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Old Fashioned Glazed Donuts

Old Fashioned Glazed Donuts

Soft, tender cake donuts with a sweet vanilla glaze. These homemade old fashioned glazed donuts are ready in just 30 minutes with no yeast required!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 12 donuts
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Donuts
  • baking spray for greasing donut pan
  • 6 tablespoons butter melted and cooled, unsalted preferred
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil vegetable oil works too
  • 2 eggs large, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract pure extract recommended
  • 1¼ cups buttermilk room temperature, plus extra if needed
  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour spoon and level for accuracy
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder check expiration date
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda fresh for best rise
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg freshly ground if possible
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
For the Glaze
  • 4 cups powdered sugar must be sifted
  • 10-12 tablespoons milk or cream whole milk works best
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt balances sweetness

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C). Spray donut pan generously with baking spray, getting into every crevice.
  2. Melt the butter in the microwave or on the stovetop. Let it cool for about 5 minutes until it's liquid but not hot.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cooled butter, canola oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and buttermilk until completely combined and slightly frothy.
  4. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt until uniform with no lumps.
  5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined. The batter will be thick and slightly lumpy. Don't overmix. If too stiff to pipe, add 1-2 tablespoons of buttermilk.
  6. Transfer batter to a piping bag or large ziplock bag with one corner snipped off. Pipe the batter into each donut cavity, filling about ¾ full. If batter doesn't form a complete ring, wet your fingertip and smooth it together.
  7. Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden brown. Test with a toothpick - it should come out clean. Watch carefully to avoid overbaking.
  8. Let donuts cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then gently flip the pan over and tap them out onto a wire cooling rack. Cool for another 15-20 minutes before glazing.
  9. While donuts cool, make the glaze: Sift powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Add 10 tablespoons milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk until smooth and pourable. Adjust thickness with more milk or powdered sugar as needed.
  10. Place parchment paper under the cooling rack. Dip each cooled donut into the glaze, coating one or both sides. Let sit on rack for 20 minutes until glaze sets into a shiny finish.

Notes

Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze unglazed donuts for up to 3 months. Thaw and glaze fresh before serving.
Buttermilk substitute: Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to regular milk and let sit for 5 minutes.
Measuring flour: Spoon flour into measuring cup and level with a knife. Don't scoop directly or pack it down.
Glaze variations: Add cocoa powder for chocolate, maple extract for maple flavor, lemon zest for citrus, or espresso powder for coffee glaze.