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    Rose, Lemon & Pistachio Baked Donuts

    11/02/2018 by thebakingexplorer 31 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    I've been thinking about combining rose and lemon in a baked donut for almost a year now, and finally I'm sharing this recipe with the wonderful addition of pistachios too. These Rose, Lemon & Pistachio Baked Donuts are filled with green nuggets of pistachio, and drenched in a sugary rose and lemon glaze. I hadn't actually heard of a Persian Love Cake until I made these donuts, but it also uses these same three flavours. After tasting the donuts I completely understand where it gets it's name, as I am in love with this flavour combination! They are dreamy, light and refreshing. The citrus zing from the lemon is absolutely tantalising, the pistachios are nutty and creamy, and the rose lingers perfectly with just the right amount of perfume.

    Rose, Lemon & Pistachio Baked Donuts

    Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

    • Make sure your ingredients, particularly the eggs, are at room temperature before you start baking.
    • You can use a different type of oil besides vegetable oil. I'd recommend one that doesn't have a strong flavour, canola and sunflower oil would both work well.
    • A little rose water goes a long way, so I don't recommend adding more than the recipe states.
    • I got the edible rose petals from Waitrose to decorate the donuts, you can also easily get edible rose petals online from places like Amazon.
    • You will need a 12 hole donut pan (or two 6 hole donut pans) to make this recipe. Check the recommend equipment section for a link to the one I use.
    • Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
    • For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

    For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

    How to make Rose, Lemon & Pistachio Baked Donuts

    Start by mixing together the caster sugar, milk, oil, vanilla extract, rose water, eggs and lemon zest. Then add the self raising flour and chopped pistachios and whisk in.

    Put the batter into a piping bag or a jug to make it a bit neater to dispense into the trays. Bake the donuts for 12 minutes, then remove them from the tin and leave them to cool.

    Make the glaze by mixing together the icing sugar, water, lemon juice and rose water. Dip each donut into the bowl of glaze, and spoon more on top if needed. Set the donuts onto a rack with a tray underneath to catch any drips of glaze. Decorate with more chopped pistachios and edible rose petals.

    Rose, Lemon & Pistachio Baked Donuts

    Do you need a donut tin to make this recipe?

    The simple answer is yes! I highly recommend investing in a donut tin* (or two!), they are not expensive and they’re easy to obtain from Amazon, plus there are so many yummy baked donut recipes on my website that you’ll be able to make with them!

    How long do baked donuts last for and can they be frozen?

    Although baked donuts will last for a few days if stored in an airtight continer in a cool place, they are best the day they're made. You can freeze the donuts without any of the decoration. Wrap them up well, with a small square of baking paper between each donut, and freeze for up to 3 months.

    Can you make the donuts with plain/all purpose flour?

    Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some additional baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. So for this recipe you'd need to add 2 teaspoons baking powder. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.

    Can the donuts be made gluten or dairy free?

    Yes, to make these donuts gluten free, replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour, so for this recipe you'd need to add 2 teaspoons baking powder. You may also like to add ¼ tsp Xanthan Gum for better texture. They can easily be made dairy free by using a plant based milk. Make sure to also grease the tin with dairy free butter.

    How do you remove the donuts from the tin?

    I use a spoon to gently loosen them around the edges and prise them out of the tin. If you are using a non stick tin and you have greased it well with butter, then they should just pop out with ease.

    Do you need an electric mixer to make this recipe?

    No, I actually never use an electric mixer to make this recipe as it's so quick and easy to do by hand. The dry ingredients and wet ingredients can be quickly combined with a hand whisk, and it is better to do it this way to avoid over mixing. If you are using an electric mixer, keep it on a low speed and only mix for a short time.

    Troubleshooting

    If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

    Recommended equipment & ingredients*

    • Mixing bowls
    • Donut tin
    • Cooling rack
    • Kitchen scales
    • Piping bags
    • Measuring spoons
    • Zester
    • Citrus juicer
    • Rose extract
    • Edible rose petals

    *I earn a small amount of money if you buy the products after clicking on the links. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Thank you for supporting The Baking Explorer!

    Rose, Lemon & Pistachio Baked Donuts

    Rose, lemon and pistachio baked donuts with a lemon glaze
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: European
    Keyword: Donut
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Total Time: 42 minutes
    Servings: 12
    Author: thebakingexplorer

    Ingredients

    For the donuts

    • Butter for greasing the tin
    • 175 g Caster sugar
    • 30 ml Vegetable oil
    • 175 ml Milk cow's or plant milk
    • 2 Eggs large
    • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
    • 1 Lemons zest only
    • 1 tsp Rose water
    • 30 g Chopped pistachios
    • 225 g Self raising flour

    For the glaze

    • 250 g Icing sugar
    • 2 ½ tbsp Water
    • 1 tsp Rose water
    • 3 tsp Lemon juice

    For decoration

    • Chopped pistachios optional
    • Edible rose petals optional
    Metric - US Customary

    Instructions

    • Pre-heat your oven to 160C Fan/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 and grease two donut tins with butter
    • Mix together the caster sugar, milk, oil, vanilla extract, rose water, eggs and lemon zest in a bowl with a whisk
    • Add the self raising flour and chopped pistachios, and whisk them in
    • Divide the batter between the trays. You can put the batter into a piping bag or a jug to make it a bit neater to dispense into the trays, but you can do it with a spoon too
    • Bake them for 12 minutes, then remove them from the tin (I use a spoon to prise them out) and leave to cool
    • Make the glaze by mixing together the icing sugar, water, lemon juice and rose water until smooth. Add the water bit by bit as you may not need it all, you don't want the glaze to be too runny
    • Dip each donut into the bowl of glaze, spoon more on top if needed, then set the donuts onto a rack. The glaze will drip off, so put a baking tray underneath to catch it
    • Add chopped pistachios and edible rose petals as decoration while the glaze is till wet so they stick
    • Store leftover in an airtight container and eat within 3 days
    Made this recipe?Share on Instagram with me @TheBakingExplorer or tag #thebakingexplorer!

