20 Donut Recipes That Are Pure Happiness

Making donuts in your own kitchen is a lot easier and more fun than you might imagine. You can find all sorts of great recipes, from the simple glazed kind to others with fun and creative toppings. You do not need to be an expert baker to make them, as you just have to mix the dough, shape it, and then enjoy your own warm, fresh donuts any time you get a craving for one.

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Halloween Donuts

An assortment of Halloween-themed donuts is displayed on a table. The donuts are decorated as monsters, spiders, eyeballs, ghosts, and more, in vibrant colors like green, orange, blue, and purple. White pumpkins and Halloween candies are scattered around. — Halloween Donuts. Photo credit: Like Mother Like Daughter.

These are a great treat for a party where you can get creative with spooky and fun designs using different colored icing and sprinkles. Making and decorating these Halloween Donuts is an enjoyable activity, and they are perfect for serving to guests or for just enjoying as a themed snack.
Get the Recipe: Halloween Donuts

Dulce de Leche Donuts

A close-up of several doughnuts coated in powdered sugar, arranged on a plate. The doughnuts have a golden-brown crust, and the powdered sugar is generously sprinkled, creating a sweet and inviting appearance. — Dulce de Leche Donuts. Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

A sweet and creamy caramel filling is hidden inside each one of these soft and fluffy homemade donuts. These Dulce de Leche Donuts are also dusted with a layer of powdered sugar, making them a very rich treat that goes perfectly with a hot cup of coffee or milk.
Get Recipe: Dulce de Leche Donuts

Apple Pie Ring Recipe Easy Fall Dessert

Close-up of a plate with a stack of pull-apart breads. The breads are golden-brown and dusted with cinnamon and sugar, showcasing a soft, flaky texture. A blurred background with more stacked breads and a red item is visible. — Apple Pie Ring Recipe Easy Fall Dessert. Photo credit: Fresh Cup of Joy.

These tasty treats are shaped like a ring and are filled with warm, cinnamon-spiced apple pieces. The unique ring shape of these Apple Pie Rings means you get more of the delicious, crispy edge in every single bite, which is great for anyone who loves that part of a pie.
Get the Recipe: Apple Pie Ring Recipe Easy Fall Dessert

Easy Butternut Squash Baked Donut

A black plate holds a stack of cinnamon sugar-coated baked donuts. The donuts have a golden-brown color and a hint of sugar sparkle on their surfaces. The plate is set on a dark, textured surface, and other baking items are partially visible in the background. — Easy Butternut Squash Baked Donut. Photo credit: Sweet Fix Baker.

Adding butternut squash to the batter makes these donuts very moist and gives them a nice, soft orange color. These Easy Butternut Squash Baked Donuts are not overly sweet, which makes them a good choice for a quick breakfast or for a simple snack any time of day.
Get the Recipe: Easy Butternut Squash Baked Donut

“Unicorn Poop” Rainbow Donuts

A vibrant image featuring colorful donuts, one pink and one green, stacked on each other. Each donut is topped with white icing and sprinkled with rainbow-colored sprinkles, creating a festive and playful appearance. — “Unicorn Poop” Rainbow Donuts. Photo credit: In The Kids Kitchen.

Very bright and colorful rainbow icing and sprinkles make these donuts extremely fun and exciting to look at and eat. These “Unicorn Poop” Rainbow Donuts are a huge hit with kids, but their playful appearance and sweet taste are also something that most adults find very hard to resist.
Get the Recipe: “Unicorn Poop” Rainbow Donuts

Carrot Baked Donuts

A group of six baked donuts is displayed on a sheet of white parchment paper. Three donuts are glazed with white icing and sprinkled with chopped nuts, while the other three are plain. Plates and a cup are visible at the edges of the image. — Carrot Baked Donuts. Photo credit: Sweet Fix Baker.

The warm spices and shredded carrot in these donuts give them a flavor that is very similar to a classic carrot cake. Since they are made in the oven, these Carrot Baked Donuts are lighter than the fried kind but still have a wonderfully soft and moist texture that everyone loves.
Get the Recipe: Carrot Baked Donuts

Korean Twisted Donuts: Kkwabaegi

A rectangular gray plate holds several eclairs topped with white cream, fresh raspberries, and mint leaves. More raspberries and mint leaves are scattered on the surrounding light gray surface. A small white bowl and a gray napkin are partially visible in the background. — Korean Twisted Donuts: Kkwabaegi. Photo credit: Sugar Yums.

