Joy the Baker

Brown Butter Baked Doughnuts

by 266 Comments

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I’m really just thinking about the future.

This weekend I bought a doughnut baking pan.  I’d always thought baking doughnuts was for the birds… literally.  For some reason, lately I’ve been daydreaming about future doughnuts:  pumpkin with maple glaze, chocolate with peppermint frosting, and candy bar cupcakes for Halloween (because yes, I’m that crazy).

It’s just a bit too early to dive into Fall flavors, so I thought I’d break in ye olde doughnut baking pan with some browned butter.  Browned butter is forever in season, as are doughnuts.  We must have a win.

doughnuts

This is the most natural way to make doughnuts… on my desk with boards and napkins, a big camera, a tripod, and sprinkles everywhere.  Not true, but it’s real life anyway.

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It’s amazing how easy it is to make baked doughnuts.  Why didn’t I know this before now!?

All we need is flour, sugar, leavening, egg, buttermilk, brown butter and nutmeg.  The usual suspects.  We’ve been down this road before… but the road ends in Doughnut Town.  Yes, I just said that.

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I love recipes that come together with a bowl and large soon.

Would you judge me if I told you that this is also my cereal bowl?

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All in the dang bowl.  All of it.

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This doughnut batter is just about right.  It’s best not to overmix it.  Overmixing makes for a tough doughnut and that’s the last thing we want.

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You can use a piping bag to divide the dough between the doughnut molds.  I find that a small spoon does the trick.

Also… pastry bags are not fun to clean.  Think about it.

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This recipe makes enough batter to fill a six doughnut pan.  Two for you.  Four for lucky friends.

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The glaze comes together while the doughnuts cool.

Powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and enough milk and vanilla extract to make the glaze spreadable.

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I dipped the doughnuts top-side-up.  The tops are smooth which make them the perfect base for chocolate glaze (and sprinkles).

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This feels like such success!

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I’ll tell you now, I should have gotten a doughnut pan a loooong time ago!  These baked cake doughnuts are so delicious, so soft and tender, soooo chocolate glazed!  I’m smitten.

I also love that I don’t have to heat a pot of oil and bust out the candy thermometer.

I work in a very small kitchen, and I’m not a fan of unnecessary pans.  I thought doughnut pans were considered unnecessary, but I’m pretty sure I was wrong.

True story:  these baked doughnuts are six of the happiest things I’ve made this year.  There are sprinkles involved, too.  I mean….

Brown Butter Baked Doughnuts with Chocolate Glaze

adapted from Doughnuts

makes 6 baked doughnuts

Print this Recipe!

For the Doughnuts:

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/3 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter (but we’ll only use 2 tablespoons of browned butter for the recipe)

1 large egg

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

pinch of salt

3 to 4 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease a doughnut pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and sugar.  Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter.  Butter will begin to crackle and pop as it melts.  That’s the water melting out of the butter.  Once the water has evaporated the butter will quiet down and begin to brown.  Keep an eye on it, it browns quickly.  The butter will begin to smell nutty.  Remove from heat and immediately transfer browned butter (brown bits and all) to a small bowl.

In a small bowl whisk together egg, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.  Measure out 2 tablespoons of browned butter and whisk into the wet ingredients.

Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients.  Stir together until no flour bits remain and all of the ingredients are well combined.  Try not to overmix the batter.  That might create rubbery doughnuts.

Use a small spoon to dollop batter into the prepared pan.  Smooth out and fill each doughnut in the pan three-quarters full with batter.

Place in the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.  Keep an eye on them and try not to over-bake them.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

While the doughnuts cool, make the glaze.

To make the glaze, in a medium bowl whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.  I didn’t sift my powdered sugar.  I was able to whisk the lumps out.  If you have stubborn powdered sugar, sifting before is best.

Add 2 tablespoons of milk and vanilla extract.  Whisk to combine.  Add more milk as necessary to create a thick but still just pourable glaze.

Once the doughnuts are completely cool, dip top-side-down into the chocolate glaze.  Return to the wire rack and sprinkle with toppings.  Allow to set for about 30 minutes before stacking or serving. Doughnuts are best within 2 days.  

