These baked maple frosted donuts are cake-style donuts with a thick, sweet maple frosting. Homemade donuts are a lot easier than you think!

While brainstorming new recipes, my brain kept going to donuts. I don’t know why, but I have a feeling my love for donuts is the reason. I used it as inspiration for a new recipe while incorporating the change in seasons. The official date of Fall may not be for another couple weeks, but it’s already Fall in my mind.

It’s been a minute since I shared a donut recipe with you. I’m sorry about that— I promise I will do better.

Enter: Baked Maple Frosted Donuts

Maple Frosted Donuts Ingredients

There’s basic pantry ingredients most of which you probably have already!

1. Flour: All-purpose flour provides structure. You’ll be tempted to add less flour as you mix the batter, but don’t. This is meant to be a thicker batter.
2. Leavening Agents: Helps lift the donuts.
3. Spices & Vanilla Extract: The combination of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla add flavor.
4. Milk: There’s just enough to thin out the batter to allow the leavening agents to do their job.
5. Butter: The melted butter provides extra flavor and moisture.
6. Yogurt: Provides moisture.
7. Egg: Eggs provide structure and flavor.
8. Brown Sugar: Sugar helps sweeten the donuts but using brown sugar adds a touch of molasses flavor.

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Why You’ll Love These Maple Frosted Donuts

• Baked, not fried
• Cake-like texture
• Spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves
• Easy— no mixer required
• Ready in 45 minutes
• Generously dunked (double dunked) in maple icing

Two Parts to Baked Maple Frosted Donuts

1. Donuts: We’re using my standard baked donut recipe as the base with a few small tweaks. It’s a thicker batter that produced a tight-crumb, more dense, donuts. It’s made with basic ingredients like flour, egg, leaveners, milk, and some yogurt for moisture. To sweeten it, we’re using brown sugar (that molasses flavor is key) and tossing in a few spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves.
2. Maple Frosting: This frosting is creamy, sweet, and sets quickly. I usually dunk the donuts once, let the frosting set a bit and then drizzle a little more frosting for decoration.

How to Make Maple Frosted Donuts

Making donuts is easier than you think. Your mixer can take the day off for this recipe, there’s no need for it here!

1. Make the donut batter. You’ll combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients into another. Then, whisk to combine both. Simple enough.
2. Fill the donut pans. Rather than using a spoon, though it can be done (but messy), it’s best to place the batter in a zipped-top bag to pipe the batter into the pans. Just spoon the batter into the bag and trim off the bottom corner.
3. Bake. They bake QUICK— done in 10-11 minutes!
4. Making the frosting. I making the frosting while the donuts bake. Warm butter and maple syrup together, then add powdered sugar, maple extract, vanilla extract, and salt to taste.
5. Dip into frosting. Allow the donuts to cool for a couple minutes so you can handle them. Dip the warm donuts into the frosting, then place on a cooling rack to let the excess frosting drip down. Don’t be afraid to double dip or add patterns!

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More Recipes To Try

• Mixed Berry Streusel Bars
• Carrot Cake
• Chocolate Chip Cookies