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Easy Ghost Donut Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Easy Ghost Donut Recipe

I still remember the first Halloween I made these for my kid's classroom party. I was shocked at how little effort they took for how much love they got. I baked a batch of soft little vanilla donuts, dunked them in a quick glaze, and pressed on a couple of candy eyes, and suddenly I had the cutest treat on the entire snack table.
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Total Time 30 minutes
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour – this is the base of the batter and gives the donuts their soft cake-like structure
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder – helps the donuts puff up light and fluffy in the oven
  • 1 tablespoon instant vanilla pudding mix – my little secret for an extra moist tender crumb
  • 1 teaspoon salt – balances the sweetness so the donuts don't taste flat
  • 1 cup buttermilk – adds tang and keeps the batter super soft don't swap for regular milk if you can help it
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar – sweetens the batter just enough without overpowering the icing
  • 2 large eggs – bind everything together and add richness
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted – for a hint of buttery flavor without weighing the batter down
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla paste – gives a deep rounded vanilla flavor; vanilla extract works fine too
  • 2 cups powdered sugar – the base of a smooth pourable glaze
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla paste – ties the icing flavor back to the donuts
  • ¼ cup milk – thins the icing to the perfect dipping consistency
  • Edible candy eyes – the fun part that turns a plain donut into a ghost

Method
 

  1. I start by preheating my oven to 350°F (175°C) so it's fully hot by the time my batter is ready. While it warms, I lightly coat a 12-count mini donut pan with nonstick spray. This little step keeps the donuts from sticking and makes cleanup so much easier later.
  2. In a medium bowl, I whisk together the flour, baking powder, instant vanilla pudding mix, and salt. Whisking these dry ingredients first helps distribute the leavening evenly, so every donut rises the same. I set this bowl aside while I work on the wet mixture.
  3. In a separate large bowl, I whisk the sugar, eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla paste until the mixture looks smooth and glossy. This is one of my favorite easy doughnut recipe without butter tricks using just a couple tablespoons keeps things light while buttermilk does the heavy lifting for moisture.
  4. I gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring gently just until combined overmixing makes for tough donuts, so I stop as soon as I don't see streaks of flour. Then I scoop the batter into a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off, and pipe it into each donut cavity until it's about three-quarters full.
  5. I slide the pan into the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, checking that the donuts spring back lightly when I press them. Baking instead of frying is what makes this one of the easiest donut recipe options out there, since there's no hot oil to manage. I let them rest in the pan for two minutes before moving on.
  6. Once the donuts have set a bit, I transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling all the way. This step matters more than people think warm donuts will melt the icing right off instead of holding a nice glossy coat.
  7. While the donuts cool, I whisk powdered sugar, vanilla paste, and milk in a bowl until smooth. If it looks too thin, I add a touch more powdered sugar; if it's too thick to dip easily, a splash of more milk fixes it right up.
  8. Once the donuts are fully cool, I dip the tops into the icing, letting the extra drip back into the bowl before setting them frosting-side up on the rack. While the icing is still wet, I press two candy eyes onto each one so they stick in place, then let everything set for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

  • I always make sure my donuts are completely cool before dipping, or the icing slides right off instead of setting.
  • I like using a piping bag instead of spooning the batter in it's so much neater and keeps the donut shapes even.
  • If I only have a regular-size donut pan on hand, I bake a bit longer, about 16 to 20 minutes, and keep an eye on them near the end.
  • I keep a spare bag of candy eyes nearby because kids (and honestly, me too) love adding extra for a funnier look.
  • I test my icing consistency with one donut first before dipping the whole batch, just to make sure it's not too runny.