Amazing 11 Baked Maple Glazed Donuts

When that craving hits for something sweet but you really don’t want the mess or the oil slick of traditional frying, you need my recipe for Baked Maple Glazed Donuts. Seriously, these are a game-changer! They come out soft, cake-like, and dripping with that perfect, sticky maple coating. It’s my go-to treat when I want that weekend donut shop feel without turning on the deep fryer.

I’m Daniel, and I started Reciqa because I truly believe cooking should be joyful, not stressful. For me, the kitchen is where the best memories are made—whether it’s a simple weeknight dinner or a decadent dessert like these donuts. I love sharing easy, tasty recipes that anyone can tackle, because good food connects people.

Picture this: It’s a chilly Saturday morning, the sun is just starting to peek through the windows, and the house smells like warm spice and pure maple syrup. That’s the scene I aim for when I whip up a batch of these Baked Maple Glazed Donuts. They bake up so fast—you’ll be eating them before you even finish cleaning up your mixing bowls. Forget complicated yeast doughs; this is pure, simple comfort baking, and I can’t wait for you to try them!

Gathering Your Ingredients for Baked Maple Glazed Donuts

Before we even think about preheating the oven, we need to get our ingredients lined up. Baking is much smoother when everything is measured out and ready to go, especially with a quick recipe like these Baked Maple Glazed Donuts. Since we are baking and not frying, the structure of our batter is super important, so don’t swap out the leavening agents!

You’ll notice we have a few spices in here—cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger—that give these baked donuts that wonderful, cozy flavor profile. Also, for the glaze, make sure you have real pure maple syrup on hand. That fake stuff just won’t give you the depth of flavor these Baked Maple Glazed Donuts deserve!

Essential Dry Ingredients for Baked Maple Glazed Donuts

These are the building blocks that give our cake donuts their structure and spice. Make sure you whisk them really well in a big bowl so everything is evenly distributed before we add the wet stuff!

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ginger

Wet Components for Your Baked Maple Glazed Donuts

Here’s where the moisture comes from! Remember, the melted butter needs a few minutes to cool down before you mix it with the egg and milk, otherwise, you might accidentally scramble your egg. That’s a rookie mistake I’ve definitely made!

• 4 tbsp melted, salted butter (cooled slightly!)
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt (sour cream works too)
• 1 tsp maple extract (vanilla is okay if you must)

Crafting the Perfect Maple Glaze

The glaze is what takes these from good to absolutely irresistible. You need the butter melted here too, but again, don’t let it get hot! If your final glaze seems too thick to dip properly—which happens if your powdered sugar is clumpy—just add milk one teaspoon at a time until it’s perfectly dippable for your Baked Maple Glazed Donuts.

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp salted, melted butter
• 1 tsp maple extract (optional, for extra punch)
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1-2 tbsp milk (to thin, if necessary)

Step-by-Step Instructions for Baked Maple Glazed Donuts

Okay, buckle up, because these instructions move fast, which is why we love these Baked Maple Glazed Donuts so much! The whole process, from mixing to glazing, takes less than half an hour if you keep moving. The key here is timing—especially getting that butter cooled down before you mix the wet ingredients. Don’t rush that cooling step!

Mixing the Batter for Perfect Baked Maple Glazed Donuts

First things first: get that oven preheated to 350 degrees F right away, and don’t forget to really grease your donut pan well with butter or spray. Seriously, grease those cups well, or they will stick!

Now, back to the mixing. You already whisked your dry ingredients—flour, sugars, spices, and leaveners—in a big bowl. In a separate, smaller bowl, melt your butter but then let it sit for a good four minutes. It needs to be just barely warm, not hot, or you’ll end up with scrambled egg donuts, and nobody wants that! Understanding how heat affects eggs is crucial here.

Once the butter is cooled, whisk in the egg, milk, yogurt, and maple extract. Now, this part is crucial for tender Baked Maple Glazed Donuts: immediately pour that wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix it with a wooden spoon, and I mean *mix it lightly*. Stop stirring the second you don’t see any more dry flour streaks. Overmixing develops the gluten, and that makes these cake donuts tough instead of soft. Trust me on this one; minimal mixing equals maximum tenderness!

Filling the Pan and Baking Your Baked Maple Glazed Donuts

Since we have a delicate batter, the easiest way to fill the pan without making a huge mess is to use a piping bag or even a sturdy Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off. Think of it like decorating cupcakes, but for donuts! Carefully pipe the batter into each greased cavity, filling them only about two-thirds full. If you overfill them, they puff up and try to merge into one giant donut blob, which isn’t the look we’re going for with these beautiful Baked Maple Glazed Donuts.

Pop that pan into the preheated oven right away. They bake fast—usually just 11 to 12 minutes. You’ll know they are done because a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Pull them out! Don’t let them sit in the hot pan too long, or they’ll steam and get gummy. Let them rest in the pan for about five to ten minutes before gently turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. They must be totally cool before glazing, otherwise, the beautiful maple icing just melts right off.

