These soft baked vanilla donuts are topped with a fudgy Nutella glaze for an easy treat. No frying required, just simple cake donuts baked in a donut pan.

Treat yourself to our vanilla cake donuts with fudgy Nutella glaze for a decadent, sweet treat. It's perfect for breakfast or dessert!

If you like a classic vanilla donut but don’t want to mess with hot oil, these baked donuts are the answer.

They’re tender, cake-style donuts made in a donut pan, then dipped in a rich Nutella glaze that sets just enough to stay nice and fudgy.

The batter comes together in one bowl, and the Nutella glaze is simple enough to whisk together while the donuts cool.

These are perfect for weekend breakfasts, brunch, or an easy dessert. For more baked donut recipes, add these apple cider donuts and pumpkin donuts to your fall baking list.

What you’ll need

This is an overview of what you need to make my vanilla cake donuts. The full recipe with ingredient amounts is further down the page.

All-purpose flour and cake flour.
Granulated sugar.
Baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Butter.
Eggs.
Sour cream.
Vanilla extract.
Nutella.
Powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
Milk.

How to make vanilla donuts with Nutella glaze

Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease your donut pan(s). In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda, then cut in the cold butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy, then add the sour cream and vanilla and whisk until smooth.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry just until combined. The batter will be thick. Transfer it to a piping bag or zip-top bag, and pipe into the donut pan, filling each well about two-thirds full.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the donuts spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for a few minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.

To make the Nutella glaze, sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder into a small bowl. In another bowl, gently warm the Nutella in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds, then whisk it into the sugar mixture. Add milk a little at a time until the glaze is smooth and thick but still pourable.

Dip the tops of the cooled vanilla donuts into the Nutella glaze, let the excess drip off, then place them on a wire rack to set.

Tip for the best vanilla donuts

Watch the bake time: Check the donuts early around the 10-minute mark. They’re done when they spring back lightly in the center and a toothpick comes out clean. Overbaking is the fastest way to make baked donuts dry.

Storage

Store glazed donuts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

For longer storage, freeze the donuts without glaze in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and dip in fresh Nutella glaze before serving.

Can I make these vanilla donuts without cake flour?

Yes. You can use all all-purpose flour if needed, though the texture will be slightly denser.

Do I have to use Nutella glaze?

Nope. These vanilla donuts are great on their own and can be finished with a simple vanilla glaze or even dipped in melted butter and cinnamon sugar. The Nutella glaze is a nice option if you want a chocolate hazelnut finish.

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