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Galaxy Glaze Donuts with Buttermilk and Colourful Swirled Icing
If you were making Galaxy Glaze Donuts for a party, what colours would you use for your galaxy?
Why you will love and enjoy these Galaxy Glaze Donuts
- Galaxy Glaze Donuts are soft, quick-baked treats with a creamy glaze and a fun splash of colour. The decorating is easy enough for beginners, but the finished donuts look like you really went for it.
- Quick to bake: The donuts take just 7 to 9 minutes in the oven.
- Easy batter: Buttermilk and melted butter keep the donuts soft and tender.
- Fun decorating: Blue and red food colouring create the galaxy effect with just a few swirls.
- No fancy equipment: A piping bag or zip-lock bag gets the batter neatly into the pan.
- Easy to customize: Change the colours, add edible glitter or let everyone decorate their own.

Additional Information
- Why should the butter cool before mixing? Let the 5 tbsp melted butter cool until warm rather than hot before combining it with the egg and buttermilk. Very hot butter can partially cook the egg.
- How much should the donut pan be filled? Fill each cavity about 2/3 full. This gives the batter enough room to rise while keeping the centre hole open.
- Why shouldn’t the batter be overmixed? Stir only until the flour is incorporated and the batter is smooth. Overmixing can make the baked donuts heavier and firmer.
- Why use a piping bag or zip lock bag? Piping makes it much easier to distribute the batter evenly and keeps it from spilling over the donut pan.
- How do I know when the donuts are baked? They should be lightly golden and spring back when gently pressed. A toothpick inserted into a donut should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Why must the donuts cool completely before glazing? Warm donuts can soften the glaze and cause it to slide off. Let them cool fully on a wire rack before dipping.
- How do I get the galaxy effect? Add small drops of blue and red food colouring to the glaze without mixing them together first. Use a chopstick to make a few gentle figure-eight swirls. Stop before the colours blend completely.
- What consistency should the glaze be? Start with 3 tbsp fresh cream mixed with 1 cup icing sugar. Add more cream 1 tsp at a time if needed. The finished glaze should be thick enough to coat the donut rather than run straight off.
- What if the glaze becomes too thin? Add a little extra icing sugar until it thickens. Add it gradually so you don’t end up with a glaze that’s too stiff to dip.
- Can I use milk instead of fresh cream? Yes, although milk is thinner. Add it gradually and adjust with a little extra icing sugar if necessary.
- Can I substitute the buttermilk? Yes. Mix 1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar into 1/3 cup milk and let it stand for about 5 minutes before using it.
- Can I use different food colours? Absolutely. Purple, pink, teal, or other food-safe colours can be used to customize the galaxy effect. Add small amounts at a time to keep the colours clear.
- Does the glitter need to be edible? Yes. Use only edible glitter or glitter dust that is specifically labelled for food. Craft glitter is not suitable for eating.
- Can I make these without a piping bag? Yes. A sturdy zip-lock bag with a small corner snipped off works well. You can also carefully spoon the batter into the pan, although piping gives you more even results.
- How should Galaxy Glaze Donuts be stored? Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If stacking them, place parchment between the layers to protect the glaze.
- Can Galaxy Glaze Donuts be frozen? Yes. Freeze the unglazed baked donuts in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw them completely at room temperature, then glaze and decorate. The finished glazed donuts are better enjoyed fresh because freezing can affect the appearance and texture of the glaze and glitter.
- Can I make the donuts ahead? The baked donuts can be made a day ahead and stored airtight at room temperature. Glaze and decorate them closer to serving for the freshest finish.
Galaxy Glaze Donuts
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 minutes
- Total Time: 24 minutes
- Yield: 12 depending on size 1x
- Category: Cake Cupcakes Cookies and Tarts
- Method: Easy baking
Description
Soft little baked donuts get a colourful galaxy makeover with a creamy glaze, swirls of blue and red, and a little edible sparkle. They’re quick to make, fun to decorate, and honestly, the galaxy effect makes them look far more complicated than they are.
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 cup self-raising flour
- A pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup castor sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 5 tbsp melted butter
Galaxy glaze
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 3 to 5 tbsp fresh cream
- Moir’s blue food colouring
- Moir’s red food colouring
- Edible glitter sprinkles or edible glitter dust
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400⁰F (200⁰C). Lightly grease a 12-cavity donut pan with cooking spray, making sure you get into the edges and centre of each cavity so the donuts release easily.
- Sift 1 cup self-raising flour and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl, then stir in 1/3 cup castor sugar.
- In a separate jug, whisk 1 large egg, 1/3 cup buttermilk and 5 tbsp melted butter until well combined. Make sure the melted butter has cooled slightly before adding it so it doesn’t scramble the egg.
- Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture and gently stir with a spatula just until you have a smooth batter. Don’t overmix it or the donuts can turn out heavier than you want.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag, or use a zip-top bag with one corner snipped off. Pipe the batter evenly into the prepared donut pan, filling each cavity about 2/3 full. Don’t overfill them because the batter will rise as it bakes.
- Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, or until the donuts are lightly golden and spring back when gently pressed. If you’re unsure, insert a toothpick into one donut. It should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Let the donuts cool in the pan for a few minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. They need to be cool before glazing or the icing will slide straight off.
- For the glaze, place 1 cup icing sugar in a bowl and gradually whisk in 3 tbsp fresh cream. Add another 1 to 2 tbsp fresh cream only if needed. You want a smooth, thick glaze that coats the top of the donuts rather than running off them.
- Spoon the glaze into a shallow bowl. Add a few drops of Moir’s blue food colouring and Moir’s red food colouring in separate little spots across the surface. Don’t mix the colours together completely.
- Use a chopstick or skewer to gently swirl the colours through the glaze in a figure-eight motion. A few loose swirls are what give you that galaxy look, so don’t keep stirring until everything turns into one colour.
- Dip the cooled donuts face down into the galaxy glaze, lift them straight up and let the excess drip back into the bowl. Finish with edible glitter sprinkles or a light dusting of edible glitter while the glaze is still wet.
- Leave the donuts on the wire rack until the glaze has set. And yes, you can absolutely make each donut a little different. That’s half the fun.
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Gail
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 162
- Sugar: 16.4 g
- Sodium: 152.6 mg
- Fat: 6.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24.6 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 1.9 g
- Cholesterol: 32.5 mg
These donuts look like they came from outer space, but the galaxy effect is ridiculously easy.

Galaxy Glaze Donuts give soft baked buttermilk donuts a colourful finish that looks playful without requiring complicated decorating skills. The creamy glaze, blue and red swirls and edible sparkle make them an easy choice when a batch of ordinary donuts needs a little more personality.
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