Fluffy homemade cake donuts, baked to golden perfection and dusted with powdered sugar.
Just in time for Mother’s Day: these homemade powdered sugar donuts are easy, tender, and perfect for breakfast in bed—or for baking with kids and grandkids. They bake up like a light, spiced cake and get an irresistible powdered sugar coating.
I’ve been the grateful recipient of many proud homemade breakfasts from my kids—toast, juice, and a shy little server watching every bite. Another favorite is the fresh-picked dandelion bouquet from the yard. Little gestures like that make those mornings unforgettable.
These baked powdered sugar donuts are an excellent option for a special morning. They have just a touch of nutmeg to give the familiar donut flavor, yet they remain light and not overly spiced. The recipe uses common pantry ingredients and consistently yields fluffy, well-risen donuts—something I haven’t always been able to achieve with other baked donut recipes.
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To prepare, grease two standard 6-donut pans and set them aside. In a mixer, beat together butter, oil, and sugars until combined. Add the eggs and beat again. Mix in baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla, then alternate adding flour and milk, beginning and ending with flour. The batter should be smooth and well blended.
This recipe makes one dozen donuts. Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared pans, filling each cavity just below the rim. I found the recipe yields exactly the right amount to fill two pans.
Bake until lightly golden, then cool the donuts in the pans for about seven minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Once cooled, dust both sides generously with powdered sugar for that classic finish.
These donuts are lovely to serve fresh—powdered sugar tends to fade if stored airtight, so they’re best enjoyed the day they’re made. If you need to keep them, you can always re-dust with powdered sugar before serving.
They’re simple, pretty, and delicious—an easy way to celebrate mom or any special morning.
Helpful tools that make these donuts easier to bake
- Donut pan for even shaping and baking
- Sugar shaker or sifter for dusting
- Fine mesh strainer for a light, even powdered sugar dusting
- Small spatula for smoothing batter into pans
Happy Mother’s Day—time to make the donuts and enjoy a sweet, homemade morning treat!
Print Recipe
Baked Powdered Sugar Donuts
15 mins
10 mins
25 mins
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 2/3 cups flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar, for dusting (use a little more if you like)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Grease two standard 6-donut pans.
- In a mixer, beat together butter, oil, and both sugars. Add the eggs and beat until combined.
- Mix in baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla.
- Gradually add flour and milk, alternating and beginning and ending with flour. Mix until well blended.
- Spoon the batter into prepared donut pans, filling each cavity just below the rim.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Cool in the pans for about 7 minutes, then turn donuts out onto a wire rack to cool.
- Evenly coat both sides with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Notes
Greasing the pans with shortening (Crisco) or non-stick spray works well. I used Crisco for these photos.
These donuts are best eaten fresh; powdered sugar will fade if stored in an airtight container. Re-dusting is an easy fix.
This recipe was found in a compilation titled “United Sweets of America.” No author was credited in that source.
Nutrition
Calories: 273 kcal |
Carbohydrates: 41 g |
Protein: 5 g |
Fat: 10 g