Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts
Fresh and fruity. Light and zingy. Fluffy and delicious. These baked lemon poppy seed donuts are all that and more. Naturally sweetened with honey, they are bright and full of lemon flavor. Topped with a honey lemon glaze, these dairy-free baked donuts are a fantastic healthy-ish sweet treat to share this spring.
Note: This post contains affiliate links to which I earn a small commission, but don’t worry there’s no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting CAKED by Katie.
Easy Baked Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts.
There are a few reasons why I prefer a baked donut over a fried one. The first reason is that they are easy. Less equipment, less time, and ready to be enjoyed almost immediately. A second reason why I enjoy a baked, not fried donut, is the health factor.
Yes, deep-frying anything in oil is going to be delicious, but it’s not overly good for us. And seeing as that I have a wicked sweet tooth, I try to keep my everyday indulgences on the healthier side of the spectrum.
Naturally Sweetened With Honey, Not Sugar
Is honey good for you? Totally! It has been noted to have heart-health benefits and is full of antioxidants. Honey is a natural unrefined sugar, so while it acts as a sweetener it has a lower glycemic index. Don’t go chugging it by any means, but it is a fabulous sweetener alternative for those who are watching their sugar intake.
How To Bake A Donut
The first and easiest way to bake a donut is using a donut pan. Each cavity is already shaped like a donut and you simply pipe or spoon the batter into each cavity. Make sure to fill each cavity only ⅔ full or else the donuts will overbake the donut hole.
A second way to bake a donut is in a muffin tin and either make a tinfoil donut hole insert or bake them up like a muffin. Lastly, you will know your donuts are baked to perfection when the edges are a light golden brown and the tops spring back to the touch.
How Long Does It Take for the Donut Glaze to Dry?
This honey lemon donut glaze will dry/set pretty quickly. After each donut is dipped into the glaze, place it back onto the cooling rack with a cookie sheet or a piece of parchment paper underneath to catch any glaze drips that might fall and give each donut a little splash of fun sprinkles if so desired. Let these glazed donuts rest on the cooling rack for approximately 20-30 minutes to allow the glaze to be fully set.
Here’s the truth though…if you want to dig right in, I do-nut judge, as these baked lemon poppy seed donuts are pure confectionary heaven and I firmly believe there are no rules when it comes to donuts.
I hope you love these baked lemon poppy seed donuts as much as my family did. Let me know if you try them out and share them with me over on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.
If you’re a donut fan, I bet you’d go crazy for my other donut recipes:
Print
Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts
- Total Time: 30 Minutes
- Yield: 9-10 Donuts 1x
Description
These baked and naturally sweetened Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts are light, fluffy, and totally delicious.
Ingredients
Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts
- 1 cup all-purpose flour *can sub gluten-free 1:1 baking blend
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp dairy-free salted butter, melted
- 1 large egg, room temperature *can sub liquid egg replacer for vegan
- ½ cup dairy-free milk, room temperature
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Honey Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- optional: sprinkles
Instructions
Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and generously spray donut pan** with non-stick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, salt, and baking soda and whisk together. Set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, egg, milk, honey, lemon juice, and lemon zest and mix until combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Over-mixing will result in flat dense donuts.
- Fill the donut tray ⅔ full by either spooning the batter in or using a ziplock or piping bag with the tip cut off.
- Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the edges are a light golden brown and the donut top springs back to the touch.
- Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack to fully cool.
- In a shallow mixing bowl, combine all the glaze ingredients and whisk together until fully combined and smooth.
- Dip the top of each fully cooled donut into the glaze and allow to set on a cooling rack with a cookie sheet or parchment paper underneath to catch any of the glaze that drips off.
- Sprinkle with fun sprinkles before the glaze sets and enjoy.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days but best enjoyed when fresh.
Notes
* Sprinkles are optional but a fun decoration
**Donut pan not necessary. Can be prepared in a muffin tin.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 10 Minutes
- Category: Donuts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Donut
- Calories: 169
- Sugar: 22 Grams
- Sodium: 184 Miligrams
- Fat: 3 Grams
- Saturated Fat: 1 Gram
- Unsaturated Fat: 1 Gram
- Trans Fat: 0 Grams
- Carbohydrates: 33 Grams
- Fiber: 1 Gram
- Protein: 2 Grams
- Cholesterol: 24 Miligrams
Keywords: Lemon Poppy Seed Donut Recipe, Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts, Baked Donut Recipe, Baked Lemon Poppy Seed Dobnuts, Baked lemon Poppy Seed Donut Recipe, Dairy Free Lemon Donuts, Dairy Free lemon Poppy Seed Donuts
Wauw this looks great. I was curious if you can also make cake with the recipe or do you have to change it? I think it would be wonderful to use this in a cake.
★★★★★
Gosh, that’s a great question! I’ve never tried it but, in theory, it should work. Let me know if you attempt it.
I make these all the time! So good!
★★★★★
Woohoo! Thanks for sharing Hannah!