Name: Lemon Baked Donuts
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 12 donuts
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour; ¾ cup granulated sugar; 2 tsp baking powder; ¼ tsp nutmeg; ½ tsp cinnamon; 1 Tbsp lemon zest; 2 eggs; ⅓ cup lemon juice fresh; ⅔ cup milk; ½ cup vegetable oil; 1 cup confectioners sugar aka icing sugar or powdered sugar; 2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream; 4 Tbsp lemon juice

Soft cake-like lemon baked donuts topped with a sweet lemon glaze. These donuts are made fresh in the oven in just 35 minutes!

Why this recipe works

These lemon baked donuts have lemon zest and juice mixed into the dough on top of a sweet lemon glaze. They’re refreshing and soft, but dense like a cake, reminiscent of a Starbuck’s lemon loaf. Just talking about them makes me want one!

This recipe also provides the perfect base for you to mix in freshly chopped raspberries or blueberries. So let’s forget about deep-fried donuts for a minute and allow baked donuts to shine in all their glory.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

DONUTS – We use fresh lemon juice in both the dough and the glaze, however, you can substitute the lemon juice with lemon extract if you want to pack even more of a citrus punch in these donuts. If substituting, use about 1-2 Tbsp of lemon extract in place of lemon juice for the dough and roughly 1 Tbsp for the glaze. It’s easiest to use lemon juice as you’ll need fresh lemons for the zest anyhow.

How to Make Lemon Baked Donuts

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

Preheat the oven to 425F. Lightly grease a silicone donut pan or regular donut pan and set aside.
In a bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and lemon zest.
Form a well in the center and add the eggs, lemon juice, oil and milk. Slowly, with the help of a spoon, fold the wet ingredients into the dry ones, mixing until everything is just combined.
Spoon the batter evenly into the donut pan cavities. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until done. Remove the baked donuts from the pan after 2-3 minutes and let them cool off completely on a wire cooling rack.
Meanwhile, prepare the icing. In a small bowl combine the confectioners sugar, lemon juice and heavy cream until thick and smooth.
Dip each donut into the icing, turning to evenly coat. Let the icing set on top of the donuts on a cooling rack for a couple of minutes before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

How do I store them and how long will they keep?

Lemon baked donuts will keep in an air-tight container kept at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Can I freeze them?

Yes, these baked donuts will freeze well. To do so, allow the baked donuts to fully cool off before individually wrapping with plastic wrap and placing in a large ziptop bag. They will freeze well for up to 3 months. Do not glaze before freezing, save the glaze for when you’re ready to enjoy. Allow to thaw at room temperature and reheat in the microwave or air fryer if desired.

Serving Suggestions

The lemon baked donuts have a light cake-like texture that’s delicious and perfect to serve with a cup of coffee or tea. You can optionally mix in some fresh berries to the dough before baking and add a bit of lemon zest to the glaze for an extra zip of citrus.

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