Description

Classic Valentine’s Day Strawberry Donuts are light, fluffy, and bursting with fresh strawberry flavor. These homemade baked donuts feature a tender crumb enriched with juicy strawberries and are topped with a smooth powdered sugar glaze. Perfect for a romantic breakfast or delightful treat, they’re easy to make and irresistibly delicious.

Ingredients

Scale

For the donuts:

1.5 tbsp butter (unsalted, Kerrygold recommended)
1 cup sugar
1 egg (room temperature, about 70°F)
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup cake flour (preferably King Arthur)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup strawberries (hulled and diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

For the glaze:

1.5 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
2–3 tbsp milk

Instructions

Prepare strawberries and oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Hull and dice strawberries into 1/4-inch pieces, then pulse them in a food processor until chunky but not fully smooth to maintain texture.
Cream butter and sugar: In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar together for about 2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy, incorporating air for a tender donut crumb.
Add egg and vanilla: Add the room temperature egg and beat for about 1 minute until fully combined and pale in color. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Mix wet ingredients: Add buttermilk and the pulsed strawberries, folding gently to keep strawberry pieces intact and evenly distributed without overmixing.
Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground nutmeg to evenly distribute the leavening agents and seasoning.
Combine wet and dry mixtures: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. The batter should be thick with visible strawberry pieces. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough donuts.
Pipe batter into tin: Transfer batter to a piping bag, snip about 1/2 inch off the tip, and lightly grease a donut tin. Pipe batter into donut cavities about halfway full to allow for rising.
Bake the donuts: Bake in the preheated oven at 400°F for 7-8 minutes until tops are set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Donuts should be light golden and spring back when touched.
Cool the donuts: Let donuts cool in the tin for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare the glaze: Sift powdered sugar to remove lumps. Mix with 2-3 tablespoons of milk until smooth. Dip cooled donuts in glaze or drizzle as desired.

Notes

Use room temperature egg to ensure a better rise and lighter texture.
Do not overmix the batter to keep the donuts tender and prevent gluten development.
Chunky strawberry pieces in the batter add bursts of flavor, so avoid pureeing strawberries completely smooth.
Lightly grease the donut tin to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal.
Monitor baking time closely; overbaking can dry out the donuts.
Allow donuts to cool completely before glazing to prevent melting the glaze.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Valentine's Day, Strawberry Donuts, Baked Donuts, Dessert, Strawberry Recipe, Sweet Treat