    Notes

    • Make sure your ingredients, particularly the eggs, are at room temperature before you start baking.
    • You can use a different type of oil besides vegetable oil. I'd recommend one that doesn't have a strong flavour, canola and sunflower oil would both work well.
    • A little rose water goes a long way, so I don't recommend adding more than the recipe states.
    • I got the edible rose petals from Waitrose to decorate the donuts, you can also easily get edible rose petals online from places like Amazon.
    • You will need a 12 hole donut pan (or two 6 hole donut pans) to make this recipe. Check the recommend equipment section for a link to the one I use.
    • Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
    • For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 17mg | Potassium: 91mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 76IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg

    If you like this, check out more of my Donut recipes!

    *I earn a small amount of money if you buy the products after clicking on the links. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Thank you for supporting The Baking Explorer!

    « Bake With A Legend Review
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Petra

      February 11, 2018 at 12:39 pm

      These are the prettiest doughnuts I have ever seen, love them 🙂

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        February 27, 2018 at 9:37 pm

        Thank you so much!

        Reply
    2. Lily Ernst

      February 11, 2018 at 3:13 pm

      5 stars
      Those are gorgeous donuts, and I bet delicious too! Absolutely beautiful - bravo!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        February 27, 2018 at 9:39 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    3. Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie

      February 11, 2018 at 5:14 pm

      5 stars
      Wow - these are super pretty and what a gorgeous combination of flavours! So perfect for Valentines Day 😀 Thanks for linking them up to #CookBlogShare. Eb x

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        February 27, 2018 at 9:40 pm

        Thank you Eb!

        Reply
    4. TurksWhoEat

      February 11, 2018 at 5:25 pm

      Homemade donuts are so fun to make these, these are just stunning!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        February 27, 2018 at 9:41 pm

        I love making donuts so much, thank you!

        Reply
    5. Monika Dabrowski

      February 11, 2018 at 9:29 pm

      5 stars
      My goodness, how gorgeous are these donuts! And you made them with rose water, which I just love. Great photos!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        February 27, 2018 at 9:42 pm

        Thank you so much Monika!

        Reply
    6. Judith Graber

      February 11, 2018 at 10:55 pm

      Kat- Your donuts remind me of a wreath cookie I wanted to make over the holidays and never did. Very attractive and romantic - always when rose petals are used 🙂

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        February 27, 2018 at 9:38 pm

        Thank you so much Judith! I hope you get to make the wreath cookies this year!

        Reply
    7. Angela / Only Crumbs Remain

      February 12, 2018 at 9:45 am

      Such an amazing bake Kat! They're not only look incredibly pretty but they also sound so really tasty. I have to say I love how you've photographed them too .
      Angela x

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        February 27, 2018 at 9:55 pm

        Thank you so much Angela! I was a bit worried after I checked the photos that it was all too white against white, but I think they turned out ok!

        Reply
    8. Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook

      February 12, 2018 at 10:32 am

      I love the flavor of these donuts, Kat. They look so gorgeous!! Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday party! x

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        February 27, 2018 at 9:55 pm

        Thank you Jhuls!

        Reply
    9. Life Diet Health

      February 12, 2018 at 10:35 am

      Oh these look far too pretty to eat! I never thought of flavouring our doughnuts as we usually serve them with toppings. They also never stay around long enough to ice but I'm thinking I should make the effort with these now! Thanks so much for linking and sharing at Fiesta Friday.

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        February 27, 2018 at 9:58 pm

        I hoppe you give these a try! Let me know what you think!

        Reply
    10. [email protected]

      February 12, 2018 at 3:00 pm

      These are beautiful and I love the flavor combo!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        February 27, 2018 at 10:01 pm

        Thank you Patrick!

        Reply
    11. Alison's Allspice

      February 13, 2018 at 8:12 pm

      You have convinced me, I have to get a donut pan! These look amazing!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        February 27, 2018 at 9:59 pm

        Yay! I'm so glad I got mine, I have two donut pans now and I use them a lot!

        Reply
    12. jenny paulin

      February 15, 2018 at 8:50 am

      5 stars
      these are just beautiful Kat.you are so clever at making your food look so pretty and tempting. xx
      thank you for linking to #Bakeoftheweek xx

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        February 27, 2018 at 10:03 pm

        Thank you Jenny, I try!

        Reply
    13. Nicola

      February 17, 2018 at 4:04 pm

      prettiest donuts I’ve ever seen! I absolutely love your flavour combinations - sounds really delicious!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        February 27, 2018 at 10:03 pm

        Awh thank you so much Nicola, so kind of you!

        Reply
    14. Kate - gluten free alchemist

      February 25, 2018 at 6:47 pm

      These doughnuts are so pretty Kat and the flavours are beautiful. I am a great lover of pistachio and the addition of rose gives a lovely North African feel x

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        February 27, 2018 at 10:04 pm

        Thank you Kate! I've just recently discovered that I like pistachios 😀

        Reply
    15. Jennnbakes

      September 16, 2020 at 1:52 pm

      5 stars
      It was so easy to make and soo prettyyy!!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        September 16, 2020 at 3:29 pm

        Thank you, I'm so pleased you enjoyed the recipe!

        Reply
    16. Luciana

      November 29, 2020 at 12:56 am

      I really liked the recipe!

      Reply

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