Baked Strawberry Glazed Donuts

This recipe yields soft, cake-like baked donuts flecked with strawberry pieces and topped with a vibrant, fresh strawberry glaze.

Ingredients

For the Donuts:

• Dry Ingredients:

  • 121​ cups (180g) all-purpose flour

  • 121​ teaspoons baking powder

  • 41​ teaspoon salt

• Wet Ingredients:

  • 21​ cup (100g) granulated sugar

  • $1$ large egg, at room temperature

  • 21​ cup (120ml) milk (any kind), at room temperature

  • 41​ cup (60g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

  • $1$ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• Flavor/Mix-ins:

  • 41​ cup (about 40g) fresh strawberries, very finely diced

For the Strawberry Glaze:

• 21​ cup (60g) powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)

• $2$ tablespoons fresh strawberries, puréed (blended until smooth)

• $1$ teaspoon milk or water (add more if needed for thinning)

• 41​ teaspoon vanilla extract

• Optional: Pink or red food coloring (for a deeper color)

• Optional: Sprinkles, for decoration

Instructions

1. Prepare the Oven and Pan

• Preheat your oven to 350∘F (175∘C).

• Lightly grease a standard 6-cavity donut pan with non-stick spray or butter. Set aside.

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.

3. Mix the Wet Ingredients

• In a separate medium bowl, whisk the granulated sugar and egg together until pale and slightly fluffy (about 1 minute).

• Gently stir in the melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract until just combined.

4. Combine Wet and Dry

• Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients.

• Use a rubber spatula to fold the mixture together until just combined. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are okay. Overmixing develops the gluten and results in tough donuts.

• Gently fold in the finely diced fresh strawberries.

5. Fill the Pan

• Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a wide tip, or simply snip the corner off a large zip-top bag. This is the easiest way to fill the donut cavities cleanly.

• Pipe the batter evenly into the prepared donut pan, filling each cavity about 43​ full.

6. Bake

• Bake for $9$ to $12$ minutes, or until the donuts are lightly golden brown and spring back lightly when touched.

• Let the donuts cool in the pan for $5$ minutes before carefully turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

7. Prepare the Strawberry Glaze

• In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, strawberry purée, and vanilla extract.

• Start with $1$ teaspoon of milk or water and whisk until a smooth, thick glaze forms. Add the remaining milk or water a drop at a time until the desired dipping consistency is reached—it should be thick enough to coat, but thin enough to drip slowly.

• Add a drop of food coloring now if you wish to enhance the pink color.

8. Glaze and Serve

• Once the donuts are completely cool, dip the top of each donut into the prepared glaze, twisting gently to allow the excess to drip off.

• Place the glazed donuts back on the wire rack.

• Optional: Immediately add sprinkles before the glaze sets.

• Allow the glaze to set for about $15$ to $20$ minutes before serving.

The Sweet Simplicity of Baked Donuts

Baked vs. Fried: A Healthier Indulgence

The donut, in all its sugary glory, has been a beloved treat for centuries. However, the traditional, deep-fried variety is often reserved for special occasions due to its high fat content. Enter the baked donut—a light, fluffy, and significantly less oily alternative that has revolutionized home baking.

The primary difference lies in the cooking method. Fried donuts are yeast-risen, resulting in a bread-like, airy texture that is achieved by plunging the dough into hot oil. Baked donuts, like the strawberry glazed ones featured in this recipe, are typically leavened with baking powder or baking soda, giving them a dense, moist, and cake-like crumb, often compared to a muffin or a Bundt cake.

Baking not only makes the process cleaner and safer—eliminating the need for large pots of hot oil—but it also allows the flavor of the fruit and the cake itself to shine through, unmasked by the heavy taste of frying oil.

The Power of the Purée: Crafting the Perfect Strawberry Glaze

The true star of the Strawberry Glazed Donut is often the vibrant topping. While many commercial glazes use artificial flavorings and colors, a homemade glaze, utilizing fresh strawberry purée, elevates the experience entirely.

The key to a superior strawberry glaze is the freshness and concentration of the purée. By blending fresh, ripe strawberries, you incorporate natural color, intense flavor, and tiny flecks of fruit, which provide an authentic, textured look and taste. A simple purée, combined with powdered sugar, creates an emulsion—a smooth mixture where the sugar suspends the fruit’s natural liquids.

Pro-Tip for Glaze Perfection: If your purée is too watery, you can reduce it slightly on the stovetop over low heat until it thickens before mixing it with the sugar. This intensifies the strawberry flavor and results in a less runny, more visually appealing glaze that sets beautifully.

Baking Tips for Flawless Cake Donuts

Achieving the perfect baked donut is straightforward, but requires attention to a few critical details:

1. Donut Pan is Essential: While muffin tins can be adapted, a dedicated donut pan is necessary for the signature ring shape. They are inexpensive and often come with a non-stick coating.

2. Avoid Overmixing: As with any cake or muffin batter, overmixing develops the gluten, leading to a tough, rubbery donut. Mix only until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined.

3. Piping is Key: Using a piping bag (or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped) to fill the cavities is highly recommended. It prevents messy overflow into the center hole and ensures even distribution, which promotes uniform baking.