These scrumptious vegan lemon doughnuts are baked (not fried!), so they're super easy to whip up at a moment's notice! Sweet and tangy and drizzled in lemon glaze, they're perfect for dessert or a sweet indulgent breakfast!
You really can't go wrong with lemon flavored desserts. As a recipe creator I've been surprised to find that my lemon desserts are often more popular than chocolate ones. Whoa! My vegan lemon bars, vegan lemon bundt cake, vegan lemon cupcakes, and vegan lemon loaf are some of my readers' favorites. Well, if you enjoyed any of those treats, I think you'll LOVE my vegan lemon doughnuts.
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This recipe is a great way satisfy your doughnut cravings. It's super quick and easy. Baking the doughnuts cuts out all of the fuss with hot oil that's normally involved in making a batch of doughnuts, but they're every bit as delicious as my more conventional, fried vegan doughnuts.
You'll need to get yourself a doughnut pan, but it's totally a worthwhile investment! Check out the bottom of this post for some more delicious recipes you can make with it.
Ingredients You'll Need
Below you'll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- All-purpose flour. This might also be known to you as white flour or plain old wheat flour. I've also successfully made this recipe with whole wheat pastry flour.
- Sugar. Make sure you're using organic granulated sugar. Conventional sugar is often processed using animal bone char, so you'll want to avoid it to keep the recipe vegan.
- Baking soda.
- Baking powder.
- Salt.
- Non-dairy milk. Use an unsweetened and unflavored variety. Pretty much anything other than canned coconut milk will work, but if you need guidance, check out my guide to non-dairy milks.
- Lemon juice. Lemon is the star of this recipe, so use freshly squeezed juice. You'll need about three lemons to give you enough juice for the doughnuts and the glaze.
- Vegetable oil. Any neutral oil you normally like to bake with will work in this recipe. Melted coconut oil, canola oil, and corn oil are all fine. You could even use olive oil!
- Lemon zest.
- Lemon extract.
- Coloring. This is totally optional, but if you'd like your doughnuts to have a nice yellow color like mine, add a couple drops of natural yellow food coloring or a pinch of turmeric.
- Powdered sugar. Again, make sure this is organic.
How They're Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Step 1: Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and oiling the cavities of your doughnut pan(s).
Step 2: Combine your dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt.
Step 3: Now combine your wet ingredients in a small container: milk, lemon juice, oil, lemon zest, lemon extract, and yellow food coloring or turmeric, if using.
Step 4: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir everything together just until a batter is formed and you stop seeing flour streaks.
Step 5: Divide the batter among the cavities of your doughnut pans. You can pipe it in if you'd like, but I keep things simple and use a spoon.
Step 6: Stick the doughnut pans into the oven and bake your doughnuts until they're fluffy and have darkened a bit around the edges.
Step 7: Place the pan on a wire rack and let the doughnuts cool completely before you remove them.
Step 8: Once your doughnuts are cool, stir some powdered sugar together with lemon juice in a small bowl.
Step 9: Dip your doughnuts in the glaze until the tops are nicely coated. Let them sit on parchment paper for a few minutes to allow the glaze to set.
Variations
- Cream cheese frosting topped doughnuts. Swap the glaze out with my vegan cream cheese frosting. Just be warned that it'll go on quite a bit thicker!
- Top your doughnuts. Coat the glaze in sprinkles, decorating sugar, shredded coconut, or chopped nuts.
- Powdered sugar coated doughnuts. Skip the glaze, and instead coat your doughnuts in organic powdered sugar.
Shelf-Life & Storage
Vegan lemon doughnuts will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, in the fridge for about 1 week, or in the freezer for about 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
I haven't tested a gluten-free version of this recipe, but I think an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend would work.
First, make sure they're completely cool. Once they are, use a butter knife to gently loosen each doughnut from the pan. Keep working it around the doughnut until it comes out. It's worth mentioning that I've found that older pans tend to stick more, so if you've been using the same pan for a while, consider replacing it.
