Craving something sweeter than your average coffee shop donut? These 20 homemade recipes bring serious competition to Dunkin, with flavors that range from classic glazed to bold, unexpected twists.
Each one is crafted to deliver that perfect balance of soft, fluffy texture and irresistible sweetness. If you’ve ever wondered what a truly unforgettable donut tastes like, you’re about to find out.
1. Chocolate Cake Donuts
Chocolate fanatics, rejoice! These rich, dense cake donuts pack a cocoa punch that puts ordinary donuts to shame. Unlike their yeast-based cousins, these bad boys don’t need rising time – mix, cut, and fry.
The batter combines Dutch-processed cocoa with buttermilk for that perfect chocolate tang. Dunk them in ganache for double-chocolate madness or dust with powdered sugar for a snow-capped mountain of chocolate bliss.
2. Apple Cider Donuts
Fall’s ultimate treat arrives in a cinnamon-sugar coated package! These cake-style beauties capture autumn’s essence with concentrated apple cider in both dough and glaze, creating flavor that’ll make you want to jump in a leaf pile.
The trick lies in reducing fresh cider down to a syrupy consistency, intensifying that orchard-fresh flavor. After frying, these donuts get rolled in cinnamon-sugar while still warm, creating a crust that crackles between your teeth before revealing the tender, spiced interior.
3. Blueberry Cake Donuts With Lemon Glaze
Summer berries meet breakfast indulgence in these purple-speckled treats! Fresh blueberries burst during frying, creating pockets of jammy goodness throughout each bite, while lemon zest in the batter provides the perfect brightness.
The tart lemon glaze cuts through the sweetness, creating balance that store-bought donuts can only dream of achieving. Wild blueberries work best if you can find them – they’re smaller but pack more flavor punch than their cultivated cousins.
4. Maple Bacon Donuts
Sweet meets savory in this mind-blowing flavor mashup! Crispy bacon bits nestle into a maple glaze atop fluffy yeast donuts, creating the breakfast equivalent of a standing ovation. Your taste buds won’t know what hit them.
The real maple syrup (none of that fake stuff) in both dough and glaze provides complex sweetness that perfectly complements the smoky, salty bacon. Cook the bacon until almost-burnt crispy – those caramelized edges create magical flavor notes against the sweet backdrop.
5. Baked Red Velvet Donuts
Guilty pleasure without the deep-fryer! These vibrant crimson beauties bake up in just 10 minutes, making them perfect for donut emergencies (yes, that’s a real thing). The cream cheese glaze creates that classic red velvet experience we all crave.
A touch of cocoa provides subtle chocolate notes without overwhelming the distinctive red velvet flavor. The tender crumb comes from buttermilk in the batter – don’t substitute regular milk or you’ll miss that signature tanginess.
6. Jelly-Filled Sufganiyot
Holy moly, these traditional Hanukkah treats will ruin you for all other filled donuts! Unlike American jelly donuts, these pillowy Israeli delights use an enriched dough similar to brioche, creating an ethereal texture that makes the perfect vessel for sweet fillings.
Raspberry jam provides classic flavor, but don’t stop there – try homemade lemon curd, chocolate ganache, or vanilla custard. The trick? Filling them while still warm so the center slightly melts into the surrounding dough, creating a heavenly middle zone.
7. Churro Donuts
Scandalously good fusion food alert! These ring-shaped wonders combine the cinnamon-sugar addiction of churros with the convenient shape of donuts. The dough uses the same choux pastry base as traditional churros, creating that distinctive crispy exterior and eggy, tender interior.
Fresh from the fryer, these babies get rolled in cinnamon-sugar that clings to every ridge and crevice. Serve with chocolate dipping sauce for the full Spanish street food experience or dulce de leche for South American flair.
8. Sourdough Donuts
Pandemic sourdough bakers, here’s your next frontier! That neglected starter in your fridge transforms into the most complex-flavored donuts you’ve ever tasted. The slow fermentation creates tangy notes that perfectly balance the sweetness of the glaze.
The overnight rise develops gluten naturally, resulting in donuts with incredible chew and those coveted large air pockets. These aren’t quick-fix treats – plan ahead for the extended rising time, but the flavor payoff makes every minute worth it.
9. Pumpkin Spice Donuts
Forget basic coffee shop versions – these homemade pumpkin spice bombs pack real pumpkin puree and freshly ground spices for flavor that’ll make you weak in the knees. The pumpkin creates an impossibly moist crumb that stays fresh for days.
Brown butter glaze takes these straight into gourmet territory, adding nutty depth that perfectly complements the warm spices. Don’t skimp on the nutmeg, cloves, and ginger – toast and grind whole spices for maximum impact.
10. Matcha Green Tea Donuts
Vibrant green showstoppers that taste as amazing as they look! High-quality matcha powder gives these treats their distinctive color and earthy, slightly bitter flavor that perfectly counterbalances the sweetness of white chocolate glaze.
