May 6, 2013
updated
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Have you been looking for a glazed cake donut recipe that requires no special pan? Look no further.
There is something about donuts that just makes the day feel special. Maybe because it’s a sweet treat that feels like dessert for breakfast? Yea, I think that might be it.
Making donuts at home is easy enough, but many recipes call for a special pan or even a special donut making kitchen gadget. Today, I’m sharing a donut recipe that calls for nothing more than a good ol’ muffin pan and ingredients you are sure to already have sitting in your pantry.

Sound good? I think so too.
The best part about this recipe is that now you can make donuts at home and even bring the kids into the kitchen to help using this simple recipe.
These donut muffins are perfect for a special breakfast (we love to make birthday breakfasts a notable occasion) or even for a delicious lunch box dessert.
Just a note about the flour used in this recipe…I often use Whole Wheat Pastry Flour in my baking as a substitute for all-purpose flour. It is a flour made from a soft, winter wheat that works well when baking pastries, cakes and cookies giving them a much lighter texture than regular whole wheat flour.
Using whole wheat pastry flour is a great way to add more whole grains without the whole wheat taste or heaviness. If you don’t have whole wheat pastry flour, use regular all-purpose flour.
Glazed Donut Muffins
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup white sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup applesauce
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 to 1 ¼ teaspoons ground nutmeg or cinnamon, optional
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ⅔ cups whole wheat pastry flour, can also use all-purpose flour if desired
- 1 cup milk
Glaze:
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a standard muffin tin or line with muffin cups.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugars until smooth.
- Add the apple sauce and eggs, mixing just enough to combine.
- Add in the baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla.
- Working in batches, add the flour into the wet mixture alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined after each addition.
- Scoop the batter into the muffin pan, filling each cup ¾ full.
- Bake the muffins for 15-20 minutes, or until muffins are a pale golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Remove the muffins from the oven, and allow them cool for 5-10 minutes.
For the Glaze:
- In a medium bowl combine the milk, vanilla extract, and confectioners’ sugar, stir until smooth.
- Dip the top of each cooled muffin into the glaze.
- Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container for a 1-2 days at room temperature.
Mary Gibson
What is evaporated cane sugar?
MOMables - Laura
It’s raw sugar but any granulated sugar will work.
kristal
Hi! Would I be able to swap out the milk for almond milk instead and get the same outcome?
MOMables - Laura
Absolutely. Enjoy!
Platt College
Love donuts. Have to try this recipe soon!
Vera
These are great! Have made them twice already and my kids love them.
Christy
Has anyone made with GF flour mix and gum?
MOMables
Yes. I use my favorite GF Baking mix for this recipe without any issues. I add 1/2tsp gum.
sarah
I noticed the instructions say to cream the sugars with the butter and melted butter/coconut oil but there is no melted butter or coconut oil listed…can you please explain? :) Did you melt the 1/4 c butter – was that what you meant?
MOMables
You are right Sarah. It was double typed. The recipe is fixed!
Jennifer
In Step 2, it says to cream together the butter, melted butter or coconut oil, and sugars till smooth. But in the ingredient list, there is no melted butter/coconut oil. Is this just the regular butter? Do you leave it soft and cream it or melt it?
Takayama
Delicious! I made them today and added 1/2 cup of oats with 1/2 of choc. chips and they turned out very good. What I liked was that it was not a grsaey muffin.
MOMables
awesome! I am thrilled you liked them. :)
Jennifer
Any substitute for the evaporated cane sugar?
MOMables
raw sugar, white sugar, coconut palm sugar or check out this post.
Callie
Oh my goodness…I made these last night and they were wonderful! I did half the recipe with the regular size muffin pan and then half with the mini muffin pan. My kids and husband adored them.
MOMables
So glad your family loved them Callie!
Claire
These muffins burned when I cooked them. I am usually good with recipes but this didn’t turn out for me. Any idea where I went wrong? I didn’t rotate my pans. But maybe I just baked them too long?