Valentine's Day Donuts Recipe

Valentine's Day comes and goes each year with a flurry of chocolate-covered treats. While cacao-based desserts are delicious, we're always keen for something different to add an element of novelty. This time, we're in the mood for something warm and doughy, preferably with pink frosting and sprinkles. 

Recipe developer Jessica Morone of Jess Loves Baking hits the nail on the head with this Valentine's Day donut recipe. The spiced dough is baked instead of fried for a lighter take that still retains a perfectly-chewy texture. Morone adds that "Unlike fried donuts, you don't have to wait for the dough to rise, or roll them out, and cut them." As Morone comments, "There really isn't anything tricky about these — they are a very quick and easy treat for Valentine's Day."

Not only are the donuts pretty in pink, but they are strawberry-flavored as well, making them a delightful treat to bake for your loved ones. They certainly look the part of a rosy Valentine's Day dessert, and we guarantee they will bring a smile to anyone's face. If pink isn't your style, Morone notes, "They can be really versatile — you can change the color of the glaze, and the type of sprinkles." You'll want to keep this recipe in your back pocket for the next holiday that rolls around, or simply as a sweet treat for any day of the week.

For the donut dough, you'll need flour, salt, baking powder, and ground cinnamon. The wet ingredients needed are vanilla extract, eggs, white and brown sugar, melted butter, milk, and strawberry yogurt. Morone highlights the importance of the strawberry yogurt, and explains, "It gives the donuts a really nice strawberry flavor, and also makes them light and fluffy."

As for the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar, heavy cream, and red food coloring. Finally, sprinkles are a great way to decorate these donuts. 

Preheat the oven to 375 F, and lightly grease your donut pans. Morone uses heart-shaped molds for the ultimate Valentine's Day effect, but regular donut pans are fine too. She notes that "If you don't have one, you can make a makeshift donut pan by using a regular muffin tin, and creating donut molds with foil." If you're planning on baking donuts more regularly, she adds, "Donut pans are only about $10 online so I think it's definitely worth the investment." Then, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, and ground cinnamon in large mixing bowl.

Next, splash in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and the eggs with the dry ingredients. Add in the white sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, milk, and yogurt, and beat the ingredients together until they are well distributed with no more dry streaks. 

Carefully transfer the batter from the bowl to a piping bag. If you don't have one, you can cut the corner of a plastic zipper bag. Then, pipe the batter into the prepared donut pans. Morone recommends filling the hollow about ⅔ of the way to allow space for the donuts to rise in the oven. 

Bake the donuts for 8 to 10 minutes, and test their doneness with a light touch — the dough should spring back. Once they are done, remove the pans from the oven, and let the donuts fully cool. 

Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, add the confectioners' sugar, remaining ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract, and the heavy cream, and whisk until the glaze is smooth. Then, add 2 to 3 drops of red food coloring, and whisk the mixture until the color is uniform. Morone notes that if you'd prefer a darker glaze, simply add more food coloring. 

When the donuts are nice and cool, carefully dip them into the glaze one by one. If you're planning to decorate the donuts with sprinkles, add them while the glaze is still wet. Let the donuts sit at room temperature, until the glaze has fully set.

Once the glaze has hardened, it's time to dig into these delicious, strawberry-flavored Valentine's Day donuts. If you're planning on gifting these baked goods, you can make them slightly in advance. Morone notes that "You can store these covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days." Either way, we are sure they will disappear fast!