Triple Vanilla Donuts with Maple Vanilla Glaze

This baked vanilla donuts recipe is going to WOW the entire family! Vanilla yogurt, vanilla almond milk and vanilla extract make this easy donut recipe very very VERY vanilla!

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Before I talk about donuts, (I know, sorry for the delay) I want to have a little bit of body talk tonight.

Having a baby in the house has been a breath of fresh air in terms of the way we talk about bodies.

We celebrate every last inch of babies’ bodies.

When friends and family are around, they gush over how cute Sam’s thigh rolls are, his big belly, his long lashes, his gap toothed smile, his dimpled rear end. Every single word that comes out of anyone’s mouth in relation to his body is full of genuine, unconditional love and admiration. There is not a single part of him that is ever noted as bad or wrong–nope, every inch of him is PERFECT.

So then tell me, what changes??

Well, certainly a lot changes. Our bodies grow and change, and somewhere down the line, we become aware, aware of the message. The message that we see everywhere we look that makes us look at our bodies and see rolls and dimples as bad and ugly.

What if we considered looking at our bodies exactly the same way that we looked at a baby?

Things would be soooo different. We would celebrate the beauty we see in the mirror. We would stand tall and proud. And we wouldn’t see certain parts of our bodies as flawed or as something that needs to be changed or made smaller.

What if we ignored those ads telling us how to get rid of cellulite quick because we celebrate the exact same thing in a dimpled bum of an infant? It seems so simple and yet since we are constantly bombarded with the message that we need to change or shrink our bodies, it can be a bit challenging.

But I challenge you to try it. Try treating the thoughts you have about your body exactly as you would a baby. If a negative thought comes up, imagine yourself talking about a child in the same way. Doesn’t sound right, does it? Nope, but for some reason we allow it to happen all the time.

Starting now, right this moment, it’s time to celebrate, every last inch of YOU.

Ok, donut time.

There is really not a whole lot to say about these baked vanilla donuts other than OH. EM. GEE. I am talking about the donuts that my husband snuck one after another, and said they reminded him of McDonald’s Hot Cakes, one of his favorites, so a big compliment to say the very least.

While this is a baked donut recipe, you will not be disappointed–they pretty much taste like cake, vanilla cake that is. And it’s all thanks to the tri-fecta element of vanilla in these gooey glazed circles of deliciousness.

Cake or yeast donuts?

I have to admit, I am a cake donut fan. I thought for a long time that I just didn’t like donuts, but I realized I wasn’t trying the right kinds. I’m an old fashioned cake donut kind of girl.

Keep the yeast donuts for yourself, or everyone else who is in love with them. ( I think I am in the minority here, but I am not a fan of the yeast, too much air I think!). I am so glad I have learned this about myself in the past year. And now I am working on making up for lost time!

So the donut, the vanilla in these vanilla donuts comes from three sources: vanilla yogurt (this is the one I used!), vanilla extract, and vanilla almond milk. We are big into yogurt these days and I am actually big on a lot of the baby versions of yogurt. They use whole milk and a lot less sugar than most of your “adult” yogurts.

I like this for the flavor as it is way less sweet. And I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved unsweetened vanilla almond milk recently when I tried some on sale. Needless to say, if you are as big a fan of vanilla as I am, these donuts will NOT disappoint.

These Vanilla Donuts are here for the glaze

Aaaaaand the glaze. No donut wants to be naked, ever, I promise. Gotta cover them up with a good glaze–and perhaps some other goodies. But I love a good glaze and it’s such a simple way to make donuts even prettier.

A touch of maple syrup and vanilla in this glaze makes the ooey gooey goodness–I am pretty sure it’s the maple that makes Anthony think these taste a bit pancake like, but I don’t mind the compliment regardless.

I have a donut eating pro-tip for you for this recipe: crumble one up over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can thank me later! I mean, you can never have too much vanilla right??? Let’s certainly hope not!

I love donuts, but I can’t do super sweet in the morning. These are more of a snack or dessert for me most of the time. But they are perfect for a brunch spread, a donut birthday party and so much more. For the pecan lovers, don’t forget to sprinkle some pecans on top as well! Enjoy friends!

Here is a great donut baking pan if you are looking for one! I got mine a couple of years ago for $5.00 on clearance. I you catch one on sale let me know so I can share!

Pro-Tips/Notes for making these Triple Vanilla Donuts:

• I have not tested these donuts with oil instead of the butter. I know sometimes it is an alternative for butter, but if at all possible, I would stick with the butter. The flavor is so great thanks to the buttery goodness–and all of the vanilla.
• When baking, always use fresh baking soda and baking powder. If they are expired they can really impact the results of any recipe. And not in a great way.
• While I am a huge huge HUGE fan of this maple vanilla glaze, there are still lots and lots of other options out there for toppings on these donuts. Feel free to have lots of fun with whatever you toss on top.

Love these baked vanilla donuts as much as I do?? Try these flavors as well!

• Whole Wheat Greek Yogurt Baked Donuts
• Carrot Cake Baked Donuts

DID YOU MAKE ONE OF MY RECIPES? LEAVE A COMMENT AND LET ME KNOW! I ALSO LOVE TO SEE YOUR LEMONS + ZEST RECIPES ON SOCIAL MEDIA–TAG ME @LEMONSANDZEST ON INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK!

Print Recipe

5 from 10 votes

Triple Vanilla Baked Donuts with Maple Vanilla Glaze

This baked vanilla donut recipe is going to WOW the entire family! Vanilla yogurt, vanilla almond milk and vanilla extract make this easy donut recipe very very VERY vanilla!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baked vanilla donuts, vanilla donuts

Servings: 10 donuts

Ingredients

For Donuts

• 1 c all purpose flour (or gluten free all purpose)
• 1 large egg
• 2 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/3 c vanilla yogurt (whole milk yogurt is best)
• 1/3 c sugar
• 1/4 c plus 1 T vanilla unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• dash of sea salt

For Glaze

• 2/3 c confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2-3 T pure maple syrup

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
  
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt.
  
• In a small bowl, whisk together butter and egg until smooth. Add in yogurt, milk and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
  
• Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir to combine. The dough will be a thick consistency but if it seems a bit dry, add a splash of milk. Try not to over stir as well.
  
• Spray oil into donut baking pan to coat. Spoon donut batter into the molds or pour batter into a plastic bag and cut a slit to fill donut molds. I prefer this method and found it to be a lot less messy!
  
• Bake for 9-10 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes up clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool thoroughly.
  
• While donuts cool, or before serving, whisk together glaze adding maple to desired thickness and dip each donut into glaze and set aside to dry–or dig in immediately!