HOMEMADE BAKED Sugar Donuts recipe that is easy to make and ready in 15 minutes. These simple and extra soft donuts taste just like raised sugar donuts from your favorite bakery!
We live in a world filled with crazy and exciting donut flavors and combinations. Remember the half donut/half croissant craze? Have you checked out the exotic flavors that bakeries are offering for donuts?
There’s Blood Orange, Cafe Au Lait, Hibiscus, Passion Fruit, Horchata, Matcha and more. And while these unique flavors are exciting, sometimes it’s just not practical nor economical to hunt down the ingredients.
Maybe I’m just not an adventurous foodie. Sugar, Glazed, Chocolate donuts – now you’re talking my language. So, because I was craving donuts today, I came up with this simple Homemade Baked Sugar Donuts recipe. I think you’ll love it. Who else loves homemade baked donuts? Me, me, me!
How to Make Sugar Donuts
Homemade Sugar Donuts Recipe
When you make your own donuts at home you know exactly what is going into them. There are no fillers and extra junk that donuts really don’t need. And let’s face it, as delicious as those exotic donuts are, do we really know what’s in them?
This recipe is so simple and requires almost nothing that you don’t already have around the house. You will need a donut pan! Make the $10 investment and buy one because it’s worth it!
These homemade donuts are so delicious and extra soft! They are made with buttermilk so you know they are going to be moist and soft. These donuts are not heavy at all but instead have a light, airy texture to them, more like a raised donut.
Buttermilk Substitute With Vinegar
Not everyone keeps buttermilk around the house, but it is easy to substitute if you cannot make a run to the store. I know how it is when you want your donuts NOW! So instead, you can use 1 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to measure 1/2 cup. Stir it and let stand for 5 minutes. Then you’re good to go!
Buttermilk Substitute With Yogurt
Another option is using 1/2 cup of plain yogurt instead of the buttermilk. It’s much more common to have regular milk or yogurt in your house than buttermilk, unless you are someone who bakes all the time.
This recipe is so quick and easy. Mix up your batter, throw your donut pan in the oven for 15 minutes, let cool for a few minutes and then shake the donuts in a bag of sugar and your Homemade Baked Sugar Donuts are ready to be eaten and enjoyed!
It really is that quick! You’ll be eating your own delicious donuts in no time. Eat them while they’re still warm, yummmm.
They are great for breakfast, a snack and dessert. They are so simple that you can make up a batch anytime you feel like it with no trouble at all. It’s so easy that many of my readers have told me they had fun baking them (and eating them!) with their kids too.
I hope you like them as I do (and I really, really like them)! Feel free to mix it up too. Add some raw cacao to make chocolate donuts. Make a simple glaze with powdered sugar and milk and glaze them. The possibilities are endless.
Enjoy!
More Donut Recipes
Looking for more donut recipes?
Try my Chocolate Donuts with Chocolate Frosting!
Pin for later:
Homemade Baked Sugar Donuts
PrintIngredients
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
For the sugar coating
- 1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray donut pan with nonstick spray.
- Mix together oil, buttermilk, eggs, sugar, salt, baking powder and vanilla until combined.
- Stir in flour and continue to mix until smooth.
- Fill the donut pans up about 3/4 of the way.
- Bake donuts for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes, then remove donuts from pan.
- Put sugar in a sandwich bag.
- One at a time, drop your donuts in bag and shake lightly to cover.
- Eat right away or store in container.
Mary says
Great, easy & quick recipe. Definitely a keeper. I also added cinnamon to the coating which my family loves.
Michelle estrada says
They taste delicious. I had a blast making them with my daughter.
Only problem I had was I waited the five minutes and even though I sprayed the pan real good they stuck and upon removing them they broke to 2 pieces. Any suggestions
Heather Hunt says
These turned out great! Cakey and light. I dipped first batch in Sugar and the second batch in a cinnamon sugar mix. I also took your advice on making homemade butttermilk and used the lemon juice suggestion
Pamela says
Hey Heather, thank you so much for commenting and letting me know you enjoyed the donuts! Those cinnamon sugar donuts sound SO good! 🙂
JP says
Can the batter be mixed up and refrigerated ahead of time (and then used within 24-48 hours)? Thanks!
Pamela says
Hey JP, 24 hours should be ok, although the donuts might not rise as nicely. On the day you plan on baking them, remove the batter from fridge and bring to room temperature before baking them.
Liz says
Very easy to make and tastes so good. I can’t stop myself from eating!!!
Liz H
Pamela says
Hey Liz, glad to hear you liked this donuts recipe! Thanks for commenting, keep on enjoying them! 🙂
Sandy H says
This is my family’s favorite donut recipe, even my grandkids love helping me with them. Thank you for sharing.
Pamela says
Thanks Sandy, I’m glad these are a hit with your family! 🙂
Cat says
Hi! I just tried this recipe with Gluten Free All Purpose Flour. They were amazing!!! Now, I can finally have donuts, too! Thanks for the recipe…can’t wait to make a bunch for the grandloves. God Bless! 🙂
Pamela says
Hey Cat, thanks for the smile! Glad to hear these donuts were a hit! Keep on enjoying them! 🙂
Norma says
These donuts are sooooooo good. I make them every year over Labor Day for our annual family weekend. I make at least 3 dozen and there isn’t a crumb left. I use the powdered buttermilk and they taste great. I just posted this recipe on the Weight Watchers website. It’s 4 Smartpoints if you’re on the 2019 Blue Plan. I usually get 16 donuts out of this recipe!