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. ca

    i just want to say that a.) i find it amusing and yet somehow fitting that where i used to pull out my ‘joy of cooking’ whenever i needed a recipe for some baked item (banana bread, doughnuts, cookies…), i now turn to ‘joy the baker.’ and b.) i think that part of the reason is that this just feels like no-judgment zone. baking isn’t as formal as it sounds. you can mix milk and yogurt when you’re out of buttermilk (but skip browning the butter, never). thank you for another lovely recipe…i’m making mini-doughnuts to celebrate the last day of school with my 2nd graders! =]

    Reply

  3. Erica

    Joy, you are the best! My struggle with doughnuts began probably 15 years ago, when I first tried to make doughnuts on Christmas morning for my parents and I. We had disgusting, oil soaked doughnuts around 1pm that day. Since, I’ve tried dozens more attempts and each time was a failure. One year my parents bought me baked doughnut pans, and I tried out one of the recipes that came on the cards with the pans. Another failure. After 15 years, I finally tried this recipe and it has been my very first doughtnut success! You are amazing. I’m finally going to have a wonderful “doughtnuts for Christmas breakfast” success. =)

    Reply

  4. Cat

    These are fabulous! Moist, yet sturdy, with a true donut texture. Many are like a cupcake in a ring shape. Not these! And best of all, the luscious browned butter flavor is quite prevalent. I topped them with a strawberry glaze. Next time I’ll do the chocolate. I can foresee a maple glaze, a raspberry glaze, or lemon glaze in the future. These are so versatile.

    Reply

  5. Laura

    I was out of cocoa, so I added blueberries to the batter and made glaze with lemon extract. I definitely recommend blueberry baked donuts!

    Reply

  7. Kara

    Reading this post convinced me that I needed a donut pan!! And I’m SOOOOOOO glad I finally purchased one!! I tried out the recipe and it was absolutely delicious!! I blogged about it and added a link to your post. Thanks for sharing!!

    Reply

  9. Lori

    This is the first time I’ve seen your blog… but you should know, ten minutes after I saw this recipe I was on Amazon buying a donut pan. I don’t normally care for donuts, but this recipe sounds and looks sooooo amazingly delicious, I can’t wait to try it!
    Mark Bitman’s pancakes (bye-bye, Bisquick!) and Joy the Baker’s donuts (suck it, Dunkin!) … let the healing begin. Homemade donut initiation commences Monday evening.
    While I’m waiting, I’m going to recon the rest of your blog!

    Reply

  10. Adria R

    I just made these for a quick dessert tonight. Awesome……I didn’t have any buttermilk so I added some vinegar to heavy whipping cream. I needed some recipes for the pan that has been sitting there:)

    Reply

  11. CkyBby

    I just made these for my two boys (and of course I had to taste test one) and they turned out great! The only other time I made “doughnuts” in my doughnut pan, they were really just doughnut shaped cakes. These are something else entirely. The intense nutmeg flavor is out of this world, and it’s what gives these baked cake doughnuts the right to be called doughnuts. The glaze was easy to prepare and so delicious. They ended up looking just like your finished result, sprinkles and all. Success!!

    Reply

  12. Narda

    Joy! These have been tempting me for months now! I have made the deep fried kind, which turned out very nice, but of course, it’s such a hassle.
    I would love to try these, but I do not have a doughnut pan.. However, I do have one of those little doughnut-maker machines… I got it as a gift once and have been eyeing it with suspicion ever since.
    Would you (or anyone else who happens to read this and maybe has experience with a dougnut maker) think this recipe could work in one of those?

    P.s Your website is my very favourite foodblog :)

    Reply

  13. Jen @ Fresh From The...

    These were a little too much on the nutmeg side for my taste. Swear I just did the 1/2 teaspoon called for but all I taste is nutmeg when I take a bite. Next time may nix it entirely. Not sure where I went wrong since no one else seems to have this problem.

