Dreamy Red Velvet Donuts Recipe: Fluffy Homemade Sweetness

Decadent red velvet donuts bring a touch of southern charm to your dessert table.

These crimson-hued delights promise a luxurious twist on classic donut recipes.

Soft, pillowy textures mingle with rich cocoa undertones that dance across your palate.

Each bite reveals a deep, velvety red velvet experience that surprises and delights.

The recipe combines simple ingredients with professional baking techniques that elevate this treat from ordinary to extraordinary.

Indulgent cream cheese glaze adds the perfect creamy finish to these irresistible donuts.

Bake a batch and watch them disappear in moments of pure culinary bliss.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 22 minutes

Calories: 196 kcal

Servings: 12

Ingredients for Red Velvet Donuts

• All-Purpose Flour: Provides the fundamental structure and tender crumb for donuts, choose unbleached flour for best texture.
• Cocoa Powder: Delivers rich chocolate undertones and deep color, opt for unsweetened Dutch-processed variety for intense flavor.
• Baking Soda: Helps donuts rise and creates light, airy texture, ensure it's fresh for maximum leavening power.
• Baking Powder: Supports additional lift and softness, check expiration date for optimal rising.
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor and balances sweetness, use fine table salt for even distribution.

• Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create golden brown exterior, granulated white sugar works best.
• Buttermilk: Provides tangy flavor and tender crumb, use full-fat version for richest results.
• Unsalted Butter: Creates rich, moist texture and adds depth, choose high-quality butter for superior taste.
• Egg: Binds ingredients and contributes to structure, use room temperature egg for smooth mixing.
• Vanilla Extract: Intensifies overall flavor profile, pure extract recommended over artificial.
• White Vinegar: Activates baking soda and adds subtle tanginess, helps create signature red velvet taste.
• Red Food Coloring: Produces classic vibrant red hue, gel coloring provides more concentrated color.

• Cream Cheese: Creates smooth, tangy coating, allow to soften at room temperature for easy mixing.
• Powdered Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps thicken glaze, sift to prevent lumps.

Tools That Make Donut Baking a Breeze

• Donut Pan: 6-cavity nonstick pan essential for shaping perfect round donuts.
• Mixing Bowls: Two medium-sized bowls for separating dry and wet ingredients.
• Whisk: Great for smoothly blending ingredients without lumps.
• Measuring Cups and Spoons: Precise measurements guarantee delicious results.
• Spatula: Helps scrape batter and mix ingredients evenly.
• Wire Rack: Perfect for cooling donuts and allowing excess glaze to drip.
• Toothpick: Checks donuts for doneness by testing center's moisture.
• Electric Mixer: Helps create smooth, lump-free cream cheese glaze.
• Piping Bag or Spoon: Useful for filling donut pan and decorating with glaze.

How to Bake or Fry Donuts with Velvet Richness

• Warm Up the Oven

Crank your oven to a toasty 350F and grab a donut pan, giving it a quick spray of nonstick magic.

• Mix Dry Ingredients

Toss together flour, cocoa powder, rising agents, and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl, creating a fluffy powder base.

• Blend Wet Ingredients

In another bowl, whisk sugar, buttermilk, melted butter, egg, vanilla, vinegar, and a splash of red food coloring until it looks like a vibrant crimson mixture.

• Combine and Create Batter

Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients, stirring until just combined – no overmixing allowed!

• Fill and Bake

Pipe or spoon batter into donut pan cavities, filling about three-quarters full. Slide into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

• Cool and Glaze

Let donuts rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Whip up a dreamy cream cheese glaze by blending cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until silky smooth.

• Decorate and Serve

Dunk donuts into glaze or drizzle it over the top. Sprinkle with red crumbs or festive red sprinkles for that extra wow factor. Enjoy immediately!

