If you’re looking to bring some serious holiday cheer right into your kitchen, then I absolutely must share this Festive Christmas Donuts with Glazes Recipe. These donuts are soft, sweet, and topped with colorful glazes and sprinkles that instantly brighten up your Christmas morning. I discovered this recipe a few years back when I wanted a fun alternative to the usual cookies and muffins, and trust me—once you try these, your family will be asking for them every year!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: With simple steps and common ingredients, these donuts come together quickly and easily in your oven.
- Perfect for the Holidays: The festive glazes and sprinkles add that magical Christmas vibe everyone loves.
- Versatile Flavors: You get both classic vanilla and rich chocolate glazes, so there’s something for everyone.
- Kid-Friendly: My kids go crazy for dipping and decorating their own donuts—makes for a fun holiday activity.
Ingredients You’ll Need
When I first tried this Festive Christmas Donuts with Glazes Recipe, I loved how the ingredients balanced each other perfectly to create a light, fluffy texture that’s not too sweet. I recommend using fresh, quality ingredients—especially butter and vanilla extract—to really make those flavors pop.
- All-purpose flour: This gives the donuts their classic tender crumb; make sure it’s fresh for best results.
- Baking soda: Helps the donuts rise and become fluffy.
- Salt: Just a hint enhances all the sweet flavors.
- Eggs: They provide structure and richness—room temperature eggs blend best.
- Sugar: Sweetens the batter; I use granulated sugar for a smooth texture.
- Butter: Melted and cooled butter brings that tender, moist crumb.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warm, comforting notes essential in holiday baking.
- Almond extract: A special touch that gives these donuts a subtle nutty aroma.
- Milk: I use whole milk for richness, but you can substitute as needed.
- Confectioners’ sugar: For the glaze—make sure it’s sifted to avoid lumps.
- Cocoa powder: Needed for the chocolate glaze; use unsweetened for best balance.
- Food coloring (optional): I love adding a splash of red or green to the white glaze for that festive effect.
- Sprinkles: The fun part! Choose your favorite holiday colors and shapes.
Variations
I love tweaking the Festive Christmas Donuts with Glazes Recipe to match whatever mood I’m in or who I’m baking for. Sometimes I swap out the extracts or add fillings, and it’s always a hit.
- Gluten-Free Version: I once replaced the flour with a gluten-free baking mix, and while the texture differed slightly, the festive spirit was just as vibrant!
- Filled Donuts: Try injecting your donuts with raspberry jam or chocolate ganache for a delightful surprise inside.
- Spiced Variation: Adding cinnamon or nutmeg to the batter gives a warm Christmas spice twist that I adore.
- Simplified Glaze: If you’re short on time, just a simple vanilla glaze with sprinkles is still festive and delicious.
How to Make Festive Christmas Donuts with Glazes Recipe
Step 1: Prepare Your Ingredients and Oven
First things first—preheat your oven to 375°F. While that gets hot, spray your donut pan with baking spray so your donuts don’t stick later. You’ll want to whisk together the dry ingredients—the flour, baking soda, and salt—in a bowl now. This helps everything mix evenly and ensures your donuts rise perfectly.
Step 2: Mix Up the Batter
In a separate large bowl, grab your electric mixer and beat the eggs and sugar until smooth and creamy—this is what gives your donuts that light texture. Slowly add in the cooled melted butter, vanilla, and almond extracts, blending everything well. Then add half your flour mixture, mix, add the milk, and finish with the rest of the flour mix, stirring just until smooth. Be careful not to overmix here or your donuts can turn out dense.
Step 3: Fill the Pan and Bake
I like to put the batter into a pastry bag and pipe it into the donut molds—this gives you nice, even donuts with less mess. But if you don’t have one handy, spoon the batter in gently. Bake for about 12-15 minutes; they’re done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Step 4: Whip Up the Glazes
While the donuts cool, it’s time for the glazes. For the white glaze, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, milk, and a pinch of salt. I sometimes add a few drops of food coloring here to make it festive—red and green work beautifully. For the chocolate glaze, mix confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth. If either glaze feels too runny, just add a bit more confectioners’ sugar to thicken it up for decorating.
Step 5: Dip, Decorate, and Delight
Once the donuts are fully cooled, dip them into your desired glaze, letting the excess drip off before placing them back on the rack. Sprinkles go on immediately after dipping while the glaze is still wet—that’s key to getting them to stick perfectly. Use leftover glaze to pipe fun designs or write messages with a piping bag if you want to get fancy. After the glaze sets, your festive treats are ready to enjoy!
Pro Tips for Making Festive Christmas Donuts with Glazes Recipe
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: It helps the batter mix smoothly and gives you uniform donuts.
- Don’t Overfill the Pans: Filling your donut molds about three-quarters full prevents overflow during baking.
- Cool Completely Before Glazing: Warm donuts melt the glaze and make it runny—patience pays off here!
- Adjust Glaze Thickness as Needed: If your glaze is too thin for decorating, add powdered sugar little by little for perfect piping consistency.