    Reply

  15. Michele

    I have a whole wheat flour addiction. Something my husband is less than fond of. I tried this recipe with whole wheat flour and it was a little dry. Something I probably should have anticipated. So I tried it again and changed the buttermilk to 2/3 cup and the brown butter to 4 tablespoons. They came out much more moist. The Chocolate Glaze recipe is spot on. It reminds me of the joy chocolate doughnuts brought as a kid! and of course anything with sprinkles is pretty awesome.

    Reply

  17. Taylor

    Right after I got done drooling over this recipe, I went out to run some errands where there happened to be a Krispy Kreme in the parking lot with the hot doughnuts sign on. I’m not one to crave doughnuts, but I was all buttered up from reading about these beauties. Dang it, Joy! :)

    Reply

  18. Anneri

    Hi there! I found your site because I clicked on the ‘source’ button of the first site where I found your post. But I didn’t know it was yours until I got here ;-) I am glad they didn’t just steal your post and that there is actually a click-through to here. But I would suggest putting a watermark on your pics just in case ;-)

    I feel like I need to get a donut pan now….like in right now. I love donuts but never buy them because they are fried in oil…but BAKED! Oh.my.yess. Thanks, and this just before Christmas ;-)

    Reply

  20. Kate

    Doughnuts are a big favouritein my house but i’ve always been a bit dubious about making them as i have an issue with big pans of fat but the idea of baked doughnuts is massively appealing. Can you buy these doughnut pans in the UK?

    Reply

  21. Sarah R

    These were breakfast this morning & I broke in my new doughnut pan with this recipe. Just wanted to say, I had a ton of leftover glaze – and it makes pretty stellar chocolate milk if you mix a spoonful or so in a glass.

    Reply

  23. Jessica

    Just bought two of that same pan on Amazon (I have six kids; I want a donut, too) and started searching online for recipes. Glad to know that I’m not the only one coming late to the donut pan party. Looking forward to trying your recipe.

    Reply

  24. SK Brandy

    I made these this morning as a surprise for my husband’s birthday–they looked fabulous and tasted delicious. They are a very light cake donut. I also dipped some in melted butter and then in cinnamon sugar and they were terrific too!

    Reply

  27. Robyn

    I can’t wait to try these. I just made brown butter for the first time this week and it was amazing! I was wondering why 3 tablespoons if you only needed 2. Just curious, does it have to do with it burning off? Or did I miss something and I am supposed to add it at another point, thanks:) Beautiful photos!

    Reply

  30. lyndsay // coco cake land

    man alive i’ve been considering the doughnut pan for like three years. i’ve walked by it a few times and picked it up even and went, yeah. but NOW … to see the ease of getting to Doughnut Town… well geez, i may just have to finally buy one!!! Looks awesome, joy!!! xo

    Reply

  31. Andrea

    These look delicious. AND I just got a doughnut baking pan as a birthday gift. Plus, I just tried making traditional (fried) doughnuts this weekend and had a biiiit of a mishap with the oil, so baked doughnuts are probably more my speed.

    Reply

  39. Rachelle Renée

    OH! My doughnut pan is one of the best things I’ve bought! I also have a mini doughnut pan. These beat making muffins (almost) any day!

    Reply

  43. Marci

    SUCH a great baked donut recipe Joy! Thank you! We started making baked donuts about 8 months ago, and at that time I checked to see if you had a recipe for them but you didn’t :(. Was so glad to see this new one from you and we tried them tonight and they are THEE BESTEST! Thank you!
    ps….I ‘ve read 3 baked donuts equals same calories in 1 fried donut.

    Reply

  45. Christina

    Man between this and all the donuts Tracy has made…it’s about dang time I bought a donut pan. I’m thinking the brown butter adds a richness and nuttiness that might otherwise be missed in the baked version no? Plus this is way easier to whip up when the urge to donut strikes (which is like every 3rd day)

    Reply

  46. Jonena

    I so have a doughnut pan on my wedding registry! Hoping that in four weeks I can bust out a batch of these in a new pan – let’s be honest – I’ll get a pan myself if need be for brown butter, chocolate and sprinkles! Thanks, Joy!!

    Reply

  49. jane

    Joy, I can’t wait to make these. I have been so intimidated to make doughnuts but you always somehow make cooking/baking look so easy. LOVE that!! I made your charred corn tacos and fig cake. both turned out fantastic. Always looking forward to your post…your so witty and entertaining. your are by far my favorite blogger. you truly have a gift!

