Oh my goodness, if you think making homemade donuts is scary or that you need a million fancy egg-based ingredients, let me stop you right there! Nothing beats the smell of fresh, sugary dough hitting hot oil, and these Vegan Vanilla Donuts With Sprinkles? They are pure, fluffy magic. When I first tried frying without eggs, I was so nervous I’d end up with sad, greasy hockey pucks, but I cracked the code! Trust me, these are surprisingly simple, totally vegan, and topped with colorful sprinkles that just scream ‘celebration.’ This recipe is my go-to when I need a quick sweet fix, and I promise they’ll be yours too.
Why You Will Love These Vegan Vanilla Donuts With Sprinkles
Honestly, I don’t know why people buy donuts when these are this easy. You’ll be whipping these up faster than you can talk yourself out of having three! Here’s why these little beauties always disappear first:
- They are completely vegan, so everyone can enjoy them!
- The texture is unbelievably light and fluffy—not dense like some cake donuts
- Frying takes barely any time; you get instant gratification!
- Let’s be real: the colorful vegan sprinkles make everything taste better.
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Vegan Vanilla Donuts With Sprinkles
Okay, ingredient prep is where things start to feel real, but don’t let this list scare you! We’re using totally standard pantry stuff here, which is why I love this recipe so much. You don’t need any weird specialty flours. I usually grab almond or soy milk for the wet ingredients because they keep the dough rich, unlike some watery alternatives. And please, use real melted vegan butter—not the oil stick substitute—it makes a huge difference in flavor!
If you’re planning on making my fluffy vanilla muffins later this week, you’ll recognize half these items!
For the Vegan Vanilla Donuts With Sprinkles Dough
The dry team needs to be whisked perfectly first. We need 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder to make them lift up nicely, and just half a teaspoon of salt to balance everything out. For the wet side, measure out 1/2 cup of your preferred unsweetened plant milk, 1/4 cup of melted vegan butter (let it cool slightly first!), and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Remember, we’re frying these, so keep that vegetable oil ready for frying later!
For the Vanilla Glaze and Topping
This glaze is so simple it feels like cheating. All you need is powdered sugar and a tiny bit of water. Seriously, start with a teaspoon of water and add drops until you get that perfect, thick-but-pourable shine. You’ll want enough to dip the warm donuts into. Oh, and obviously, we need your favorite brightly colored vegan sprinkles! If your sprinkles stay on, you know you dipped them at the right moment!
Expert Tips for Making Fluffy Vegan Vanilla Donuts With Sprinkles
Making sure these vegan treats come out fluffy instead of flat is all about control, especially when you’re dealing with oil. First things first: oil temperature! If it’s too cold, your donut soaks up oil and gets greasy—I learned this the hard way making my first batch of classic fluffy donuts; they were edible, but definitely heavy!
You absolutely must keep that vegetable oil steady at 350°F (175°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a tiny scrap of dough in; it should sizzle immediately but not brown instantly. If you see heavy smoke, turn the heat down right away!
When you cut your shapes, try to avoid handling the dough too much. Overworking it activates the gluten, and suddenly, your airy donut turns tough. Use a sharp cutter and cut straight down rather than twisting! This keeps the edges clean and helps them fry up evenly.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Frying Vegan Vanilla Donuts With Sprinkles
Alright, this is the fun part! Following these steps exactly ensures you get that pillowy, cloud-like texture we want, not flat, sad Frisbees. Remember, when we’re mixing dough destined for hot oil, patience is our best friend. Seriously, I’ve learned that even thirty extra seconds of mixing can ruin the whole batch, so measure carefully and stop mixing when I tell you to stop!
Mixing the Dough and Cutting Shapes
First, get your dry team together! Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until they look like one happy, uniform pile. In a second bowl, combine your wet stuff: the plant milk, the melted (and slightly cooled!) vegan butter, and that lovely vanilla extract. Now, pour the wet into the dry ingredients, and this is crucial: mix only until you see the streaks of flour disappear. If you see a single streak of flour left? Stop! Seriously, stop stirring. Overmixing equals tough donuts, and we want fluffy goodness.
Next, turn that shaggy dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it gently until it’s about half an inch thick—not too thin! Use your sharp cutter to punch out those perfect shapes. If you peeked at my notes earlier, you know imperfect cuts are fine!
Frying the Donuts to Golden Perfection
Time to heat the oil! You must get your vegetable oil up to exactly 350°F (175°C). This temperature is non-negotiable for that perfect golden crust. Safety first here—use a deep, heavy pot and never fill it more than halfway with oil. Once it’s hot, carefully slip the donuts in. Don’t crowd the pot; only fry about three or four at a time depending on your pot size. They cook incredibly fast—about 1 to 2 minutes on the first side until they are deeply golden. Flip them gently and cook the second side just as quickly.
When they are perfect, use a slotted spoon to scoop them out and place them immediately onto a wire rack lined with paper towels. They need this time to drain all that excess oil, otherwise, they’ll taste heavy.
Glazing and Topping Your Vegan Vanilla Donuts With Sprinkles
This step has to happen while the donuts are still warm—this is what makes the glaze stick so nicely! While the donuts are cooling just slightly on the rack, quickly whip up your glaze. Mix your powdered sugar with water, adding just drops at a time until it’s thick but still wonderfully drizzly. Think of good honey texture. Then, dip the top half of each warm donut into that sweet glaze. Don’t wait! As soon as the glaze is on, shower them with those fantastic vegan sprinkles. If you wait even five minutes, the glaze will harden, and those sprinkles won’t adhere. Seriously, move fast here! Check out how to make mini powdered sugar donuts if you want an alternate finishing touch!
