There’s something magical about a soft, fluffy vanilla donut topped with a sweet glaze and colorful sprinkles. These Vanilla Sprinkle Cake Donuts are light, moist, and full of classic vanilla flavor. Since they’re baked instead of fried, they’re super easy to make at home—no need for hot oil!
This recipe delivers the perfect texture with a combination of buttermilk, sour cream, and an extra egg yolk. This keeps the donuts moist and tender. The vanilla glaze adds just the right amount of sweetness. A generous handful of sprinkles makes them extra fun!
I like to think of myself as a bit of a donut connoisseur. I’ve tried more donuts than I can count. I take my donut recipes very seriously. But my love for donuts hit a whole new level when I was pregnant with my son. In my third trimester, donuts were my ultimate craving, and let’s just say I caved a lot. Whether it was a classic glazed, a filled donut, or a sprinkle-covered one, I couldn’t get enough. That’s probably why I’m so passionate about perfecting homemade baked donuts now. I know just how satisfying a truly great donut can be!
Recipe Tips
Don’t Over mix: Stir until just combined to keep the donuts soft and fluffy. Over mixing can make them dense.
Use Room Temperature Ingredients: This helps the batter mix evenly and gives a better texture.
Piping is Easier: Spoon the batter into a piping bag or ziplock bag with the tip cut off to neatly fill the donut pan.
Let Them Cool Before Icing: Warm donuts can cause the glaze to melt too quickly, making them too runny.
Sprinkles: I like to use traditional sprinkles for these but I also love confetti quins. You don’t want to use nonpareils because they bleed and color the dough and icing.
Why Baked Donuts?
If you’ve never made baked donuts before, you’re in for a treat! Unlike traditional fried donuts, baked donuts have a soft, cake-like texture that makes them perfect for a quick homemade dessert or breakfast. They come together in just minutes, require no special equipment besides a donut pan, and are a fun baking project for kids and adults alike. Plus, since they’re not deep-fried, they’re a little lighter while still being totally delicious. Once you see how easy they are, you’ll want to experiment with endless flavors!
Storage & Freezing Tips
🛑 Storing at Room Temperature: Keep the donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
❄️ Refrigeration: If you need to store them longer, place them in the fridge for up to 5 days. Warm them for a few seconds in the microwave before eating.
🧊 Freezing: For best results, freeze un-iced donuts in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw at room temperature and glaze before eating.
Variations & Add-Ins
Chocolate Glaze: Swap the vanilla icing for a chocolate glaze by mixing 1 cup powdered sugar, ¼ cup cocoa powder, 3 tbsp milk, and ½ tsp vanilla extract.
Lemon Vanilla Donuts: Add 1 tsp lemon zest to the batter for a bright, citrusy twist.
Holiday Sprinkles: Customize with themed sprinkles for birthdays, Christmas, or Valentine’s Day!
Final Thoughts
These Vanilla Sprinkle Baked Donuts are an easy and fun homemade treat that both kids and adults will love. Whether you’re making them for a weekend breakfast, a celebration, or just because—this recipe is sure to be a favorite! If you’re looking for other donuts, click here!
If you try these, let me know how they turn out in the comments below. Happy baking! 🍩✨
Vanilla Sprinkle Cake Donuts
Ingredients
For the donuts:
- 5 tbsp salted butter melted
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk room temperature
- ⅓ cup full fat sour cream room temperature
- 1 whole egg & 1 egg yolk room temperature
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ cup rainbow sprinkles
For the icing:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp heavy cream or whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- ½ cup rainbow sprinkles to decorate
Instructions
For the donuts:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a donut pan with nonstick spray. In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugar, vanilla, buttermilk, sour cream, egg, and egg yolk until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined. Do not over mix.
- Spoon or pipe the batter into the donut cavities, filling each about ¾ full. Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until the tops are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the icing:
- In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, heavy cream or milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth. If the icing is too thick, add a little more milk.
For assembly:
- Once the donuts have completely cooled, dip the tops of the donuts into the icing, allowing excess to drip off. Immediately sprinkle rainbow sprinkles over the wet glaze before it sets. Let the icing set for 15 minutes before serving.
Donuts are so rich and have a perfect texture! Very tender and moist donuts.