In today’s post: Learn how to make mini donuts at home in under 15 minutes! Easy cake mix donuts recipe.
Donuts! Last year for Christmas I got a Mini Donut Maker <—affiliate link
, and we’ve been a little donut crazy ever since. It’s so easy to use, and it’s nice to be able to make mini donuts that are baked instead of fried. And since we discovered you can make donuts in any flavor you want in under 15 minutes using a cake mix, we were hooked. My 13 year old regularly mixes up the simple recipe and bakes up a couple dozen mini donuts all by himself so he can share them with his friends. Kids go crazy for these, and since they are so much faster to make than cupcakes, they’re a great choice for birthdays, etc.
How to make mini donuts
To make mini donuts, you will need a mini donut maker like the one I have or a mini donut pan.
- Mini donut maker
- Another mini donut maker
- Another mini donut maker that can also make mini cupcakes or cake pops
- Mini donut pan
Next, you’ll need a great mini donut maker recipe. The easy recipe I use starts with a cake mix, which means you can make mini donuts in any flavor you can find a cake mix in: chocolate, strawberry, lemon, white, etc.! We found a spice cake mix last week and the donuts made from it were absolutely delicious, especially when topped with a simple glaze.
Like I mentioned, it only takes about 15 minutes to make a full batch of mini donuts (24-30) using the Mini Donut Maker. I’m sure you could also use this easy recipe in a donut pan to bake full size donuts in the over, however, I haven’t tried it yet myself.
Now, before I give you the recipe I will say this: cake mix donuts don’t taste exactly like donuts you’d buy at the store. Since they are baked instead of fried the consistency is a little different, although they are quite similar to “cake donuts”. The taste varies depending on the cake mix you choose.
Simple mini donut maker recipe
Ok, ready to make cake mix donuts? All you do is mix:
- one dry cake mix
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
- 1 cup of water
Whisk the ingredients together until well combined – a few lumps will remain. I like to dump the batter into a large resealable plastic bag, then snip off one corner and use that to “pipe” the batter into the mini donut maker, filling the bottom well as shown below. (Spray the unit once with nonstick spray before beginning.)
Once all 6 wells are full, close the donut maker and wait 3 minutes. Open it back up and use the included fork to remove the donuts from the maker and allow them to cool.
Mini donut glaze recipe
Now, for the glaze!
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter
- Whisk in 1.5 cups of powdered sugar and about 2 tablespoons of milk (start with less milk and add a little more as needed).
The glaze should be somewhat runny, as you see below. Dip the mini donut halfway into the glaze, then turn the donut sideways to allow extra glaze to run off. Let the glazed mini donut firm up on a cooling rack, adding sprinkles immediately if desired. After a few hours, the glaze gets firm enough so you can stack your cake mix donuts on a plate without smooshing.
Tips for mini cake mix donuts
You’ll need to experiment a little with how thick or thin you like your glaze – thin glaze dries fairly clear, allowing the color of the donut to show through, while thick glaze stays opaque white. If you want pretty donuts, allow them to cool completely before glazing – the glaze doesn’t look as nice if it melts on a hot donut. But hot donuts taste great, so if you want to glaze and eat them immediately, go for it!
One last note, the donut maker will lightly brown whatever edge it comes into contact with, so if you are making strawberry donuts and want the tops to look pink, not brown, you should slightly under fill the wells so the tops don’t completely touch the unit while cooking.
We went hog wild last week and make 10 dozen mini donuts using 5 different cake mixes – and even when making that many it took us less than 2 hours. Fun!
For more yummy treat recipes, visit these posts:
Katie says
I wonder how using a pineapple cake mix with pineapple juice would work, or a yellow or white cake with marchino cherry juice
wljmrill says
might be abit to much sugar ( unless unsweetened juice ).. I noticed in mine that if sugar is to high they burn or will not come out of the baker easily. perhaps add a little flour to offset the sugar might well work.
MW says
How to avoid burning the cakes:
Do not use spray-on oil in a baker pan that has a non-stick coating. Over time the chemicals used to make the spray come out cause the non-stick coating to deteriorate. Instead, use a paper towel or heat tolerant hair brush to wipe oil onto the cooking surfaces of the non-stick donut pans. Oils with a high smoke point work best, such as avocado oil.
