Indulge Your Senses: The Ultimate Homemade Baked Coffee Donuts with Irresistible Coffee Glaze
For every coffee enthusiast, imagine starting your day with a warm, fluffy donut that perfectly captures the rich, aromatic essence of your favorite brew. These homemade baked coffee donuts are a dream come true, boasting a bold, deep coffee flavor infused directly into the moist cake batter, then crowned with an equally captivating coffee glaze. Crafted specifically for those who cherish their morning cup, these delectable treats are not only bursting with robust coffee notes but are also remarkably easy to make, gracing your table in under 30 minutes. Forget the deep fryer; these cake-style donuts offer a lighter, yet utterly satisfying, indulgence.
Who can resist the allure of a warm, freshly made donut, especially when paired with a steaming mug of coffee? Now, imagine doubling down on that beloved coffee experience with these uniquely flavored coffee donuts. They transform your breakfast or dessert into an extraordinary event, offering a rich, comforting taste that resonates with true coffee lovers. These exquisite donuts are incredibly versatile and would complement other coffee-infused delights like some chocolate espresso babka, mocha cupcakes, or a chocolate espresso tart. To elevate the flavor profile even further, we love adding crunchy toffee bits for a delightful caramel macchiato twist. Alternatively, a delicate sprinkling of finely ground coffee or the decadent crunch of chocolate-covered espresso beans makes for an equally fantastic topping, adding both texture and an extra layer of coffee intensity.
Why These Baked Coffee Donuts Are Your Next Must-Try Recipe
These baked coffee donuts aren’t just another sweet treat; they’re a revelation for anyone seeking a delightful, coffee-infused indulgence. Here’s why you’ll fall head over heels for this recipe:
Effortless Homemade Baked Donuts – No Frying Needed! Bid farewell to the mess and fuss of deep frying. This recipe champions the ease and convenience of homemade baked donuts, allowing you to achieve a wonderfully tender, cake-like texture without any oil splatters. All you need are a single bowl for mixing and a donut pan, making this an incredibly accessible baking project for even novice bakers. From start to finish, these heavenly donuts can be on your table, ready to enjoy, in less than an hour, leaving your kitchen smelling like your favorite coffee shop.
Unforgettable Great Coffee Flavor That Shines Through: The secret to their bold yet balanced flavor lies in the strategic use of high-quality espresso powder. Unlike regular instant coffee, espresso powder delivers a more robust and pure coffee essence without any of the bitterness that can sometimes accompany instant varieties or the added liquid from brewed coffee. By incorporating this rich espresso powder into both the donut batter and the silky-smooth coffee glaze, we ensure a harmonious, layered coffee experience that is unmistakably present but never overwhelming. Each bite is a delightful fusion of sweet and coffee, a true celebration for your taste buds.
Infinitely Customizable for Every Craving: One of the greatest joys of this recipe is its incredible adaptability. Whether you prefer a bite-sized treat or a different flavor profile, these donuts can be easily transformed. Turn them into charming mini donuts using a mini donut pan, or create adorable donut holes by baking the batter in a mini muffin tin. The coffee glaze itself is a canvas for creativity; consider adding a decadent drizzle of melted chocolate to transform them into luscious mocha coffee donuts. Experiment with various toppings like crushed nuts, sprinkles, or even a dusting of cocoa powder for endless variations that cater to your personal preferences. This versatility makes it a go-to recipe for any occasion, ensuring you can always offer something uniquely delicious.
Essential Ingredients for Your Perfect Coffee Donuts
Crafting these exceptional baked coffee donuts requires a selection of quality ingredients, each playing a vital role in achieving their delicious flavor and perfect texture. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need:
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our cake-like donut. Ensure it’s measured correctly for the right consistency.
- Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and contributes to the tender crumb of the donuts.
- Baking Powder: This crucial leavening agent is responsible for giving our baked donuts their beautiful rise and light, airy texture, distinguishing them from denser, yeast-risen varieties. It reacts with the buttermilk to create a fluffy result.
