Enjoy this 4th July Baked Donut recipe with or without a glaze. These are ready in 30 minutes and made from scratch. These baked donuts are delicious and moist; you will surely please your guest.
If you have a donut pan, try this baked doughnuts recipe. Make this a family baking project for a holiday; everyone will have fun.
A Brief History of the 4TH of July
The Fourth of July—also known as Independence Day or July 4th—has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941. This tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution. You can read more about this from this website (source).
Now back to this baked donut recipe. You can make them for the celebration and have fun with your family in the kitchen.
What is Baked Donuts
A doughnut or donut is a type of food made from leavened fried dough. It is popular in many countries and is prepared in various forms as a sweet snack that can be made at home or bought from a bakery. For more information and the science behind donuts, go here (source). A raised doughnut is the most popular donut made from basic sweet roll dough but with reduced fat and sugar. You will enjoy this cake- like donuts, and you might not miss the fried donuts.
Why You’ll Love This Baked Donuts:
- These have a soft cake-like crumb.
- Fun baking project for the whole family
- Pairs well with either chocolate glaze or vanilla glaze
- No electric mixer is required, just a spatula and a mixing bowl.
- Baked and not fried with less mess in the kitchen.
What is the Difference between Fried Donuts and Baked Donuts
A fried donut recipe uses yeast as its leavening agent, also called raised doughnuts, and a cake donut recipe uses baking soda or baking powder. Also, you can expect cake donuts to be a bit more cake-like in texture.
Another main difference between fried and baked donuts is how each is prepared. Fried doughnuts use sweet yeast dough with added spices such as nutmeg or mace and are deep-fried in oil. On the other hand, baked donuts use cake-like batter and are baked in a doughnut pan.
Fried donuts have a richer flavor, darker color, and a crispier texture, while baked donuts are lighter and fluffier.
Ingredients for Making 4th July Baked Donuts
- Flour: I used all-purpose flour for this recipe
- Sugar: You need granulated and powdered sugar for the recipe. The granulated sugar is for the donut batter, and the powdered or confectionary sugar is for the glaze.
- Baking powder acts as a leavening for the donuts, requiring no rising time.
- Salt: brings all the flavors together, and without it, the doughnuts will taste bland
- Egg: these acts as a binder and make the doughnut fluffy.
- Butter: unsalted butter was used, adding richness to the batter.
- Buttermilk and whipping cream: buttermilk is used for the batter, which makes the donut moist and fluffy. Whipping cream makes the glaze, but whole milk will work too.
- Vanilla extract: pure vanilla extract is used as a flavor enhancer.
- Food coloring: gel base food coloring is preferred over water-based food coloring. The gel base color will not affect the texture of the food.
- Sprinkles: white, blue, and red.
How to Make 4th July Baked Donut Recipe
- Make the donut batter. Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients except the buttermilk in another. Whisk to combine both.
- Add the buttermilk to the wet ingredients and mix, then add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. After adding the flour, make sure not to overmix the batter.
- Divide the dough into three bowls, add the colors to the two bowls, and leave the third one plain.
- Fill the donut cavities. Transferring donut batter into the donut pan can be tricky, so I suggest using a piping bag or zip lock bag to pipe the batter. Spoon the batter into a piping bag, trim off the tip, and squeeze the batter into the pan. You can secure the top of the piping bag with a rubber band.
- Bake at 400 F for a few minutes. They bake quickly, so check on it and use a timer to notify you.
- Make the glaze for the topping. Combine the cinnamon and sugar in one bowl and melt the butter in another. I usually do this as the donuts bake.
Quick Tips For Making Baked Donuts
If you don’t have a donut pan, no problem; I got your back. You can use a muffin pan instead to make donut muffins. You will reduce the heat to 375F and bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until slightly browned; a toothpick is inserted into it, and it comes out clean.
Use room temperature ingredients for easy mixing and fluffier donuts.
Storage Tips
You can freeze the donuts for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm up to your liking in the microwave. I usually zap them for a couple of seconds.
Other Baked Recipes
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Thanks for reading. As always, know that God loves you, and stay blessed!
Happy baking!
Linda!
4th July Baked Donuts
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter- melted
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- Food coloring blue and red
- Glaze
- 3 tablespoons whipping cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4th July sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Spray 12 cavities of doughnut pans and set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, and set aside.
- Combine butter, sugar, honey, eggs, vanilla, and whisk in a separate bowl. Add the buttermilk to the egg mixture and mix. Whisk in the dry ingredients and mix to combine.
- Divide the batter into three bowls, and leave one plain and add the food colors to the two bowls.
- Pour the mixture into the piping bags and pipe into the donut pans filling about ¼ inch of the top.
- Bake the donuts for 7 – 8 minutes.
- Let it cool in the pan for 1 minute and transfer them onto a cooling rack to cool.
- Make the Glaze
- Whisk together whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl. Thin with more milk to the spreadable consistency
- Dip the donuts in the glaze and allow the glaze to set at room temperature on the cooling rack.
Notes
If you don’t have a donut pan, no problem; I got your back. You can use a muffin pan instead to make donut muffins. You will reduce the heat to 375F and bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until slightly browned; a toothpick is inserted into it, and it comes out clean.
Use room temperature ingredients for easy mixing and fluffier donuts. Storage Tips
You can freeze the donuts for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm up to your liking in the microwave. I usually zap them for a couple of seconds.
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