Glazing and Setting the Baked Maple Glazed Donuts

While the Baked Maple Glazed Donuts are cooling down, quickly whisk up your glaze. Melt that butter, whisk in the maple syrup, and then slowly incorporate the powdered sugar and any extra maple extract you want for that intense flavor. If it looks like thick paste, add milk just one teaspoon at a time until it’s smooth and wonderfully pourable. It should be thick enough to coat the top nicely but thin enough to drip just a little.

Once the donuts are completely cool—and I mean *cool*—it’s dipping time! Hold the donut by the bottom edge and gently press the top surface right into the glaze. Lift it straight up, let any heavy drips fall back into the bowl, and set it back on the wire rack. Let that glorious maple glaze set up for about 20 minutes before you dare take a bite. Patience pays off!

Storage Task	Instructions
Room Temperature Storage	Store leftover Baked Maple Glazed Donuts in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Keep them away from heat.
Freezing (Un-glazed)	Freeze plain (un-glazed) donuts in a single layer inside a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter before glazing.
Reheating	Microwave a donut for about 10-15 seconds to refresh the soft texture, especially if they’ve been sitting out overnight.

Expert Tips for Success with Baked Maple Glazed Donuts

Listen, these Baked Maple Glazed Donuts are simple, but simple recipes are where technique really shines through! My biggest piece of advice, which I learned the hard way after making one batch that was a little tough, is about the butter temperature. Make sure that melted butter has cooled down for at least four minutes before you mix it with the egg and milk. If it’s too hot, it messes up the structure of the whole batter just before it hits the dry stuff.

Also, when you combine the wet and dry ingredients, you have to stop mixing the second you see no more white flour. I know it feels wrong because we’re usually taught to mix until smooth, but for these Baked Maple Glazed Donuts, you want a slightly lumpy, just-combined batter. That minimal mixing keeps them tender and cakey, not chewy. If you’re using a piping bag, don’t pack the batter in too tightly either—that compression can make the final product dense. Follow those two rules, and your batch of Baked Maple Glazed Donuts will be the softest ever!

Storage and Reheating Instructions for Baked Maple Glazed Donuts

The best part about these cake-style Baked Maple Glazed Donuts is that they actually keep really well! Since they aren’t fried, they tend to stay softer longer than those greasy versions. If you have leftovers—which I doubt you will—store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They are usually good for about two days, but honestly, they are best on day one, especially with that sticky glaze.

If you want to make a big batch for the week, I highly recommend glazing them right before you plan to eat them. If you glaze them and then freeze them, the moisture shift can sometimes make the icing crackle weirdly. For the best texture later, store plain, cooled Baked Maple Glazed Donuts in a freezer bag. When you’re ready for a treat, just let them thaw on the counter for an hour, then whip up a quick fresh glaze or microwave them for just a few seconds to bring back that fresh-from-the-oven softness.

Storage Goal	Method for Baked Maple Glazed Donuts
Short Term (1-2 Days)	Airtight container at room temperature.
Long Term Freezing	Freeze un-glazed donuts stacked between parchment paper in a sealed bag.
Reviving Softness	Microwave glazed donuts for 10-15 seconds until warm and soft again.

Common Questions About Your Baked Maple Glazed Donuts

I get a ton of emails whenever I post these, and usually, folks have the same few questions about substitutions or technique. Don’t worry if you need to tweak things slightly; I’ve got answers for you!

Q1. Can I skip the Greek yogurt and use just milk? Oh, definitely not if you want that tender cake texture! The yogurt (or sour cream) is vital for adding richness and that slight tang that balances the sweetness of the maple. It helps keep these baked donuts wonderfully moist.

Q2. What if I don’t have maple extract? If you can’t find the extract, you can certainly use vanilla extract in the batter, but I highly recommend using the extract in the glaze. If you skip it entirely, you’ll end up with a lovely, sweet donut, but it will lack that deep, authentic maple flavor that makes this an easy baked donut recipe.

Q3. My batter was really thick, is that right? Yes, that’s exactly what we want! Since we are baking these instead of frying, the batter needs to be thick enough to hold its shape when piped. If it’s runny, you risk flat maple donuts. If yours is too thick to pipe, add milk just one teaspoon at a time until it flows slowly, but resist adding too much!

Q4. Can these be made ahead of time? Yes, you can bake the donuts ahead of time, but always wait to apply the glaze! The best part of these baked maple donuts is the fresh glaze, so I usually bake them one day and glaze them the next morning right before serving.

Sharing Your Baked Maple Glazed Donuts Creation

I truly hope making these Baked Maple Glazed Donuts brought a little bit of joy to your kitchen morning! Now that you’ve tasted the magic of a fresh, homemade baked donut, I’d love to hear what you thought. Did the maple glaze set up perfectly for you? Leave me a quick rating below or tell me in the comments if you tried any variations. Happy baking, friends!

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