Kaylee has been really into baking lately and loves helping in the kitchen. We tried the Easy-Bake oven a few times, but the results never felt right — the texture is odd and it takes too long. I wanted to create a small-batch baking project she could genuinely participate in from start to finish, so we settled on mini doughnuts.
First up: mini doughnuts!
I found a mini doughnut pan at Hobby Lobby marked $9.99 and picked it up with a coupon for $5.99. Each pan makes 12 mini doughnuts, and we used the pan’s recipe as our starting point with great results. The small size keeps baking times short and gives kids quick feedback, which is perfect when baking with little helpers.
While the doughnuts baked, I suggested a tea party. Kaylee ran to the toy room to gather her things and set the table all by herself, which made the activity feel extra special.
After the doughnuts cooled, we dipped them in a simple glaze. We warmed store-bought frosting in the microwave 10 seconds at a time until it reached a thin, dip-able consistency, then dunked the doughnuts and let them set on a cooling rack. Kaylee loved adding sprinkles. We paired the treats with a batch of pink lemonade and the tea party was ready.
There were a couple of small tantrums because her brothers weren’t as keen on the tea-party vibe and mostly wanted to grab doughnuts. Even so, the activity was enjoyable overall, and Kaylee did a wonderful job arranging everything.
Mini Doughnuts
You can bake these in a mini doughnut pan or in a mini muffin pan and dip the finished muffins in glaze. They’re quick, kid-friendly, and tasty.
Ingredients:
1 ¼ cups cake flour, sifted
½ cup sugar
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 ½ tablespoons melted butter
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Spray the doughnut pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Add the buttermilk, egg, and melted butter, stirring until just combined. Spoon the batter into each doughnut cup about halfway full.
Bake 4–6 minutes, or until the tops spring back when touched. Let the doughnuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing. Finish with glaze and sprinkles as desired.
Makes about 24 mini doughnuts (our batch yielded 36, which can happen depending on how full you fill the pans).
Lemon Doughnuts
To make lemon doughnuts, omit the nutmeg and add ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest. Mix and bake following the instructions above for a bright citrus flavor.
Vanilla Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract (clear vanilla keeps the glaze bright)
In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until the sugar is fully dissolved and the glaze is smooth. Use immediately to dip or drizzle over the doughnuts.
These mini doughnuts make a fun project to do with kids: simple measurements, short bake times, and an easy decorating step that gives little ones ownership of the final result. Enjoy baking and sharing them at your next tea party or snack time.