Recipes by Kate Bernhardt + Photography by Frankie Prijatel

From diners to hipster-fueled shops like NYC’s Doughnut Plant serving inventive flavors, these sweet treats are having a moment.  Donut fear—you can make them at home, no fryer needed. Make our recipes now, and have a sweet breakfast for the week.

Frosted Vanilla Donuts

Makes 8-10 donuts

Ingredients

For donuts:
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• ⅓ cup plus ½ tablespoon skim milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For glaze:
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Small pinch of salt
• 1-3 tablespoons of milk
• Food coloring
• Sprinkles

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a donut pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together egg, skim milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir together until well combined (but try not to overmix!).
3. Spoon the batter into donut holes, filling three quarters of the way full. Place pan in oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and allow donuts to cool in the pan before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5. While the donuts cool, make the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar,  vanilla extract, and salt. Add 1 tablespoon of milk, and whisk to combine. If the glaze is too thick, add more milk, ½ teaspoon at a time, until you reach desired consistency. Add food coloring of your choice.
6. Once the donuts are completely cool, dip them into vanilla glaze. Return to the wire rack and top with sprinkles.

Lemon Coconut Donuts

Makes 6-8 donuts

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons coconut milk
• 1 egg
• ¼ teaspoon coconut extract
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

For glaze:
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• Flaked coconut (for topping)

1. Preheat oven 325 degrees. Spray donut pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Combine coconut milk, egg, coconut extract, melted butter, vegetable oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a second bowl. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients, and stir until just combined.
3. Pipe batter into the donut pan, filling each donut hole about two-thirds full.
4. Bake donuts for 10 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and let donuts sit in the pan for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack.
5. For glaze, mix  powdered sugar, milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. You want the consistency to be thick.
6. After the donuts have cooled, dip each donut into a shallow bowl filled with the glaze, allowing excess to fall off. Top with flaked coconut.

Matcha Donuts

Makes about 12 donuts

For donuts:
• 1½ cups flour
• ⅔ cup sugar
• 1½ tablespoons matcha green tea powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg
• ⅓ cup sour cream
• ¾ cup whole milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For glaze:
• 1 large egg white
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons matcha green tea powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• A dash of vanilla extract
• Sprinkles (for topping)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a standard donut pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, matcha green tea powder, baking powder,  baking soda, and kosher salt.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together egg, sour cream, whole milk, and  vanilla extract. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Stir in melted butter.
3. Transfer ingredients to a piping bag and pipe into pan, filling three quarters of the way up.
4. Bake in oven for 10-14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow donuts to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter.
5. For the glaze, whisk together egg white, powdered sugar, matcha green tea powder, salt, and  vanilla extract. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of water; continue to add 1 teaspoon of water at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
6. When the donuts are completely cool, dip top half into glaze and return them to rack until glaze sets. Top with sprinkles.

Nutella Donuts

Makes 9 donuts

Ingredients

For donuts:
• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
• ⅓ cup Nutella
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup milk

For glaze:
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2½ tablespoons Nutella
• 4-6 teaspoons milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Sprinkles (for topping)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
2. In a separate mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer set on medium-low speed, whip together granulated sugar, light-brown sugar, Nutella, and butter, until well blended. Stir in egg and vanilla extract. Using a rubber spatula, add ⅓ of the flour mixture, alternating with milk, mixing and folding just until combined after each addition and beginning and ending with flour mixture.
3. Divide batter among greased donut pans, filling each about three quarters full. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into donut comes out clean, about 7-9 minutes.
4. Remove donuts from  oven and allow to cool 5 minutes. Then run a butter knife around edges to loosen and invert onto wire rack. Allow to cool completely.
5. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, Nutella,  milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
6. Dip donuts in glaze. Top with sprinkles.

Salted Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Donuts

Makes 16-18 donuts

Ingredients

For salted caramel:
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

For donuts:
• 1¾ cup cake flour
• 1¼ cup light brown sugar
• ⅔ cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coffee liqueur (optional)
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For glaze:
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 5 tablespoons salted caramel (recipe above!)
• 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Crushed salted pretzels (for topping)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two donut pans with cooking spray; set aside.
2. To make salted caramel: Heat a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Combine granulated sugar and ¼ cup water, and cook until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil without stirring or moving the pan. Boil until syrup is a deep amber color, about 5 to 6 minutes.
3. Remove pan from heat and carefully pour in heavy cream while whisking. The mixture will bubble vigorously—just keep whisking. Stir in  unsalted butter, vanilla extract and coarse sea salt. Transfer to a heat-safe bowl and allow to cool down completely. Set aside.
4. To make the donuts: In a large bowl, combine cake flour, light brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder,baking soda,  salt, espresso powder (if using), and ground cinnamon (if using). Make a well in the center of the bowl.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs,  buttermilk, vanilla extract, coffee liqueur (if using), and melted butter. Pour in the wet ingredients and fold until just combined.
6. Fill prepared donut pan about three quarters of the way up. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove donuts from oven and allow to cool down in pan. Transfer donuts to a wire rack, and let cool completely before glazing.
7. To make the glaze: In a large bowl, combine powdered sugar, salted caramel (you made this!),heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Whisk until completely smooth.
8. Dunk baked doughnuts into glaze to coat, then dip them into crushed pretzels.

White Chocolate Oreo Donuts

Makes 6-8 donuts

Ingredients

For donuts:
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons milk
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
• 9 Oreos, finely chopped

For glaze:
• 8 ounces white chocolate
• 5-6 Oreos, crushed

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray donut pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, combine milk, egg, vanilla extract, and vegetable or canola oil. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients, and mix until just combined.
3. Finely chop 9 Oreos, making sure pieces are small enough to fit through a piping bag. Add Oreo pieces to the batter and mix to combine.
4. Transfer batter to a large piping bag. Pipe the batter into donut pan, filling each donut hole about two thirds full.
5. Bake donuts for 10 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven, and let donuts sit in the pan for 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.
6. While donuts are baking, chop 5-6 Oreos for topping. Put the crumbs on a shallow plate; set aside.
7. Place  white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Microwave at 30 second intervals until chocolate is melted.
8. Dip each donut into white chocolate, allowing excess to fall off on a cooling rack. Dip donuts into Oreo crumbs, slightly pressing the donuts into crumbs so they completely cover the chocolate.

A shortened version of this article appeared in our Fall 2016 issue. Check it out here!