For the longest time, I was so against baked doughnuts. I thought they were a shortcut to the real thing, and I honestly hated that they don’t often use yeast. They seemed to be just cake in the shape of a doughnut, and it felt like cheating on doughnuts to me. But recently, I had a change of heart. Suddenly, I really really really wanted to get a doughnut pan for baked doughnuts. I almost couldn’t contain how badly I wanted this pan. So finally, I caved in. I bought a doughnut pan, and let me tell you… I will never be going back to fried doughnuts. My first creation with my new tool were these strawberry shortcake doughnuts. They are fantastically divine, and I think they brought me a bit closer to heaven.

The fun thing about doughnuts is that the possibilities for flavors are endless. Not only are the flavor possibilities endless, but they only take 20 minutes to bake start to finish! Which makes them very time efficient. Doughnuts look so fancy and will be sure to wow any guests that you invite to help you consume your creations. What I like about these strawberry shortcake doughnuts is that I added graham cracker crumbs to the batter. The graham cracker flavoring really elevates the doughnut’s flavor profile into something above a standard sweet vanilla dough, and it will leave you wanting more.

Do I really need a doughnut pan to make these doughnuts?

Yes, unfortunately you really do need a doughnut pan to make these doughnuts. But, this one I got from target was only $13, and it’s performance has been impeccable. I have not sprayed the pan with any non-stick spray, and the doughnuts just lift right off of the pan (with a little help from a butter knife). The pan is seriously amazing, and, on the bright side, it’s only a one time $13 charge for a lifetime of deliciously delightful, delicate, doughnuts.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Strawberry Shortcake Doughnuts

These delightfully delicate baked strawberry shortcake doughnuts have hints of graham cracker and are topped with a silky smooth strawberry frosting.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time8 minutes mins

Total Time18 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: donut, donuts, doughnut, doughnuts, strawberries and cream, strawberry, strawberry cake, strawberry short cake, strawberry shortcake, strawberry shortcake doughnut

Servings: 8

Ingredients

For the Doughnuts:

• 1/2 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 Large Egg
• 1/2 cup Whole Milk
• 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

For the Frosting:

• 2 cups Powdered Sugar
• 3 tablespoons Strawberry Puree
• ¼ teaspoon Vanilla
• ⅛ teaspoon Salt
• 1 tablespoon Heavy Whipping Cream

Instructions

For the Doughnuts:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease your doughnut pan if you want to. I do not grease mine, as it is nonstick, and it does not have any issues with sticking.
• In a large bowl, add the graham cracker crumbs, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk together until combined, set aside.
• In a medium bowl, add the egg, milk, sugar, oil, and vanilla. Whisk together until entirely combined and then add to the dry ingredients.
• Use a rubber spatula to mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients until a batter forms. It will be a bit thicker than cake batter, but a bit thinner than brownie batter. Use a spoon and separate the batter amongst the doughnut molds, filling each mold about 1/2 of the way full.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. If the tops are still a little squishy, you can bake them for 2 more minutes, but 8 minutes has been perfect for me.
• Once you remove them from the oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes, and then remove the doughnuts from the pan. Be careful as the doughnuts and pan will still be hot at this stage, I usually use a butter knife to lift the doughnuts out of the pan. Allow to cool on a cooling rack

For the Frosting:

• In a medium sized bowl, add the powdered sugar, strawberry puree, vanilla, salt, and cream. Whisk until combined. This will be thinner than buttercream, but thicker than a normal thin glaze.
• Once the doughnuts are cooled, dip the tops into the frosting. Allow to dry and dip one more time for a thicker application. Enjoy!

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