Lemon Glazed Donuts (Baked)

Soft and fluffy lemon glazed donuts, made from scratch. Baked fresh in the oven, they are bursting with real lemon flavour and are topped with a luscious lemon glaze. Perfect for afternoon tea, you will find it impossible to stop at just one!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• So light, moist and fluffy – bursting with zesty fresh lemon flavour with a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• Easy to make – Lemon cake donuts are made with no yeast and there is also no rolling, cutting or frying. All you need is a mixing bowl, a whisk and a donut pan.
• Made with basic ingredients.
• Baked, not fried. There’s no need to get the deep fryer out. No oil or frying required!
• In just 20 minutes, you can have fresh baked lemon donuts that are healthier than the fried version.
• Generously coated in a gorgeously zesty lemon glaze.

Ingredients you will need

** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. The photo above is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!

• Flour – plain (all-purpose) flour is the base of these donuts . For best results, be sure to level the flour or use a kitchen scale for accuracy. Adding too much flour will make the donuts too dense and dry.

• Leavening agents – this recipe is made without yeast, so the batter relies on baking powder and soda for their rise and light, fluffy texture. Be sure to check the expiry dates before using them.

• Buttermilk – gives the donuts a soft, tender crumb and enhances the tangy lemon flavour. If you don’t have any buttermilk, you can make your own by stirring 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into 1 cup of milk. Stir and set aside for 5 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.

• Egg – is used to bind the batter together. Make sure the egg is at room temperature for best results.

• Icing sugar – (powdered sugar) is used to make the sweet-tart lemon glaze.

• Lemons – fresh lemons are used for the best flavour. You will only need about 3 lemons, both zest and juice. I love to use Meyer lemons due to their sweet flavour and high juice content, but any lemons will work. Bottled lemon juice can be used in a pinch, but the end flavour won’t be the same.

Step by step instructions

This is such an easy recipe! All you have to do is whisk the wet and dry ingredients together and then bake in a donut pan. You will have 16 donuts in less than 20 minutes!

1. Mix the dry ingredients – whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar together in a bowl.
2. Add the wet ingredients – add the beaten egg, buttermilk, lemon juice and zest and mix until just combined.
3. Add the batter to a donut pan – using a piping bag or spoon. The donut holes should be about ⅔ full. Bake until puffed and fluffy. When ready, the donuts will spring back when gently pressed.

Once the donuts are baked and slightly cooled, it’s time for the simple lemon glaze. The icing brings out the lemon flavour of the donuts and adds a lovely tang.

1. Prepare the lemon glaze for donuts – mix the icing sugar, lemon juice and zest in a bowl and stir until combined. The glaze should be a similar consistency to honey. If it is too thick, it won’t spread properly over the donuts.
2. Dip each donut in the glaze until their tops are covered, then place them back onto the wire rack to set.

Tips for success

• Don’t prepare the glaze until the donuts are baked and ready to glaze. If the glaze sits in the bowl for too long, it will start to harden. If it has become too hard to dip the donuts, you can fix it by stirring through a little more lemon juice.
• Don’t overmix. Whisk or fold the batter ingredients together until they are just combined. Overmixing will result in hard, dense donuts.
• Be sure to grease the donut pan before adding the batter, to prevent sticking. I use butter, but oil spray would work too.
• Don’t overfill the moulds. They should be about ⅔ full. Overfilling will cause the batter to spill out and the donuts will become domed on top.
• For neat and easy filling, you can use a piping bag to pour the mixture into the tin. A spoon will also work.
• Measure the flour to avoid dense and dry donuts. Use a kitchen scale or add the flour to a measuring cup with a spoon and use a knife to level it before adding it to the bowl.
• Let the donuts sit in the pan for 5 minutes before removing them from the tin. They will be super soft when removed from the oven and can dent easily in the first couple of minutes.
• The glaze should be a similar consistency to honey, in order to spread properly over the donuts. Too thick and it won’t spread. And if it’s too runny, most of the glaze will run off the donuts onto the bench and will make the donuts wet. You can add more icing sugar to thicken, or more lemon juice to make it thinner until you reach your desired consistency.
• If you want to add sprinkles, you will need to add them before the glaze dries, or they won’t stick.
• Sift the icing sugar before mixing the glaze, to prevent lumps.
• Add a tray underneath the wire rack before glazing the donuts, to catch any drips.
• For a stronger lemon flavour, add some lemon zest to the glaze mixture.

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