Red Velvet Donuts
Fluffy red velvet donuts topped with creamy cream cheese frosting. They are so easy, quick to make, and perfect for Valentine’s day.
Red velvet is more than just chocolate cake with red food coloring. Thanks to the buttermilk in the batter, it’s a very tender cake with only a hint of cocoa. These donuts have the classic red velvet flavor but in single-sized portions for the perfect treat.
The homemade donuts are topped with a tangy cream cheese glaze, giving great flavor and a pretty color contrast.
For more red velvet recipes, check out these red velvet cinnamon rolls or sourdough red velvet cake!
Ingredients
Find the amounts for baked red velvet donuts in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here is a rundown of the simple ingredients you need.
- Butter. This can be salted or unsalted butter. It brings richness to the donuts
- Vegetable oil. A little oil keeps the donuts moist
- Buttermilk. The acidity gives a tender crumb.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder. Just a small amount to bring a hint of chocolate. This can be dutch or unsweetened natural cocoa powder.
- Granulated sugar
- A large egg
- Pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- Red food color – This is optional, but the red color is gorgeous with the white frosting.
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
Homemade cream cheese frosting
- Softened cream cheese
- Butter
- Powdered sugar
- Milk or heavy cream
Buttermilk substitute
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can use other ingredients as a substitute.
Mix milk along with an acid such as lemon juice or vinegar. (White vinegar or apple cider vinegar work well.) There is a buttermilk substitute recipe in the notes on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post. You could also use a mix of half milk and half greek yogurt or sour cream.
Or, learn how to cultured butter and real buttermilk!
Equipment
One or two 6-cavity donut pans. You can use a metal or silicone donut pan. The pans give the homemade donuts their shape, so the donut holes are already cut out. This recipe makes around eight donuts, so you can use two pans for baking them all at once. Or bake them in batches.
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and grease a donut pan.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt in a small bowl.
Whisk the melted butter, oil, egg, buttermilk, sugar, vanilla extract, and red food coloring in a large mixing bowl until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and use a rubber spatula to fold them together until combined. Don’t over-mix the batter.
Fill a piping bag with the batter and cut off the tip. Pipe the batter into the cavities, about 1/2 way.
Alternatively, spoon mixture into the cavities instead. It should make around eight donuts. If you only have one pan, the remaining batter can sit while the first batch bakes.
Bake the donuts for 10-12 minutes until puffed, and the donut bounces back when lightly pressed.
Let the donuts cool in the pan for 2-3 minutes before removing them and placing them on a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.
If you use the same pan for the remaining batter, wash off any remnants on the pan first, re-grease it, and bake the remaining donut batter.
Frosting
While the donuts are cooling, make the frosting.
Beat softened cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed to incorporate the sugar, then switch to high and beat until creamy. Add a little milk to loosen the frosting.
Dip the donuts into the frosting if the cream cheese icing is pourable. Alternatively, keep it a little thicker and use a knife spread the frosting on top of each donut.
Storing
Store leftover donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for two days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
The baked donuts can be frozen, with or without the glaze, for up to 3 months. Wrap them tightly before freezing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and gently warm them up for a few seconds in the microwave before serving.
Related recipe
Red Velvet Donuts
Fluffy red velvet donuts topped with creamy cream cheese frosting. These homemade donuts are perfect for Valentine's day.
Ingredients
Donut batter
- 125g (1 cup*) all-purpose flour
- 8g (1 Tbsp) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 45g (3 Tbsp), butter, melted
- 12g (1 tbsp) vegetable oil
- 113g (1/2 cup) buttermilk**, room temperature
- 100g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 teaspoons red food coloring
Frosting
- 60g (2oz) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 14g (1 tbsp) butter, softened to room temperature
- 90g (3/4 cup) powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt in a small bowl.
- Whisk the melted butter, oil, egg, buttermilk, sugar, vanilla extract, and red food coloring in a large mixing bowl until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and use a rubber spatula to fold them together until combined. Don't over-mix the batter.
- Grease a donut pan. Fill a piping bag and cut off the tip. Pipe the batter into the cavities about 1/2 way. It should make around eight donuts. If you only have one pan, the remaining batter can sit while the first batch bakes.
- Bake the donuts for 10-12 minutes until puffed and the donut bounces back when lightly pressed.
- Let the donuts cool in the pan for 2-3 minutes before removing them and placing them on a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.
- If you use the same pan for the remaining batter, wash off any remnants on the pan first, re-grease it, and bake the remaining donut batter.
Frosting
- While the donuts are cooling, make the frosting.
- Beat softened cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed to incorporate the sugar, then switch to high and beat until creamy. Add a little milk to loosen the frosting.
- Dip the donuts into the frosting if the cream cheese icing is pourable. Alternatively, keep it a little thicker and use a knife spread the frosting on top of each donut.
Notes
* The cup sizes given are US-sized cups. Note that these are smaller than metric. For best results, use grams and a kitchen scale.
** Buttermilk substitute - Take 110g (1/2 cup minus 1/2 tablespoon milk) and stir through 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice. Let this sit for 5 minutes before using.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 256Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 307mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 24gProtein: 4g
This is an informational estimate only. I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist
