A soft, fluffy, vanilla flavored donut with a silky vanilla glaze and rainbow sprinkles are all I ever need in this life. These vanilla frosted donuts are baked so they are super easy to make, have a great vanilla flavor, and the glaze is *mwah* chef’s kiss! The batter comes together quickly and they bake in 10 minutes, so you can be enjoying these babies in less than a half hour!

Why you will love these vanilla frosted donuts

  1. The donut. The donut texture is light and fluffy, super moist, and has the best vanilla flavor. It has a few simple ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your pantry, and the batter comes together really easily.
  2. The vanilla glaze. The glaze is by far my favorite part – I can eat it with a spoon. Topping the glaze with rainbow sprinkles makes these donuts all the more delicious AND fun.

Key ingredients

  • All purpose flour: all purpose flour is the flour of choice for these donuts. It provides the perfect texture.
  • Leavener: baking powder is the leavener of choice in this recipe – it helps the donuts rise perfectly.
  • Sugar: a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar is the best for these donuts to make them sweet and super soft. We also use powdered sugar for the glaze.
  • Fats: the key fats in this recipe are the butter, egg, yogurt and milk. All of these ingredients help make the donuts tender and moist.
  • Vanilla extract: since vanilla extract is the key flavor in these donuts, make sure to use pure, good quality vanilla!

Steps

  1. Whisk the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  2. Mix the wet ingredients. Whisk together the melted butter, egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, milk and yogurt.
  3. Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until a batter forms. The batter will be thick.
  4. Bake. Spoon or pipe the batter into the donut cavities. Bake for 11-12 minutes at 350F.
  5. Let the donuts cool. Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes then invert them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
  6. Make the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, salt, and milk. Dip one side of the donut into the glaze and top with rainbow sprinkles. Enjoy!

FAQ

Why are my donuts dry?

A dry donut could potentially be from over mixing the batter. Make sure to only mix the batter until the dry ingredients are JUST incorporated, not any longer.

Additionally, a dry donut can be from over baking. Just a minute or two extra in the oven can turn a soft and moist donut into a dry one.

Finally, too much flour can be the cause of a dry donut. Too much flour and there won’t be enough moisture – this is why it is super important to use a kitchen scale. If you do not have a kitchen scale, make sure to scoop the flour into your measuring cup, then level it off with a knife.

Why did my donuts brown too much?

Sometimes you will notice that the donuts brown a little too much on the edges. This can be from over greasing the pan. That extra fat causes the donuts to brown/crisp up.

How do I properly fill the donut pans?

The best and easiest way to fill the donut pans is by using a piping bag. Spoon the filling into a piping back or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off and pipe the filling into the donut cavities. If you can’t do this, you can also spoon the batter directly into the donut cavities.

How do I store these donuts?

Any cake-based dessert exposed to air will become dry pretty quickly, so make sure to store it in an airtight container at room temperature. It will keep for 3-4 days.

Baking in grams

While I provide volume measurements for the recipes on my blog, I highly suggest baking these recipes using weight. It is the most standardized and accurate way to bake. I carefully recipe test all of my recipes using a kitchen scale, not by using cups, and therefore I cannot guarantee the success of my recipes when using volume measurements.

Other recipes you may like

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3 from 1 rating
Yield: 14 donuts

Vanilla Frosted Donuts

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Total Time: 21 minutes
Author: Jess Italiano
A soft, fluffy, vanilla flavored donut with a silky vanilla glaze and rainbow sprinkles are all I ever need in this life. These vanilla frosted donuts are baked so they are super easy to make, have a great vanilla flavor, and the glaze is *mwah* chef's kiss! The batter comes together quickly and they bake in 10 minutes, so you can be enjoying these babies in less than a half hour!
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Ingredients
 

Donut

  • 2 cups (250 grams) all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (120 grams) whole milk, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (120 grams) yogurt, room temperature, either greek or regular works, but preferably whole fat!

Glaze

  • 2 cups (240 grams) powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 3-4 tablespoons whole milk
  • rainbow sprinkles, optional

Equipment

Instructions
 

Donut

  • Preheat oven to 350F and grease a donut pan.
  • In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted and cooled butter, egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, milk, and yogurt until combined.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until a batter forms. It will be thick.
  • Gently spoon the batter into the donut cavities, or pipe them in using a piping bag/ziplock bag with the tip cut off (preferred method).
  • Bake for 11-12 minutes until they are golden brown. To test, gently press your finger into the donut. It is ready if the donut bounces back.
  • Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Glaze

  • While the donuts are cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, salt, and milk until smooth and combined. You may need to add more powdered sugar (to thicken) or milk (to thin) depending on desired consistency.
  • Once the donuts are cool, dip one side of the donut into the glaze and top with rainbow sprinkles if desired. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
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