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Stack of Lemon Sugar Baked Donuts on a decorative plate with lemon slices and coffee in the background.
Daniel

Lemon Sugar Baked Donuts

Bright, tender baked donuts with a crackly lemon sugar coating that tastes like sunshine.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 12 donuts
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 245
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Donuts
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.75 cup buttermilk room temperature
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted and cooled
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest from 2 large lemons
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Lemon Sugar Coating
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp lemon zest from 1 large lemon
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted

Equipment

  • Donut pan (12-cavity)
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Pastry brush

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 12-cavity donut pan generously with butter or nonstick spray.
  2. In a shallow bowl, rub 2 teaspoons lemon zest into 1/2 cup sugar with your fingertips until fragrant and pale yellow. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, and vanilla until smooth.
  5. Pour wet ingredients into dry and fold with a spatula just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix. Transfer batter to a piping bag or zip-top bag with corner snipped. Pipe into donut cavities, filling each about 2/3 full.
  6. Bake 10-12 minutes until donuts spring back when lightly pressed and edges are just golden. Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
  7. While donuts are still warm, brush both sides lightly with melted butter, then toss in lemon sugar to coat completely. Return to wire rack to set, about 10 minutes.

Notes

For the brightest lemon flavor, zest only the yellow part of the skin, avoiding the bitter white pith. Donuts are best eaten the day they're made but keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days. No buttermilk? Stir 2 teaspoons lemon juice into 3/4 cup whole milk and let stand 5 minutes.