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Soft Baked Doughnuts with Butter, Nutmeg, and Vanilla
Soft Baked Doughnuts made with buttermilk, nutmeg, and vanilla, finished in cinnamon sugar or chocolate glaze. Easy oven-baked doughnuts with simple pantry ingredients.
Most doughnuts don’t need hot oil to be worth making at home. These Baked Doughnuts are soft, lightly spiced, and the kind you’ll want to come back to again.
Why you’ll love and enjoy Soft Baked Doughnuts
They’re soft, lightly spiced, and come together in one bowl with no mixer drama. You can finish them in cinnamon sugar or dunk them in chocolate, depending on your mood.
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Soft Baked Doughnuts
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 10 to 12 standard doughnuts, depending on your pan 1x
- Category: Cake, Cupcakes, Cookies and Tarts
- Method: Easy
Description
Bake doughnuts without frying and get a soft, tender crumb every time. Cinnamon sugar or chocolate glaze makes them irresistible.
Ingredients
Doughnuts
- 100 g butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 45 ml vegetable oil
- 125 g castor sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 100 ml buttermilk
- 60 ml milk
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 210 g cake flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 2 tbsp castor sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp melted butter
Chocolate Glaze (optional)
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips or 1/2 slab dark chocolate, chopped
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp corn syrup
- 1 to 2 tsp hot water, only if needed
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C and spray a doughnut pan well with non-stick cooking spray, getting into all the curves so nothing sticks later.
- In a large jug, whisk together the 100 g melted butter, 45 ml vegetable oil, 125 g castor/caster sugar, 2 eggs at room temperature, 100 ml buttermilk, 60 ml milk, and 1 tsp vanilla essence until smooth and glossy.
- In a mixing bowl, sift together the 210 g cake flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. If you skip sifting, just whisk really well so there are no sneaky lumps.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk gently until the batter is smooth and lump-free.
- Don’t overmix; stop as soon as everything comes together. The batter should be thick but still spoonable.
- Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared doughnut pan, filling each cavity about 3/4 full.
- These do rise quite a bit, so resist the urge to overfill. Tap the pan lightly on the counter to level the batter.
- Bake for about 14 to 16 minutes, until the doughnuts are puffed, lightly golden, and spring back when pressed. A toothpick should come out clean.
- Let the doughnuts rest in the pan for about 2 minutes, then gently turn them out onto a rack.
- They coat best while still warm, not hot.
Cinnamon Sugar Finish
- Mix the 2 tbsp castor sugar and 2 tsp ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
- Brush or dip each warm doughnut lightly into the 2 tbsp melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar until evenly coated.
Chocolate Glaze Finish
- Place the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate, 2 tbsp butter, and 2 tbsp corn syrup in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Heat on 50 percent power, stirring often, until smooth and fully melted.
- If the glaze feels too thick, stir in 1 to 2 tsp hot water, a little at a time.
- Dip the tops of the doughnuts into the glaze and let them set on a wire rack.
- These are best the day they’re made, but they’ll still be lovely the next day if stored in an airtight container.
Notes
Created, prepared, tried, and tested by Gail
Most doughnuts you make at home need frying, but these Soft Baked Doughnuts come out perfectly from the oven. Try them this weekend
Soft Baked Doughnuts are tender, lightly spiced, and perfectly soft in every bite. They’re easy to make with simple ingredients and can be finished in cinnamon sugar or a rich chocolate glaze. Every bite is warm, comforting, and instantly satisfying, making them ideal for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet treat anytime.
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