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! So with this in mind, I thought these Rose, Lemon & Pistachio Baked Donuts would be perfect for Valentine’s Day!
Step by step…
I started by mixing together the caster sugar, milk, oil, vanilla extract, rose water, eggs and lemon zest. Then I added the self raising flour and chopped pistachios.
I usually put the batter into a piping bag to make it a bit neater to dispense into the trays, but you can do it with a spoon too. They baked for 12 minutes, then I left them to cool.
I made the glaze by mixing together the icing sugar, water, lemon juice and rose water. I dipped each donut into the bowl of glaze, I spooned more on top if it needed it, then set the donuts onto a rack. The glaze will drip off, so I put a baking tray underneath to catch it. I then added chopped pistachios and edible rose petals as decoration.
To put into words what these Rose, Lemon & Pistachio Baked Donuts taste like I would describe them as 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. Is anyone else weak at the knees right now?!
It’s nice to come across a different flavour than the typical chocolate or vanilla for example. I don’t feel like I experiment with flavour enough, but if all my experiments turn out like these Rose, Lemon & Pistachio Baked Donuts then I would be happy to experiment more often! The most important thing with trying out flavours you’ve not made before is taste as you go. I taste a little bit of my batter and icing as I make them to see if I need to add more of a certain flavour.
Do I need a donut pan to make this recipe?
The simple answer is yes! I highly recommend investing in a donut pan* (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 blog that you’ll be able to make with them!
Recommended equipment & ingredients*
Donut tin | Mixing bowls | Cooling rack |
Kitchen scales | 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
Ingredients
For the donuts
- 30 g Chopped pistachios
- 175 g Caster sugar
- 30 ml Vegetable oil
- 175 ml Milk either cow's or plant milk will work
- 2 Eggs large
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 tsp Rose water
- 225 g Self raising flour
- 1 Lemons zest only
- Butter for greasing
For the glaze
- 250 g Icing sugar
- 2 1/2 tbsp Water
- 1 tsp Rose water
- 3 tsp Lemon juice
For decoration
- Chopped pistachios optional
- Edible rose petals optional
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 fold them in
- Divide the batter between the trays. You can put the batter into a piping bag 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
If you like this, check out more of my Donut recipes!
Pin it for later!
*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!
These are the prettiest doughnuts I have ever seen, love them 🙂
Thank you so much!
Those are gorgeous donuts, and I bet delicious too! Absolutely beautiful – bravo!
Thank you!
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
Thank you Eb!
Homemade donuts are so fun to make these, these are just stunning!
I love making donuts so much, thank you!
My goodness, how gorgeous are these donuts! And you made them with rose water, which I just love. Great photos!
Thank you so much Monika!
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 🙂
Thank you so much Judith! I hope you get to make the wreath cookies this year!
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
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!
I love the flavor of these donuts, Kat. They look so gorgeous!! Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday party! x
Thank you Jhuls!
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.
I hoppe you give these a try! Let me know what you think!
These are beautiful and I love the flavor combo!
Thank you Patrick!
You have convinced me, I have to get a donut pan! These look amazing!
Yay! I’m so glad I got mine, I have two donut pans now and I use them a lot!
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
Thank you Jenny, I try!
prettiest donuts I’ve ever seen! I absolutely love your flavour combinations – sounds really delicious!
Awh thank you so much Nicola, so kind of you!
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
Thank you Kate! I’ve just recently discovered that I like pistachios 😀
It was so easy to make and soo prettyyy!!
Thank you, I’m so pleased you enjoyed the recipe!
I really liked the recipe!