These baked blueberry donuts are packed with fresh blueberries, dipped in a donut glaze, and have the most amazing flavor. They’re super moist, tender, and filled with juicy blueberries. If you’re looking for the best blueberry donuts recipe, look no further! You will love serving these at your next brunch.
Similar to our apple cider donuts, baked pumpkin donuts, and our baked banana donuts these homemade donuts are baked with fresh juicy blueberries. They’re lovely for weekend mornings and perfect for any donut lover.
They’re delicious served warm and dipped in a simple glaze. Pair them with a festive coffee drink for a delicious treat. This is a great recipe and we know you’re going to love it!
Also, check out the best blueberry muffins recipe ever! We make these all the time and they’re always amazing.
Blueberries
Table of Contents
Oh, how we love blueberries and all of the health benefits this tiny berry packs! Blueberries are a small fruit native to North America. They grow on bushes, similar to blackberries. Their peak harvest season is from June through August, but you can find them in grocery stores all year long.
Blueberries are small in size and range in color from blue and purple color. They are often eaten fresh but can also be frozen. We add frozen blueberries to our morning smoothie for antioxidants. They are also wonderful for a variety of baked goods!
In the summer, we love to go blueberry picking and bring them home to make baked goods like donuts, muffins, and Italian sodas. We even add them to our pancake recipe!
What is a blueberry donut?
Baked blueberry donuts are cake-like pastries made with juicy blueberries. The donuts often consist of ingredients such as flour, fresh blueberries, sugar, buttermilk, and more. When making your own blueberry donuts recipe you can add extra flavor with lemon juice or lemon zest as well.
Baked blueberry doughnuts are often topped with a simple glaze, powdered sugar, or cinnamon sugar.
How to Make Baked Blueberry Donuts
Here is everything you need to know for making the best blueberry glazed donut ever.
Baked Donut Supplies
- Piping Bag or Ziplock Bag
- Measuring Spoons and Cups
- Parchment Paper
Blueberry Donut Ingredients
These baked blueberry donuts are made with simple ingredients that you can find at your local grocery store. Here is a list of the basic ingredients you’ll need to make this blueberry donut recipe:
All-Purpose Flour – We developed this recipe using plain all-purpose flour. It creates a soft and tender donut. Make sure to measure the flour properly. Flour holds the donut together and creates structure when it bakes.
Baking Powder – Acts as a dry leavening agent used to increase the volume and lighten the texture of the donuts.
Lemon Zest – This adds a zesty flavor to the donuts. You can also use orange zest too.
Buttermilk – Use 2% reduced-fat cultured buttermilk. You can find this at your local grocery store. You might also see cultured, low-fat organic buttermilk, which is even better. Buttermilk will add a tangy flavor to the cake.
Vanilla Extract – Use a good quality, pure vanilla extract. You can also use vanilla bean paste, giving it more of a flavor.
Ground Cinnamon and Nutmeg – These spices add a subtle spice flavor.
Granulated Sugar – White sugar sweetens the donut batter.
Brown Sugar – This sugar is rich in molasses and gives the donuts a deep flavor.
Eggs – Eggs add structure and moisture to the cake. Use large, organic eggs when baking this recipe.
Unsalted Butter – Use good quality, pure butter when baking. Butter creates a light and tender texture, gives the cake a buttery flavor, and helps it rise. Make sure the butter is at room temperature and soft.
Blueberries – Use fresh juicy, organic blueberries for this recipe.
Directions
The full recipe is in the recipe card below.
Prepare – Preheat the oven and butter the donut pan.
Combine Wet Ingredients – In a measuring cup, combine buttermilk and vanilla extract.
Combine Dry Ingredients – In a bowl, add the flour, salt, baking powder, and lemon zest.
Beat Butter and Sugar – In a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and both sugars until combined.
Add Eggs – Add eggs one at a time and continue to beat.
