These baked orange donuts are soft and very flavorful. They are moist and flavored with olive oil and fresh orange juice and zest. They are tossed in cinnamon sugar and are such an easy recipe!
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These baked orange donuts have the best soft, moist texture. Flavor-wise, you will love the fresh taste from the olive oil and orange. The cinnamon sugar coating adds the perfect finishing touch of sweet taste!
If you are looking for more donut recipes, try these lemon blueberry cake donuts, lemon donuts, and these chocolate cake donuts.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE:
- Olive oil donuts: The olive oil is fragrant, flavorful and adds so much moisture.
- Orange flavor: Fresh orange juice and zest make these donuts so fresh tasting and delicious.
- Cinnamon sugar coating: This coating will remind you of apple cider donuts!
- No yeast or rising time: These donuts are made without yeast. They take less than an hour to make!
- Baked, not fried: They are not fried in oil. This makes them a little healthier. It also makes clean up much easier. Gotta love that!
INGREDIENT NOTES
Below is some useful information about some of the ingredients. See complete recipe for complete list of ingredients and their measurements.
- Olive oil-Use extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor. If you want a milder flavor, use regular olive oil instead of extra virgin. You can use melted butter or olive oil to coat the baked donuts. I prefer olive oil because it has a fruity flavor that goes so well with the orange!
- Sugar-I use granulated sugar and light brown sugar. More granulated sugar can be used in place of brown sugar.
- An egg-Leave the egg out at room temperature for 1-2 hours before baking.
- Orange zest and orange juice- I used the zest and juice of about a half an orange. Lemon juice and zest could be used in place of orange.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Here’s how to make these orange donuts. See recipe below for complete measurements and baking times.
STEP 1: Whisk to combine the dry ingredients. Whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.
STEP 2: Whisk to combine the wet ingredients. In a medium sized bowl, combine the sour cream, milk, egg, olive oil, orange juice and orange zest. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir only until completely combined.
STEP 3: Fill donut cavities and bake. Grease donut pans well with butter or olive oil and dust with flour. Spoon or pipe the batter 3/4 full into donut pans. Bake at 350 10-12 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in a donut.
STEP 4: Allow donuts to cool. Cool 5 minutes in pans. Run a knife or offset spatula along the sides and middles of the pans. Invert pans over a cooling rack. Allow donuts to cool.
STEP 5: Coat donuts with cinnamon sugar. In a shallow dish, stir together the cinnamon and sugar. Brush donuts with melted butter or olive oil. Toss them in the sugar then take a bite! 🙂 Enjoy!
EXPERT TIPS
- Flour– Weigh your flour or spoon it into the measuring cup and level it with the back of a knife. Avoid dredging your measuring cup in the flour. This will cause you to use more flour than needed.
- Grease your pans– Use baking nonstick spray, melted butter or olive oil to grease your donut pans. I like to sprinkle them with flour too. This will make it easier for them to come out of the pan.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I highly recommend using a donut pan for baked donuts. I have only made baked donuts using a donut pan. I use two of these nonstick Wilton pans.
Baked donuts are healthier than fried donuts. They are baked in the oven and not fried in oil. They are a dessert, but they are healthier than fried donuts.
Yes! Olive oil replaces the fat from more commonly used baking ingredients like butter and vegetable oil. It makes baked goods moist and delicious! It goes especially well with citrus!
HOW TO STORE THESE DONUTS
These orange donuts taste best when eaten the same day. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
MORE OLIVE OIL RECIPES
For more olive oil desserts, try my olive oil chocolate chip cookies, this lemon rosemary olive oil cake and this blood orange olive oil cake!
Baked Orange Donuts
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon plus more for the cinnamon sugar-see below
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup sour cream room temperature
- ¼ cup whole milk room temperature
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
FOR THE CINNAMON SUGAR
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for brushing
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Grease about nine cavities of a donut pan with olive oil, baking spray or butter. Lightly sprinkle some flour over them. Flip pans over and top bottoms of the pans to remove excess flour.
- In a large bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, sugars, salt and cinnamon. Set aside
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk to combine the olive oil, sour cream, milk, orange juice, orange zest and egg.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir til just combined. Transfer mixture to a piping bag and pipe dough into donut pans. Fill about 3/4 full. Alternatively, you can use a spoon to spoon the batter in. Bake 10-13 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of a donut. Allow to cool in pan 5 minutes. Slide a butter knife or small offset spatula around the outer and inner edges of each donut to help loosen them from the pan. Turn donuts out onto a baking rack to cool completely.
FOR THE CINNAMON SUGAR COATING
- In a shallow dish or bowl, stir to combine the sugar and cinnamon. One at a time, brush or rub to cover a donut with olive oil then toss it in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Place donuts on cooling rack as you continue to coat them all with cinnamon sugar. Enjoy! Donuts are best enjoyed the day they are made, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Nupur
This recipe was so delicious! It had the perfect about of sweetness and subtle orange/olive oil flavor. Loved it and highly recommend!
Natalie
Hi Nupur, I’m so happy you enjoyed these donuts! Thank you so much for making them and for taking the time to comment. Wish you a great day!!
Dave
Your recipe sounds fantastic. But, won’t orange zest discolor the donut wells of the baking pan permanently? I would love to try this recipe.
Natalie
Hi Dave, Thank you for the compliment! The orange zest doesn’t discolor the donut wells. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Hope you enjoy the donuts!
Barbara Ward
Such yummy and delicious looking donuts with orange juice as a main ingredient!
Natalie
Thank you! I was looking for a delicious orange donut recipe, so I made these! They turned out so good!