Let’s be honest, doughnuts are amazing in any setting. Whether they’re a special-occasion breakfast, a snack at work, or are replacing cake at a wedding, doughnuts have a way of brightening anyone’s day. There’s no better pastry to pair with coffee. Find the best types of doughnuts to make for breakfast or brunch.
And while there are tons of ways to top a doughnut, from sprinkles to powdered sugar, nothing is as satisfying as a sweet vanilla glaze. Fortunately, recreating your local doughnut shop’s glaze for homemade treats is incredibly easy. Keep reading to get the simple step-by-step instructions.
Skip your next Dunkin’ run thanks to these copycat recipes.
How to Make Donut Glaze
Ingredients:
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 5 tablespoons half-and-half cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Yield: Enough glaze for about 2 dozen doughnuts
Step 1: Prep the sugar
Shift the confectioners’ sugar into a wide-edged bowl. Sifting gets rid of any clumps and works to aerate the confectioners’ sugar so the glaze is nice and smooth.
Step 2: Mix in wet ingredients
Using a whisk, slowly mix in the half and half a tablespoon at a time, stopping when the glaze reaches your desired consistency. Once the glaze is mixed, stir in the vanilla extract.
Test Kitchen Tip: If you prefer a thinner glaze, add in an additional tablespoon of half and half.
Step 3: Glaze
With a pair of tongs, dip a homemade doughnut into the glaze, flipping it over so both sides get covered. Transfer to a wire rack (make sure there’s a pan underneath to catch the excess!) and allow the glaze to harden.
Once the glaze has set, pour yourself a cup of coffee and dig in.
Customize the glaze to your taste
There’s no need to limit yourself to just vanilla glaze. Check out these fun flavor options:
- Super fruity: Substitute the half and half for fruit punch (or your favorite fruit juice blend) and omit the vanilla extract.
- Cup of joe:Â Add a teaspoon of instant coffee granules to the confectioners’ sugar then continue the recipe as normal.
- Orange creamsicle: Substitute the half and half for pulp-free orange juice and add a tablespoon of fresh orange zest.
- Pumpkin spice: Stir in a ¼ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to the confectioners’ sugar and continue the recipe as normal.
Try the Glaze with Our Best Doughnut Recipes
Apple Cider DoughnutsApple doughnuts remind me of family trips to South Dakota. We’d stop at Wall Drug for a dozen or so before camping in the Badlands. Maple glaze was and still is my favorite. Share a batch with friends and family who appreciate a hot, fresh apple cider doughnut. —Melissa Hansen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Banana Beignet BitesWhen I was a little girl, my grandmother took me aside one day and taught me how to make her famous banana beignets. Although we made them during the holidays, they're pretty fantastic any time of the year. —Amy Downing, South Riding, Virginia
Air-Fryer DoughnutsMy sons and I love doughnuts, but in the Florida heat, I rarely want to deep-fry them. I tried making this easy air-fryer doughnut recipe, and it turned out so well with no mess! —Christine Hair, Odessa, Florida
There's no better pastry to pair with coffee. Find the
best types of doughnuts to make for breakfast or brunch.
Swedish DoughnutsOne day, my father got a hankering for doughnuts and asked me to make him some. I ended up trying these. Dad—and everyone else—loved the results. They come out so golden and plump. —Lisa Bates, Dunham, Quebec
Drop DoughnutsRemember this recipe after your next holiday dinner. I use any leftover mashed potatoes to make these light and fluffy doughnuts. The dish was originally created by my neighbor's mother-in-law as a breakfast treat or a snack. —Marilyn Kleinfall, Elk Grove Village, Illinois
Berry-Filled DoughnutsFour ingredients are all you'll need for this sure-bet breakfast treat. Friends and family will never guess that refrigerated buttermilk biscuits are the base for these golden, jelly-filled doughnuts. —Ginny Watson, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Delicious Potato DoughnutsI first tried these tasty treats at my sister's house and thought they were the best I'd ever had. They're easy to make, and the fudge frosting tops them off well. When I make them for friends, the recipe is always requested. —Pat Davis, Beulah, Michigan
Glazed DoughnutsThe light coffee flavor in these tasty sugar-glazed doughnuts makes them a perfect start to the morning...on Christmas Day or any day. You'll find that the recipe is a delectable way to use up leftover potatoes. —Pat Siebenaler, Random Lake, Wisconsin
Want an easy fast-food doughnut option for Christmas day? Krispy Kreme Christmas doughnuts are a delicious go-to.
Jelly DoughnutsThere's no need to run to the bakery for delicious jelly doughnuts! These sweet treats are lighter than air. I've been fixing them for 25 years for my husband, our two daughters and their families. They disappear almost as fast as I make them. —Kathy Westendorf, Westgate, Iowa
If you want to make restaurant-style doughnuts, here's our favorite copycat
 Krispy Kreme doughnut recipe.
Almond Bear ClawsThis bear claw pastry recipe is absolutely melt-in-your-mouth delicious! It's impossible to resist the delicate dough, rich almond filling and pretty fanned tops sprinkled with sugar and almonds. I made yummy treats like this when I worked in a bakery years ago. —Aneta Kish, La Crosse, Wisconsin
New Orleans BeignetsThese sweet French doughnuts, inspired by the ones found in Cafe du Monde in New Orleans, are square instead of round and have no hole in the middle. They're a traditional part of breakfast in New Orleans. —Beth Dawson, Jackson, Louisiana
Looking for a fancy breakfast pastry? Learn how to make delicate, swirled
French cruller doughnuts at home.
Glazed Doughnut HolesHere's a simple recipe to create a colorful and fun breakfast—or snack! For the glaze, use any type of juice you like. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen. Next, learn how to make a
chocolate glaze for doughnuts.
Gluten-Free Apple Cider DoughnutsI wanted to make a gluten-free apple cider doughnut that tasted so good, the fact that it’s gluten-free is beside the point! —Kathryn Conrad, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Pumpkin Doughnut DropsI always have a few special treats handy when the grandchildren visit. These cake doughnuts are one of their favorite snacks. —Beva Staum, Muscoda, Wisconsin
Blue-Ribbon DoughnutsWhat could be more delicious than a warm homemade doughnut? I've been making these tasty treats for my children and grandchildren for many years. —Kay McEwen, Sussex, New Brunswick
Cider DoughnutsHere on our 1,250-acre farm, we usually have a quick breakfast on the go. So I often keep a batch of these light and moist doughnuts on hand. They disappear quickly because no one can eat just one! —Suzanne Christensen, Defiance, Iowa
Maple-Bacon Doughnut BitesWhile these delicious bite-size treats are ready in minutes, they’ll disappear in a flash. And don’t relegate the deep-fried goodness to the breakfast nook—I’ve never had anyone turn these down no matter the time of day. —Chelsea Turner, Lake Elsinore, CA
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