These raspberry donuts are made with a slack yeast dough that yields tender, fluffy baked jam donuts. Instead of holes, each donut has a small indent filled with raspberry jam, and a raspberry sugar topping finishes them. This recipe yields 12 baked yeast donuts in about 1 hour.
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Is it raspberry donuts or raspberry doughnuts? Both are used, but “donuts” has become the common, shorter form. While my family enjoys baked cake-style donuts, I wanted to create a soft baked yeast donut with jam and a bright raspberry sugar coating.
This dough is a slack, slightly sticky yeast dough—wet and pliable. I include tips below for handling it without frustration. If you prefer a different flavor, you could swap in raspberries for blueberries in a blueberry crumb donut recipe.
🍩 ingredient notes and substitutions
I tested this recipe multiple times, starting from a filled-donut recipe and then adjusting until the texture was light and tender. I finally adapted a quick roll recipe I’ve used for years and arrived at this version. Here are helpful notes on key ingredients.
Flour — I tested both bread flour and all-purpose flour. The all-purpose version produced the most popular result with my testers.
Yeast — Use active dry yeast and bloom it in the warm wet ingredients before adding the rest. I haven’t tested instant yeast.
Milk — I use 1% milk in testing. Using 2% or whole milk will give a richer dough. For a dairy-free option, you can substitute water.
Flavor — Pure vanilla extract plus a pinch of nutmeg add a gentle warmth and sweetness to the dough.
Jam — Use your preferred raspberry jam, either store-bought or homemade. If you dislike seeds, choose a seedless jam.
Freeze-dried raspberries — Optional, but they add a lovely color and texture to the sugar topping. Crush 5–6 with your fingers for the topping.
🥣 step-by-step instructions
Add warm milk, oil, sugar, and active dry yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer and stir to combine. Let the mixture rest for 15 minutes until bubbly.
When the yeast is bubbly, add 1 3/4 cups of the flour, the egg, vanilla, nutmeg, and kosher salt.
Knead with the dough hook until combined, then gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup flour. Continue kneading until the dough is soft and smooth, about 5 minutes. The dough will remain sticky.
While the dough kneads, line a baking pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400°F. Turn the sticky dough onto a lightly floured counter using a plastic bench knife or scraper. Flour your hands (or lightly spray with non-stick spray) to handle the dough.
Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Using floured hands, shape each piece into a ball and place on the prepared pan. Let the donuts rest 15–20 minutes.
Using a tablespoon, press an indent into the center of each donut and add about 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam. Work one donut at a time to keep the shape steady.
Bake for about 8 minutes in the preheated oven. If using an instant-read thermometer, the center should register around 190°F when done.
Let the donuts cool for 5 minutes while you prepare the topping.
👩🏻🍳 tips for working with this yeast donut dough
This dough is intentionally wet, similar to focaccia dough. A plastic bench scraper makes moving and dividing the dough much easier. Flour your hands lightly while shaping to prevent sticking, or use a quick spray of non-stick cooking spray.
If the tablespoon sticks when you press indents, dip it briefly in granulated sugar to help release it cleanly.
Prefer a filled donut?
Do not press an indent or add jam before baking. Bake the donuts shaped as round balls. After they cool 5–10 minutes, brush with the sugar glaze (you may want to double the glaze), roll in the raspberry sugar, then fill from the side using a piping bag and tip to inject jam into the center.
🫙 how to store
These raspberry donuts are best enjoyed fresh. The jam adds moisture that shortens their storage life. If you have leftovers, lightly cover and keep at room temperature for up to one day.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me @twosugarbugs on Instagram if you make these Baked Raspberry Donuts. It makes my day to see your photos — happy baking!
If you make this recipe (or any recipe from two sugar bugs), please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating. I read every comment and love hearing from you!
📖 recipe
Baked Raspberry Donuts with Yeast
recipe created and tested by:
Tasia Harper
Using weight (metric) measurements when available gives more accurate results.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup warm milk (100–110°F) — 120 mL
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil — 30 mL
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar — 38 g
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour — 219 g (plus 1/4 cup / 31 g, divided)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup raspberry jam — ~80 g
Raspberry sugar topping
- 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar — 8 g
- 1–2 teaspoons water
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar — 50 g
- 6 freeze-dried raspberries, crushed
Instructions
- Add warm milk (1/2 cup / 120 mL), oil (2 tbsp / 30 mL), sugar (3 tbsp / 38 g) and active dry yeast (1 tbsp) to the bowl of a stand mixer and stir to combine. Allow to rest 15 minutes until bubbly.
- When bubbly, add 1 3/4 cups (219 g) of the flour, egg, vanilla (1 tsp), nutmeg (1/2 tsp) and kosher salt (1/2 tsp). Using a dough hook on low–medium speed, knead until combined. Slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup (31 g) flour and knead until the dough is soft and smooth, about 5 minutes. The dough will be sticky.
- While kneading, line a baking pan with parchment and preheat oven to 400°F.
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Use a bench scraper if needed. Flour your hands and divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape each into a ball and place on the prepared pan. Rest 15–20 minutes.
- Use a tablespoon to press an indent into each donut and fill with about 1 teaspoon raspberry jam. Work one donut at a time; if the spoon sticks, dip it in granulated sugar.
- Bake about 8 minutes, until the centers reach roughly 190°F. Let cool 5 minutes.
- For the raspberry sugar topping: whisk confectioners’ sugar (1 tbsp / 8 g) with 1–2 tsp water to make a glaze. In a separate bowl, combine granulated sugar (1/4 cup / 50 g) with crushed freeze-dried raspberries.
- Brush each donut edge with the glaze, then roll the edges in the raspberry sugar mixture. Serve immediately.
Notes
*I used 1% milk for testing, but 2% or whole milk will make a richer dough. Water works for a dairy-free swap.
**For filled donuts, skip pressing indents and jam before baking. Bake the donuts as round balls, cool 5–10 minutes, brush with glaze, roll in sugar, then pipe jam into the side to fill.
The dough is very sticky—resist adding excess flour or the donuts will be dry. Use a bench scraper and floured hands to form balls.
Because of the jam, these donuts don’t store well. If you have leftovers, lightly cover and keep at room temperature up to one day.
Recipe adapted from Real Mom Kitchen’s 30 minute rolls.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 donut — Calories: 150 kcal — Carbohydrates: 27 g — Protein: 3 g — Fat: 3 g — Sugar: 12 g
Nutrition is an estimate and may vary based on brands and portion sizes.
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