    Reply

  51. Amy

    So, say 6 donuts just isn’t enough donuts for your hungry self and your lucky friend(s). What then? If you double the batter, will half of it be alright to sit for a while until the other six donuts are baked — or should I invest in another donut pan? I’ve wondered this about a lot of baked goods… Thanks, Joy!!

    Reply

  53. lee

    It makes me happy that you’ve finally (!) gotten to experience the joy of baked doughnuts. I started making them after seeing recipes on Averie Cooks (and being so thrilled about the idea of homemade doughnuts without the hot oil), and I love them.

    Can’t wait to try this recipe!

    Reply

  54. Jodi

    this was my first time using brown butter, stop shaking your head, I know! what was I waiting for?! Delicious. Now I have to buy the doughnut book.

    Reply

  55. Jenn

    Now I need a doughnut pan! One of my sons has a peanut allergy, so he can’t have any doughnuts made in a bakery. I’ve always wanted to make them at home, but was afraid of having hot oil around my young kids. Thank you so much for sharing this!

    Reply

  56. Amicia Rai (@AmiciaRai)

    They look so beautiful!

    It also doesn’t seem to be a very difficult recipe, so even I could make it! :D Dough isn’t my strongest point since I’m only just starting to bake on my own, but this lovely recipe will be delicious! :D

    Reply

  58. Jessica

    Well that’s a fine howdy do. Between you and Tifffanie Turner over at the Corner Blog with her 101 things to do with her donut pan, I might as well just ask Santa for a gross of sprinkles and call it a day!
    I can only see good things coming form your new toy.

    Reply

  64. Heather

    I read this post this morning, went and bought the pan by noon, and then my husband and I made them tonight and just ate one each! Soooooooo good! Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  67. Monica

    This is absolutely beautiful! Thank you for the eye-candy, Joy! They make me happy too and I feel the urge to buy a donut pan now…if I succumb, this is certainly the first recipe I try. You convinced me. Gorgeous pics!

    Reply

  73. Jana H.

    These look amazing but….I just can’t get on board the cake doughnut train. Anytime I bite into a baked cake doughnut there is an explosion of disappointment in my mouth. Especially if I don’t know ahead of time that it’s not a yeasty fried doughnut. I can tolerate them if I know going in that it’s actually cake. But then again, if I know it’s actually cake, I usually pass. Just not into the cake thang. But…to each her own. :-) Enjoy your new toy!

    Reply

  75. J.S. @ Sun Diego Eats

    I always doubted that the baked doughnuts would turn out like real doughnuts (wouldn’t they just be like a mini cake with a hole thru it??) but if you’re buying into it maybe I need to purchase a doughnut pan too!

    Reply

  76. Bea

    Oh, Joy, another great invention. Keep ’em coming. I’m off to buy a doughnut pan. I live in a condo where we take turns making coffee treats. These will knock their sox off.

    Reply

  81. amber

    Holy donuts! These looks amazing. I need to get a donut pan. Love the the recipe is only for 6 donuts, too, because I don’t need anymore than that laying around! Haha

    Reply

  82. Trista

    I’ve been seeing donut pans everywhere as of late, and thought.. I feel like I should have one too!.. Why not?! Since I used to be addicted (literally) to Dunkin Donuts, now mostly G-free, I’ll have to try this recipe and use my G-free flour, to feel like i’m part of the group! haha Thank you for the inspiration!
    X.
    Trista

    Reply

  87. Darlene

    Hi Joy! Those look great! I need to get a tripod, which one do you use? I really like that (it looks like) you can pivot it to take portrait orientation shots instead of all landscape like my current/cheap one does now. Thanks!

    Reply

  90. Allison (Spontaneous Tomato)

    I actually own *several* donut pans (including mini ones) that I bought at a thrift store maybe two years ago, and I’ve tried using them a few times, but never with anything I’d consider a success. These look so perfect, though! I’ll have to give my donut pans another try, based on your recipe. Thanks for always being an inspiration!

