Baked donuts are an easy way to make a delicious and fun-filled breakfast for the whole family in under 30 minutes! Say no to trips to the doughnut shop because these classic cake doughnuts can be frosted or sprinkled with any of your favorite donut toppings. Plus, you won't feel as guilty because they are baked instead of fried!
Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C) and lightly grease your donut pans or mini-donut pans.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the room temperature softened butter, cooking oil, sugar, and light brown sugar. Cream together the wet ingredients, then add the beaten eggs, baking powder, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until evenly distributed.
½ cup sugar, ⅓ cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup butter, ¼ cup cooking oil, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¾ teaspoon salt
Add the all-purpose flour and milk into the wet ingredients, alternating and adding each in gradual amounts. You want the batter thoroughly combined, but do not over-mix once it comes together.
2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup milk
Transfer the batter into your prepared donut pans, filling each donut cavity approximately ⅔ full.
Place the donut pans onto the center rack in your preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until they have risen, and are golden on the bottom (you can see the lightly browned edges).
Remove the baked donuts from your oven and leave them in the pan for 5 minutes before flipping them out onto a wire cooling rack.
Add your desired sugar, cinnamon sugar, icing, and any other toppings once cooled.
Notes
Once the wet and dry ingredients have been combined, just mix until everything is evenly dispersed. Overmixing the batter will lead to tough donuts!
You can spoon the donut batter into your donut pans or mini-donut pans, or transfer the batter into a piping bag or plastic storage bag (and snip the corner).
Baked donuts can dry out easily. If you stick a toothpick into the thickest part of the donut, you want to see a few moist crumbs stuck to the outside when you pull it out.
Brush melted butter onto warm donuts to coat with sugar or cinnamon sugar.
To store: Keep baked donuts in an airtight container or Ziploc bag at room temperature for up to 48 hours.
To freeze: They can be frozen once cooled by placing them in a heavy-duty freezer bag and squeezing the air out (this is best before filling or icing them). Enjoy within 6 months and thaw in the microwave on 50% power.