Valentine Doughnuts

Name: Valentine Doughnuts
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1½ cups white granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons baking powder; ½ teaspoon salt; 1 large egg; 1¼ cups whole milk; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; Frosting (store bought container, warmed for dipping); Sprinkles

20 minutes

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By: Julie BlannerLeave a Comment
Updated: 2/6/23

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Celebrate the holiday that celebrates love with these baked Valentine doughnuts. They make the cutest breakfast, and they’re so easy to make, too!

Get the whole family involved in baking and decorating these delicious little treats. They are so much easier (and less messy) than frying.

They also make a lovely gift for friends! Decorate them with colorful frosting and sprinkles, and package them with love, of course.

Heart shaped Valentine doughnuts on a white surface, covered in pink icing and sprinkles.

Who can resist this warm and fuzzy holiday? Not me, or at least I can’t resist these warm and delicious little doughnuts.

We love baked donuts, and they are such a great treat all year long. It’s so much fun to dress them up for holidays, though – don’t skip my Christmas Donuts, too!

These sweet treats are baked in a doughnut pan, covered in sweet icing and of course, sprinkles. They are too cute for words, and they are more than just a fun breakfast – they make a great gift, too.

Let’s make these fun Valentine doughnuts today!

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love these Valentine Doughnuts

Sweet and Fun
Great for Decorating
Kids love Them
Package for Gifts
Easily Customized

Ingredients and Substitutions

All-Purpose Flour – To make these baked doughnuts gluten free, be sure to choose a 1:1 gluten free flour meant for baking.
White Granulated Sugar – For added sweetness.
Baking Powder – For rise
Salt – To balance out the sweet in these baked donuts.
Egg – Size large
Whole Milk – You can sub with 2% or whatever you have on hand.
Butter – Unsalted, melted
Vanilla Extract – Use real vanilla, not imitation. Learn how to make your own homemade vanilla extract.

Ingredients for Valentine doughnuts on a marble surface.

Topping

Icing – We used a standard store bought container of pink frosting, and warmed it through. See below for more icing suggestions or read my complete Frosting Guide, with 25+ icing recipes!
Sprinkles – Choose your favorites!

Variations

Caramel Icing
Orange Glaze
Classic Icing Recipe – this recipe was developed for cinnamon rolls but works beautifully here as well.
Cream Cheese Glaze
Cinnamon Frosting

A variety of gold cake pans, loaf pans and muffin baking pan sizes laid out on a marble surface.

Tools to Use

Mixer (You can also mix by hand)
Measuring Cups + Measuring Spoons
Doughnut Pan
Baking Spray (this one is my favorite but you can use whatever you have on hand)
A baking sheet and wire rack (to help make clean-up easy after decorating)

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How to Make Valentine Doughnuts

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease doughnut pans with baking spray to prevent sticking.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine egg, milk, butter and vanilla. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture until just combined.
Spoon batter into pans, filling just over ¾ full.
Bake 14-15 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes before removing from tray.

For Topping

Melt icing in a small bowl. Lightly dip each Christmas donut in melted icing and add sprinkles or any decorative icing and elements. Serve warm.

Heart shaped Valentine doughnuts on a baking sheet, covered in pink icing and sprinkles.

Tips

Need help with baking conversions? Check out my Essential Measurement Conversion Chart or use the servings bar in the recipe card.
This recipe made 24 small baked Valentine doughnuts for us. However, if you use a pan with larger cavities, you’ll get less donuts overall, of course. This also means your bake time might be a little longer, and the nutritional notes should be adjusted according to finished quantity.
Don’t overmix the batter, the ingredients should be just combined. Over mixing can cause them to become chewy rather than light and fluffy.
Don’t overfill the cavities of your pan – Fill 3/4 full to allow for rise.
Use the Toothpick Test – Insert a toothpick in the center. When it comes out clean, it’s done.
Looking for these fun sprinkles? We have the best selection of sprinkles at our local Walmart, of all places!
If you’re hoping to package these as gifts, allow the frosting to sit for a couple hours to harden first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are doughnuts better fried or baked?

If you’re craving a traditional, yeasty doughnut with a crispy exterior and melt-in-your-mouth interior, that’s not what these doughnuts are! However, skipping the fryer is better for you, and these Valentine donuts are more cake like, and less chewy than a traditional fried donut.

What is the difference between baked and fried donuts?

Baked donuts are cooked in an oven (more like cupcakes), and traditional fried donuts are fried in hot oil on the stovetop. Both types of doughnuts can be topped with icing, decorating sprinkles, and more.

How to Store

Room temperature – Store these baked donuts at room temperature for up to two days, in an airtight container.
Refrigerator – Store in the refrigerator for up to three days, warming for a few seconds in the microwave before serving.
Freezer – If you are going to freeze, bake and cool completely. Simply place them in a plastic-freezer storage bag, seal tight, label, date, and store in your freezer for up to 2-3 months.