Flavor Additions for Valentine-Ready Donuts

• Baking Perfection Tricks: Ensure donuts are evenly filled by using a piping bag or zip-lock bag with corner snipped for precise batter distribution.
• Make-Ahead Magic: Prepare donut batter night before and refrigerate, allowing flavors to develop and simplifying morning baking process.
• Dairy-Free Delight: Swap buttermilk with almond milk mixed with apple cider vinegar, and use dairy-free cream cheese for lactose-intolerant friends.
• Gluten-Free Option: Replace all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour blend, adding xanthan gum to maintain proper texture and prevent crumbling.
• Decorative Twist: Experiment with different toppings like crushed oreos, white chocolate drizzle, or cream cheese frosting swirls to elevate visual appeal and flavor profile.

Serving Tips That Make Them a Morning Treat

• Sweet Brunch Centerpiece: Create an elegant dessert platter with red velvet donuts as the star, surrounded by fresh berries and mint leaves for a pop of color and freshness.
• Coffee Shop Companion: Pair these donuts with a rich espresso or creamy latte, letting the subtle cocoa and tangy cream cheese glaze complement the coffee's robust flavor.
• Romantic Dessert Presentation: Arrange donuts on a vintage cake stand, dust with extra powdered sugar, and add a few edible rose petals for a romantic, Instagram-worthy display.
• Valentine's Day Treat: Package these donuts in a heart-shaped box with a personalized note, making them a delightful homemade gift for loved ones or a special breakfast surprise.

Storage Tricks to Keep Donuts Soft and Rich

• Smart Storage Solutions: Keep donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. Refrigerate glazed donuts in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
• Quick Freezing Trick: Wrap individual donuts tightly in plastic wrap, then place in freezer bags. Frozen donuts stay delicious for 2-3 weeks. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before enjoying.
• Make-Ahead Magic: Prepare donut batter and refrigerate overnight for convenient morning baking. Uncooked batter remains fresh in sealed container for 24 hours.
• Smart Prep Strategy: Bake donuts early in the day and glaze just before serving to maintain maximum texture and freshness. Keep glazing ingredients separate until ready to decorate for best results.

Velvety Red Velvet Donuts Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.6 from 28 reviews

• Total Time: 22 minutes
• Yield: 13 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Red velvet donuts blend Southern charm with classic pastry craft, creating a delightful dessert experience. Rich cocoa and cream cheese frosting complement the subtle chocolate undertones, making each bite irresistible for you.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 large egg
• ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk (or ½ cup (120 ml) milk + ½ tsp (2.5 ml) vinegar)
• 1 ¼ cups (157 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ tsp (2.5 g) baking soda
• ½ tsp (2.5 g) baking powder
• ¼ tsp (1.5 g) salt
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
• 1 tsp (5 ml) white vinegar
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) red food coloring
• 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
• 2 tbsps (30 ml) milk
• ½ tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla extract

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 6-cavity donut pan with nonstick cooking spray, ensuring complete coverage.
2. Dry Mixture: Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until uniformly blended.
3. Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine sugar, buttermilk, melted butter, egg, vanilla extract, white vinegar, and red food coloring, mixing until achieving a vibrant, smooth consistency.
4. Batter Creation: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, stirring minimally to prevent overmixing and maintain a light texture.
5. Baking Process: Fill donut cavities three-quarters full with batter and bake for 11-13 minutes, verifying doneness with a clean toothpick test.
6. Cooling Stage: Rest donuts in pan for 4-5 minutes to stabilize structure, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.
7. Glaze Preparation: Whip cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until achieving a silky, smooth consistency, adjusting with additional milk if needed.
8. Finishing Touch: Dip or drizzle cooled donuts with cream cheese glaze, garnishing with red sprinkles or crushed red velvet crumbs for elegant presentation.

Notes

• Prevent Overmixing: Stir batter gently and minimally to maintain a tender, soft donut texture without developing tough gluten strands.
• Monitor Food Coloring: Use gel-based red food coloring for vibrant color without altering batter consistency, ensuring rich red velvet appearance.
• Temperature Precision: Ensure buttermilk and eggs are at room temperature to create smoother batter and more even baking results.
• Glaze Consistency Control: Adjust cream cheese glaze thickness by incrementally adding milk, creating perfect drizzling or dipping texture without becoming runny.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 13
• Calories: 187
• Sugar: 14 g
• Sodium: 180 mg
• Fat: 7 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 26 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 27 mg