These dairy free lemon glazed donuts are lightly sweet and lemony. Since they're baked instead of fried, they aren't oily at all. These homemade donuts can be a delicious snack or dessert or serve them for a sweet breakfast treat.
We love these lemony donuts - especially because they aren't greasy. They're easy to make and since they're baked, there's no fryer needed. They're great to make on a weekend morning.
These donuts have a bright, citrus flavor. If you also love lemon, try my strawberry lemon muffins and lemon cookies.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Lemon flavor: The citrus flavor is light and refreshing and the sweet lemon glaze is amazing.
- Kid friendly: The entire family loves these yummy baked donuts any time.
- Great to eat any time: We love these as an afternoon snack or dessert. But you could also have one for a sweet breakfast treat.
- They're baked: No oily donuts here!
Ingredient Notes
This recipe uses simple ingredients:
- Flour - I highly recommend all purpose flour. Whole wheat flour would make these too dense.
- Sugar - Plain white sugar works best in this recipe.
- Lemon juice and zest - If you can find Meyer lemons, I highly recommend using them.
- Non-dairy milk - I use unsweetened soy milk for all my cooking and baking but almond milk or oat milk would work well too.
- Oil - I recommend using a neutral oil like vegetable or canola.
- Poppy seeds - You can leave these out if you'd like.
Please see the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and amounts needed.
How To Make Dairy Free Lemon Glazed Donuts
Step 1: To begin, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the donut pan by lightly coating with oil spray.
Step 2: In a large or medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds, salt and lemon zest. Whisk until well combined.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, combine the non-dairy milk, oil, fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. After a minute or two the mixture will start to curdle and act like buttermilk.
Step 4: Add the wet ingredients (the milk mixture) to the dry ingredients and stir to combine with a rubber spatula.
Step 5: Next, place the donut batter in a pastry bag or a piping bag. If you don't have a piping bag, you can use a large Ziploc bag. You only need to cut the corner of the bag. Pipe the batter into the donut pan.
Step 6: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes depending on the size of the donut pan.
Step 7: While the donuts are baking, make the sweet lemon glaze. Sir together the powdered sugar, non-dairy milk, lemon juice, lemon extract and vanilla extract.
Step 8: When donuts are done, remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before removing from the pan to a cooling rack. They should be a lightly golden brown color.
Step 9: Let the donuts cool slightly. Dip each donut in the glaze and return to the cooling rack to set. Serve and enjoy!
While we usually serve these as a snack or dessert, they can also be a breakfast treat. For more breakfast recipes, try my banana chia pudding, sheet pan pancakes, and baked oatmeal with cherries.
Expert Tips
- There are different sizes of donut pans. Mine make pretty small donuts which I actually love. If you're also using a smaller donut pan you might get more than 12 donuts out of the recipe.
- I love a strong lemony flavor so I use the zest from a whole lemon. If you want it to be more subtle, use can use it from half a lemon.
Storage and Recipe FAQs
I definitely wouldn't. The donuts themselves aren't very sweet so you really need the glaze on top.
No, you can leave them out. You can also substitute chia seeds for some added nutrition.
Of course! I think a blueberry glaze would be amazing. Check out Easy Blueberry Glaze for Desserts by The Cozy Plum.
Usually, yes. Unless you find a donut labeled dairy free or vegan, you should assume they contain dairy.
Usually, no. Donuts contain dairy and sometimes eggs. If you want to ensure you're eating a plant-based donut, make sure you check the label or ask your server.
Store the donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
More Vegan Dessert Recipes
If you tried this Dairy Free Lemon Glazed Donuts Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Recipe
Dairy Free Lemon Glazed Donuts (Baked)
Equipment
- Donut pan
- Pastry bag or ziploc bag
Ingredients
Donut
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ tablespoon poppy seeds
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- grated zest from one lemon
- 1 ⅓ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 3 tablespoon oil
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°. Prepare the donut pan by coating with nonstick spray.
- Combine the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds, salt and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Whisk thoroughly.
- In a small bowl, combine the non-dairy milk, oil, lemon juice and vanilla extract. The mixture will slightly curdle.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
- Pour the batter into a pastry bag or a large Ziploc bag. If using a Ziploc bag, cut the corner. Pipe the batter into the pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes depending on the size of the donut pan.
- When done, remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before removing from the pan and cooling on a wire rack.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze. Stir together the confectioners sugar, non-dairy milk, lemon juice, lemon extract and vanilla extract.
- Dip the donuts into the glaze and return to the cooling rack.
- Store donuts in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
- There are different sizes of donut pans. Mine make pretty small donuts which I actually love. If you're also using a smaller donut pan you might get more than 12 donuts out of the recipe.
- I love a strong lemony flavor so I use the zest from a whole lemon. If you want it to be more subtle, use can use it from half a lemon.
Jen says
This is a yummy lemon dessert. Don't skip the icing or they won't be sweet enough.