Baked Vanilla Bean Doughnuts

Published February 10, 2014. Updated March 6, 2020

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I know I should probably be posting a dinner recipe because it has been a while since I have, but I just can’t seem to get control of my sugary cravings :). What’s new though. I’ve always loved sweet things and doughnuts are a favorite near the top of that sweets lists.

This vanilla bean doughnut is a baked version so I can feel a little bit better about eating them versus a fried doughnut. These are a cake style doughnut with a soft fluffy texture and a deliciously moist crumb. They seem as though they just melt away in your mouth, especially with that sweet, buttery, vanilla glaze.

Baked Vanilla Bean Doughnuts | Cooking Classy

I forgot to get a close up picture of the crumb inside but these things are loaded with vanilla beans. It gives them a delicious natural sweetness and that irresistible flavor that just cannot be duplicated.

The batter for these is very versatile, you could use it for many different flavors by omitting the vanilla bean seeds and replacing them with cinnamon, nutmeg, a chai spice blend, lavender, almond extract, etc.

It is one of my favorite baked doughnut recipes I’ve ever made so it will be one you will definitely want to hang on to. Enjoy!

Baked Vanilla Bean Doughnuts | Cooking Classy

Baked Vanilla Bean Doughnuts | Cooking Classy

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4.67 from 3 votes

Baked Vanilla Bean Doughnuts

A delicious easy to make donut recipe. These have the best flavor and a great texture, and they don't require any deep frying!
Servings: 14
Prep15 minutes
Cook8 minutes
Ready in: 23 minutes

Ingredients

Glaze

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter 14 holes of three doughnut tins and set aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 30 seconds, set aside.
  • In a separate mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, blend together melted butter, vegetable oil, sugar and vanilla bean seeds until smooth, about 1 minute. Blend in eggs one at a time then mix in vanilla extract.
  • Working in three separate batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, add 1/3 of the flour mixture alternating with half of the milk and mix just until combined after each addition. Spoon batter into buttered doughnut wells, filling them about 1/4-inch from the rim.
  • Bake in preheated oven 7 - 8 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into doughnut comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool until lukewarm then dip in glaze and return to wire rack, immediately top with sprinkles if using and allow glaze to set at room temperature.
  • For the glaze:
  • In a flat bottomed bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla and salt then stir in 2 Tbsp of milk, adding additional milk 1 tsp at a time to reach desired consistency and whisk until smooth. Tint with food coloring if desired.
  • Warm in microwave in 6 - 10 second intervals on HIGH power to warm as it begins to set while dipping doughnuts, as needed, whisking after heating.

Notes

Donut recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour
Nutrition Facts
Baked Vanilla Bean Doughnuts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 291 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Cholesterol 40mg13%
Sodium 171mg7%
Potassium 121mg3%
Carbohydrates 44g15%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 26g29%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 262IU5%
Calcium 60mg6%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

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100 Comments

  • Erin

    Could you pipe this icing on the doughnuts for a design on the edges, or would you recommend dipping? I wanted to do scalloped edges with it, if possible.

    Thanks!

    • Erin

      Nevermind, opted to dip so I wouldn’t have to worry about it dripping. They were wonderful, thank you!

  • Jessica Gavin @JessicaGavin.Com

    I made this glaze today substituting peppermint for vanilla. I loved the smooth consistency and how nicely it set. Thank you for sharing Jaclyn!

  • Alexa

    Hi. Can you tell me step by step how you make the glaze because mine is cutting like the mayonnaise. What type of butter and milk? The temperature and how you mix them. Thx!

  • Annabelle

    I didn’t read any questions regarding a question I have nor did you mention anything related in your post. When you say to put the mixture into the donut pan did you use a spoon and then smooth it out with a spatula or something. Or, did you put the dough in a decorating bag and then squeeze it into the pan. Can’t wait to try

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      I like to pipe the batter from either a decorating bag or ziplog bag. I hope you love them!

  • Dung

    These look amazing! Do you know how long they keep for without icing?

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      I recommend they be eaten within a day or two for best results.

  • tracy a

    I made these deep into the wee morning hours last night. While i didn’t have any vanilla bean, i just omitted and i wish i hadn at least added a little bit extra vanilla extract. The cake donuts while good, werent as sweet as i am used to, probably due to the lack of vanilla beans. The glaze however tasted too powder sugary to me. I followed the recipe and i think it could have benefited from a little more vanilla extract as well. Don’t get me wrong, these were sooooo yummy and amazing though, but they still just weren’t up to my donut store favorites standard. But they were close! The glaze was a little tough to work with and i didnt want to keep having to heat it because then it was runny. Needless to say i had a beautiful rainbow of colors using my gel food colors and individual finger bowls for dipping them into. Overall, great recipe and thank you for fulfilling my baked donut craving :)

    P.s. i also made some into crumb donuts.

    P.p.s. i used a babycakes donut maker and this made 30 mini donuts. The batter worked wonderfully in thw machine. I will have to upload pics later. My husband tasked me with creating a “Simpson’s” donut.