Vegan Maple-Glazed Doughnuts: Soft, Fluffy & Irresistible

Vegan glazed doughnuts — egg- and dairy-free fried ring doughnuts that are incredibly light and fluffy. Topped with a vanilla glaze, they’re irresistibly similar to a Krispy Kreme.

I’ve wanted to make vegan glazed doughnuts for a while, and after some testing I’m happy to say this version works beautifully. They turn out feather-light, airy and soft, with a texture that really delivers on that classic glazed doughnut experience.

The secret to the texture is the tangzhong method. It sounds technical but is very simple: you cook a small portion of flour with non-dairy milk (or water) into a thick paste, cool it, then incorporate it into the dough. Tangzhong helps retain moisture and keeps the doughnuts soft for longer — it’s a favourite technique for making tender bread and enriched doughs.

The doughnuts are finished with a simple vanilla glaze. I prefer using vegan block butter for a richer flavour, though you can make the glaze using just icing sugar, non-dairy milk and vanilla if you like. Alternatively, roll them in cinnamon sugar or use a chocolate glaze for variety.

This is a detailed guide because making doughnuts can be unfamiliar if you haven’t done it before. Read through the tips and the step-by-step photos to make the process straightforward — or skip to the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.

How To Make Vegan Glazed Doughnuts:

(For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)

*For best results use the gram measurements with a digital scale. Cup measures are less accurate for baking.*

Ideally prepare the dough the day before frying and allow it to rise in the fridge overnight. You can make them the same day, but a slow, cold rise improves flavour and makes the chilled dough easier to roll. These doughnuts are at their best the day they are made; homemade doughnuts stale quickly, so serve them fresh.

To make the tangzhong, whisk plain flour into non-dairy milk in a small pan until smooth, then heat over medium while whisking constantly until thickened to a paste-like consistency. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl, and cover the surface with clingfilm or baking parchment to prevent a skin forming. Let it cool completely before using.

Once cooled, add the tangzhong to a mix of plain and white bread flours, caster sugar, salt and instant yeast. Using half plain and half bread flour gives a balanced texture — all plain can be too soft and all bread flour can be too chewy, but either will work if needed.

Add softened vegan block butter (not a spread), non-dairy milk (soy works best, but other unsweetened milks are fine), and a cornflour (cornstarch) slurry (2 tbsp cornflour mixed with about 3 tbsp water) to replace the binding function eggs usually provide. Mix until the dough comes together and no lumps of butter remain, then knead on high speed in a stand mixer for 5–10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky — avoid adding extra flour, which will make the final doughnuts heavy.

If you don’t have a stand mixer you can knead by hand on an unfloured surface, but expect the sticky dough to take longer and require patience. Place the kneaded dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight. If preferred, allow it to rise at room temperature for 1–2 hours until doubled, though the chilled dough performs better.

The next day, remove the dough from the fridge, punch it down, knead briefly to release air, and roll out on a lightly floured surface to roughly 1 cm thickness. The rings will puff up considerably when fried, so keep them relatively thin.

Use a 7 cm (about 2.75 in) cutter for the outer circle and a 3.5 cm (about 1.4 in) cutter for the center hole. Dip cutters in flour to prevent sticking. Note: this dough works best for ring doughnuts only — it’s too light to hold filled or hole-less shapes and will likely collapse or become hollow if used for those styles.

Gather scraps, knead together once and re-roll to cut more rings; avoid re-rolling more than once to prevent tough doughnuts. Arrange each ring on a square of baking parchment spaced on a tray, widen the hole slightly by spinning the dough around a finger, cover loosely and let rise for 30–45 minutes until puffy.

While the dough rings proof, make the glaze. Melt vegan butter over low heat, place sifted icing sugar in a wide bowl, stir in melted butter and vanilla, then whisk in warm non-dairy milk a little at a time until you have a thick but pourable glaze. Keep it warm or gently reheat if it firms up before use.

Heat oil in a deep fryer or large pan to 180°C / 350°F. Transfer each doughnut on its square of parchment into the hot oil using a spatula, then lift the paper away with tongs — this prevents the rings from distorting. Fry up to three at a time for about one minute per side until golden. Doughnut holes take around 30 seconds per side. Use a slotted spoon to drain them on kitchen paper.

While still warm, dip each doughnut into the glaze and place on a wire rack over a tray to catch drips. Doughnut holes can be glazed or rolled in cinnamon sugar.

Can I Make These Vegan Glazed Doughnuts In Advance?

No. They are best eaten the day they are made. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and briefly refreshed in the microwave for 10 seconds the next day. After that they lose quality and are better used in recipes like bread pudding.

Can I Freeze Them?

Yes. Once cooked and fully cooled, freeze in a single layer on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag. Store for up to a couple of months. Defrost at room temperature and refresh in the microwave for 10 seconds before serving.

If you prefer filled doughnuts instead of rings, there’s a separate recipe for vegan jam doughnuts you can try, or fill these with custard or jam after frying.

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