I used a mini bundt cake maker, “Fluted Cake Maker” by Sensio Bella 13579. These are 3″ donut sized cakes in fancy designs.
Other reviewers taught me to cook the fancy fluted side three minutes. (By this time the batter is getting ready to start burning the fancy side.) Then use oven mitts and flip the donut baker machine onto it’s back. (Be sure to put an oven safe platter or some other insulation between your baker machine and your counter top). You want to flip it over before the fancy side starts burning, or immediately when you start to smell burning.
After you flip the machine on it’s back, the fancy part will release from the mold, so it doesn’t burn. Then the plain side falls into the opposite plate and it starts to cook. Finish cooking the plain side another three minutes. If the plain side starts burning, then unplug the machine and stop cooking. Mine were fully cooked and soft using this flipping method.
Some donuts don’t have a hole in the middle, because you want to stuff them with filling. Reviewers taught me that if the center of these mini cakes is undercooked, then just put these cakes in the microwave for 30 seconds to finish cooking the centers. I didn’t need to do this. Mine were done after 3 minutes on each side, (for a total of 6 minutes of cooking).
Karen says
I always use pineapple with my yellow cake mixes
haypha says
WOW i absolutely can’t wait to try them
Marissa says
Hi! What are some possibilities if you don’t have a donut maker? Unfortunately i don’t have one…
K Johnson says
Maybe try a mini bundt pan. You can find them individually or 6 in a tray form like a muffin tin.
kAREN says
Wilton also sells donut and mini donut pans.
Linda says
Places like Michaels actually carry both mini and full size donut pans you can bake in the oven.
D. Linda Evans says
found mine at a yard sale $2 in mint condition
Shundea A. says
I use full size donut pans and the recipe works very well.
Julia Dennie says
How long do you bake them in the oven for using a full-size donut pan? And on what heat?
amanda hardesty says
I did mine on 350..it took about 20 minutes or so depending on the cake mix..chocolate cooked faster then blue velvet. I am making funfetti right as we speak in a silicone donut pan. My kids love them and when made ahead, they make a quick and delicious breakfast..especially drizzled with the icing!
KAY says
Yay thank you I was wondering how I could convert this to a full size donut pan<3
Tanese says
Thank you for your comment! I have the Pampered Chef Donut Pan and wondered how I could use it for this recipe.
Dj says
Great to hear that because that’s what I bought was the full size pan to bake in oven
Gayle Yetter says
You can always use a brookie pan 🙂
ElleDee says
“Brookie” ban?? I’ve never heard of that…time for Google 🙂
Sherry says
Sorry what is a Brookfield pan?
Watts melody says
Go watch Gemma on Bigger Bolder Baking she shows you how to make a donut pan with your thumb , foil and a muffin pan
Linda Merillat Komondy says
So simple – I may have to order a donut maker! I’m wondering if you could substitute some other liquid for the water; maybe apple cider if you’re using a spice cake mix?
autumn says
definitely! that’s a great idea – I bet it would be delicious!
Maria says
They r delish, love them
Elda Poucher says
Try yogurt
Kate says
Did you try this substitution of Apple Cider for Water in a Spice Cake Mix? How did it turn out? Did you use the same amount? (1 cup)
Helen says
after your post I ordered the mini donut maker … just arrived yesterday!!!! can wait to give it a try.
thank you for your wonderful site, ideas and all
autumn says
I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for commenting.
Corrina says
This is a great recipe! Thanks for sharing.
R says
I had bought one a week ago and it came yesterday. So I googled donut maker doughnuts and couldn’t believe how many came up. So I was going though and found yours and I really liked the way you have how you make them and your write up. I’ll be excited to make them, so thank-you.
Rebecca
Rebecca says
They are wonderful, my kids love them
Debra says
Don’t have donut maker but have a donut pan, can these be bake in oven and at what temperature and for how long
Chiara says
I’ve really needed to do something with my dad in the holidays, so he doesn’t think I’m sending it on my iPad watch videos and playing, instead of hanging out with him. Some of these pins are really going to help not being in my room all the time and actually doing something with my dad. And of course, getting creative ?
Sherry says
Where did you order the donut maker from?
Louise Price says
You ca get it online from Walmart, Amazon or EBay. I got mine off of EBay. Love it too.
Noah says
Amazon