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My 4-ingredient baked donut holes are deliciously fluffy and so easy to customize. No yeast, long rest times, or fryer oil needed!
Love homemade donut recipes? Try my healthy donuts, blueberry donuts, mochi donuts, and protein donuts next.
Whether you call them donut holes, Munchkins (Dunkin’ Donuts), or Timbits (Tim Hortons), my soft and fluffy donut holes recipe features everything you love about regular-sized donuts, but bite sized. And without needing yeast or deep fryer oil, they’re done and ready to enjoy for a sneaky breakfast or wholesome dessert.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- No yeast or frying. Unlike classic donut holes, my version is easy to make with yeast-free dough and is baked rather than deep fried.
- Only four ingredients! All you need is flour, yogurt, powdered sugar, and milk. The dough itself is essentially my greek yogurt dough except using vanilla yogurt instead of plain.
- Easy, flexible, and fun. My base recipe makes a handful of old-fashioned glazed donut holes. Enjoy them as-is, or have fun with the flavors! There are plenty of customization ideas to play with in the Variations section below.
Ingredients needed
- Self rising flour. Make a batch of my homemade self rising flour before starting the donut holes. It’s a simple mix of flour, baking powder, and salt, that you can keep in your cupboard at all times.
- Vanilla yogurt. For moisture and flavor and to help the dough bind together.
- Powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar). This is used to make and sweeten the glaze.
- Milk. To thin out the glaze. Feel free to use plant milk instead of whole milk to make this recipe dairy-free.
- Vanilla. Optional, but add a dash of vanilla extract if you like a vanilla glaze.
How to make donut holes
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Make the dough. Combine the flour and yogurt and mix until smooth.
Step 2 – Knead and shape. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, then knead it a few times until it smoothes out. Shape into 12 balls of dough.
Step 3- Bake. Transfer the dough balls to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until they’re golden.
Step 4- Glaze. Combine the powdered sugar and milk to form a glaze. Dip each donut hole in the glaze, rolling them around with two forks to ensure they’re fully coated.
Arman’s recipe tips
- If your dough is too wet, stir in 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until it’s easier to work with.
- If the dough is dry or crumbly, add 1 tablespoon of yogurt at a time until it comes together.
- Try not to overmix or over-knead the dough, as this can make the donut bites dense.
- Watch the donut holes carefully at the 10-minute mark. You’ll know they’re ready when they’re golden brown on the sides and bounce back when you touch them.
- For more golden and tender donuts, brush the shaped dough balls with an egg wash or some melted butter before baking.
Flavor variations
You can make the donut holes of your dreams by experimenting with the flavors in the dough and the decorations. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Chocolate. Fold ¼ cup of cocoa powder into the dough.
- Jelly-filled. Fill a piping bag with your favorite flavor of jelly or jam, then stick the tip in each donut hole and squeeze until it’s filled or feels slightly heavier in your hand.
- Blueberry. Fold ½ cup of fresh blueberries and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest into the dough.
- Protein donut holes. Fold ¼ cup of your favorite protein powder into the dough.
- Cinnamon sugar. Roll the donut holes in a mix of 3/4 cup of white sugar (or the granulated sweetener of your choice) and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon as soon as they come out of the oven.
Storage instructions
To store: Keep the baked and glazed doughnut holes in an airtight container at room temperature. Make sure to eat them within two days. To keep them for up to 5 days, store them in the refrigerator.
To freeze: You can freeze the donuts without the glaze in a sealed container or bag for up to 6 months.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! Swap out the self-rising flour for a gluten-free self-rising flour. I have successfully used Dove’s Farm brand.
Yes, you can. Instead of shaping them into balls of dough, shape them into a donut shape and make 6 instead of 12. Bake for an extra 5-6 minutes and double the glaze. I’d also suggest adding 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup to compensate for the extra size.
More sweet breakfast treats
- Chocolate peanut butter smoothie
- Blueberry cinnamon rolls
- Air fryer French toast
- Breakfast cheesecake
4-Ingredient Donut Holes
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup self rising flour
- 6.5 ounces vanilla yogurt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk or as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour with vanilla yogurt until completely combined and a thick dough remains.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured kitchen surface and knead several times. Roll it out into a rectangular shape and chop it up into bite sized pieces. Using your hands, roll the dough into 12-15 small balls.
- Transfer the balls of dough onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden around the sides. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly.
- While the donut holes are cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar with milk until a thick glaze remains.
- Dip each donut hole in the glaze ensuring each one is fully coated. Place them on a lined plate to firm them up.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published April 2023, updated and republished August 2024
For fall I made these with a small can of pumpkin puree with the pie spices already in it.. I added a little sugar for sweetness and rolled them in cinnamon sugar. It was something I saw on a blog and I looked here for your ideas which are always delicious: )
I am definitely making these being they are low carb. I like the idea of no frying. Thanks for all your great recipes.
Thanks my friend
This looks very easy to make. I will make but without sugar as vanilla yoghurt is sweet on its
Own
I love your variety of recipes
do i fill the donuts with the jam filling before or after i bake them?
After you bake them!
Can you deep fry them in oil?
You sure can!
I’m wondering if powdered sugar in the dough may be replaced with muscovado (raw brown) sugar for a twist. Any comment or suggestion is gratefully appreciated in advance. Cheers y’all.
I haven’t tried, but I don’t see it dissolving well.
I see. Thanks a lot for your prompt and kind response and; …Happy Easter Sunday !!!.
What could substitute for the yogurt? Non dairy yogurt?
absolutely!