Baked Blueberry Donuts

These were awesome! Easy to make and they had a wonderful light texture. I’ll definitely make them again!

— Carol

Skip the trip to the donut shop and make these baked blueberry donuts at home instead! They’ve got all the same great flavors without the extra calories. Top with glaze or powdered sugar and you’ll have a treat that both kids and adults will enjoy.

Why you will love this recipe

My kids LOVE donuts, but I try not to buy them that often. It’s honestly kind of a hassle to run out to the donut shop before breakfast, and donuts can be so heavy. I hate that feeling of being weighed down after eating them for breakfast. These are the perfect solution – they’re light and fluffy, yet made with simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry!

These baked donuts are just the right amount of indulgence. They’ll satisfy your sweet tooth without leaving you in a sugar coma. And I love that they are baked and so easy to make! If you find yourself out of flour, just use Kodiak Cakes Pancake Mix. It works great, too.

Ingredients needed

• Flour. These use whole wheat pastry flour, which gives them a lovely fluffy texture. All-purpose flour or Kodiak Cake pancake mix works too.
• Baking powder. To fluff up the donuts!
• Salt. Brings all of the flavors together.
• Sugar. Just 1/4 cup granulated sugar for sweetener.
• Egg. You’ll need one egg to help with binding and ensure these bake properly.
• Milk. You can use any type of milk. I like to use either unsweetened vanilla almond milk or cashew milk.
• Vanilla extract. Always adding vanilla for delicious flavor!
• Coconut oil. Use melted coconut oil, another type of oil or melted butter for richness and moisture.
• Blueberries. For bursts of juicy blueberry in every bite. Feel free to use fresh or frozen blueberries!

How to make this recipe 

These blueberry donuts are very easy to make – no mixer required! Here’s a quick rundown of the process, but for full (printable) instructions, reference the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

1. Dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and sugar.
2. Wet ingredients. In the same bowl, add in the egg, milk, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Gradually, fold in blueberries. If you don’t happen to have flour on-hand, try using pancake mix instead. I’ve successfully made these donuts using Kodiak Cakes Pancake Mix and any variety should work.
3. Add batter to pan. Spray with cooking spray and use a piping bag or a freezer bag with the tip snipped off to pipe the donut batter into the pan. It’s the best way to keep the mess to a minimum and end up with perfectly shaped donuts.
4. Bake. Place in oven and bake at 350ºF. for about 9-10 minutes.
5. Cool slightly and glaze. Allow them to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. You should then be able to easily lift each one out of the pan. Sometimes I use a butter knife around the edges for easier removal. If you have plans to add glaze, don’t let them completely cool. The glaze works best when donuts are still a bit warm.

For the glaze

After removing the doughnuts from the pan, you can leave them as is, top them with a sprinkling of powdered sugar or whip up this wonderful donut glaze recipe. The glaze is a super simple mix of powdered sugar, water and vanilla extract.

1. Make the glaze. Stir together the powdered sugar, water and vanilla. If the glaze is too thick for your liking, add a bit of water, about 2 teaspoons at a time and stir. If the glaze somehow gets too thin, refrigerate it for a bit and it should thicken up.
2. Glaze donuts. Dip each warm donut (don’t wait for them to cool!) into the glaze, making sure to coat both sides, if preferred. Place onto wire rack to allow excess glaze to drip down. Sometimes I do two coats of glaze, if I want it to be extra thick. It will eventually set and harden after about 20 minutes.

Expert tips

• You will need a non-stick donut pan for this recipe. You can find them at most major retailers, and they typically come with 6 indentations to a pan. I ordered mine from Amazon and it was just over 10 bucks. It is this donut pan from Nordic Ware and it does the job quite nicely.
• Do not overfill the pan with batter. Only fill each cavity up to 3/4 of the way full. If you add too much batter, the donuts will rise up over the edges of the pan and lose that classic shape.
• The batter can be made up to one day in advance, and then stored covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
• Coat your blueberries. Before adding the blueberries to the batter, toss them in a little flour. This will prevent them from sinking to the bottom.

Frequently asked questions

Flavor variations

Glazed blueberry donuts are my favorite, so I typically stick to the recipe as is, but there are many different ways to customize these. You can even omit the blueberries completely. Here’s some ideas:

• Funfetti. Stir in about 1/4 to 1/3 cup colorful sprinkles to the batter.
• Chocolate chip. Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips to the batter.
• Spice. Add any favorite spice to the mix. We love adding 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix or 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg to the batter.
• Fruit change-up. Swap out the blueberries for chopped strawberries or raspberries.
• Cinnamon sugar. Instead of the glaze, make a mixture of 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/2 cup unsalted melted butter. Dip donuts into mixture to coat all sides.
• Add lemon. Mix in zest from 1 lemon for an extra bright, fresh flavor. You can even replace half of the water with fresh lemon juice to make a lemon glaze.
• Other options. Be sure to check out my apple cider donuts and homemade chocolate donuts.

Storage recommendation

Baked donuts are best the day of making them. However, you can store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Allow the glaze to fully dry before stacking them, so that they don’t stick together. If you need them to last longer than 2 days, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week. Microwave them for about 20-30 seconds when you’re ready to enjoy.

You guys are going to LOVE these incredibly tasty baked blueberry donuts! I tried limiting myself to only one, but it was impossible! Oops!

If you try these, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves them as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. It’s so fun to see what you’re baking! Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.