Baked Vanilla Bean Doughnuts

Baked Vanilla Bean Doughnuts

I know I should probably be posting a dinner recipe because it has been a while since I have, but I just can’t seem to get control of my sugary cravings :). What’s new though. I’ve always loved sweet things and doughnuts are a favorite near the top of that sweets lists. This vanilla bean doughnut is a baked version so I can feel a little bit better about eating them versus a fried doughnut. These are a cake style doughnut with a soft fluffy texture and a deliciously moist crumb. They seem as though they just melt away in your mouth, especially with that sweet, buttery, vanilla glaze.

I forgot to get a close up picture of the crumb inside but these things are loaded with vanilla beans. It gives them a delicious natural sweetness and that irresistible flavor that just cannot be duplicated. The batter for these is very versatile, you could use it for many different flavors by omitting the vanilla bean seeds and replacing them with cinnamon, nutmeg, a chai spice blend, lavender, almond extract, etc. It is one of my favorite baked doughnut recipes I’ve ever made so it will be one you will definitely want to hang on to. Enjoy!

Print

Baked Vanilla Bean Doughnuts

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Yield: About 14

Ingredients

• 2 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• Seeds of 1 vanilla bean
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• Softened butter, for tins
Glaze
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 small pinch salt
• 2 - 3 Tbsp milk
• Food coloring and sprinkles (optional)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter 14 holes of three doughnut tins and set aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 30 seconds, set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, blend together melted butter, vegetable oil, sugar and vanilla bean seeds until smooth, about 1 minute. Blend in eggs one at a time then mix in vanilla extract. Working in three separate batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, add 1/3 of the flour mixture alternating with half of the milk and mix just until combined after each addition. Spoon batter into buttered doughnut wells, filling them about 1/4-inch from the rim. Bake in preheated oven 7 - 8 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into doughnut comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool until lukewarm then dip in glaze and return to wire rack, immediately top with sprinkles if using and allow glaze to set at room temperature.
• For the glaze:
• In a flat bottomed bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla and salt then stir in 2 Tbsp of milk, adding additional milk 1 tsp at a time to reach desired consistency and whisk until smooth. Tint with food coloring if desired. Warm in microwave in 6 - 10 second intervals on HIGH power to warm as it begins to set while dipping doughnuts, as needed, whisking after heating.
• Recipe Source: cake portion adapted with slight changes from King Arthur Flour, glaze - Cooking Classy