Craving a pastry with minimal commitment? These dairy-free mini glazed donuts or donut holes are little versions that are lighter in calories but still big on indulgent taste. They’re also made with dairy-free baking mix (hello Bisquick!) for a shortcut to dessert. To top things off, this recipe includes a trio of sweet glaze options!
Dairy-Free Mini Glazed Donuts with 3 Glaze Options
Okay, technically it’s four glaze options. This doughnuts recipe was originally shared with us by McCormick, with options for vanilla glaze, maple glaze, and mocha glaze. But you can omit the coffee extract in the Mocha version for a simpler chocolate glaze. Below I have even more recipe options and tips for the tools and ingredients you can use.
Mini Donut Pans & Makers
These days, it’s become easier than ever to make donuts at home, thanks to various pan options and even electric donut makers. And yes, they have mini donut versions, too. You can use any of the following to make this dairy-free mini glazed donuts recipe.
- Mini Donut Pan: They’re more readily available than you might thing, and pay for themselves quickly if you’re a mini donut fan.
- Mini Donut Maker: I love DASH brand for all of their mini appliances! Very practical for families or small households.
- Regular Donut Pan: You can use a regular-sized donut pan if that’s what you have on hand. Add the batter to near the top of the wells, and bake for around 10 to 12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in a donut comes out clean.
- Mini Muffin Tin: Same taste, but in a mini muffin or flat “donut hole” shape.
- Donut Hole Pan: Yes, they actually make donut hole pans, which also work for cake pops and other types of pastries.
- Cake Pop Maker: These double as donut hole makers, falafel bakers, and more.
Ingredient FAQs
- Milk Alternative: Which type of non-dairy milk should I use? I would choose an unsweetened, plain, or vanilla flavor. But aside from that, whatever type you keep on hand should work just fine.
- Baking Mix: Is baking mix really dairy free? Classic Bisquick baking mix is! We’ve included a homemade option, too.
- Baking Mix: Can I just sub flour? Flour alone won’t work. Baking mix contains flour, leavener, and fat. But you can use the homemade baking mix recipe option if you want a from-scratch recipe.
- Spice: Why pumpkin pie spice? Pumpkin pie spice is a fun twist from McCormick that adds cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice warmth to these dairy-free mini glazed donuts. You can omit it, sub cinnamon, or use your own spice blend. If it were me, I’d use 1/2 teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon each ginger, nutmeg, and allspice.
- Extract: Can I use coffee instead of coffee extract in the mocha glaze? Coffee isn’t strong enough. You can use espresso, but espresso powder would be better. Dissolve 1 to 2 teaspoons espresso powder in enough water to get 1 tablespoon.
Special Diet Notes: Dairy-Free Mini Glazed Donuts
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, nut-free, peanut-free, optionally soy-free, and vegetarian. They can also be made gluten-free with the gluten-free baking mix noted in the recipe.
For egg-free and vegan mini donuts, I recommend making our Vegan Baked Mini Donuts Recipe.
For gluten-free dairy-free mini glazed donuts, Gluten-Free Bisquick should work. But please note that we haven’t tested this recipe gluten free.
Dairy-Free Mini Glazed Donuts
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 325°F and lightly grease a mini donut pan. (You can optionally use a mini cupcake pan to make donut holes).
- In a medium bowl, mix or whisk together the milk alternative, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Add the baking mix and pie spice (if using) and mix or whisk until well blended.
- Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of batter into each mini donut or cupcake well.
- Bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in a donut comes out clean.
- Place a wire rack over a baking sheet or waxed paper.
- Using a whisk or starting with a hand mixer on low speed, mix all ingredients for the glaze you are making in a large bowl until smooth.
- Remove the donuts from the pan, and immediately dip in the glaze while still warm.
- Place the donuts glaze-side up on the wire rack. Let them cool if you want the glaze to set.
Nutrition
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Serving Suggestions
- Brunch: We love these mini donuts as a weekend breakfast treat. They’re small enough that you can enjoy them as part of a full brunch, or you can have a few on their own!
- Classroom Events: The mini nature and allergy-friendliness (no dairy and no nuts) make these little donuts perfect for school food policies and sharing!
- Afternoon Treat: Enjoy a few with tea, coffee, or even a glass of almond milk as a midday pick-me-up or while chatting with friends.
- Birthdays: Immediately after you dip the mini donuts in glaze, and before it sets, dip the tops in rainbow sprinkles. The glaze will help them stick!
Make Ahead
- Time: You can make the donuts up to a day ahead, for optimal freshness, and the icing can also be made ahead.
- Tips: Do not ice until the day you will be serving the donuts.
Storage
- Store: Store the mini donuts in airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, preferably un-glazed. You can store the glaze separately in the refrigerator. The mini donuts will keep for a few days in the refrigerator, or can be frozen for longer storage.
- Defrost: If glazed and frozen, let the mini donuts (glazed or unglazed) defrost at room temperature. If unglazed, they can be heated in the microwave until just warm.
Troubleshooting
- Donuts didn’t rise: Make sure the dairy-free baking mix or baking mix ingredients you used aren’t old. Leavener does go bad over time. If your donuts didn’t puff up, it’s likely do to leavener that’s lost its oomph.
- Batter overflowed: Check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer. If it is running cool, it can delay the batter setting up. If it’s running too hot, it can cause the batter to rise too quickly. The latter can also happen if you live at high altitude. And make sure you haven’t overfilled the donut wells with batter.
Also Try My Basic Dairy-Free Muffins Recipe!
