Soft and sweet with that distinctively rich maple flavor, these baked donuts are surprisingly easy to make.
“Time to make the donuts!” That’s what the character Fred the Baker used to say on the Dunkin’ Donuts commercials that aired in the 80s and 90s. Fred used to wake up before the crack of dawn to begin his donut-making, but you don’t have to. It can be “time to make the donuts” anytime in your house with this easy recipe for delicious maple donuts.
With pure maple syrup in the batter and in the glaze, these donuts showcase maple’s sweet, rich, distinctive flavor. But wait, there’s more! The addition of sour cream in the batter adds some complexity to the donut’s taste in the form of a wonderfully pleasing tang, as well as contributing moistness to the tender, cake-like texture. Not only are these maple donuts really delicious, they are also adorably cute! The cuteness factor means that maple donuts are a great treat to serve to guests at brunch (plus, people are always impressed when you make your own donuts!).
While there are a lot of ingredients in this recipe, the process is simple and straightforward. It’s like making a cake. One bowl to mix the dry ingredients, another for the wet ones, combine the two, fill the pan, and bake. That’s it. While the donuts are baking, you can make the maple glaze while breathing in the intoxicating aroma of maple and vanilla that will be filling your kitchen.
From Sap To Syrup
Pure, authentic maple syrup has only one ingredient: maple sap. The sap is collected from maple trees, generally sugar maples, and then boiled down until the natural sugars are concentrated and the syrup forms. Vermont is famous for its pure maple syrup, but I grew up in Ohio, where a lot of this uniquely delicious product is made. In elementary school, we went on a field trip every year to a maple sugar farm, usually sometime in late winter or early spring when the temperatures are right for tapping the trees. We’d watch the sap being collected and then head to the sugarhouse to witness the boiling process. The tour always ended with samples of delicious maple sugar candy. Making maple donuts with pure maple syrup always reminds me of those trips to the sugarhouse and of the purity of the donut’s superstar ingredient.
FAQs & Tips
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Unglazed, the cooled maple donuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or in the freezer for 3 months. The glazed donuts can be stored in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Glazed or unglazed, thaw frozen maple donuts at room temperature.
What’s The Difference Between These Maple Donuts And The Maple Bar Donuts I Sometimes Hear About?
There are a couple of differences, actually, beginning with the shape. Our maple donuts are round with holes in the middle, and maple bar donuts are rectangular-shaped (like bars!). Both donuts have a maple glaze, but maple bars are usually (though not always) filled with custard or cream.
What If I Don’t Have A Donut Pan?
Not to worry: you can easily turn your standard muffin tin into a donut pan! Roll pieces of aluminum foil into strips and then form each strip into a tube shape; make sure each tube’s height extends above the pan. Set the tube into each muffin cup and pour the batter around it.
Serving Suggestions
Maple donuts are wonderful on their own, but here are a few things you might do to amp them up. You could use this Spiced Maple Syrup with cinnamon, allspice, orange, and black peppercorns to give the donuts a fruity, savory element. Or you could sprinkle some crumbled bacon on top of the glaze to add some salty, smoky zing. Another delicious topper for maple donuts is crushed Candied Pecans.
Whenever I serve maple donuts at brunch gatherings, they are a huge hit! I like to serve a mix of sweet and savory items, including dishes that develop the maple theme, so I’ll often have French Toast Cups and Baked Egg And Kale Cups, along with Maple-Glazed Salmon, a green salad tossed in this Tahini Dressing, which features maple syrup as an ingredient, Maple Oatmeal Muffins, and Roasted Pears With Maple Ricotta Cream. All these delicious foods, but the maple donuts are the first thing to disappear every time.
Maple Donut
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2/3 cup sour cream room temperature
- 1/3 cup milk room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1-2 tablespoons milk as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- In another bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until smooth and fully combined with no lumps. If mixture is dry, add a splash of milk to help bring the dough together.
- Spoon or pipe about 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter into each cavity of a greased donut pan, filling them about 3/4 of the way.
- Bake for 9 minutes, or until the tops bounce back when lightly pressed. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
- While the donuts cool, prepare the glaze. In a bowl, combine powdered sugar, maple syrup, and milk as needed. Whisk until smooth. Adjust the milk and maple syrup as needed to reach your desired taste and dipping consistency.
- Dip the cooled donuts into the glaze, allowing excess to drip off. Place on a wire rack to set the glaze, about 1 hour.
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