Baked Lemon Donuts with Lemon Glaze — These taste like the Starbucks lemon loaf, but in donut (or mini muffin) form!! Easy, no mixer recipe with a tart-yet-sweet lemon glaze that’s PERFECT! Lemon lovers will adore them!!
Easy Baked Donut Recipe
I took one of the most popular recipes on my site — my Copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf — and turned it into donuts. They’re full of robust lemon flavor and are soft, fluffy, moist, and baked rather than fried so you can have extra, of course.
They’re ready in 25 minutes so there’s no excuse to not make them. They’re perfect for breakfast, brunch, or snacks.
I only have one full-size donut pan so I made donut holes too in my mini muffin pan. They’re adorable and highly poppable as mini food always is. I haven’t tried the recipe as full size muffins.
Make as written and you’re going to love these lemony gems.
What’s in the Lemon Donuts?
To make these lemon glazed donuts, you’ll need:
- Egg
- Granulated sugar
- Greek yogurt
- Oil
- Lemon zest and juice
- Lemon extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder and baking soda
- Salt
- Yellow food coloring (optional)
- Confectioners’ sugar
How to Make Baked Lemon Donuts
Gently whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another. Combine the two, then divide the batter between a six-count donut pan and a 12-count mini muffin pan.
Bake until the donuts and donut holes are cooked through, set, and springy to the touch. Let the donuts cool slightly while you make the lemon glaze (a simple combination of lemon juice and powdered sugar).
What Can I Substitute for the Lemon Extract?
Nothing, unfortunately. Because it took me years to perfect my Starbucks Copycat recipe, I have very specific instructions about the use of lemon extract and lemon juice.
Do NOT use lemon juice in the donuts in place of lemon extract because lemon juice isn’t flavorful enough and the acidity will negatively alter the overall results. Lemon extract is very inexpensive, far less than vanilla extract, and you do want to use a full tablespoon in this recipe for a big pop of lemon flavor.
Additionally, lemon extract and lemon oil are NOT interchangeable.
Tips for Making Lemon Glazed Donuts
I only have one donut pan at home, so I used a 6-count donut pan and a 12-count mini muffin pan for this recipe. Mix and match pans as needed, and adjust the bake time accordingly.
I dolloped the batter into the donut pan with a spoon, but you can transfer to a large zip-top back, seal, cut one of the corners with a scissors, and pipe into the pans if that’s easier. For the donut holes, I use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop filled with about 1 heaping tablespoon batter.
You don’t need to let the donuts cool completely before glazing them. The glaze will slide off the warm donuts a little bit, but that’s okay. Warm donuts are the best!
Baked Lemon Donuts with Lemon Glaze
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 6 ounces Greek yogurt, I used 0% fat Fage, sour cream may be substituted
- ¼ cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon extract, or to taste (not teaspoon; and not lemon oil and not lemon juice; see step 2 below for notes)
- a few drops of yellow food coloring, optional and as needed for desired shade
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice, or as necessary for consistency
Instructions
For the Donuts:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray one 6-count non-stick donut pan and one mini muffin pan with cooking spray, or grease the pans; set aside.
- To a large bowl, add the the egg, sugar, Greek yogurt, oil, lemon zest, lemon extract, optional food coloring, and whisk to combine.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and fold with spatula or stir gently with a spoon until just combined; don’t overmix.
- Turn batter out into prepared pans, filling each cavity about 3/4 full. I dollop the batter into the donut pan with a spoon but you can transfer to a large ziptop back, seal, cut one of the corners with a scissors, and pipe into the pans if that’s easier. For the donut holes, I use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop filled with about 1 heaping tablespoon batter.
- Bake for about 13 to 16 minutes, or until donuts and donut holes are cooked through, set, and springy to the touch. The donuts baked for 15 minutes and donut holes for 14 minutes in my oven but all pans, climates, ovens, how full the pans are filled, etc. vary so bake until done.
- Allow donuts and donut holes to cool in the pans while you make the glaze.
Lemon Glaze:
- To a small bowl, add the confectioner’s sugar and slowly drizzle in the lemon juice while whisking until smooth and combined. You may need to play with the sugar and lemon juice amounts slightly as necessary for desired consistency and flavor.
- Dip the top of each donut and donut hole in glaze and allow to cool momentarily before enjoying.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I love this recipe! Big hit with my grandpa! I recommend 💯
Thanks for the 5 star review, Hayley, and I’m glad to hear that you love this recipe and how sweet that you’re able to enjoy these with your grandma!
I used butter instead of oil for a better mouth feel. Also, I only got six donuts!
Thanks for trying the recipe. Maybe using butter reduces the amount of batter in some way? I don’t know. Or maybe your donut mold is just a bit bigger.
We made these today! We used a muffin pan and a 1 tablespoon scoop. We baked them for 13 minutes and the bottoms are a little too done. We decided to skip the glaze because it was just too overwhelming with lemon. They are delicious lemon muffins!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad they were delicious lemon muffins!
10 STARS! I’ve made these donuts 4 times in the last 8 days and my family love, love, love them. It’s our go-to #1 dessert from now on. Thank you Averie
Thanks for the 5 star review, Samantha, and I love hearing that this is your go to dessert!
Averie, I have not made this recipe yet, because I have a question. My question is, Your recipe says 6 servings, & I was wondering if that meant 6 donuts, but I did see that someone who made them said she got 10 donuts. Thank you for all your great recipes. I did make your Lemon Loaf with GF Flour, & it came out delicious. Thank you
In a standard donut pan, you’ll get 6 donuts. https://amzn.to/43phEES That one from Wilton is what I mean. Smaller pans will yield more but it’s more work to fill the molds of smaller pans and the batter is harder to control so I stick with the standard size. And glad you loved the lemon loaf!
I made these today. love them! easy to make and so yummy! They are so soft and lemony!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Patty, and I’m glad you loved these and that they were easy!
These were spectacular! Clean lemony flavor…the most light moist and fluffy texture! Even better than I expected, thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Carrie, and I am glad these were even better than you expected! That’s the best kind of compliment – thank you!
These turned out great! The recipe made 10 in my Wilton donut pans. I will definitely be making these again. Thanks Averie, I am glad to have found your website.
These turned out great! The recipe made 10 in my Wilton donut pans. I will definitely be making these again. Thanks Averie, I am glad to have found your website.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad they turned out great and that you found my website! Hope you make lots more!
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i’m writing this comment while eating one of these amazing donuts right after glazing them. they really do taste like the starbucks lemon loaf. thank you so much for an amazing recipe!!
i’m writing this comment while eating one of these amazing donuts right after glazing them. they really do taste like the starbucks lemon loaf. thank you so much for an amazing recipe!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that these remind you of the Starbucks lemon loaf!