These unique donuts have a fun twisted shape and are coated in a thin layer of sweet sugar. The outside of these Korean Twisted Donuts, called Kkwabaegi, is a little crispy while the inside is soft and chewy, making them fun to pull apart and share with friends.
Get the Recipe: Korean Twisted Donuts: Kkwabaegi

Easy Biscuit Donuts (In The Air Fryer!)

Three sugar-coated donuts are placed on a black cooling rack. One donut has a bite taken out of it. There are cinnamon sticks situated near the bitten donut. The background is mainly white. — Easy Biscuit Donuts (In The Air Fryer!). Photo credit: On My Kids Plate.

You can make donuts very quickly by using a can of pre-made biscuit dough and cooking them in an air fryer. These Easy Biscuit Donuts become golden brown and deliciously puffy in just a few minutes, which makes them a super simple treat for when you want something fast.
Get the Recipe: Easy Biscuit Donuts (In The Air Fryer!)

Apple Filled Donuts

A rectangular white dish filled with sugar-coated donuts. The donuts are arranged neatly in the dish, and each one appears to have a filling. Surrounding the dish are a cup of coffee, a bowl of cocoa powder, apples, and pieces of cinnamon sticks on a white surface. — Apple Filled Donuts. Photo credit: Frugal Mom Eh.

A warm and sweet filling made from cinnamon and soft apples is stuffed inside each of these soft, pillowy donuts. When you take a bite of these Apple Filled Donuts, the tasty filling oozes out, making them a special treat that is perfect for a weekend breakfast or for dessert.
Get the Recipe: Apple Filled Donuts

Easy Mochi Donuts (Mochinut Copycat)

An assortment of colorful mochi donuts arranged on a white surface. The donuts have vibrant glazes in green, pink, and dark brown, with some decorated with white drizzles and crushed red toppings. Sliced strawberries and a few green leaves are also visible. — Easy Mochi Donuts (Mochinut Copycat). Photo credit: Sugar Yums.

These donuts are known for their unique and pleasantly chewy texture, which is different from a regular donut. The ring shape of these Easy Mochi Donuts means there is more surface area, giving you more of the slightly crispy edge that people love in every single bite.
Get the Recipe: Easy Mochi Donuts (Mochinut Copycat)

Double Chocolate Donut Holes

A white dish holds several dome-shaped pastries coated with a shiny chocolate glaze. The pastries are neatly arranged, creating an appetizing presentation on a light gray surface, with blurred green leaves in the background for a fresh touch. — Double Chocolate Donut Holes. Photo credit: In The Kitch.

These little round treats are packed with a deep, rich chocolate flavor in both the dough and the coating. Any chocolate lover will enjoy these Double Chocolate Donut Holes, as they are very rich and taste like a brownie, making them perfect for sharing with a group.
Get the Recipe: Double Chocolate Donut Holes

Old Fashioned Glazed Donuts

A platter filled with glazed donuts is arranged on a white surface. Beside it, individual glazed donuts are placed on decorative blue and white plates. A pink cloth and a cup of coffee are partially visible in the background. — Old Fashioned Glazed Donuts. Photo credit: Frugal Mom Eh.

This is a classic donut with a slightly crisp edge and a soft, cake-like center that is very satisfying. The simple sugar glaze on these Old Fashioned Glazed Donuts makes them sweet without being too overpowering, which is why they remain a favorite choice for so many people.
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Glazed Donuts

Baked Apple Cider Donuts

A rectangular tray filled with sugar-coated apple cider doughnuts, neatly stacked and lined with white parchment paper. Two cinnamon sticks and a halved apple garnish the display, enhancing the autumn-themed presentation. — Baked Apple Cider Donuts. Photo credit: Cinnamon & Sage Co.