The cake-style base incorporates both matcha and a touch of almond extract, creating complex flavor layers that keep you coming back for “just one more bite.” Ceremonial grade matcha creates the most vivid color, but culinary grade works perfectly for flavor.
11. Beignets
Laissez les bons temps rouler with these pillowy squares of fried perfection! Unlike ring donuts, these New Orleans classics puff up into irregular shapes with pockets of air that trap mountains of powdered sugar – messy in the most delightful way possible.
The yeasted dough gets a hint of vanilla and sometimes a splash of bourbon for authentic French Quarter flavor. Serve immediately after frying and dusting with an obscene amount of powdered sugar – eating them warm is non-negotiable for the full experience.
12. Vegan Chocolate Donuts
Plant-based paradise that’ll fool even the most dedicated dairy lovers! These chocolate beauties use aquafaba (the liquid from canned chickpeas) to create that perfect rise and bind without eggs. The result? Shockingly moist donuts that’ll make omnivores question everything.
Coconut milk creates richness in both batter and glaze while keeping these treats completely plant-based. Add espresso powder to the batter to intensify the chocolate flavor without adding coffee taste – it’s the secret weapon of smart bakers.
13. Mochi Donuts
Chewy, stretchy, utterly addictive – these Japanese-inspired rings will ruin you for regular donuts forever! The glutinous rice flour creates that signature QQ texture (bouncy-chewy in Taiwanese food parlance) that stretches when you pull it apart.
The connected bubble shape isn’t just Instagram-pretty – it creates more surface area for glaze and ensures even cooking. Flavor options are endless, but ube (purple yam), black sesame, and matcha reign supreme for authenticity.
14. Boston Cream Donuts
Breakfast or dessert? Who cares when you’re biting into these custard-filled, chocolate-topped wonders! The contrast between fluffy yeast donut, silky vanilla pastry cream, and rich chocolate ganache creates textural paradise.
Tempering the eggs properly for the custard prevents that dreaded scrambled egg texture – low and slow is the mantra. The chocolate topping should set but remain slightly soft for the perfect bite experience. Make the custard a day ahead to develop flavor and save time on donut day.
15. Cinnamon Sugar Donut Holes
Poppable two-bite wonders that disappear by the handful! These adorable spheres of fried dough rolled in cinnamon sugar deliver maximum joy-to-effort ratio. No special cutters needed – just pinch off dough balls and watch them puff into perfect rounds.
The outside develops a crisp shell while the center remains tender and cake-like. Roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture while still warm for maximum sticking power – those glistening crystals create the perfect sweet crunch.
16. Lemon Ricotta Donuts
Fancy-pants Italian-inspired treats that’ll make you feel like you’re brunching on the Amalfi Coast! The ricotta cheese creates impossibly light, tender crumb while adding subtle richness. Fresh lemon zest and juice brighten every bite.
These cake donuts fry up with a delicate exterior that gives way to an almost custardy interior. The lemony glaze adds another layer of citrus punch – don’t skip it! Some bakers add thyme or rosemary to the batter for an herbal note that elevates these to gourmet status.
17. Cronuts
The legendary hybrid that caused block-long bakery lines now conquerable in your own kitchen! These flaky, layered wonders combine croissant lamination techniques with donut shapes and frying methods.
The result? Mind-blowing pastries with shatteringly crisp exteriors and honeycomb interiors. Fair warning: the lamination process requires time and patience – this is weekend project territory. But watching those distinct layers puff dramatically during frying makes every fold worth it.
18. Air Fryer Donuts
Guilt-free donut hack that actually delivers on flavor and texture! These miracle creations use significantly less oil while still achieving that distinctive donut experience. The hot circulating air creates a surprisingly authentic exterior crispness.
Start with refrigerated biscuit dough for the easiest version, or make scratch dough for more traditional flavor. The reduced oil content means these won’t be quite as rich as traditional donuts, but the trade-off is worth it for weekday donut cravings.
19. Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Donuts
Crackly-topped, tangy perfection that puts bakery versions to shame! These dense, cake-style classics feature those signature craggy edges that create extra surface area for glaze to pool in – pure genius design.
The sour cream provides both richness and subtle tang while ensuring incredibly tender crumb. The distinctive shape comes from flipping the donuts just once during frying, allowing them to crack naturally along the top.
20. Funfetti Birthday Cake Donuts
Celebration rings that bring instant joy with every colorful bite! These party-ready treats incorporate rainbow sprinkles into the batter and topping for maximum festivity. The vanilla cake base provides the perfect backdrop for sprinkle appreciation.
The key to perfect funfetti? Use jimmies (the long sprinkles) in the batter – they hold their color without bleeding. Reserve the tiny nonpareils for the topping where they create that signature birthday cake look.