Some days, you just need a soft, sweet donut to lift your spirits. Not the store-bought kind that’s been sitting on a shelf for who knows how long, but one that’s fresh from your oven, smells like vanilla heaven, and maybe even has a little pink glaze and sprinkles on top (because, why not?).

These vegan baked vanilla donuts are perfect. They’re quick to make, they don’t require anything fancy, and they’re dairy-free, egg-free, and absolutely delicious.

A Donut You Can Feel Good About

Okay, so are these “healthy”? Well, they’re not kale chips. But they are baked, not fried, and they skip the heavy stuff like dairy and eggs. I’m not here to preach, just to share that yes, it’s totally possible to whip up soft, flavorful donuts that taste like a bakery dream and still fit into a plant-based life.

What I love most is how flexible they are. I used oat milk because that’s what we had, but almond, soy, cashew, they’ll all work.

Vegan Vanilla Donut Recipe

Here’s What You’ll Need

For the donuts (makes 8-10)

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup pure cane sugar (I used Florida Crystals)
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
½ cup non-dairy milk (I used oat milk)
2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
1 tbsp vegan butter (I used Plant Crock)
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the glaze:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2.5 tbsp vegan butter
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp food coloring (optional, but so fun!)

How to Make These Baked Donuts

Step 1: Preheat the oven
Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Let it warm up while you get everything else ready.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. You want it all combined evenly before adding the wet ingredients.

Step 3: Add the wet ingredients
To the dry mix, pour in the milk, applesauce, vegan butter and vanilla extract. Whisk until the batter is smooth and creamy. It’ll be a little thick, that’s totally fine!

Step 4: Fill the donut molds
Spray your donut pan with non-stick spray so nothing sticks. Then spoon the batter into the molds, filling each about ¾ of the way. Don’t overfill as these puff up just the right amount!

Step 5: Bake!
Pop the pan into your preheated oven and bake for 8–10 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when a toothpick comes out clean or when the tops spring back gently when touched.

Step 6: Let them cool
Once baked, carefully take them out of the pan and place them on a cooling rack. Let them sit for about 15 minutes before glazing.

Time to Make the Glaze

While your donuts cool, let’s make that sweet, shiny glaze.

Step 1: Melt the vegan butter
Use the microwave or small pot to melt the vegan butter. Make sure it’s fully melted for the smoothest glaze.

Step 2: Whisk it all together
In a small bowl, mix confectioners sugar, melted vegan butter, vanilla extract and food coloring.

Whisk until smooth. If it feels too thick, you can add a tiny splash of non-dairy milk or water until you get the consistency you like.

Glaze and Decorate

Now for the fun part! Dip each donut into the glaze, letting the excess drip off. Then add sprinkles, coconut flakes, or crushed nuts while the glaze is still wet. Then place the donuts back on the rack and let the glaze set.

Tips and Tricks

Don’t skip the cooling time: Hot donuts will melt the glaze right off.
No donut pan? You can use a mini muffin pan and make donut holes instead. Just adjust the baking time slightly.
Make it your own: Add lemon zest to the batter, swap cinnamon for nutmeg, or use maple glaze instead of vanilla. There’s no wrong way to do it.
Store in an airtight container: They’ll stay soft for about 2 days at room temp. You can also freeze them (unglazed) and glaze fresh when you’re ready.

Whether you’re already living a plant-based life or just curious about vegan baking, these baked vanilla donuts are a feel-good favorite. No eggs, no dairy, just soft, fluffy goodness you can feel proud to serve.

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