Alternate Dry & Wet Ingredients – With the mixer on low, slowly alternate the wet ingredients with the dry until the ingredients are mixed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Fold – Add juicy fresh blueberries to the batter and gently fold them in.
Piping Bag – Add half of the donut batter into a piping bag. If you don’t have a piping bag, the corner of a plastic Ziplock will work. Cut a 2-inch hole at the end and pipe the batter into the greased donut pan.
Pipe the batter into the donut pan, do not pipe over the donut hole.
Bake – In a preheated 350-degree oven, bake the donuts for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.
Cool – Let the donuts cool before dipping them into the glaze. If they are too hot the glaze with seep into the donut.
Dip – When the donuts are done cooling, carefully remove them and dip them into the glaze. Place them on a wire rack with parchment paper or a baking pan under it to catch the dripping glaze. Dip the top of the donut directly into the glaze and quickly pull up to let it drip.
Simple Donut Glaze for Baked Donuts
Donut glaze is super easy to make! It’s made using milk, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract. You simply just add the ingredients into a bowl and whisk with a fork until it turns into a beautiful glaze.
We added a little lemon zest to this recipe to make a lemon glaze.
Once the donuts have slightly cooled, dip the delicious donut into the glaze.
Tips for Making The Best Blueberry Donuts
Excessively butter and grease the donut pan. Use cooking spray and butter and grease the top of the pan as well.
High-quality ingredients such as organic butter, eggs, and flour. Use pure vanilla extract and organic blueberries. The quality of these ingredients will affect the outcome of the donuts.
It’s easier to dip the donuts after they have cooled a little. It will still be a warm donut, but not super hot. The glaze tends to soak right in if the donut is too hot.
Baking times will vary depending on the true oven temperature, locations, and more. Check the donuts after 15 minutes. If they need more time, give them another minute.
Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-Free – You can make this recipe gluten-free by substituting all-purpose flour for gluten-free flour. Use a gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur.
- Low Sugar – Instead of using granulated sugar, try a sugar substitute like King Arthur’s baking sugar alternative. It’s made with plant-based ingredients and it’s Keto-friendly. A 1-to-1 substitute for granulated sugar.
- Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk at home you can make your own with milk and either lemon juice or vinegar.
- No Glaze – If you prefer to leave them unglazed you can! We recommend brushing them with melted butter after they bake and dipping them in sugar.
- Orange Zest – Don’t have a lemon, no worries. You can switch it out with an orange.
How to Store Baked Donuts
First, allow your baked doughnuts to cool completely on a cooling rack. Then, you can store them in an air-tight, food-safe container. Alternatively, you can store baked doughnuts in tightly-wrapped foil or plastic wrap.
A plastic bag would work for storing doughnuts, as long as there’s no glaze or topping that could stick to the bag.
When to Serve Blueberry Donuts
It goes without saying, donuts are to be enjoyed any time of the day! Of course, breakfast and brunch is a great time to serve a baked donut, however, we love to enjoy them as a sweet snack or for any of these occasions:
- Brunch
- Baby Shower and Bridal Showers
- Donut Party
What to Serve with Blueberry Donuts
Serve these soft, baked donuts with any of these recipes for a special treat:
Hot Chocolate Glazed Donut Coffee
Also, try our fried matcha donut recipe too!
Frequently Asked Questions
Doughnuts have a notoriously short shelf life. When stored properly you can expect freshly baked blueberry doughnuts to last 1-2 days at room temperature or about 1 week in the fridge. Remember, doughnuts with cream filling should always be kept in the fridge.
Baked doughnuts are the way to go when you’re looking for a sweet treat. Baked doughnuts typically have fewer calories and less fat because they’re not cooked in oil. However, some people may prefer the taste and texture achieved by deep-frying blueberry doughnuts.
All-purpose flour is the best option for blueberry cake doughnuts. Bread flour or pastry flour will work as well, however, be cautious about overworking the flour as it will result in a tougher doughnut.