- Kosher Salt: A pinch of salt is essential to balance the sweetness and enhance all the other flavors, particularly the rich coffee notes. We recommend Diamond Crystal kosher salt for its consistent flakiness and less salty profile.
- Unsalted Butter: Melted and allowed to cool slightly, butter adds richness and moisture to the donut batter, contributing to a truly decadent flavor.
- Espresso Powder: This is the star ingredient for our signature coffee flavor. Far superior to instant coffee, espresso powder provides a concentrated, robust coffee taste without the bitterness or the need to add extra liquid from brewed coffee that could alter the batter’s consistency. It also intensifies any chocolate flavors if you choose to add them.
- Large Eggs: It’s paramount that your eggs are at room temperature. This allows them to emulsify properly with the other wet ingredients, ensuring a smooth, lump-free batter and a consistent, tender donut texture.
- Buttermilk: For the most tender and moist donuts, full-fat buttermilk is highly recommended. Like the eggs, buttermilk should be at room temperature to ensure it incorporates smoothly into the batter and reacts effectively with the baking powder, yielding a perfectly airy crumb.
- Vanilla Extract: A touch of vanilla enhances the overall flavor profile, complementing the coffee and adding a hint of warmth.
For the complete list of ingredients and precise quantities, please refer to the recipe card below.
For the Glaze:
- Powdered Sugar (Confectioners’ Sugar): Forms the base of our smooth, sweet glaze.
- Espresso Powder: Infuses the glaze with a potent coffee kick, mirroring the flavor in the donut itself.
- Hot Water: Used to achieve the ideal glaze consistency, allowing it to dissolve the sugar and espresso powder.
Optional Garnishes:
- Toffee Bits or Coffee Grounds: Sprinkle these on top of the glaze for added texture, visual appeal, and an extra layer of flavor. Toffee creates a delightful caramel macchiato experience, while a dusting of coffee grounds provides a more intense coffee hit.
- Chocolate-Covered Espresso Beans or Melted Chocolate Drizzle: For those who love a mocha twist, these additions are perfect for a gourmet finish.
Creative Substitutions and Exciting Variations
This baked coffee donut recipe is wonderfully flexible, allowing you to experiment and tailor it to your liking. Here are some fantastic ways to customize your donuts:
- Miniature Delights: Transform your standard donuts into adorable miniature versions by using a mini donut pan. Adjust the baking time accordingly; mini donuts will typically bake faster, around 8-10 minutes.
- Homemade Donut Holes: If you don’t have a donut pan, or simply fancy a different shape, spoon about 1 tablespoon of batter into a greased mini muffin tin to create charming donut holes. These are perfect for popping in your mouth!
- Instant Coffee Alternative: While espresso powder is recommended for its robust flavor and lack of bitterness, you can substitute it with instant coffee. Keep in mind that instant coffee can be slightly more bitter, so you might want to adjust the amount to taste or increase the sugar slightly in the glaze.
- Decadent Mocha Donuts: For a delightful chocolate-coffee fusion, dip the cooled donuts in a rich chocolate ganache instead of the coffee glaze, or simply drizzle melted chocolate over the coffee glaze for a beautiful and delicious mocha effect.
- Spice It Up: Add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom to the donut batter for a warm, spiced coffee donut.
- Nutty Toppings: Beyond toffee bits and coffee grounds, consider sprinkling chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds over the wet glaze for added crunch and flavor.
- Gluten-Free Option: Yes, you absolutely can make these donuts gluten-free! We recommend using a high-quality 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour blend, such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, as a direct substitution for the all-purpose flour. Ensure your chosen blend contains xanthan gum for optimal texture.
- Different Extracts: Swap a portion of the vanilla extract for almond extract, rum extract, or even a touch of coffee extract for an intensified flavor experience.
Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting Your Perfect Baked Coffee Donuts
Creating these delightful baked coffee donuts is a straightforward process, designed for ease and enjoyment. Follow these simple steps for a flawless batch every time:
One: Begin by whisking together all the wet ingredients in a bowl until they are thoroughly combined and smooth. This includes your melted butter, espresso powder, room temperature eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Ensure the butter is slightly cooled to prevent scrambling the eggs.
Two: In a separate, large bowl, combine your dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt. Once the wet ingredients are mixed, gently add them to the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, fold the mixture together until just combined. It’s crucial not to overmix, as this can lead to tough donuts.
Three: For neat and even donuts, transfer your prepared batter into a piping bag. If you don’t have a dedicated piping bag, a large zip-top bag with one corner snipped off works just as effectively.
Four: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and liberally grease your donut pan(s). Snip off the corner of your piping bag and carefully pipe the batter into each donut cavity. Make sure to only fill each mold about ¾ of the way full to prevent overflow and maintain the iconic donut hole shape.
Hot tip! If you don’t have a piping bag, use a zip top bag with a corner snipped off to easily squeeze the batter into the donut pan. This method ensures even distribution and minimizes mess, giving you perfectly shaped donuts.
Five: Once the donut cavities are filled, gently tap the pan a few times on your counter. This helps to settle the batter, release any air bubbles, and ensure an even, smooth top surface on your baked donuts.
Six: Bake your donuts for 14-16 minutes, or until they are golden brown and spring back lightly when gently touched. Allow them to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Cooling completely is crucial before glazing.
Seven: While the donuts are cooling, prepare your coffee glaze. In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, espresso powder, and hot water. Aim for a consistency that is thick enough to coat the donuts generously without being too runny. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit more water; if too thin, whisk in more powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time.
Eight: Once the donuts are completely cool, it’s time to glaze them. Dip the rounded side (the top of the donut, which was the bottom in the pan) at least halfway down into the thick coffee glaze. Lift it out, giving it a gentle twist, and turn it over to allow the excess glaze to drip off and set. Immediately add your desired garnishes, such as toffee bits, coffee grounds, or a drizzle of melted chocolate, before the glaze fully sets.
Mastering Your Baked Coffee Donuts: Expert Tips
Achieving bakery-quality baked coffee donuts at home is simpler than you think with these expert tips:
- Perfectly Grease Your Donut Pan: Don’t just spray lightly; ensure every crevice of your donut pan is thoroughly greased, especially the center posts. This prevents sticking and ensures your donuts release cleanly, preserving their beautiful shape.
- Utilize a Piping Bag for Cleanliness and Precision: For the easiest and cleanest way to fill your donut pan, transfer the batter into a piping bag (or a large zip-top bag with a corner snipped off). This allows for precise control and even distribution of batter, preventing messy spills and ensuring uniformly shaped donuts.
- Mind the Fill Line: It’s crucial not to overfill your donut pan. Fill each cavity no more than ¾ full. Overfilling will cause the batter to bake up too high, obscuring the donut hole and resulting in an odd shape.
- Ensure Room Temperature Ingredients: Ingredients like eggs and buttermilk should be at room temperature. This allows them to emulsify better with the melted butter, creating a smoother, more homogenous batter and ultimately a lighter, more tender donut.
- Avoid Overmixing the Batter: Once you combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix them only until just combined. A few lumps are perfectly fine. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, leading to dense, tough donuts rather than the desired light, cake-like texture.
- Cool Completely Before Glazing: Patience is key! Wait until the donuts are completely cool to the touch before dipping them in the glaze. If the donuts are even slightly warm, the glaze will melt and slide right off, resulting in a runny, uneven coating.
- Master the Glazing Technique: For a beautifully even coat, dip the very rounded side (which was the bottom of the donut pan) at least halfway into the glaze. Lift it out, giving it a gentle twist as you pull it up. This helps remove excess glaze and creates a smooth, professional finish.
