The BEST Red Velvet Doughnuts imaginable. Soft and moist with a tender cake-doughnut crumb, true red velvet flavor, and a tangy cream cheese glaze. These baked doughnuts are perfection. 
After making Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies for Valentine’s Day, I couldn’t stop dreaming about other red velvet treats. I used to save red velvet only for cupcakes, but it belongs in so many desserts.
- Red velvet cookies
- Red velvet waffles
- Red velvet brownies
- Red velvet milkshakes
The list goes on…
So, to begin our mission to introduce red velvet into every dessert category, today we’re baking Red Velvet Doughnuts topped with a cream cheese glaze. These doughnuts have that classic red velvet flavor—somewhere between chocolate and vanilla—an ultra-moist crumb with a perfect cake-doughnut texture, and a sweet, slightly tangy cream cheese glaze. 
Not to mention the beautiful red color that makes them extra festive.
Making these baked doughnuts is straightforward. Whisk the dry ingredients—flour, a touch of cocoa, baking soda, and sugar—then combine the wet ingredients separately. Add the wet to the dry and whisk just until combined.
Avoid overmixing the batter; overworked batter produces tough doughnuts rather than a tender crumb. 
Two ingredients that keep these doughnuts soft and moist are buttermilk and sour cream. Buttermilk is a hallmark of red velvet and contributes to that delicate crumb, while sour cream helps prevent dryness.
Bring the buttermilk and sour cream to room temperature before adding them to the batter—15 to 20 seconds in the microwave will do if you’re short on time.
For the vivid red color, I used 1 tablespoon of liquid red food coloring. If you prefer a subtler hue, 2 teaspoons will work fine. 
Of course, the real reason many of us love red velvet is the cream cheese frosting. These doughnuts are finished with a smooth cream cheese glaze that’s sweet with a slight tang.
For a simple garnish, I crumbled one doughnut and sprinkled the crumbs over the glazed doughnuts, but feel free to skip or use other toppings.
These baked red velvet doughnuts are easy, elegant, and absolutely worthy of the hall of fame.
Baked Red Velvet Doughnuts
Fiona Dowling
30
10
40
8 doughnuts
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Ingredients
For the Doughnuts
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 and 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted & cooled to room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 tablespoon sour cream, room temperature
- 1/3 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring
- 1/2 teaspoon distilled vinegar
For the Cream Cheese Glaze
- 1 tablespoon butter, very soft
- 4 oz cream cheese, very soft
- 1 and 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 to 2 tablespoon cream or milk
Instructions
Make the Doughnuts
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Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a doughnut pan with non-stick cooking spray. This recipe makes about 6–8 doughnuts, so you may need two batches or a second pan.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
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In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, egg, vanilla, sour cream, and buttermilk. Make sure the wet ingredients are at room temperature so the butter doesn’t seize. Stir in the red food coloring and distilled vinegar.
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Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until just combined—do not overmix. Transfer the batter to a large zip-top bag and snip a corner (about 1/2 inch) or spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Fill each cavity about two-thirds full.
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Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the doughnuts feel slightly firm. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Cream Cheese Glaze
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In a medium bowl, beat the soft butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon cream or milk and whisk until combined. Add more powdered sugar and cream to reach your desired sweetness and a glaze consistency slightly thinner than peanut butter.
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Spread the glaze over each doughnut with a flat knife. Optional: crumble one doughnut and sprinkle the crumbs on top for texture.
Nutrition
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