Old-fashioned doughnuts are characterized by their rich flavor and irregular, jagged, edges. These doughnuts are fried at a lower temperature than most and contain sour cream or buttermilk–which is responsible for the unique taste.
What is the difference between cake donuts and yeast donuts?
Yeast doughnuts are made from dough that is risen with (you guessed it) yeast. Cake donuts are made from a batter that relies on baking powder or baking soda to rise. Yeast doughnuts are usually fried whereas cake donuts are generally baked.
Are there blueberries in blueberry donuts?
Yes. Baked blueberry doughnuts contain fresh blueberries either in the batter or the filling. Wild blueberries are perfect for doughnuts; they are tiny and can spread evenly throughout your batter. For the best results, avoid using frozen blueberries, as the moisture could negatively affect your final product.
Can you bake donuts in a muffin pan?
In a pinch, you can use a muffin pan to bake doughnuts. First, fill your muffin tin with doughnut batter. Next, create small rods out of tin foil and insert them in the middle of each doughnut–this will ensure your donuts have the classic hole in the middle.
Keep in mind that muffin-pan baked doughnuts will be smaller than normal doughnuts. If you plan on baking doughnuts regularly, it’s best to invest in a doughnut pan and a doughnut ring cutter.
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Baked Blueberry Donuts
Ingredients
Blueberry Donuts
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp.
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh
Lemon Donut Glaze
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, also known powdered sugar
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk, 2% or whole milk
Instructions
- Prepare – Preheat the oven and butter the donut pan.
- Combine Wet Ingredients – In a measuring cup combine buttermilk and vanilla extract.
- Combine Dry Ingredients – In a bowl, add the flour, salt, baking powder, and lemon zest.
- Beat Butter and Sugar – In a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and both sugars until combined
- Add Eggs – Add eggs one at a time and continue to beat.
- Alternate Dry & Wet Ingredients – With the mixer on low, slowly alternate the wet ingredients with the dry until the ingredients are mixed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Fold – Using a spatula, gently fold in the blueberries.
- Piping Bag – Add half of the donut batter into a piping bag. If you don’t have a piping bag, the corner of a plastic Ziplock will work. Cut a 2-inch hole at the end and then pipe the batter into the greased donut pan.
- Bake – In a preheated 350-degree oven, bake the donuts for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool – Let the donuts cool for about 10 to 15 minutes before dipping.
- Dip – When the donuts are done cooling, carefully remove them and dip them into the glaze.
- Place them on a wire rack with parchment paper or a baking pan under it to catch the dripping glaze. Dip the top of the donut directly into the glaze and quickly pull up to let it drip.
Lemon Donut Glaze
- Add the powdered sugar, lemon zest, milk and vanilla extract into a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth.
Notes
Tips for Making Blueberry Donuts
Excessively butter and grease the donut pan! Use cooking spray and butter and grease the top of the pan as well. High-quality ingredients such as organic butter, eggs, and flour. Use pure vanilla extract and organic blueberries. The quality of these ingredients will affect the outcome of the donuts. It’s easier to dip the donuts after they have cooled a little. It will still be a warm donut, but not super hot. The glaze tends to soak right in if the donut is too hot. Baking time will vary as each oven is different. Check the donuts after 15 minutes. If they are golden brown and springy when touched, they are done. If they need more time add it on in 1-minute intervals.How to Store Baked Donuts
First, allow your baked doughnuts to cool completely on a cooling rack. Then, you can store them in an air-tight, food-safe container. Alternatively, you can store baked doughnuts in tightly-wrapped foil or plastic wrap. A plastic bag would work for storing doughnuts, as long as there’s no glaze or topping that could stick to the bag.Nutrition
These were easy to make, and are very delicious! My kids said they are the best doughnuts ever, thank you for sharing this recipe with us.
These are so yummy! Even my son that claims he doesn’t like blueberries loved these!
My kids were in heaven!! They love anything with blueberries & they especially love donuts! They were a hit!