How to Serve Festive Christmas Donuts with Glazes Recipe
Garnishes
I usually stick to colorful holiday sprinkles and sometimes add edible glitter for that extra sparkle. Crushed peppermint candies crushed over the glaze add a minty, festive crunch I totally love. You can even use small festive candies or chopped nuts if you want more texture variety.
Side Dishes
These donuts are fantastic alongside a hot cup of spiced coffee or a warm mug of cocoa—perfect for Christmas morning coziness. I also like serving them with fresh berries or a simple fruit salad to balance out the sweetness.
Creative Ways to Present
For holiday parties, I’ve arranged these donuts on tiered cake stands sprinkled with pine sprigs and fairy lights around. Another fun idea is wrapping individual donuts in clear cellophane tied with festive ribbons—great as edible gifts or place settings!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I store leftover donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. If your kitchen is warm, I recommend refrigerating to keep the glaze fresh, although the donuts might lose a bit of softness.
Freezing
I’ve frozen unglazed donuts wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and placed in freezer bags for up to a month. When ready to enjoy, thaw at room temperature and then glaze fresh—the result tastes just as wonderful.
Reheating
To bring donuts back to life, I pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds—just enough to warm without melting the glaze. Alternatively, a brief 5-minute stint in a low oven works great and restores a freshly-baked vibe.
FAQs
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Can I make these donuts without a donut pan?
Absolutely! If you don’t have a donut pan, you can shape the batter into rounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake them similarly to regular donuts. Just keep an eye on them as baking time may vary, and the shape will be less traditional.
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How do I prevent glaze from melting off warm donuts?
Make sure your donuts are completely cooled before glazing. Warm donuts can cause the glaze to melt and slide off. Cooling on a wire rack ensures air circulates to speed up the process without sogginess.
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Can I use different flavors in the glaze?
Yes! You can add extracts like peppermint, orange, or even coffee to the basic glaze for fun flavor variations. Just adjust the liquid amounts slightly to keep the glaze pourable.
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What’s the best way to pipe decorative glaze on the donuts?
After thickening the glaze with extra powdered sugar, spoon it into a piping bag with a small round tip or a plastic bag with the corner snipped. Practice on parchment paper first to get the flow just right before decorating your donuts.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, there’s just something so joyful about making these Festive Christmas Donuts with Glazes Recipe. It’s hands-down one of my favorite holiday baking projects because the whole family can get involved, and the vibrant colors bring so much cheer to the table. Plus, the taste? Irresistible. I hope you enjoy making and sharing these as much as I do—happy baking and merry Christmas!
Print
Festive Christmas Donuts with Glazes Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 62 min
- Yield: 12 donuts
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Celebrate the holidays with these festive Christmas Donuts, featuring a tender cake-like texture and decorated with vibrant white and chocolate glazes. Perfect for adding a sweet and colorful touch to your Christmas breakfast or brunch, these donuts are easy to bake and fun to decorate with sprinkles and food coloring.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup butter (melted and cooled)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 cup milk
Glazes
- White glaze: 2 cups confectioners’ sugar*
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp milk
- Pinch of salt
- Food coloring (optional)
- Chocolate glaze: 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Pinch of salt
- *plus more confectioners’ sugar to thicken glaze for decorating
- Sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Begin by preheating your oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray your donut baking pan with baking spray to prevent sticking and set it aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt thoroughly. Set this dry mixture aside for later.
- Beat Eggs and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs and sugar together until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add Butter and Extracts: Slowly add the melted and cooled butter along with the vanilla and almond extracts to the egg and sugar mixture. Mix until fully combined.
- Combine Flour and Milk: Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix gently. Then, pour in the milk and mix a little more. Finally, add the remaining flour mixture and mix just until the batter is smooth, taking care not to overmix.
- Fill Donut Pan: Transfer the batter to a pastry bag and pipe it into the prepared donut pan cavities. Alternatively, you can use a spoon to fill each cavity evenly, ensuring you do not overfill.
- Bake Donuts: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the donuts are cooked through and spring back when lightly pressed.
- Cool Donuts: Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for five minutes, then carefully remove them and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- Prepare Glazes: While donuts cool, prepare the glazes. In separate bowls, whisk together the ingredients for the white glaze and the chocolate glaze. Add food coloring to the white glaze if desired for a festive touch. Adjust consistency by adding more confectioners’ sugar if needed for decorating.
- Glaze Donuts: Dip each cooled donut into the desired glaze, letting the excess drip off before placing it back on the cooling rack. Immediately sprinkle with sprinkles before the glaze sets.
- Decorate: Use leftover glaze, thickened with confectioners’ sugar as necessary, to pipe decorative designs onto the donuts. Allow the decorative glaze to set completely.
- Serve or Store: Enjoy your Christmas donuts fresh or pack them in an airtight container for later enjoyment.
Notes
- Bright colors and festive designs make these Christmas donuts a delightful holiday treat to brighten your breakfast or brunch table.
- Use a piping bag to fill the donut pan evenly for uniform donuts.
- Adjust glaze thickness with additional confectioners’ sugar to achieve the perfect consistency for dipping or decorating.
- Donuts are best enjoyed within 1-2 days but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 donut
- Calories: 498 kcal
- Sugar: 61 g
- Sodium: 423 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 82 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 71 mg
