by whisking powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
9. Dip cooled donuts in glaze or dust with powdered sugar.

Real Talk: When Life Gets Crazy

Some Saturday mornings, I use a box of vanilla cake mix instead of making from scratch. Add an extra egg and a bit more milk to thin it out. The kids have never noticed the difference, and it saves me 10 minutes I can use to drink my coffee while it’s still hot.

These keep for about two days in an airtight container, though they’re best the day you make them. Which is never a problem in our house – they’re usually gone by afternoon.

The recipe doubles perfectly if you’re hosting a sleepover or just want to stock up for the week. Because let’s be honest, some weeks require more donuts than others.

Makes: 12 donuts
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 12 minutes
Mom sanity level: Significantly improved

Have you tried these yet? Let me know in the comments what toppings your family loves! And if you have any other “real mom” breakfast wins, I’m always looking for ideas.