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Cranberry Vanilla Baked Donuts Recipe

Cranberry Vanilla Baked Donuts are soft, tender, and delicious. They can be made in a jiffy and topped with anything you desire.

Two baked donuts on a white plate. The front forward one is topped with glaze and rolled in nuts. The back one is glazed. A cooling rack holding more donuts sit in the background.

The donut demon has been released. Ever since I made the Dark Chocolate Baked Donuts recipe, I’ve been dreaming up other ways to show my once neglected donut pan some love. This Cranberry Vanilla Baked Donuts Recipe deserves a whole lot of love.

Items you may need to make the best Cranberry Vanilla Donut recipe!

  • Donut pans – These non-stick donut pans are so easy to use and the baked donuts pop right out.
  • Cooling racks – I love these large racks. I can get an entire batch od cookies on one and they’re tough enough to hold large loaves of bread. It fits into my half-sheet pan for baking bacon too!
A stack of baked and glazed donuts tower over a white plate. Fresh cranberries and walnuts sit next to the donuts.

Cranberries are delicious and can be used in so many ways. It used to be that I bought a bag at Thanksgiving and made a delicious sauce. Whatever was left went to waste. I don’t like wasting food so am always thinking of other ways to use ingredients. Unfortunately, unlike other fruits, they are just too sour to eat as is.

Half of a cranberry vanilla donut thats been glazed and rolled in nuts sits on a white plate. A cooling rack of donuts sit in the background.

Last year I made Cranberry Orange muffins. They were so delicious that I knew Cranberry Vanilla Baked Donuts would be delicious too and I wasn’t wrong. The smooth vanilla flavor really comes through and blends so well with the citrus of the cranberry. The crumb is delicate and just melts in your mouth.

Two baked donuts on a white plate. The front forward one is topped with glaze and rolled in nuts. The back one is glazed. A cooling rack holding more donuts sit in the background.

I glazed these babies and dipped a few in-ground walnuts. You could top them any way you please, dust them with powdered sugar or just as is.

Don’t have time to make it now? Pin it for later!

If you liked this recipe, here are a few recipes you may enjoy

Cranberry Vanilla Baked Donuts Recipe

Author: Hostess At Heart
Cranberry Vanilla Baked Donuts are soft, tender, and delicious. They can be made in a jiffy and topped with anything you desire.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 9 mins
Total Time 24 mins
Course Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine American
Keyword: Baked Donuts, Cranberry Vanilla Baked Donuts, Donuts
Servings: 12 Donuts

Ingredients
  

Batter

  • 1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Seeds of 1/2 vanilla bean
  • 1/3 cup cranberries finely chopped

Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 5-6 tablespoons cream or milk
  • Seeds of 1/2 vanilla bean

Toppings

  • Ground walnuts or powdered sugar or other toppings as desired

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil donut pan and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together to combine.
  • In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine egg, egg yolk, and buttermilk. Whisk to combine. Add oil, vanilla, and vanilla bean seeds. Whisk again to combine.
  • Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Fold cranberries into batter.
  • Fill a ziplock bag with the filling and clip the corner of the bag. Squeeze batter into donut pan until 3/4 full.
  • Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Don’t over bake.
  • Let cool 5 minutes in the pan and then turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely.

Glaze

  • Add cream to powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until glaze is thin enough to dip donuts. Add vanilla seeds and stir to combine.
  • Dip donuts in glaze and immediately into ground walnuts or other toppings.
  • Serve immediately
  • Store leftovers in a sealed container at room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 180kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 1gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 145mgPotassium: 26mgSugar: 19gVitamin A: 45IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 0.2mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

What is your favorite way to use cranberries? I’d love it if you would share your ideas!

Welcome to #CranberryWeek, hosted by Caroline’s Cooking. We’ll be sharing cranberry-inspired creations all week long in celebration of national cranberry day. Search #CranberryWeek to keep up to date and follow the #CranberryWeek Pinterest board for more cranberry inspiration. But first, see all the other cranberry recipes being shared today:

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Two photo collage for Pinterest. The top photo is of two glazed donuts on a white plate. The front one has been rolled in ground walnuts. The bottom photo is of a stack of baked and glazed donuts with the top one rolled in crushed walnuts. The title \"Cranberry vanilla Baked Donuts\" runs through the center.
Recipe Rating




Pumpkin Spice Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts - An Affair from the Heart

Monday 17th of October 2022

[…] Cranberry Vanilla Donuts […]

Michaela Kenkel

Wednesday 18th of May 2022

This is my FAVORITE donut recipe!! I make these at least once a month!!

Julie Menghini

Friday 20th of May 2022

Thank you, Michaela!

Cindy Minton

Wednesday 26th of May 2021

I wanted to use up some cranberries in the freezer and being a donut fanatic had to give this recipe a try. My family absolutely loved it and now I'll be stocking up more cranberries so we can have them all year long.

Honey Roasted Cranberry Ricotta Crostini #CranberryWeek | Take Two Tapas

Tuesday 17th of January 2017

[…] Cranberry Vanilla Bean Donuts from Hostess At Heart […]

Lauren @ Sew You Think You Can Cook

Monday 28th of November 2016

Yes, yes, yes! Can't wait to break out the donut pan for these beauties.

Julie Menghini

Tuesday 29th of November 2016

Thank you, Lauren! They are so quick and yummy!

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