Delicious spiced cake doughnuts dipped in a sweet maple glaze and finished with crushed walnuts. These maple doughnuts evoke autumn — and the best part is they’re baked, not fried.
Doughnuts have a special, comforting charm. They bring back childhood memories and pair perfectly with a quiet morning cup of coffee. These baked maple doughnuts combine cozy fall spices and a rich maple glaze for a treat that tastes like the season.
As the air cools and the leaves change, maple and warm spices feel inevitable — so I made these spiced maple doughnuts. They’re a baked version of the classic, flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of cloves, and sweetened with brown sugar and a touch of maple syrup in the batter.
One ingredient that elevates these cake doughnuts is brown butter. Brown butter is made by melting butter over medium heat, watching and stirring until the milk solids take on a nutty, amber color and the butter gives off a toasty aroma. The volume shrinks as it browns, so while the recipe starts with 1/4 cup, you’ll use the reduced amount after browning. Below is an image of brown butter so you know what to look for.
For a tender, cakey texture these doughnuts use both buttermilk and sour cream. Mix the batter gently and avoid overworking it so the finished doughnuts stay moist and soft rather than tough.
After baking, the doughnuts are dipped in a warm maple glaze made from butter, cream, brown sugar, and real maple syrup. Powdered sugar is whisked in to thicken the glaze, and a little maple extract can be added if you want a stronger maple note. Finish with chopped walnuts for crunch and a nutty contrast.
The warm spices and sweet maple glaze are an ideal match — cinnamon and maple are quintessential fall flavors. If you’re planning seasonal baking, these spiced maple doughnuts are an easy, crowd-pleasing choice. What’s on your fall baking list?
Spiced Maple Doughnuts
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Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (to brown)
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon sour cream, room temperature
- 1/3 cup buttermilk, room temperature
For the Maple Glaze
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons cream
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (real)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon maple extract, optional
- 1/4 cup crushed walnuts
Instructions
Make the Doughnuts
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 6-cavity doughnut pan with non-stick spray. This recipe yields about 6–8 doughnuts, so you may need two pans or to bake in batches.
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In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
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Brown the butter: melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir gently as it bubbles and pops; after a few minutes the milk solids will brown and the butter will smell nutty and turn amber. Remove from heat and let cool. After browning, the butter volume will be less than 1/4 cup — measure out 2 1/2 tablespoons and discard any excess.
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In a medium bowl whisk the 2 1/2 tablespoons of browned butter with the brown sugar, vanilla, and maple syrup. Whisk in the egg, then the sour cream and buttermilk. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry mixture with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until just combined and no lumps remain. Do not overmix.
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Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared doughnut pan, filling each cavity about 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until a doughnut springs back slightly when touched. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Make the Maple Glaze
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While the doughnuts cool, prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat melt the butter with the cream, brown sugar, and maple syrup, whisking until smooth and the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla, powdered sugar, and optional maple extract until the glaze reaches a dip-friendly consistency.
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Dip the top of each doughnut into the glaze, return to the wire rack, and sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Let the glaze set before serving.
Notes
**Use real maple syrup for authentic flavor; pancake syrups won’t provide the same taste.
Nutrition
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