- Time Your Toppings Perfectly: After glazing, let the donuts sit for about a minute or two on a wire rack before adding any toppings like toffee bits or coffee grounds. This allows the glaze to set slightly, preventing the toppings from sliding off as the glaze continues to firm up.
Frequently Asked Questions About Baked Coffee Donuts
These specific coffee donuts are designed to be *baked* cake donuts, which gives them a distinctively tender and fluffy texture. While they are not traditionally fried, you technically *could* bake them first, then briefly drop them into a 350°F (177°C) fryer for about 1 minute until the outside becomes crispy. However, for true fried donuts, we recommend recipes specifically developed for frying, such as these custard donuts, lemon meringue donuts, or apple fritter donuts, which typically use a yeast-based dough.
No donut pan? No problem! You can easily adapt this recipe to use a greased muffin tin or a mini muffin tin. Simply fill each muffin cavity about two-thirds full with the batter. The baking time will be similar but keep an eye on them. Check for doneness by gently touching the top—it should spring back—or by inserting a toothpick into the center, which should come out clean. While they won’t have the traditional donut hole, they’ll still be equally delicious!
There are two primary reasons for a runny glaze. Firstly, ensure your donuts are completely cool before dipping. Any residual warmth will cause the glaze to melt. Secondly, the glaze itself might be too thin. To fix this, gradually whisk in 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time until it reaches a thicker, more opaque consistency. The ideal glaze should completely coat the donut, leaving no gaps where the cake underneath is visible. If your first dip was too thin, don’t hesitate to give them a second dip once the first layer has slightly set.
Absolutely! This recipe adapts beautifully to a gluten-free diet. We highly recommend using Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour as an equal substitution for the all-purpose flour. Most 1-to-1 blends already contain xanthan gum, which is crucial for providing structure and elasticity in gluten-free baking, ensuring your donuts maintain a delightful texture.
While it’s best to bake these donuts fresh, you can prepare the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately the night before. Store the dry mixture covered at room temperature and the wet mixture covered in the refrigerator. Combine them just before baking. You can also mix the full batter and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours, but be aware that the baking powder will lose some of its potency, potentially resulting in slightly less rise.
Storage Tips for Optimal Freshness
To enjoy your baked coffee donuts at their best, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Beyond that, they tend to dry out quickly and lose their tender texture. For longer storage, you have excellent options.
The unglazed donuts can be frozen for up to 3 months. To do so, first flash freeze them on a baking sheet for about 30 minutes until solid. This prevents them from sticking together. Once firm, transfer them to a freezer-safe zip-top bag or airtight container, ensuring as much air is removed as possible. When you’re ready to enjoy them, allow the donuts to thaw at room temperature (uncovered) before preparing and applying the coffee glaze. Glazing them after thawing ensures a fresh, vibrant finish and prevents the glaze from becoming soggy or separating.
More Sweet Breakfast & Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
- Earl Grey Scones with Lemon Glaze
- Butter Rum Muffins
- Classic All Bran Muffins with Buttermilk
- Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
Important Notes When Cooking with The Cozy Plum
- All recipes are meticulously crafted using Diamond Crystal kosher salt, which is known for being the least salty variety of kosher salt. If you choose to use Morton’s kosher salt or sea salt, you’ll need to reduce the specified amount by half, as they are approximately twice as salty. Please avoid using table salt in our recipes for the best results.
- For the most accurate baking results, we always recommend baking by weight. A digital kitchen scale will provide unparalleled precision compared to volumetric measurements (cups).
- While the recipe card below provides a default serving size, you can scale the ingredient quantities using the ‘1X’, ‘2X’, or ‘3X’ buttons to adjust for larger or smaller batches. Please note that these adjustments apply only to ingredient quantities, not to baking times, which may need slight modifications based on batch size.
- Should you wish to bake this recipe in a different sized pan, refer to a reliable pan size converter to ensure proper adjustments to quantities and baking times.
