Baked Yeast Donuts

I love making fried yeast donuts for my family, but in an effort to make this indulgent dessert a bit healthier, I decided to bake them instead.

Give my recipe a try.  I think you’ll like it.

 

Baked Donuts and Donut Holes

Baked Yeast Donuts - 05

Chocolate Frosted with Coconut (my favorite!)

Baked Yeast Donuts - 15

Cinnamon Sugar

Baked Yeast Donuts - 13

Chocolate Frosted (my kids’ favorite)

Baked Yeast Donuts - 16

Vanilla Glaze

Baked Yeast Donuts - 14

Donut Holes with Chocolate, Vanilla Glaze, Cinnamon Sugar, and Sprinkles

Baked Yeast Donuts - 12

Baked Yeast Donuts
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Baked, not fried yeast donuts...all the indulgence with a little less guilt. 🙂
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 20 donuts
Ingredients
Yeast Mixture:
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ¼ cup warm milk (between 98-105 degrees)
Dough Mixture:
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • ½ cup warm milk
  • 1 egg
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2½ to 3 cups all-purpose flour (you might not need it all)
Chocolate Glaze: (this makes enough to glaze about 10 donuts)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • ¼ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
Vanilla Glaze: (this makes enough to glaze about 10-12 donuts)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons milk
Cinnamon Sugar topping:
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Honey Butter:
  • ¼ cup butter
  • ¼ cup honey
Other ingredients/items:
  • Sweetened coconut flakes
  • Sprinkles
  • Butter cooking spray
  • Plastic Wrap
Instructions
MAKE THE DOUGH (DONUTS):
  1. In a mixing bowl, mix together the yeast, 1 tablespoon sugar, and ¼ cup warm milk. Stir together to dissolve the sugar and yeast. Let it stand for 5 minutes to allow the yeast to proof (it will get very bubbly).
  2. Meanwhile, mix together the 2 tablespoons melted butter and warm milk. Mix in the egg, ⅓ cup sugar and salt. After the yeast has proofed for 5 minutes, add the milk-butter-egg-sugar-salt mixture to the yeast. Using your mixer's dough hook, turn the mixer on to medium low speed to combine. *Note, if you don't have a large stand mixer, you can use a sturdy mixing spoon or spatula to combine the ingredients.
  3. Add 2½ cups of the flour to the mixing bowl. Reserve the remaining ½ cup flour. Turn the mixer to medium speed, mixing until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl. After mixing for about 2 minutes, if the dough still looks very sticky and is not pulling away from the side of the mixing bowl, add in more flour, a few spoonfuls at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

    **DO NOT add more than the remaining ½ cup of flour, even if the dough is still sticky.**
  4. Once the dough pulls away from the sides, turn the mixer to medium high and mix for 5 minutes to knead the dough. *Note: if you are doing this by hand, mix the flour with the wet ingredients. Once all of the flour is incorporated, turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface (use some of the remaining ½ cup flour to flour the surface) and knead the dough for 8-10 minutes. If the dough sticks to your hand while kneading, use whatever remaining flour is left from the ½ cup of flour. If the dough is still sticking to your hands, spray your hands with butter cooking spray (DO NOT add more flour or your resulting donuts will come out hard as a rock).
  5. After kneading, place the dough into a clean bowl that has been sprayed with butter cooking spray (you can use softened butter as well). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to let the dough rise and double in size.
  6. After the dough has doubled, take it out of the bowl and gently punch it down. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, rolling the dough until it's about ½ inch thick. Use a donut cutter to cut out donuts (and donut holes).
  7. Place the cut donut shapes (1 inch apart) onto a baking pan that has been sprayed with butter cooking spray. Spray the tops of the donuts then cover with plastic wrap and let it rise again until doubled.
  8. After the donuts have doubled in size, remove the plastic wrap. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 minutes. DO NOT overcook the donuts, even if the dough still looks "white". Remove from the oven and let the donuts sit on the pan for 5 minutes then remove them to a baking rack to finish cooling.
  9. While the donuts are cooling, make your glazes.
MAKE THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
  1. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the butter, milk, vanilla extract and corn syrup for one minute. Remove from the microwave. Stir in the chocolate chips to the heated mixture; continue stirring until the chocolate chips have melted. Using a whisk, mix in the powdered sugar. Continue whisking/mixing until there are no more lumps from the powdered sugar and the glaze is smooth and shiny. Dip the donuts into the glaze while the glaze is still warm. If the glaze thickens up, reheat it for 10-15 seconds in the microwave.
MAKE THE PLAIN GLAZE:
  1. In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk. Mix until there are no lumps and the glaze is smooth and creamy. Dip your donuts into the glaze.
MAKE THE CINNAMON SUGAR TOPPING:
  1. In a small bowl, place the melted butter.
  2. In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon.
  3. Dip the donuts first into the melted butter, then dip them into the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
MAKE THE HONEY BUTTER:
  1. In a small microwave-safe bowl, place the butter and honey; heat for 30-45 seconds, or long enough for the butter to soften and just begin to melt. Stir to combine the mixture; mix until you get a creamy, spreadable consistency. Spread honey butter on top of the donuts.
Optional:
  1. Top the glazed donuts with sweetened coconut flakes, sprinkles, or any other topping you like (nuts are good too).

 

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