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Baked Funfetti Donuts Are Fluffy & Delicious!

If you’re looking for a delicious donut recipe to make, these baked funfetti donuts will turn any day special with their fluffy texture and colorful sprinkles inside and out.

Baked Funfetti Donuts Are Fluffy & Delicious!

Sometimes going back to school can have a tiny rain cloud over it. Summer is ending, no more long pool days or late night s’mores, it’s back to a schedule and homework and books.

Because of that, I think it’s fun to try to make starting school into a little celebration! Especially with the pandemic going on . . . back to school is a little different this year. We take our celebrations and wins where we can, right?

Baked donut with rainbow sprinkles laying on the table

Even if we can’t party with fellow students, we can celebrate another year of school in our family. And that’s how these baked funfetti donuts were born.

Sure, I love me a good fried donut – who doesn’t love a Krispy Kreme? However I also love making donuts from scratch and then baking them instead of frying. If you’ve never tried a baked donut, these baked funfetti donuts are an amazing place to start. They’re so delicious!

Funfetti donuts cooling on a baking rack

Tips for Baked Donuts

Before we jump into the recipe, I wanted to share some frequently asked questions with you that I’ve gotten about these donuts. If you find you’d rather just skip to the recipe, scroll down to the bottom of the page. Otherwise, I hope these help!

What is the difference between baked and “regular” donuts?

Baked donuts are baked in a donut pan, and regular donuts are typically fried in oil. At least if we’re talking about Krispy Kreme or Dunkin’ – those are fried. Baked donuts have a more muffin-like or cake consistency.

Note that cake donuts can be fried as well – the frying process is different, as the batter is usually piped onto the oil or similar. But just because a donut is a cake donut, that doesn’t mean it was baked. These are baked, hence the title.

Are cake donuts healthier than regular donuts?

Everyone has a different definition of what is healthy, but these have approximately 251 calories and 7 grams of fat per donut. Compare that to a chocolate iced donut at Krispy Kreme with 340 calories and 19 grams of fat.

Don’t forget that cake donuts can be fried too. So assuming we’re talking about cake baked donuts I would say yes, they are healthier. At least these are.

Vanilla frosted baked donuts with rainbow sprinkles

What can I use if I don’t have a donut pan?

Grab yourself a muffin tin and some aluminum foil. Tear off a piece of aluminum foil and form it over your thumb. Pull it off carefully and place it in the center of the muffin cavity. Repeat with all the cavities and enjoy your MacGyver’d donut pan!

Can these cake donuts be fried?

Yes – if you have a Fry Daddy, you can definitely fry these funfetti donuts if you choose. I don’t recommend trying to fry them in a pan if you don’t have previous frying experience. Which sounds funny, but oil will get everywhere if you don’t know what you’re doing (and you can burn yourself).

Baked funfetti donut with a back to school flag

How do I make these baked funfetti donuts fluffier?

By doing the thing I always forget, which is to leave the cold ingredients (butter, milk, eggs, etc.) out to raise to room temperature before making this recipe. This makes all baked goodies fluffier, not just donuts!

How long will these donuts keep?

These baked funfetti donuts will be good for 3 – 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze them. If you are planning on freezing some or all of them, then don’t frost the ones you are planning on freezing. They will store up to eight months in the freezer. Make the frosting when you decide to eat them.

Can I substitute any type of milk for the milk in these donuts?

Yes, you can use whole, nonfat, 1% – or even traditional milk substitutes like almond milk, soy milk, and rice milk.

Poured out rainbow sprinkles on the table next to a baked cake donut with vanilla frosting

Of all the advice I can give you, the biggest is not to forget the extra rainbow sprinkles when you’re done. Because that would be the biggest travesty ever and ruin the party (kidding!).

Stack of baked funfetti donuts with flags in the top of them

I found these fun cutouts here and here. If you don’t have a Silhouette you can print them off with a regular printer and cut them out with scissors. Then, attach to toothpicks and you’ve got these darling toppers!

Baked funfetti donut recipe

Happy back to school to you and your families, and happy celebrating the little moments! I hope you enjoyed these baked funfetti donuts. And be sure to come visit my sister and me as we blog about style, food, and the things we love over at The Pretty Life Girls.

Funfetti cake donuts

These would be delicious at a bake sale! Get the printable recipe below.

Yield: 12 donuts

Baked Funfetti Donuts

Vanilla frosted baked donuts with rainbow sprinkles

If you're looking for a delicious donut recipe, this funfetti version makes any day special with their fluffy texture and colorful sprinkles inside and out.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes

Ingredients

Donuts

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 T all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 1/2 T butter (unsalted, room temperature)
  • 1 large egg(s) at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles

Frosting

  • 2 T heavy cream (or more if needed)
  • 1 cup confectioners sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles (for decorating)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Lightly grease a doughnut pan; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl whisk together the milk, butter, and egg. Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture until just combined - don't over mix! Gently fold in sprinkles.
  4. Spoon mixture into prepared doughnut pan, and bake for 10-11 minutes, or until the doughnuts spring back when lightly pressed. Allow doughnuts to cool a few minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire wrack to cool for a few more minutes.
  5. Combine heavy cream and confectioners' sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk smooth, adding a touch more cream if the frosting seems too thick; adding a touch more sugar if the frosting seems too thin. Mix in salt and vanilla.
  6. Once the donuts have cooled completely, spread the frosting over the tops of each and decorate with sprinkles.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1 donut

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 251Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 206mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 1gSugar: 23gProtein: 3g

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If you enjoyed this baked donut recipe, I’d love if you’d check out these other delicious baked delights:

Karly

Monday 4th of July 2016

My ideal food has 2 characteristics: it's 1) adorable and 2) stinking delicious. That means these donuts are super duper ideal in my book. I love love love this recipe and cannot wait to give it a try!

Paige

Wednesday 19th of August 2015

These look so pretty and delicious! I would be my son's favorite person for life if I made these for breakfast!

Paige https://www.thehappyflammily.com/

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