Apple cider is used to give these oven-baked donuts a wonderful and classic fruity and spiced flavor. These Baked Apple Cider Donuts have a nice cake-like texture with the perfect amount of spice, and they taste the very best when they are still a little warm from the oven.
Get the Recipe: Baked Apple Cider Donuts

Pumpkin Donut Holes (Air Fryer or Oven)

A white plate holding a pyramid of sugar-coated doughnut holes sits on a marble surface. A spoon rests in a bowl of light-colored sauce nearby, and a partial view of a camera and a pastry bag can be seen at the edges of the frame. — Pumpkin Donut Holes (Air Fryer or Oven). Photo credit: On My Kids Plate.

All the warm and cozy flavors of pumpkin spice are baked into these small, bite-sized rounds. You can make these Pumpkin Donut Holes either in your oven or in an air fryer, and both methods will give you a delicious and soft result that is great for snacking.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Donut Holes (Air Fryer or Oven)

Gluten Free Pumpkin Donuts with a Maple Syrup Glaze

A close-up of a variety of glazed and sugared doughnuts arranged in rows. Some have white icing drizzled on them, while others are coated with granulated sugar. The doughnuts have a golden-brown color and are displayed on a white surface. — Gluten Free Pumpkin Donuts with a Maple Syrup Glaze. Photo credit: Feasty Travels.

Even though they are made without gluten, these donuts still have a wonderfully soft and fluffy texture. These Gluten Free Pumpkin Donuts are topped with a sweet maple syrup glaze that adds just the right amount of sweetness to the warm pumpkin flavor in the cake.
Get the Recipe: Gluten Free Pumpkin Donuts with a Maple Syrup Glaze

Acorn Donut Holes

Close-up of three chocolate-covered bananas, topped with different sprinkles and nuts, arranged on a white plate. The toppings include yellow and white sprinkles, and chopped nuts. — Acorn Donut Holes. Photo credit: The Soccer Mom Blog.

These little round treats are shaped and decorated to look just like tiny, cute acorns from a tree. These Acorn Donut Holes are a fun project to make with kids, and their small size makes them very easy to pop right into your mouth for a quick sweet snack.
Get the Recipe: Acorn Donut Holes

Berliner – German Jam Doughnuts

A plate of powdered sugar-covered doughnuts, some filled with red jam. One doughnut is split open, revealing the jam filling. The plate sits on a red and white plaid tablecloth. — Berliner – German Jam Doughnuts. Photo credit: Cooking Gorgeous.

A sweet and fruity jam filling is hidden in the center of these soft, pillowy German doughnuts. You never know exactly when you will hit the sweet jam center when you are eating a Berliner, which makes eating them a fun and delicious surprise every single time.
Get the Recipe: Berliner – German Jam Doughnuts

Baked Apple Cider Donut Holes

Close-up of several sugar-coated mini doughnuts piled together. One doughnut at the center has a bite taken out, revealing a soft, airy interior. The doughnuts are golden brown and generously coated in granulated sugar. — Baked Apple Cider Donut Holes. Photo credit: I Heart Eating.

The dough for these little donuts is made with apple cider, which gives them a fantastic and authentic apple flavor. These Baked Apple Cider Donut Holes are soft, full of cinnamon spice, and are the perfect size for sharing with friends or for keeping all to yourself.
Get the Recipe: Baked Apple Cider Donut Holes

Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze

A tray of glazed doughnuts stacked in an overlapping pattern. The doughnuts are golden brown and covered with a light, shiny glaze. The tray is rectangular and appears to be made of metal. The surface beneath the tray is a neutral color. — Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze. Photo credit: Delicious Little Bites.

The warm, cozy flavor of pumpkin is mixed into the batter for these soft and cakey donuts. A sweet maple glaze is drizzled on top of these Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze, adding an extra layer of flavor that makes them a very tasty and comforting treat to eat.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze

Dairy Free Lemon Glazed Donuts (Baked)

A close-up image of several lemon poppy seed donuts topped with glaze. One donut is prominently displayed in the foreground with a bite taken out of it, revealing a moist, speckled interior. The other donuts are whole and arranged on a white plate in the background. — Dairy Free Lemon Glazed Donuts (Baked). Photo credit: Hassle Free Vegan.

A bright and zesty lemon flavor is baked right into these donuts, which are also made without any dairy. A sweet and tangy lemon glaze is spread on top of these Dairy Free Lemon Glazed Donuts, giving them a refreshing taste that is different from a regular chocolate donut.
Get the Recipe: Dairy Free Lemon Glazed Donuts (Baked)