You can try baking the batter in a muffin tin, or even a mini muffin tin, which will give you something like doughnut holes. Keep an eye on them while they're in the oven, as the bake time may need to be reduced a bit.
More Vegan Doughnut Recipes
Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Lemon Doughnuts
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup organic granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 2 drops natural yellow food coloring (optional, you can also use a pinch of turmeric for color)
For the Glaze
- 1 ½ cups organic powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
Make the Donuts
- Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly oil an 12 cavity doughnut pan, or a couple of 6 cavity pans.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- In a small container, such as a liquid measuring cup, stir together the milk, lemon juice, oil, lemon zest, lemon extract, and yellow food coloring, if you're using it.
- Pour the milk mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir the ingredients together just until they're completely combined. Don't overmix the batter.
- Divide the batter among the doughnut cavities, filling each one to a level just barely below the rim. You can spoon the batter in, or pipe it using a pastry bag if you'd like.
- Bake the doughnuts for 12 minutes, or until they're puffy and ever so slightly browned around the edges.
- Place the pans on a cooling rack and let the doughnuts cool completely.
- Once the doughnuts are cool, stir the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl. You can add extra powdered sugar if if seems too thin, or more lemon juice or some water if if seems too thick.
- Dip the top of each doughnut in the glaze, then place it on a sheet of parchment paper until the glaze has set,
- Serve.
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Can you substitute olive, canola or vegetable oil for the vegan butter?
I think any of those would work, but I can't make any promises as I haven't tested the recipe with them.
Can you use vegan butter if you don't have margarine?
Yup! They're actually the same thing. :)
The texture was outstanding. Very soft. I did have some issues getting the glaze to a consistency that wasn’t absorbed by the donut. Still good thoufh.
I'm so glad you liked them! Thanks Sheila!
Made these donuts this morning and they were a hit with the entire family! They are light, moist and full of lemon flavor! Will be making these again! Thanks, Alissa!
I'm so happy to hear that!! Thanks Kathleen!
Can these be frozen for later??
I haven't frozen them, but I'm pretty sure they'd be fine. Just seal them up tightly in a freezer bag or container and you should be good to go. :)
How to make gluten free?
I would try subbing a one-to-one gluten-free flour blend. Bob's Red Mill ususally works for me, but I haven't tested it with this recipe, so no guarantees!
These were great! I didn't have lemons, so I used limes instead (including a bit of lime juice in the batter instead of extract). I also substituted three Tbsp aquafaba for the flax egg. My cooking time was 20 minutes. The texture was divine and the flavor was so delicate; my non-vegan husband ate four in one sitting!
I'm so glad they were a hit! Thanks Jennifer!!
My family really enjoyed these. Thank you! :)
I'm glad they were a hit!
I made these. They turned out so delicious. I had to use a lot of sugar for the icing (2.5 cups).
Thanks Natalie! I'm glad you enjoyed them!
Using what I had on hand, I used all purpose flour, sweetened almond milk, vanilla instead lemon flavor, and chia seeds instead of flax. I reduced sugar to 1/4 cup and baking powder to 1 tsp because of high altitude where I live.. The result was 18 lovely little cakes with a fine texture. I will freeze them till needed, and then glaze them and top them with toasted coconut. Our vegan friend will be delighted!
Awesome! I hope you and your vegan friend enjoy them!!
Any idea about nutrition info for these (not that it really matters since they're in the oven baking ?)
I don't usually calculate nutrition info, but this is a great tool if you'd like to take a crack at it. :)
Hoping this recipe works well in a mini donut maker! These are a MUST-try!!! :)
I haven't tried mini donuts, but I think they'll work! Hope you enjoy!!
Where is the recipe for the lemon donuts? I have tried with Safari and Chrome and I've updated my flash player. No recipe. Cruel.
Sorry! I found a technical glitch that was causing the recipe not to display. I think it should be fixed now.