Baked Strawberry Donuts
Add a pretty pink hue to your next culinary creation with these baked strawberry donuts. They are soft and moist with a delicious fruit flavor. The strawberry icing on top make each bite perfectly sweet! Bonus: this recipe takes only 30 minutes to make.
If you can’t tell by my website, I love the color pink. It makes me so happy, especially when it appears in baking. These pink strawberry donuts have a pop of that natural color and the cake-like texture is so satisfying to bite into. They’re easy to make from scratch in less than 30 minutes, which is great when you need to whip up something quick for special occasions, like Mother’s Day or a friend’s baby shower.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 30 minutes. These donuts bake up quickly and are ready to eat in no time.
- Lovely strawberry flavor. The freeze-dried strawberries provide a strong fruity taste without the use of artificial flavorings.
- Pretty in pink! I’m a sucker for pink, especially when it comes naturally in desserts.
- Special occasion treat. Add this to the menu at a baby shower, bridal shower or birthday party!
Ingredient Notes
- Freeze-dried strawberries: To add the strawberry flavor, use freeze-dried strawberries. They are easy to find at your local grocery store or online. Use a food processor to crush it into powder for the icing.
- Heavy cream: For a rich strawberries and cream flavor, use heavy cream in the batter and in the icing. Milk is an easy substitute.
- Sour cream: Cake donuts taste best when they are moist. Full-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt is the key to that texture!
- Almond extract: Strawberries pair well with a subtle almond flavor. If that’s not your favorite, vanilla is a good substitute.
- Confectioners’ sugar: To make the icing, use confectioners’ sugar or powdered sugar. I suggest sifting it so there are no clumps.
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Variations
Try a different icing. Want to pair the strawberry flavor with something different? Try a simple vanilla glaze by whisking together 1 cup confectioners’ sugar with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2-4 Tablespoons cream. You can also make a chocolate glaze for a chocolate-covered strawberry effect.
Make donut holes. Use a mini muffin tin to make bite-size donut holes. Fill each cup 3/4 full and bake for 8 minutes.
Double the recipe. This recipe doubles easily if you’re entertaining a crowd. It will yield 16 donuts.
How to Make Baked Strawberry Donuts
- Whisk together the dry ingredients—flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Beat the sugar, sour cream, heavy cream, melted butter, egg and almond extract until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chopped freeze-dried strawberries.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Mix just until incorporated.
- Transfer batter to prepared donut tin. Bake at 350 F for 12 to 14 minutes. Cool completely.
- For the icing, sift confectioners’ sugar and freeze-dried strawberry powder over a bowl. Discard large clumps. Add heavy cream and whisk until smooth.
- Dip the tops of the cooled donuts in the icing. Place on a plate to set before serving.
Expert Tips
Use freeze-dried strawberries. Believe me when I say this will make all the difference in flavor and texture. Fresh strawberries have a lot of moisture, which can affect the texture of the donuts. Also, the flavor is not quite as concentrated.
Let the donuts cool completely before icing. The donuts are easier to dip into the icing when cooled. If they are still warm, the icing will melt and the end result won’t look as aesthetically pleasing. However, they will taste delicious!
Weigh the ingredients using a kitchen scale. It’s important to measure dry ingredients correctly. If you don’t have a scale, spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level with a knife (don’t pack it down).
Use room temperature ingredients. They will combine more easily and create a smooth, consistent batter. As a result, the donuts will have a soft and fluffy texture!
Storage Tips
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Freeze for up to 3 months. Flash freeze the donuts for an hour or until the icing is firm. Then individually wrap them in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container in the freeze. Defrost in the refrigerator before bringing to room temperature.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, but it will affect the texture of the donuts. The berries have more moisture and can cause the donuts to be lumpy. I suggest chopped them into small pieces and patting dry with a clean cloth.
Most likely there’s not enough fat or oil in the recipe. Add an additional Tablespoon and remember to grease your donut pan before using.
There’s too much flour in the batter. Remember to use a kitchen scale to properly measure flour or the spoon and level method. It’s also important not to over-bake the donuts.
Yes, fill each cup 2/3 full. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with little to no crumbs.
Related Recipes
Here are some more recipes you may enjoy!
Did you love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below and if you REALLY loved it, consider leaving a comment further down the page.
Get the Recipe: Baked Strawberry Donuts
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup sour cream, room temperature
- 3 Tablespoons heavy cream, room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon almond extract, (or vanilla if preferred)
- ½ cup chopped freeze-dried strawberries
Strawberry Glaze
- 1 cup (125 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 Tablespoons powdered freeze-dried strawberries, see notes
- 4-6 Tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 6-cup donut pans and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together sugar, sour cream, heavy cream, melted butter, egg and almond extract. Pour wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Fold in chopped freeze-dried strawberries.
- Transfer batter to a piping bag with a 1-inch hole and pipe the batter into prepared donut pans (you can also spoon the batter into the pans).
- Bake the donuts for 12 to 14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in a donut comes out with little to no crumbs. Allow the donuts to cool in the pans for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the icing, sift the confectioners’ sugar and powdered freeze dried strawberries into a bowl. Discard any large clumps. Whisk in the heavy cream. Add more if necessary for a thinner consistency.
- Dip the tops of the cooled donuts into the glaze. Put on a wire rack to set before serving.
