How to Bake Halloween Donuts

Donuts aren't just for breakfast—especially on Halloween! Don't believe it? This Halloween Baked Donuts Recipe will prove you wrong! These soft, fluffy, baked-not-fried donuts are the ultimate treat, whether you're gearing up for a Halloween party or just want to surprise your family with something spooky and sweet.

Halloween has been around for centuries, evolving from ancient Celtic traditions like Samhain into the fun-filled celebration we know today. And what’s Halloween without some festive, frightfully delicious treats? These donuts are the perfect blank slate for your creativity—decorate them with spooky icing, candy eyes, or creepy sprinkles for a dessert that's both fun and delicious! Let’s get baking and turn these donuts into the ultimate Halloween masterpiece!

Why Baked Donuts

Let’s be honest. We all love donuts, but frying them can be so oily. That’s where baked donuts come in to save the day. They’re easy to make, way less messy, and—dare I say it—a little healthier than their fried cousins. You still get that delicious, fluffy donut texture without the oil splatters and deep-frying cleanup.

Plus, donuts have been around for ages—archaeologists have even found fossilized bits of what look like donuts in prehistoric Native American settlements! But the donut as we know it supposedly arrived in Manhattan (then New Amsterdam) with the Dutch, who called them olykoeks, meaning "oily cakes." Thankfully, baked donuts skip the "oily" part while keeping all the deliciousness intact.

And since baking means you can whip up a batch in no time, you’ll have more fun decorating—because during Halloween, that’s what it’s all about, right?

Ingredients 

For the Donuts:

• • • 2 Eggs
    • 2 Tablespoons melted butter
    • 1/2 Tablespoon vanilla extract
    • 3/4 Cup milk
    • ½ Teaspoon white vinegar
    • 2 Cups flour
    • 3/4 Cup sugar
    • 1 Teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 Teaspoon salt

For the Glaze:

• • • 1 Cup powdered sugar
    • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice

How to Bake Halloween Donuts

Step 1: Preheat Your Oven

Before we get started, make sure your oven is nice and hot! Preheat it to 392°F (200°C) so your donuts bake perfectly.

Step 2: Prepare the Wet Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk and white vinegar. Let it sit for a minute so the vinegar can slightly curdle the milk—this helps give your donuts that classic fluff. Then, add the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract. With a whisk, mix everything together until it’s smooth and well combined.

Step 3: Sift the Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, sift together your flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt with a durable flour sifter. Sifting helps make the batter light and airy, giving your donuts that soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Step 4: Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Use a spatula or whisk to combine everything, but be careful not to over-mix. You want the batter to come together just enough to incorporate the flour.

Step 5: Fill the Donut Molds

Now, pour your batter into a piping bag (or a large plastic bag with the tip snipped off) and carefully fill your donut molds about 2/3 full. This will give your donuts enough room to rise beautifully without spilling over the edges.

Step 6: Bake to Perfection

Place your donut molds into the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Keep an eye on them! You’ll know they’re done when the tops of the donuts spring back when gently touched or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Once baked, remove them from the oven and let them cool for 4-5 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack.

Time to Glaze and Decorate!

Step 7: Prepare the Glaze

In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice with  citrus juicer. Stir until smooth and silky, with no lumps. This glaze will give your donuts a shiny finish and a subtle citrus flavor that balances the sweetness.

Step 8: Add the Halloween Twist

Here’s where you get to channel your inner artist. Feel free to get as creative (or spooky) as you want. 

• • • Ghostly Donuts: Dip your donuts in white glaze and use chocolate chips or candy eyes to create ghost faces.
    • Pumpkin Patch Donuts: Tint your glaze with orange food coloring and use green icing for the stem.
    • Spiderwebs: Use black icing to pipe delicate spiderwebs on top of a white-glazed donut.
    • Monster Madness: Add green food coloring to the glaze and use colorful candy eyes to make your donuts look like fun monsters!

Why These Donuts Are Perfect for Halloween Parties

These baked donuts will make things much more fun for any Halloween party. There are no hard or fast rules for making them, and kids (and adults!) love decorating them. You could set up a station with different colored candies, sprinkles, and glazes so everyone can make their own creepy masterpiece.

Not only that, but these baked donuts are better for you than deep-fried treats. You can treat yourself without feeling bad about it!

Also, let's be honest, Halloween isn't just about the candy. The show-stopping donuts will give people something more substantial to nibble on between the sweet candy bars.

How to Store Your Halloween Donuts

If you have any leftovers (unlikely, I know), you can store your donuts in a container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The glaze will keep them fresh, but if you prefer a softer donut, you can reheat them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds before enjoying them again.

Zulay's Final Thoughts

An exciting and fun way to celebrate the season is to bake Halloween donuts. This Halloween Baked Donuts Recipe is perfect for having a party, looking for a fun activity for the whole family, or just wanting to treat yourself to some tasty Halloween treats. You can change the decorations however you want, making each batch as scary or cute as you like.

What are you waiting for? Grab your ingredients, preheat the oven, and prepare for a ghoulishly good time!

Let Us Know What You Think!

We love hearing from you! Have you tried making these Halloween Baked Donuts? What decorations did you use? Leave a comment below and share your spooky donut creations with us!

Share the Halloween Fun

Know someone who would love this recipe? Please share it with your friends on social media, and don’t forget to tag us @zulay_kitchen with #kitchenhappiness and #HalloweenDonuts. Let’s spread the Halloween cheer, one donut at a time!