Donut cookies made with a delicious vanilla sugar cookie base and covered with sweet glaze and sprinkles are a super fun dessert idea!
These donut shaped cookies are always such a hit! Dip them in coffee or serve them for dessert after a yummy dinner of crockpot stuffed shells and 7 layer salad.
Donut Cookies
Why you’ll love this recipe!
📌 Fun, colorful, and easy to decorate for any occasion.
📌 Easy to make and freeze, do a double batch and save some for later!
📌 Make them classic vanilla or any other flavor you love.
Ingredients for donut shaped cookies
- Butter – We used salted butter in this recipe.
- Sugar – White granulated.
- Eggs – Large eggs.
- Vanilla – Real vanilla extract.
- Flour – All purpose flour.
- Baking powder – For leavening.
- Icing – Powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, food coloring.
- Sprinkles – If desired.
Butter, sugar, flour, egg, vanilla, corn syrup, sprinkles.
Step-by-step directions
⭐ First, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla and salt and mix until combined. Gradually add in flour and baking powder. Dough will be crumbly at first, work it with your hands until it makes a good consistency.
⭐ Then, flour your surface and roll the dough out thinly. Cut out donut shapes and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until bottoms are just turning golden brown.
⭐ Next, while cookies are baking, whisk the powdered sugar, corn syrup and milk until combined. Color as desired.
⭐ Finally, dip cooled cookies into icing and top with sprinkles.
Scroll down to the printable recipe card toward the bottom of this article for ingredient measurements and detailed cooking instructions.
Mix the dough, roll it out, cut out shapes, then bake.
Preparation
How do you keep donut sugar cookies from losing their shape?
You can help keep your cookies from spreading by chilling your cut out dough in the refrigerator before baking.
How can you make flavored donut cookies?
I love a plain vanilla cookie, but if you want something different try adding flavor with extracts (like almond extract, cherry, citrus), or roll in crushed peppermint, or even mix in some fresh lime or lemon zest.
Dip each baked cookie into the icing.
Storage and leftovers
How long do doughnut cookies last?
They will keep about a week at room temperature in a cool/dry environment, when stored in a sealed airtight container. If you will not be able to finish them in that amount of time, they can be frozen.
Can you freeze the cookies?
Yes! To freeze the baked cookies, allow them to cool completely then store in a freezer safe air-tight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. We find it works best to freeze before frosting whenever possible.
To freeze the dough, roll and cut into shapes, then place in a freezer safe airtight container and separate layers with parchment paper.
Add sprinkles right away before the icing sets.
Tips, tricks, and frequently asked questions
✅ Chilling the cookie dough on the baking sheet after they are cut and before they go in the oven will help keep them from spreading.
✅ Try adding extracts to the dough for different flavored cookies.
✅ Use various color combinations to celebrate different occasions.
Try making these in all different colors.
What to eat with donut sugar cookies (serving suggestions)
This are a super fun party treat! Serve them with other celebratory favorites like sherbet punch, jalapeno popper dip, and fuzzy navel jello shots!
Bake until just barely golden brown on the bottoms.
More delicious cookie recipes
- Kentucky butter cake cookies
- No spread sugar cookies
- Popsicle sugar cookies
- Donut cookie recipe
- Key lime pie cookies
- Frosted Easter cookies
- Raspberry cheesecake cookies
- See all our easy cookie recipes!
Use a coffee cup and water bottle top to make the donut shape if you don’t have a cookie cutter.
Other yummy donut recipes
Try swapping the vanilla extract for other flavoring extracts like almond, cherry, or strawberry.
Tools we love
- Donut cookie cutters – How fun are these, I love the one with the missing bite!
- Baking sheets – This set is perfect, we use them for everything from roasting, to baking, and even serving.
- Silicone baking mats – I always always always line with these, nothing sticks!
😍😍😍
How to Make Donut Cookies
Donut Cookies
Ingredients
DOUGH
- 1 cup salted butter softened (2 sticks)
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 egg large
- 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
ICING
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup
- food coloring
- sprinkles
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer combine the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Mix in the flour and baking powder.
- The dough will start out crumbly, but work it with your hands until you reach a good consistency.
- Flour your rolling surface and roll the dough to ¼-½ inch thickness. Cut out donut shapes and place cut outs on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheets.
- Bake at 350°F for 8-9 minutes or until the bottoms just start to turn golden. Transfer baked cookies to a cooling rack.
- While cookies are cooling, combine 1 cup powdered sugar, corn syrup, milk, and 2 - 4 drops of food coloring in a shallow medium sized bowl. Whisk with a fork until smooth adding more powdered sugar as needed until desired consistency is reached.
- Dip each cookie face down into the icing, place back onto the wire rack, and top with sprinkles right away. Allow the icing to set (about 30 - 60 minutes).
Notes
Nutrition
Kristyn says
These are the cutest cookies!! And, of course, they taste so good!! I mean, who wouldn’t love a donut & a cookie?!
Kristen says
I made these for my kids for a snack and they absolutely loved them, and are asking me when they get to have them again.
cathy says
My teenager could not wait to make this as soon as she them. Turned out so cute!
JR says
Delicious and simple recipe my family loved these donut cookies.