Did you make this delightful recipe? We would love to see your creations! Tag @thecozyplum on Instagram & Facebook and don’t forget to leave a star rating ⭐️ below to share your experience!
📖Recipe
Baked Coffee Donuts with Coffee Glaze
Callan Wenner
Pin Recipe
Equipment
- ▢ Donut pan
- ▢ Whisk
- ▢ Rubber spatula
- ▢ Piping bag (or ziptop bag)
IngredientsUS CustomaryMetric1x2x3x
Donuts
- ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ▢ ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ▢ ¼ cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- ▢ 2 teaspoons espresso powder
- ▢ 2 large eggs room temperature
- ▢ ¾ cup buttermilk room temperature
- ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla
Glaze
- ▢ 2 cups powdered sugar
- ▢ 3 teaspoons espresso powder
- ▢ ¼ cup hot water
- ▢ toffee bits or coffee grounds optional
Instructions
Donuts
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/177℃. Liberally grease your donut pan(s) thoroughly; you’ll need enough molds for 12 donuts to prevent sticking.2 cups all-purpose flour, ⅔ cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt. Ensure these dry ingredients are well combined and aerated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the slightly cooled melted butter, espresso powder, room temperature large eggs, room temperature buttermilk, and vanilla extract until smooth.¼ cup unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons espresso powder, 2 large eggs, ¾ cup buttermilk, 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon, gently fold them together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few small lumps are acceptable and help maintain tenderness.
- Transfer the batter into a piping bag (or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off). Pipe the batter evenly into the greased donut molds, filling each cavity about ¾ full. This ensures they bake properly and retain their hole. If you don’t have a bag, two spoons can work carefully.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes. The donuts are done when they are golden brown and spring back lightly when touched, or a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Allow the baked donuts to rest in the pan for about 5 minutes. Then, gently invert them out of the mold onto a wire rack to cool completely. Ensuring they are fully cooled before glazing is crucial to prevent the glaze from melting.
Glaze
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, espresso powder, and hot water. Continue whisking until a thick, smooth glaze forms.2 cups powdered sugar, 3 teaspoons espresso powder, ¼ cup hot water
- Check the consistency of your glaze. If it appears too thin, add powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it thickens. If it’s too thick, add a teaspoon of water, stirring well after each addition, until it reaches a beautiful, pourable but coat-able consistency.
- Once the donuts are completely cool, dip the rounded side (the side that was at the bottom of the cake pan) of each donut halfway down into the coffee glaze. Lift it up, giving it a gentle twist, and then turn it over to rest on a wire rack or plate, allowing the excess glaze to drip off and set.
- Immediately after glazing and while the glaze is still slightly wet (after it stops actively moving), sprinkle your desired garnishes onto each donut. Toffee bits, coffee grounds, chocolate-covered espresso beans, or a drizzle of melted chocolate are all fantastic choices.toffee bits or coffee grounds
Video
A video tutorial for making these delicious baked coffee donuts is coming soon!
Notes
To ensure your donuts have a perfect hole and don’t overflow, do not overfill the donut pan. Fill each cavity no more than ¾ full.
It is essential to glaze the donuts once they are completely cool. If glazed while warm, the coffee glaze will melt and run off, resulting in a messy and uneven coating.
Nutritional Information
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Conclusion: Your Perfect Coffee Indulgence Awaits
These homemade baked coffee donuts with their rich, aromatic cake and decadent coffee glaze are truly a celebration for coffee lovers. They offer a simple yet sophisticated way to elevate your breakfast, brunch, or dessert. Easy to prepare in under an hour and endlessly customizable, they promise a tender crumb, bold coffee flavor, and a satisfying sweetness without the hassle of frying. So, gather your ingredients, follow our detailed guide, and treat yourself to these irresistible coffee-infused delights. Share them with loved ones or savor them solo with your favorite cup of joe. Happy baking!