These cake doughnuts get their flavor from spices and are baked rather than fried for a healthier twist.
Baked Doughnuts Three Ways
Make plain, pumpkin spice, or Meyer lemon doughnuts by mixing up a simple batter, pouring into a doughnut pan, and baking until golden brown. Baked doughnuts are a smart way to enjoy the treat without all the fat and mess of frying. Let the kids decorate their baked doughnuts with sprinkles or glaze for an easy weekend activity.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 to 1 tsp nutmeg, to taste
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 2/3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup milk
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease two standard doughnut pans.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter, vegetable oil, and sugars until smooth.
- Add the eggs, beating to combine.
- Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla.
- Stir the flour into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined. The batter will be fairly thick; when you draw your spatula through the batter, it will leave a furrow.
- Spoon the batter into the lightly greased doughnut pans, filling the wells to about 1/4" shy of the rim.
- Bake the doughnuts for 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven, and wait 5 to 7 minutes before turning them out of the pans onto a rack.
- For cinnamon doughnuts, shake warm doughnuts in a plastic bag with about 1/4 to 1/3 cup cinnamon-sugar. For sugar-coated doughnuts, shake doughnuts in a plastic bag with about 1/2 cup non-melting topping sugar (for best results), or confectioners’ sugar.
- For frosted doughnuts, see our three easy doughnut glazes. Sprinkle the glazed doughnuts with toasted coconut or chopped nuts, if desired.
- For chocolate chip doughnuts, stir in 3/4 cup chocolate chips, mini chips preferred. If you make chocolate chip doughnuts, fill each well of the pan right to the rim with batter.
- Why use non-melting white sugar instead of confectioners’ sugar? Confectioners’ sugar will melt and disappear; non-melting white sugar will keep the doughnuts nice and white.