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If you’re making homemade donuts, finish the job right with a delicious glaze. Opulent and simple, this donut glaze recipe gets top marks.
Homemade Donut Glaze
Remember those childhood (or last weekend-hood) visits to the local bakery where you would wait in long lines just to sink your teeth into a sugary glazed donut? This glazed donut recipe is your ticket to recreate those memories from the comfort of your own kitchen. The best part is the donuts are always warm, you don’t have to stand in line, and your favorite donut is never sold out.
If you’re ready to enjoy warm, gooey, fluffy donuts at your leisure, this glaze recipe for donuts is one you’ll need in your arsenal. Use on yeast donuts, Cruller Donuts or even baked donuts!
What is doughnut glaze?
Doughnut glaze is a sweet and flavorful icing that is commonly used to coat the top of doughnuts. It adds a delicious, glossy finish and enhances the overall taste of the doughnut. The glaze is typically made with a combination of powdered sugar, liquid (such as milk or water), and flavorings, creating a smooth and pourable consistency.
Homemade Donut Glaze Ingredients
- Butter – You can also use margarine if you’d prefer.
- Powdered sugar – You have to use powdered sugar here! No other sugar will get the job done.
- Vanilla extract – This recipe is amazing because you can flavor it with whatever extract you’d like. I love vanilla, but you could also do almond, cake batter, lemon – the possibilities are endless! You can also add food coloring if you’d like.
- Heavy cream, milk or water (you choose!) Do you know Krispy Kreme actually uses water in their glaze? I personally like to use heavy cream because it gives your donuts a thicker coating of glaze, but don’t be afraid to try the other options!
How to make Glaze for Donuts
- In a microwave safe bowl with an electric hand mixer, combine the melted butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
- Add a small amount of liquid (heavy cream, milk or water) to help bring the mixture together, mixing until smooth.
- Add more liquid to thin the glaze. The glaze should be too thin to hold shape if you were to try and pipe it, but still thick enough that it wouldn’t spill off the sides of a cupcake.
- Place the glaze in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Stir smooth and glaze your donuts while the glaze is warm and thin. The glaze will harden on your donut after about 5 minutes.
- If you need a good homemade donut recipe, try my homemade fried donuts!
How to Store Homemade Donut Glaze
Store your donut glaze in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. When you are ready to use it, reheat it in the microwave and you’re good to go!
Homemade Glaze for Donuts Recipe FAQs
Air bubbles will naturally happen when heating up the icing. Stirring slowly will help pop the bubbles before you glaze your donuts.
While a basic doughnut glaze can be made with just sugar and water, most glaze recipes include additional ingredients to enhance its flavor and texture.
Donuts themselves get flavor from the flour, sugar, yeast and milk used in the dough but additional flavor can be added with a glaze or icing.
Recipes Like Glaze for Donuts
Homemade Glaze for Donuts (Donut Icing)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Heavy cream, milk or water as needed
Instructions
- In a microwave safe bowl with an electric hand mixer, combine the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
- Add a small amount of liquid (heavy cream, milk or water) to help bring the mixture together, mixing until smooth.
- Add more liquid to thin the glaze. The glaze should be too thin to hold shape if you were to try and pipe it, but still thick enough that it wouldn’t spill off the sides of a cupcake.
- Place the glaze in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Stir smooth and glaze your donuts while the glaze is warm and thin.
- If you need a good donut recipe, try my homemade fried donuts!
