If you want something sweet and simple for your next party, try these mini red velvet donuts. They’re great for kids, super colorful, and a breeze to make.
So if you only make one recipe this week, let it be this!
Easy Mini Donuts
I think people are reluctant to try making doughnuts at home because the thought of a vat of hot oil is a little intimidating.
Plus ya know, mixing, proofing, resting, moulding. It’s not a quick process.
So while baked donuts don’t taste the same - they’re not made with yeast, and they’re not fried - they’re still super yummy.
In fact, they’re kinda like little circles of cake. And that’s not a bad thing!
They also make the cutest little bites if you’re looking for an alternative to cupcakes.
I made these red velvet donuts in these silicone donut tray and they came out great. Soft, tasty, and perfectly sweet.
Ingredients
For the Donuts
- All-Purpose Flour - no need to use cake flour here. The donut will be wonderfully light thanks to the baking powder
- Cocoa Powder - for that signature red velvet taste
- Brown Sugar - for sweetness
- Salt - to balance the flavors
- Baking Powder - for lift
- Buttermilk - for moisture
- Butter - for richness and to bind the ingredients
- Vanilla Extract - for sweet warmth
- Egg - to help them rise
- Red Food Gel - for the vibrant color
- Espresso Powder - optional, but it brings out the cocoa flavor nicely
For the Cream Cheese Glaze
- Cream Cheese - for a creamy, tangy taste
- Butter - to mellow the tang of the cream cheese
- Vanilla Extract - for sweetness
- Powdered Sugar - so it gets nice and fluffy
- Milk - to control the texture
How to Make Red Velvet Donuts
This recipe is enough for 12 mini donuts or 6 regular donuts. Feel free to top them with chocolate or vanilla frosting, melted chocolate, or caramel.
But I love the cream cheese glaze!
- Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F and lightly grease the donut pans with cooking spray.
- Add the buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla to a medium bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Mix the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and espresso powder in a separate bowl with a whisk.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet in three additions. Gently fold with a spatula.
- Add the gel food coloring, as needed, with a toothpick until it reaches your desired color.
- Pour the batter into a piping bag and divide it between 12 holes.
- Bake for ten minutes, then put the trays on a wire rack to cool.
- While the donuts cool, make the glaze.
- Put the cream cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl and beat until smooth with the paddle attachment or a handheld whisk until smooth.
- Add the vanilla, then mix again.
- Add the powdered sugar and gently mix by hand until it’s mostly incorporated.
- Beat with the paddle or handheld mixer until smooth.
- Add the milk as needed. Coloring is optional.
- Dip the cooled donuts into the glaze and serve.
Mini Red Velvet Donuts
Ingredients:
- For the Donuts
- 120 grams of All-Purpose Flour (1 cup)
- 2 tablespoons of Cocoa Powder
- 155 grams of Brown Sugar (3/4 cup)
- 1/2 teaspoon of Salt
- 1 teaspoon of Baking Powder
- 115 grams of Buttermilk (1/2 cup)
- 40 grams of melted Butter (3 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
- 1 large Egg (room temperature)
- Red food gel
- 1 teaspoon of Espresso Powder
- For the Cream Cheese Glaze:
- 90 grams of Cream Cheese (3 ounces)
- 42 grams soft Butter (3 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
- 225 grams of Powdered Sugar (2 cups)
- 60ml of Milk (4 tablespoons)
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F and lightly grease the donut pans with cooking spray.
- Add the buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla to a medium bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Mix the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and espresso powder in a separate bowl with a whisk.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet in three additions. Gently fold with a spatula.
- Add the gel food coloring, as needed, with a toothpick until it reaches your desired color.
- Pour the batter into a piping bag and divide it between 12 holes.
- Bake for ten minutes, then put the trays on a wire rack to cool.
- While the donuts cool, make the glaze.
- Put the cream cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl and beat until smooth with the paddle attachment or a handheld whisk until smooth.
- Add the vanilla, then mix again.
- Add the powdered sugar and gently mix by hand until it’s mostly incorporated.
- Beat with the paddle or handheld mixer until smooth.
- Add the milk as needed. Coloring is optional.
- Dip the cooled donuts into the glaze and serve.
Check out my video on YouTube for a tutorial on how to make this recipe: