Name: White Chocolate & Cranberry Baked Donuts
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 42 min
Ingredients: Butter (for greasing the tin(s)); 225 g Self raising flour; 175 g Caster sugar (also known as superfine sugar); 50 g Dried cranberries; 175 ml Milk (Cow's or plant milk will both work); 2 Eggs (large); 30 ml Vegetable oil; 1 tsp Vanilla extract; 250 g White chocolate; Pink food colouring; 25 g White chocolate (for the drizzle); Sprinkles of your choice

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These White Chocolate & Cranberry Baked Donuts so easy to make and are lovely and light. Baked donuts are more like little cakes and they are made in a ring shaped tin. These ones are packed with yummy cranberries and topped with a pink coloured white chocolate. These would be a great bake to make with the kids and a sweet treat for your loved one. They'd be perfect for Valentine's Day, but you can make and enjoy them any time of the year!

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.
I used pink food colouring to colour the white chocolate topping, but you can use any colour you like, or non at all. If you do use a food colouring, I recommend using a good quality professional one for the best results. My favourite brands are Pro Gel and Sugarflair - check the recommended equipment section for a link.
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 White Chocolate & Cranberry Baked Donuts

In a large mixing bowl stir together the self raising flour, caster sugar and dried cranberries. I cut any larger cranberries in half. In another mixing bowl, or a jug, whisk together the milk, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract.

Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until combined and smooth. Put the batter into a piping bag or a jug and divide it between the donut tin(s).

Bake for 12 minutes, then remove them from the tins and leave them to cool. Melt the white chocolate and stir in the pink food colouring. Set up a cooling rack with some baking paper beneath it. Dip the donuts into the pink coloured white chocolate, then place on the cooling rack to set and for any excess to drip off. Melt the smaller amount of white chocolate and put it into a piping bag. Drizzle it over the donuts and add the sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet. Leave them to set.

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!

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 + ¼ teaspoons baking powder. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.

What is the best white chocolate to use?

You can use any kind of white chocolate. I would recommend using one you like the taste of as the chocolate does make up a lot of the flavour of the donuts. I usually avoid cooking chocolate as it doesn't taste very nice.

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 container 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 so they don't stick together, and freeze for up to 3 months.

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 donut tins with a 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 or baking spread, 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.

More tips for making the White Chocolate & Cranberry Baked Donuts:

The donut batter is very wet, so I recommend using a piping bag or a jug to pour it into the tin.
These donuts would also be delicious dipped or drizzled in melted dark chocolate!
I used heart sprinkles for a Valentine's Day theme, but you can decorate the donuts however you like.

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*

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