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Gingerbread is probably the most popular Christmas flavor for cakes cookies and donuts. A holiday spice combo that makes your baked goods more cozy from early December though late January. Baked donuts are easy to make, require minimal ingredients and taste delicious with a quick vanilla icing.
Baked Donuts
Baked doughnuts are quick and easy to prepare. No yeast or frying needed to make light fluffy cake like doughnuts. All you need is a donut pan and about 20 minutes!
Tips for Making Gingerbread Donuts:
- Fill your donut wells to just level with the center divider.
- Let them cool completely before removing them from pan.
- If your icing is too thick add a Tbsp of milk, stir and test thickness.
- If your icing is too thin add a 1/2 cup powdered sugar, stir and test thickness.
- Dip the top of your doughnuts into the bowl of frosting, rotating gently as you lift.
- Sprinkle the icing with grated nutmeg and cinnamon!
Gingerbread Donuts with Vanilla Icing
Baked Gingerbread Donuts made with warming winter spices and topped with an easy vanilla icing. Fluffy and flavorful donuts, perfect for your holiday breakfast.
Click for Ingredient Details
Ingredients
Gingerbread Donut Batter
- 2 Cup (250 grams) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup (110 grams) dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) sunflower oil, *neutral oil
- 3 tablespoons unsulphered molasses
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
Vanilla Icing
- 2 tablespoons (26 grams) pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 /4 cup (60 grams) whole milk
- 3-4 cups (330-440 grams) powdered sugar
Instructions
Doughnuts
- Preheat the oven to 375F (190C) and spray a 6 cavity donut pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl hand whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Set aside.
- Using a mixing bowl with a hand mixer, mix together the brown sugar, eggs, molasses, oil and milk until smooth.
- Add the flour mixture a third at a time, mixing on medium low until a smooth batter is formed.
- Using half the batter, fill the doughnut wells until the batter is level with the center ring. This can also be done by transferring the batter into a piping bag, cutting 1/2 inch opening at the tip and piping the batter into the donut pan cavities.
- Place the donut pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. The donut should spring back when gently pressed with a fingertip. ( Test for doneness with a toothpick by inserting into the side of the donut. If only small crumbs then the doughnuts are baked.)
- Transfer the donut pan on a wire cooling rack. Allow donuts to cool completely before flipping them out of the pan. Repeat with the remaining half of donut batter.
Make Vanilla Icing
- In a large bowl, combine the vanilla extract, milk and 1 cup of the powdered sugar.
- Using a hand mixer on medium high, mix until the sugar is well blended. Continue to add one cup of sugar at a time, mixing thoroughly until a semi-thick icing is formed.
- Transfer a quarter of the vanilla icing into a shallow rimmed bowl.
- Gently lower the top of a donut down into the frosting, about halfway. Lift and rotate to coat the top with the vanilla icing. Flip the donut over and set it on a serving dish, allowing the icing to set.
- Repeat with remaining vanilla icing and donuts.
- Serve the gingerbread donuts with milk and coffee!
Tried this recipe?Mention @twocupsflour or tag #twocupsflour!
amazing – love gingerbread
not a fan of cloves so left that out but I inhaled two with my coffee this morning and shared a couple with my neighbour and his daughter.
Yay!! I’m so glad you like them!!
Your photos make me want to jump through the screen and grab a donut for myself. This would be perfect with my morning coffee!
Thank you so much Trang!!! They’re so delicious!!
Nice pictures!! These donuts look unbelievable!!! Very pretty!
These doughnuts look so lovely. I just love the comforting flavour of gingerbread and to pair that with a doughnut and a hot cuppa. Just bliss 🙂
Yum! What a great donut idea, they look scrumptious and the perfect partner to my morning coffee! Take care. 🙂
Made this today. Halved recipe to make 6. Rather than full frosting, I reduced recipe for frosting and did a light glaze. Will make again!