Judy says
These were great! Turned out perfectly and that’s rare for me on the first time trying a new recipe. I even used the vinegar and milk substitute for the buttermilk. That’s something I never have in the house.
No, the tops didn’t brown, but I simply flipped them over after baking and they looked and tasted fantastic!
I’ll definitely make these again and probably try some different toppings, just to make them a little different each time! Although just using the sugar was delicious too!
Also, no problem getting them out of the doughnut pan. I used the Pam baking spray and they popped out easily!
Pamela says
Hey Judy, I’m so happy to hear you liked these Sugar Donuts and that they turned out perfect. I hope you keep on enjoying them! Thanks for commenting! 🙂
John says
Good morning
I have 20 doughnut pan. How long do I cook them in a convection oven?
Thank you.
Pamela says
Hey John, most people recommend lowering the temperature by 25°F when baking in a convection oven. I’d keep the time about the same, but I’d check on them regularly, as you might need to pull them 1-2 minutes earlier. Enjoy the donuts!
CS says
changed my life
Pamela says
Hah! Thanks for the smile CS. Thanks for commenting! 🙂
Arty says
My oven is broken. I couldn’t make muffins this morning for my children’s lunch. Instead I made these in my donut maker. They turned out wonderful. My children were thrilled. Next time I’ll cut back the sugar a little, just a personal preference. I would definitely recommend cutting back the sugar if they are to be iced. I think this will become a tried and true recipe in my kitchen.
Pamela says
Hey Arty, thank you so much for commenting and letting me know they turned out well in your donut maker. Keep on enjoying them! 🙂 Take care.
TIa says
Hi, would I be able to use regular whole milk instead of buttermilk? Thanks 🍩❤️
Pamela says
Hey Tla, I would recommend buttermilk to get them extra fluffy. If the issue is not having buttermilk, add 1 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to the milk to make your homemade buttermilk. It’s super easy to do. 🙂
bouthou says
how much is one cup?
Ryan Yeung, Hong Kong says
240 / 250 g.
or 18 tablespoons
Glynis Scott says
I made miniature ones, 7 minutes in the oven. They r so delish and easy to make.
Thanks For sharing your recipe ❤
Pamela says
I’m so happy to hear you liked this recipe Glynis! Thanks for commenting! 🙂
Marti says
Could these work in a muffin tin? Don’t have a donut pan.
Pamela says
Hey Marti, I think they could but I’ve never made them that way so I can’t be sure on times. If you do make them, I’d love to hear how they turned out. Here’s one of my favorite muffin recipes: https://brooklynfarmgirl.com/mini-coffee-cake-muffins/
Melissa says
I just messaged you. Bear bear and BunBun friend. I messaged that I grew up in upstate NY. Then I looked at your map. My mouth dropped. I grew up in Hobart. I went to school in South Kortright. My dad worked in Stamford and my mom grew up in Andes and Bovina. My dream was to have a store in Bovina. Oh I wish you well. If your farm is around there you are truly in God’s country.
Kristy says
I really want to try this recipe. Is the dough sturdy enough to form and bake without a donut pan.
lori says
made little change! added cinnamon to the sugar & brushed w/melted butter prior to shaking in bag. Also made a few munchkins using a mini muffin pan & they were EVEN BETTER! My kids & I were gobbling
them up! Def a keeper! Great recipe for kids – a one bowl wonder.
Pamela says
Hey Lori, thanks for the comment, I’m so happy you and the kids liked this recipe!
Beth says
Can these be frozen? Need to make a bunch for brunch!
Pamela says
Hey Beth – yes, they can be frozen!
Linda says
I just made these and they look awesome. I do not improvise very well, so I followed the recipe to a T. The bottoms were a very nice medium brownish color and the tops were not as brown (but still looked awesome). They covered with sugar awesomely. I did have to go buy donut pans. Walmart was out of stock so went home and got them the next day through Amazon. Now I will be making donuts, maybe even for school functions for my granddaughters. Thanks so much.
Pamela says
Hey Linda, thanks so much for commenting and letting me know you made these donuts! I’m so happy they were a hit! Keep on enjoying them!
christine says
You suggest substituting 1 cup of yogurt for 1/2 cup of buttermilk
Is that correct?
Thanks
Pamela says
Hey Christine, you will use 1/2 cup of yogurt for the 1/2 cup buttermilk substitution. These are 1:1. Hope this helps – enjoy the donuts!
Sunny says
These are delicious!
Pamela says
Thanks Sunny, I’m happy you liked the donuts! Thanks for commenting!
Janet Hopkins-Spalti says
Can I use self rising. Flour and omit the baking powder and salt ?
They look delicious!
Pamela says
Hey Janet, I always use all purpose flour for these donuts, so I can’t tell you if self rising will give you the same delicious donuts. If you do try, I’d love to hear how they turn out!