Name: Gingerbread Doughnuts
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup brown sugar (dark, firmly packed); 1 egg (beaten); 1/2 cup molasses (unsulphured); 1/2 cup sour cream (regular not low fat); 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 3 teaspoons ginger (ground); 1/2 teaspoon salt (kosher); 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (ground); 1/4 teaspoon cloves (ground); Pinch nutmeg (freshly grated); 2 1/2 cups flour (you may need a little more); 1 cup confectioner's sugar; 1 tablespoon cream (heavy cream or half and half); 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

A spicy sweet donut that is great on a crisp autumn day. Wonderful with coffee, tea, or a glass of cold milk. If you prefer not to fry you can bake the donuts at 350F for 20 minutes.

Total time 15 minutes

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Gingerbread donuts are full of spicy flavor that will sweep you through fall and winter like your favorite, soft flannel jammies and woolie socks. Dark gingerbread cake is topped with a puckery lemon glaze for a cornucopia of sweet, tangy, spicy flavor no one can resist.

First published October 2007...Last Updated: November 8, 2019

Lemon glazed gingerbread donuts piled on a green and white plate. Title image.

Gingerbread Donuts Ingredients

This is a simple recipe that results in BIG flavor!

Dark brown sugar helps the donuts stay moist and gives them more flavor.
Eggs are pasture raised, organic, and large.
Molasses used is unsulphured. This is super important - backstrap molasses will taste terrible.
Sour cream helps the texture and keeps them moist without adding too much liquid. Do not use low fat or fat free sour cream ... or yogurt.
Baking soda and baking powder are the leaveners here. They are used together to create a soft, dense texture.
Ground ginger is the main flavor so make sure that it is fresh.
Cloves add that Christmassy flavor we all love.
Cinnamon gives the donuts a warm, comforting smell and autumn spice flavor. There are numerous varieties - I prefer Vietnamese cinnamon.
Nutmeg it part of that whole autumn spice quartet. I like to use whole nutmeg and grate it fresh - so much more flavor!
Salt could actually be left out if you want but it does make the flavor fall a little flat if you do. I use kosher salt so if you're using table salt use a little less.
All Purpose Flour is the flour of choice. You can use unbleached if you like.
Confectioner's Sugar (powdered sugar) is part of the lemon glaze.
Lemon juice, freshly squeezed, gives this glaze that puckery goodness that lemon-lovers can't get enough of.
Lemon zest adds more lemon flavor because, let's be real, can you ever have enough?
Heavy cream is used for the glaze. It keeps it thick and rich. You could use all lemon juice if you like a thinner glaze.
Oil for frying or to oil donut molds. (I use peanut oil which I feel is best for frying as long as there are no allergies)

A Crackling Fire. Soft Flannel PJs...And...

Gingerbread donuts are easy to make and delicious for autumn and winter treats - especially served still warm from the fryer with a cup of hot chocolate or coffee! Since they are old fashioned cake donuts they just couldn't be easier!

This recipe has been on Restless Chipotle since before it was Restless Chipotle! It's one of the first recipes I ever published and I had honestly forgotten about it!

When the weather gets chilly I start thinking about gingerbread! That had me going through the archives and I came across this recipe and realized that it had been way too long since I made these homemade cake donuts with all of the flavor of the holidays stirred right in.

Tips for Homemade Gingerbread Donuts

To Fry: I like to deep fry donuts because I think they have a better texture. Make sure the oil is completely heated and don't overfill the fryer.
To Bake: Just shape them and bake at 350F for about 20 minutes. They may lose their shape a little but hey - it happens to all of us eventually, right? You can also bake them in a special donut mold and they'll maintain their shape.
To Air Fry: Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees F. Brush ½ of the melted butter over both sides of the donuts. Place a few donuts in the air fryer basket (don't crowd) and cook for 8 minutes.
A pinch of cardamom added with the spices gives a warm, citrus flavor that's delicious.
Add the glaze while they are still warm.
Cooked donuts freeze well for up to three months. If you are going to freeze them don't add glaze until you're ready to serve.
To serve donuts that have been frozen just thaw and heat in the air fryer or oven for a few minutes.
Donuts taste best when they are freshly made so eat them the same day or freeze for another time.

How to Fry Perfect Cake Donuts

There are a few tricks and tips that will help you achieve the perfect cake donut every single time:

Always cut the dough straight down - do not twist the cutter.
Don't have a cutter? Use an empty (clean) tomato paste can and cut the donut center out with the wide open end of an icing tip or punch it out with your finger.
Make sure the oil is hot. 370F to 375F is usually best.
Don't overload the fryer. Fry a few at a time - no more than 2 for a small fryer.
Flip the donuts as they rise to the top and are light golden on the underside but don't over-fry them or they will be tough and dry.
Use the softest dough possible. Refrigerate it as needed to keep it workable.
Use clean oil - peanut oil is best if you don't have allergies. Change it after every 2nd or 3rd frying session or when it starts to darken.
Hold the fryer basket up over the fryer to let the finished donuts drain for a few minutes before removing them to drain on absorbent paper.
Donuts are best served immediately or frozen. They get stale very fast.

Close Your Eyes and Say Gingerbread...

What came to mind?

Gingerbread is just one of those things that's cozy. It tastes like that feeling you get when you're wrapped in a blanket watching it snow outside... or curled up on the couch in front of the fire reading your favorite book.

Gingerbread is usually associated with happy things, warm comfort, and crackling fires. I said in cake post that gingerbread smells like a Hallmark Christmas movie.

But if wood floors, red flannel shirts, crackling fires, and thick wool socks had a flavor?

Gingerbread would be it.

Closeup of lemon glazed gingerbread donuts with red and green sprinkles piled on a green and white plate.

More Cozy Comfort Food Recipes

I love fall and winter recipes! Here are some of my favorites from here on Restless Chipotle.

Hubbard Squash pie is so unique. It's a little like pumpkin but the flavor is more nutty and delicate.
Chocolate Glazed Donuts are so easy to make and they are absolutely addictive with that shiny chocolate glaze.
Apple Whiskey Bundt Cake is so good warm with a drizzle of whiskey caramel sauce!
Grandma's Dutch Apple Pie has a thick layer of crumble over buttery-sweet, tender apples. Just like you remember!
Plain Yeast Donuts are full of old fashioned flavor. You can glaze these, frost them, or shake them in a bag of powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar. No matter what you do, they're delicious!

You May Need

What’s new? Check out my Restless Chipotle & Co. Store on Amazon where you'll find all kinds of nostalgic goodness! Thanks so much for being a part of Restless Chipotle!

This is the deep fryer I have and it's held up well for almost 10 years so far! It's a good size so if you are making fried food for more than one or two people you don't have to stand at the fryer for hours.

[clickToTweet tweet="If a #Hallmark movie had a flavor gingerbread would be it, don't you think? Vintage gingerbread #donuts #recipe -" quote="If a #HallmarkMovie had a flavor I guess gingerbread would be it, don't you think?"]