Baked Lemon Donuts with Lemon Glaze

Baked Lemon Donuts with Lemon Glaze — These delightful treats capture all the bright, tangy goodness of Starbucks lemon loaf, but reimagined as fun little donuts (or mini muffins!). This recipe is super simple, no mixer needed, and topped with a perfectly balanced tart-and-sweet lemon glaze. If you’re a lemon fan, you’re about to be obsessed!

I took my crowd-pleasing Copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf recipe and gave it a fun twist by turning it into these soft, fluffy baked lemon donuts. They pack that same punch of fresh lemon flavor, are super moist, and since they’re baked (not fried), you can enjoy a few extra without guilt.

Ready in under 25 minutes, these donuts make a great breakfast, a sweet brunch item, or a light snack. Trust me, once you try them, they’ll quickly become a go-to treat in your house.

Follow along, and I’ll show you exactly how to make these lemony bites from scratch.

Why These Are So Good

These baked lemon donuts bring bright, fresh lemon flavor from lemon extract, zest, and a tart-sweet glaze that’s just right. The texture? Tender, moist, and cakey — all baked, not fried, which makes for easier prep and clean up. Plus, no mixer is needed, and you can easily swap pans to make mini muffins or regular muffins if that’s what you have. The lemon glaze pulls it all together perfectly. Warm, fresh, and bursting with flavor — these donuts are a win for breakfast, brunch (and pair beautifully with a slice of Starbucks Copycat Lemon Loaf), or any time a snack craving hits.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 1 large egg
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 6 ounces Greek yogurt (I used 0% fat Fage; sour cream may be substituted)
• ¼ cup canola or vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon extract, or to taste (not teaspoon; and not lemon oil and not lemon juice; see step 2 below for notes)
• a few drops of yellow food coloring, optional and as needed for desired shade
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice, or as necessary for consistency

How to Make Them

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly spray or grease a 6-count donut pan and a mini muffin pan; set aside.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the egg, granulated sugar, Greek yogurt, oil, lemon zest, lemon extract, and optional yellow food coloring until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet with a spatula or spoon just until combined, avoiding overmixing.

   
5. Spoon or pipe batter into the prepared pans, filling each cavity about 3/4 full (for mini muffins/donut holes use a heaping 2-tablespoon scoop).
6. Bake for 13–16 minutes, until set and springy to the touch (donuts ~15 min, donut holes ~14 min); test with a toothpick or your finger to be sure.
7. Let the donuts cool slightly while you prepare the glaze.

8. In a small bowl combine the confectioners’ sugar and slowly whisk in lemon juice until the glaze is smooth and pourable, adjusting thickness as needed.

   

9. Dip the tops of the donuts and donut holes into the glaze and let set briefly before serving.

   

Pro Tips for Best Results

I only have one donut pan, so for this recipe, I use a 6-count donut pan and a 12-count mini muffin pan to make the best use of the batter. You can switch up pans as needed—just keep an eye on baking time since sizes bake differently.

I usually drop batter into the donut pan with a spoon, but if you want a cleaner look, you can use a large zip-top bag as a piping bag—just seal, snip a tip, and pipe the batter in. For the donut holes, I like using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, filled heaping with batter.

No need to wait until the donuts are totally cool before glazing. The glaze will gently slide down warm donuts—think of the glossy drip you see on cranberry cinnamon rolls with orange glaze—which actually adds to their charm. Trust me, warm donuts are the absolute best way to enjoy these.

Flavor Swaps and Add-Ins

• Swap the yogurt: Sour cream is a great substitute, or try thick plant-based yogurt if you want a dairy-free option.
• Try different pans: Use a mini donut pan, full-size muffin tin, or just mini muffins. Adjust the bake times accordingly — smaller bakes faster, larger takes longer. Prefer bite-size? Make donut holes in the air fryer for a fun alternative.
• Lemon-poppy seed: Stir in 1–2 teaspoons poppy seeds to the batter for a classic combo that’s always a hit.
• Lemon-blueberry: Fold in ½ to ¾ cup fresh or frozen blueberries (tossed in a bit of flour first) for fruity muffins or donuts bursting with flavor.
• Glaze tweaks: Keep the basic lemon glaze or change it up — make it thicker by using less lemon juice, thinner by adding more. Toss in a bit of zest for extra zing, dust with powdered sugar, or sprinkle sanding sugar or toasted coconut for a pretty finish.
• Presentation tips: Add a few drops of yellow food coloring for a sunny glow. Sprinkle poppy seeds, coarse sugar, or drizzle melted white chocolate for a fancy touch.
• Important: Don’t swap lemon extract with lemon juice or lemon oil. The flavor and texture won’t be the same. Follow the recipe tips for the best lemony punch.

How to Store and Freeze

These donuts are best fresh and warm, but here’s how to keep them tasty if you need to store or prep ahead:

• At room temperature: Store glazed or plain donuts in an airtight container, single layer, for up to 4 days.
• Refrigeration: If you want to refrigerate, seal them well. Note: the glaze may firm up and crumb might dry a bit, so bring them to room temp or warm for a few minutes before eating.
• Freezing: For longer storage, wrap unglazed donuts or holes individually or freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to freezer bags. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw room temperature and glaze or warm before serving. If you’re stocking the freezer with more lemon bakes, lemon slice-and-bake cookies keep beautifully too.
• Reheating: Warm one donut for 8–12 seconds in the microwave (adjust for your microwave) or heat several in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 4–6 minutes until warmed through. Thaw frozen donuts before reheating.
• Make-ahead: You can bake donuts in advance and store unglazed, then dip in a fresh lemon glaze—like the one on Italian lemon cookies—just before serving for best texture and flavor.
• Glaze storage: Keep extra glaze in a sealed container in the fridge up to 1 week. Whisk before using and add a bit of lemon juice or powdered sugar to fix consistency if needed.

Common Questions Answered

Can I substitute lemon extract with lemon juice or oil? Unfortunately, no. After years of perfecting my Starbucks Copycat recipe, I can tell you these are not interchangeable.

Lemon juice doesn’t have enough flavor for baked donuts, and its acidity can mess with your donut’s texture. It shines in custardy desserts like Creamy Lemon Squares, but for these donuts, lemon extract is affordable and provides that bright, bold lemon punch you want—use the full tablespoon for the best results.

Also, lemon extract and lemon oil are very different — lemon oil is way more intense and can overpower the batter. So stick with lemon extract for that classic lemon loaf flavor.