    Reply

  93. Marina

    Joy….

    Does this mean that there are recipes for pumpkin, or (dare I say) apple cider baked doughnuts in your future? If so, I might just have to order a doughnut baking pan myself….

    Reply

  94. Katie

    This post just inspired me to go look for my mini doughnut pan…twenty minutes of digging through the basement later, I’m thinking it might be easier to just order a new one! I need these doughnuts in my life.

    Reply

  96. Cate @ Chez CateyLou

    I bought a donut pan this past weekend!!! I was in your school of thought about trying to limit the pans in my small kitchen, but I have seen so many amazing looking baked donut recipes recently that I just had to buy one! I can’t wait to try you recipe!

    Reply

  100. Gaby

    Oh wow! I always thought donut pans made white a soggy donuts! But these look golden and crisp and filled with yumminess… Yet another thing to add to my shopping list when I move flats! Exciting Thanks Joy :D

    The Gift of Gaby

    Reply

  101. Effie

    Oh dear–I was just looking at my donut pans and thinking of getting rid of them–now I see this and feel the urge to bake donuts!! Those last 5 pounds will never come off! Oh well–it’s better to feel cozy and insulated in the upcoming seasons, right?!

    Reply

  102. Eksanya

    I always thought of doughnuts as a bit of a Mt Everest, like Victorian Sponges- you know, difficult but potentially worth it if it’s done right. You have sold me on getting a doughnut pan- I’m right into awesome but potentially unnecessary bake ware right now.

    By the way Joy have you ever tried Lemon Myrtle or Wattleseed in your baking? I live in Australia and just bought a Australian herb baking book. Your blog is my go-to, super inspiring and I’ve gifted your book lots.

    Reply

  113. Penny

    I made baked pumpkin doughnuts yesterday. With a sour cream frosting. Yummmm.

    You might want to make browned butter frosting for these babies next time. It will take about 2 T of browned butter to 2 cups icing sugar. Thin with milk.
    A few chopped toasted walnuts on top would be just dandy.
    My Mom made fabulous cookies using browned butter but I always wanted just the icing.

    Reply

  121. Laura

    These are perfect looking! How would you describe the texture? Are they like donut-shaped cupcakes or are they like old fashioned donuts? Or like something else entirely?

    Reply

    • Orangeflower

      The flavor is good, but extremely dry for me. I mixed on the light side as to not over mix the batter. I checked and doubled checked the oven temp. I even made sure all the ingredients were at room temp After four batches, I’m a bit disheartened. I’m located in east TN so humidity may be an issue. Would you happen to have any tips?

      Reply

  128. Nelly Ritchie

    Joy! Stop making me impulse buy kitchen equipment!! I just bought a doughnut pan on amazon and I blame you entirely!

    I also bought all of the books you recommended a little while ago…

    I need to save my pennies so stop tempting me with your awesomeness!

    xx

    Reply

  135. Averie @ Averie Cooks

    They look great and congrats on your new donut pan! And now that you have one, you may find yourself succumbing to the holiday gift set donut pans – when Wilton has like 3 sizes in 1 pack for $20 bucks or whatever. Not that I’ve done that or anything. ahem. I can’t believe you didnt have a donut pan til this weekend!

    And love the shot of your setup, tripod, etc. And that big wood board with the slight crack in the center…LOVE it!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  4. […] jam. BUT, the results were totally worth it. TOTALLY!! #2 THESE…I must make these!! Brown Butter Baked Doughnuts. Joy the Baker is one of my favorite blogs and I love her cookbook as well. I saw these doughnuts […]

    Reply

  38. […] was for a class party for my Sunday School class. I tested three different recipes: chocolate, brown butter, and apple spice. The brown butter was my certain favorite. I made more donuts for Halloween a week […]

    Reply

  104. […] Poor Mr. Darcy has gotten such a raw deal this past month that a couple of days ago I tried to catch up a little on the treats. After checking the cookie jar to make sure that he wasn’t getting too low, I made mini-donuts from a Joy the Baker recipe for brown butter baked donuts. https://joythebaker.com/2013/09/brown-butter-baked-doughnuts/. […]

    Reply

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