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Bake these soft gingerbread Christmas donuts for an easy holiday treat. These festive Christmas donuts are baked, glazed, and full of warm spice.
Recipe at a Glance
What You’ll Need
Flour, sugar, warm spices (ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves), baking powder, egg, milk, molasses, butter, vanilla, powdered sugar
Flavor Profile
Soft, warmly spiced, sweet vanilla glaze
Difficulty Level
Easy
Equipment Needed
Donut pans, bowls, whisk, wire rack
Ingredient Swaps
Switch cloves for allspice if that’s what you have at home.
In the Test Kitchen
I wanted these Christmas donuts to taste like a cozy gingerbread cookie without being dense, so I tested different spice levels until the balance felt just right. Increasing the ginger and adding a touch of molasses gave me the warm flavor I wanted, but keeping the donuts baked instead of fried kept them light and soft. I also found that dipping the donuts twice in the glaze gives that pretty bakery shine without making them overly sweet.
Ingredient Notes
Dry Ingredients
Best Choice
All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder
Substitutions
Light brown sugar adds deeper molasses flavor
Spices
Best Choice
Ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg
Substitutions
Swap cloves for allspice if needed
Wet Ingredients
Best Choice
Whole milk, unsalted butter, molasses, vanilla extract, large egg
Substitutions
Half-and-half for milk, vanilla bean paste for extract
Glaze Ingredients
Best Choice
Powdered sugar, melted butter, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, milk
Substitutions
Half-and-half for milk if you want a richer glaze
Decoration
Best Choice
Christmas sprinkles that add color and a festive crunch.
Substitutions
Use sanding sugar, nonpareils, or a simple dusting of cinnamon if you want something less sweet.
Where to Find
Seasonal baking section or the baking aisle near the sprinkles.
You can find the full, printable recipe at the top of this post, but you can read the detailed instructions with photos for each step below.
How To Make Christmas Donuts
1
Preheat & Grease
Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two donut pans well so the donuts release easily later.
2
Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups (250 g) flour, 1½ cups (300 g) sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, and ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg until everything looks evenly blended.
3
Combine the Wet Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk 1 beaten egg, 1¼ cups whole milk, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 2 tablespoons molasses, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and slightly glossy.
4
Bring the Batter Together
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir gently until just combined. A few small lumps are fine and help keep the donuts tender.
5
Fill the Pans
Spoon or pipe the batter into your pans, filling each donut mold about halfway to two-thirds full. That gives you a nice rise without spilling over.
6
Bake the Donuts
Into the oven they go for 15 to 17 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when they spring back to the touch or a toothpick comes out clean. Cool them for a few minutes in the pan, then move to a wire rack.
7
Make the Glaze
While the donuts cool, whisk together 2 cups of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons melted butter, a half teaspoon of ginger, a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon, a teaspoon of vanilla, and a few tablespoons of milk until it’s smooth and pourable.
8
Glaze & Decorate
Dip each cooled donut into the glaze and let the excess drip back into the bowl. Place on the rack to set. For a thicker coating, dip again once the first layer dries. Add Christmas sprinkles while the glaze is still wet so they stick.
Other Christmas Treats
Recipe
Gingerbread Christmas Donuts
Ingredients
For the Donuts
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves (or allspice)
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- 1¼ cups whole milk
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
- 2 Tbsp unsulphured molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla extract ( or vanilla bean paste)
For the Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- 2 Tbsp butter (melted)
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp milk (Plus more as needed)
Decoration
- Christmas sprinkles (or a dusting of cinnamon)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Grease 2 donut pans generously with butter or nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, milk, melted butter, molasses, and vanilla until well combined.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Don’t overmix—lumps are totally fine.
- Spoon or pipe the batter into your donut pans, filling each mold about halfway to two-thirds full.
- Bake for 15–17 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Glaze:
- In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, melted butter, ground ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of milk. Add more milk a little at a time until the glaze is smooth and pourable.
- Dip each cooled donut into the glaze. Let excess drip off, then place on a rack to set. Repeat for a second layer if desired. Sprinkle with Christmas sprinkles or dust with extra cinnamon.
Tips
Erren’s Top Tips
- Grease every nook of the donut pans. Even nonstick pans can cling to baked donuts, so get into the curves with butter or spray to help them pop right out.
- Use a piping bag (or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped) to fill the molds. This keeps the batter even and prevents overfilling, which helps every donut keep its perfect shape.
- Don’t pack the flour into the measuring cup. If you’re not weighing it, lightly spoon it in and level it off so the donuts stay soft instead of dense.
- Keep the mixing gentle. If the batter starts looking shiny and stretchy, it’s overmixed. Stop as soon as the flour disappears for tender donuts.
- Add the glaze only when the donuts are fully cool. If they’re even a little warm, the glaze will melt and slide off instead of forming that pretty finish.
- Adjust the glaze slowly. If the glaze seems too thick, add milk a teaspoon at a time—you’ll hit that “smooth ribbon” stage fast.
- Add sprinkles right after dipping. The glaze sets quickly, so sprinkle immediately so they stick and look bright.
Variations & Add-Ins
- Maple Glaze: Replace the milk in the glaze with maple syrup.
- Cinnamon Sugar: Skip the glaze and toss warm donuts in cinnamon sugar.
- Chocolate Drizzle: Add a thin drizzle of melted chocolate on top.
- Orange Spice: Add ½ teaspoon orange zest to the batter for a citrus twist.
Storage & Freezing
Storage: Store your glazed gingerbread donuts at room temperature for up to 3 days.To freeze: freeze unglazed donuts for up to 2 months, thaw, then glaze before serving.
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FAQs
Can I make these donuts without a donut pan?
Yes! You can bake them in a muffin tin (they’ll be more like donut muffins) or use a muffin tin with rolled foil “donut hole” inserts.
Can I make these donuts dairy-free?
Absolutely. Use oat or almond milk instead of whole milk, and swap the butter for melted coconut oil or a plant-based butter.
Do baked donuts taste like fried donuts?
They’re lighter and more cake-like, not exactly like fried yeast donuts. But the warm spices and glaze still deliver that donut shop magic.
Can I make the batter ahead of time?
Not recommended—baking powder starts working as soon as it hits liquid. Instead, bake ahead and glaze right before serving.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes! This recipe scales beautifully. Just be sure to bake in batches so each donut cooks evenly.
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