Christmas Donuts Recipe {Perfect for the Holidays!}

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Make this easy and festive Christmas donuts recipe with vanilla and buttery frosting, baked to perfection and decorated like holiday wreaths!

The holidays are the perfect time to embrace festive baking, and if you’re looking for an easy Christmas donuts recipe, you’ve come to the right place! There’s something extra special about whipping up treats that taste amazing and double as holiday decor on your dessert table. Whether hosting a holiday brunch, surprising your kids with a fun treat, or looking for an edible gift, these adorable and festive donuts decorated like Christmas wreaths are guaranteed to impress!

And just like Air Fryer Halloween Donuts, or the Baked Apple Cider donuts, you’ll love and enjoy these donuts with your family too.. especially this holiday season!

Why You’ll Love These Christmas Donuts Recipe

Let’s face it—Christmas desserts are the highlight of the season, and these donuts check all the boxes:

Easy to Make: With a few essential tools and ingredients, you’ll have donuts ready quickly.
Vanilla Baked Perfection: This is a vanilla-baked doughnut recipe in which the vanilla flavor is truly the star of the show.
Perfect for Every Occasion: These donuts are a festive treat for guests and a fun family activity.

What You’ll Need For This Christmas Donuts Recipe

Kitchen Tools:

Before you dive into making this Christmas donuts recipe, make sure you have the following tools on hand:

Doughnut Pan: Essential for that perfect round shape.
Cooking Spray or Butter: To prevent sticking.
Mixing Bowls: Large for the dry ingredients, medium for the wet ingredients, and trim for frosting coloring.
Sifter: For lump-free dry ingredients.
Electric Beaters or Stand Mixer: For smooth, creamy frosting.
Piping bag and tips: For frosting and decorating

Ingredients:

For the Doughnuts:

2 cups all-purpose flour: The foundation of the donuts.
1 ½ cups granulated sugar: For sweetness.
2 teaspoons baking powder: To give the donuts their fluffy texture.
1 teaspoon salt: Balances the flavors.
1 large egg: Adds structure.
1 ¼ cups milk: Keeps the donuts moist.
2 tablespoons melted butter: Adds richness.
Paste from 3 vanilla beans: The secret to that heavenly flavor.
To remove the vanilla bean paste, slice the bean lengthwise with a sharp knife. Use the back of a spoon to scrape out the paste.

For the Frosting:

½ cup softened unsalted butter: The base for creamy frosting.
2 ½ cups powdered sugar: For sweetness and structure.
2–3 tablespoons milk: Adjust the consistency.
Paste from 2 vanilla beans: Adds depth of flavor.
¼ teaspoon salt: Balances the sweetness.
Green and red food coloring: For the wreath and bow design.

For decorating:

Assorted holiday sprinkles for that festive ‘ornaments’ look

How to Make Christmas Donuts

1. Preheat and Prepare

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Liberally spray your doughnut pan with cooking spray or grease with butter to prevent sticking. Trust me, there’s nothing worse than a perfectly baked donut refusing to come out of the pan!

2. Mix the Doughnut Batter

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl. This step ensures that the dry ingredients are well combined and lump-free.

Whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla bean paste in a separate mixing bowl. Combine the wet and dry ingredients by making a well in the center of the dry mix and pouring in the wet mixture. Stir gently until everything is fully incorporated, but don’t overmix—this could make the donuts dense.

3. Bake the Donuts

Spoon the batter into the prepared doughnut pan, filling each cavity about ¾ full. Bake for 15–17 minutes or until the donuts spring back when lightly pressed. Let them cool in the pan for 5–7 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. This is the perfect time to cue up your favorite holiday playlist!

4. Make the Frosting

While the donuts cool, it’s time to whip up the frosting. In a medium mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter and half of the powdered sugar together on high speed until the mixture looks grainy (about 3 minutes). Add the vanilla bean paste, salt, and remaining powdered sugar and beat again until crumbly (around 2 minutes).

Gradually add the milk, one tablespoon at a time, while beating quickly until the frosting reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency.

Divide the frosting, placing ¼ cup in a small bowl for the red coloring. Add green food coloring to the more significant portion and red food coloring to the smaller portion, mixing until you achieve the desired shades.

Note: If you have trouble getting a deep shade of red or green, try adding a touch of black food coloring. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes before adding more red or green.

5. Decorate the Donuts

Transfer the green frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe it onto the cooled donuts in a circular pattern to resemble a wreath. Add festive sprinkles for the “ornaments,” and use the red frosting to pipe small bows at the bottom of each wreath.

Tips and Tricks for Making Delicious Christmas Wreath Donuts

To ensure your Christmas Donuts turn out perfectly every time, here are some helpful tips and tricks:

1. Highlight the Vanilla Flavor

This is a vanilla-baked doughnut recipe, so let the vanilla shine! The vanilla bean paste gives these donuts their rich, signature flavor. For the best results, slice the vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp knife and scrape out the paste with the back of a spoon.

2. Use Gel Food Coloring

Gel food coloring, such as Wilton Icing Color in Kelly Green and Red (No Taste), is highly recommended for vibrant green and red frosting. These colors provide bold hues without thinning out the frosting, which is crucial for maintaining the desired consistency. If you only have liquid food coloring, make the frosting slightly thicker, as the liquid will naturally thin it out.

Getting the Perfect Shades of Green and Red

If you’re having trouble achieving a deep green or red color, try adding a touch of black food coloring to your mix. Let it sit for 5 minutes before adding more green or red. This allows the colors to develop and intensify.

3. Use the Right Piping Tips

For the wreath effect, I used Wilton Tip #18, which creates the perfect star-like texture for the frosting. If you don’t have this specific tip, you can use a similar star-shaped tip or even a round tip for a different but equally appealing effect. For the red frosting, I kept it simple by snipping the tip of the piping bag—no special tip required.

4. Sprinkle Timing Matters

A warning: some sprinkles may bleed their color if exposed to moisture or after freezing. To avoid this, hold off on adding sprinkles until just before serving. This keeps your wreath donuts looking their best.

5. Don’t Skip the Sifting

Sifting the dry ingredients—flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt—ensures your batter is smooth and lump-free. This extra step helps achieve fluffy, evenly baked donuts.

6. Be Careful Not to Overmix

When combining wet and dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing can lead to gluten development, which can make the donuts dense instead of light and airy. It’s important to avoid this to ensure your donuts turn out as fluffy as possible.

By following these tips and tricks, your Christmas Wreath Donuts will turn out as delicious and stunning as they are festive. Happy baking!

Storage Tips

Store leftovers, covered or in an airtight container, on the counter for up to 3 days.
You can freeze these donuts (with the icing) in an airtight container for up to 2 months. To avoid messing up the icing, wait to stack the donuts before freezing them. You can also freeze just the donuts and frost them after thawing. Allow them to thaw on the counter until room temperature before decorating.

Conclusion

I guarantee you’ll love this Christmas donuts recipe—it’s festive, fun, and so easy to make! These wreath-inspired donuts are the perfect blend of holiday charm and deliciousness, and they’re sure to wow anyone who takes a bite. So, grab your apron, turn up those holiday tunes, and let’s get baking. Trust me, this is one recipe you’ll want to make part of your holiday tradition year after year!

And if you try this recipe, I’d love to see your creations! Please share your photos on social media and tag me @HipMamasPlace. Wishing you a joyful and tasty holiday season!

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