Storage and Reheating Instructions for Vegan Vanilla Donuts With Sprinkles
Look, I’m going to be honest: these vegan vanilla donuts with sprinkles are absolutely, one-hundred-percent best eaten the minute they come out of the oil and glaze! That fresh-fried texture doesn’t last forever, you know?
But if you happen to have leftovers—which is rare in my house—store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Don’t stick them in the fridge; that makes them go stale faster. They’ll be good for maybe two days.
If they feel a little sad the next day, skip the microwave entirely! That heats up the oil and makes them chewy. Instead, toss them on a baking sheet for just 3 or 4 minutes in the oven at about 300°F. That gentle warm-up gets the crust a little crisp again, making them taste almost brand new!
Serving Suggestions for Your Homemade Vegan Vanilla Donuts With Sprinkles
Now that you have these glorious, sprinkle-covered vegan vanilla donuts, what do you pair them with? Because they are so wonderfully sweet and vanilla-forward, they need something to cut through that richness, in my opinion! They are absolutely perfect next to a huge mug of piping hot coffee in the morning. If you’re having them later in the day, I highly recommend making a batch of something cold and tart!
My absolute favorite pairing is a big glass of freshly brewed iced tea, especially if you make my great Southern iced sweet tea recipe. The tannic quality of the black tea really balances the sugar rush. If tea isn’t your thing, a simple side of fresh, slightly tart berries like raspberries or sliced strawberries makes a great, quick addition!
Frequently Asked Questions About Vegan Vanilla Donuts With Sprinkles
I get so many questions about these delightful fried treats! People always worry about keeping them vegan or ensuring they turn out light. I totally get it; vegan baking used to be tricky, but these are foolproof once you nail the frying temperature. If you love these, you might also enjoy my vegan cinnamon crunch banana bread for a baked alternative!
Can I bake these vegan donuts instead of frying them?
You absolutely can, but you need to switch your expectations! When you bake vegan donuts, you get something much closer to a cake in texture—still delicious, but definitely denser. Since this recipe is designed around the rapid cooking and crust formation that frying gives you, baking will change the mouthfeel completely. If you want baked vegan donuts, I usually adjust the wet-to-dry ratio slightly!
What is the best plant milk substitute for this recipe?
This is a great question because not all plant milks behave the same way when melted vegan butter is added! For the best richness and fat content in these donuts, I always recommend soy milk or oat milk. They tend to have more body than almond milk, which helps keep the dough soft before it hits the oil. Watery milks result in a slightly tougher dough in my experience.
Estimated Nutritional Data for Vegan Vanilla Donuts With Sprinkles
So, because we are deep-frying these beauties and using powdered sugar in the glaze, they are certainly a treat! We aren’t pretending these are health food, but gosh, are they worth it. Here is the breakdown based on my recipe calculations, remembering that frying absorbs oil, which impacts the totals.
Please remember, these numbers are estimates for one donut based on using standard flour and the ingredients listed. Your final count might shift a bit depending on how much oil they soak up! It’s Option A for dessert indulgence!
- Serving Size: 1 donut
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 18g
- Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Protein: 3g
Share Your Experience Making These Vegan Vanilla Donuts With Sprinkles
I really hope you enjoyed making these! Honestly, the best part of sharing my recipes is seeing your amazing results. Did you manage to get that glaze smooth and shiny? Were your sprinkles perfectly scattered across the top of your Vegan Vanilla Donuts With Sprinkles?
I genuinely want to see how they turned out for you! Please, when you finish up, head over to the comments section below and drop me a rating. Was it five stars of vegan doughnut glory? Tell me everything!
And if you snapped a picture—please, please share it on social media and tag me! It always makes my day to see my recipes popping up in home kitchens around the world. If you had any issues or want to suggest a fun topping swap next time, let me know!
If you need to get in touch with me directly with a special question or feedback that you don’t want to put in the public comments, you can always use my contact form. Happy (and colorful) baking, everyone!
Print
Vegan Vanilla Donuts With Sprinkles
- Total Time: 35 min
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A recipe for making simple, sweet vanilla donuts suitable for a vegan diet, topped with colorful sprinkles.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk
- 1/4 cup melted vegan butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Powdered sugar for glaze
- Water for glaze
- Vegan sprinkles for topping
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix plant milk, melted vegan butter, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Roll the dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cut out donut shapes using a donut cutter or two different-sized round cutters.
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
- Carefully place donuts into the hot oil, frying for about 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Remove donuts with a slotted spoon and place them on a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
- For the glaze, mix powdered sugar with a small amount of water until a smooth, thick consistency is reached.
- Dip the top of each warm donut into the glaze.
- Immediately top with vegan sprinkles before the glaze sets.
Notes
- If you do not have a donut cutter, you can use a biscuit cutter and a bottle cap for the center hole.
- Adjust the amount of water in the glaze to control its thickness.
- Allow donuts to cool slightly before glazing for best results.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 donut
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 11
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: vegan donuts, vanilla donuts, baked donuts, vegan dessert, sprinkles