Whether you are a classic glazed fan or opt for something more decadent like jam-filled, we scoured the web for the best vegan donut recipes around.
Is there anything better than a soft, fluffy donut? While traditional storebought donuts are most likely not vegan — unless you’re at Krispy Kreme or Greggs — making them at home has never been easier.
The flavour combinations with donuts are seemingly endless and these days, it seems that pretty much anything goes in the quest for the perfect vegan donut.
The base for vegan donuts is quite simple and consists of ingredients you probably have lurking in your pantry already. The only thing you may need to invest in is a good donut baking pan and the indulgent ingredients for the recipe of your choice.
How do you make vegan donuts?
With the delicious dairy-free ingredients available to us nowadays, making vegan donuts can be as easy as swapping in your favorite nut milk and plant-based butter.
There are two different ways to make donuts: fried and baked. While most of the recipes out there these days opt for the baked donuts, there is just something about fried donuts that brings back so many memories.
For fried donuts, the dough requires yeast and a rising period, similar to other traditional baked goods. The dough is then cut into those adorable circles and, as expected, deep-fried on the stove.
Baked donuts, however, don’t require yeast and are typically baked in a nifty donut pan.
Tips for vegan donuts
Aside from the obvious dairy-free ingredients you’ll want to secure to create these spectacular recipes, there are a few other traditional baking ingredients to address.
That sweet white sugar that we love so much may not always be vegan. When making sugar, the sugar cane stalks are pressed and made into pulp. The juice from the pulp is then processed, filtered, and sometimes bleached with bone char. While this problem is exclusive to the US, not all sugar uses this process, so opt for one of those. Organic is always a good bet in this case.
Additionally, because powdered sugar is made from traditional white sugar, it might also not be vegan. On a more positive note, yeast is vegan, so leavening isn’t an issue.
The best vegan donut recipes
Baked Strawberry Donuts by A Dash of Megnut
Light, fluffy, and fruity, these baked strawberry donuts are the perfect summer treat. Fresh strawberries in the batter and the glaze take these to the next level.
These vegan donuts are also gluten-free, making them the ultimate brunch recipe for anyone with diet restrictions. Whipping these together will only take 30 minutes and prep is minimal. The end flavour is delightfully bright and fruity, creating the best option for summer brunch.
Cardamom and Pistachio Donuts by Olives for Dinner
The combination of cardamom and pistachio in these vegan donuts by Olives for Dinner deliver an excellent baked treat. Serve these with afternoon tea and you’ll be sure to impress.
They are crisp and golden on the outside with a light and spongy middle, topped with a wonderfully sugary glaze. The touch of almond extract, cardamom spice, and crushed pistachios used to finish these off create a lovely fried perfection.
Lavender Lemon Donuts by
Lavender and lemon are another delightful flavor combination for donuts and ideal for a summer treat. These ones are made with dried lavender and fresh lemon zest-infused sugar.
While the homemade infused sugar may sound daunting, it is much easier than it sounds. It’s a simple combination of a few ingredients left to subtly infuse the sugar over a few hours. This can easily be made ahead, so it is ready to go whenever the baking mood strikes.
Chocolate Donuts with Raspberry Glaze by Feasting on Fruit
There are surprisingly few chocolate donut recipes out there on the web, but this might be the only one that you need. The combination of a delectable chocolate donut with a slathering of a raspberry glaze is perfect for those with a sweet tooth.
Made with just eight simple ingredients, the end result is a fluffy-cake-meets-brownie-vibe in donut form. Crafted with wholesome ingredients like oats and maple syrup, you can feel good about sinking your teeth into these.
Champagne Donuts by Plant.Well
Every day is a cause for celebration when you have these champagne-infused vegan donuts. If you have never tried your hand at champagne donuts, these are a must.
A generous splash of bubbly into traditional vanilla baked donuts results in amazing flavours and aromas. To top it all off, they are covered in a vanilla-champagne and champagne sugar frosting.
Pair them with a glass of fresh bubbly to bring out their subtle champagne flavour.
Sticky Orange Olive Oil Baked Donuts by A Virtual Vegan
We know this sounds like quite the odd combo, but we promise it is worth it. The sultry flavour of the extra virgin olive oil along with the zested orange creates quite the combination in these donuts.
The orange shines through the baked donut, even with the strong flavour of the extra-virgin olive oil. The fruity pungency of the zested orange elevates this recipe quite nicely.
Along with creating a great and balanced flavour, the oil adds an incredible moistness to the final product, resulting in a baked donut that is perfectly light and airy.
