Baked Eggnog Donuts—perfect Christmas donuts—are made from cake mix and finished with a quick eggnog glaze. They’re soft, cakey, and an easy holiday breakfast or sweet treat any time during the season. This simple recipe is family-friendly and comes together in minutes.
Table of Contents
- Ingredients
- How to Make Glazed Eggnog Donuts
- Cooking Time
- Variations
- How to Store
- Recipe
Our family loves eggnog—we drink it and use it in desserts like eggnog pie, mini pies, cheesecake, pancakes, and these easy cake mix donuts. These baked donuts are ideal for a festive breakfast: they’re quick to make, tender, and full of eggnog flavor. The kids made these for Christmas morning and the sprinkles add a cheerful touch.
Ingredients
Just a few simple ingredients:
- 1 box yellow or white cake mix
- 1 cup eggnog
- 2½ cups powdered sugar (for glaze)
- Optional: dash of nutmeg and cinnamon; holiday sprinkles
How to Make Glazed Eggnog Donuts
Combine the cake mix and eggnog in a large bowl. You can mix by hand with a spoon or use a mixer—the batter will be thick, which is expected.
Transfer the batter to a piping bag, pastry bag, or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off. Grease a donut pan with nonstick spray or butter, then pipe the batter into the cavities. You can spoon the batter in if you prefer, but piping is faster and neater.
Cooking Time
Bake the donuts at 400°F for about 8–10 minutes. While they bake, whisk together the glaze by combining powdered sugar with eggnog until smooth. A pinch of nutmeg in the glaze is nice but optional.
Let the donuts cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then remove them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cool, dip the tops in the eggnog glaze and return to the rack so the glaze can set. If you like, add festive sprinkles before the glaze firms up.
These homemade eggnog donuts are tender and full of holiday flavor—no need to visit a bakery. Serve them warm on Christmas morning or anytime during the season for a festive treat.
Variations
Try different toppings or finishes:
- Swap the glaze for a favorite frosting.
- Dust with cinnamon sugar or brown sugar.
- Top with crushed candy canes for a peppermint twist.
- Add food coloring to the glaze for themed donuts, or use chocolate chips and candies to create fun designs.
These donuts work in mini donut pans or as donut holes—adjust baking time accordingly.
How to Store
Store glazed donuts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. For best texture, bring to room temperature before serving.
Baked Eggnog Donuts (Christmas Donuts)
Equipment
-
donut pan
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 cup eggnog
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg optional
- dash cinnamon optional
Glaze
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
- 5 tablespoons eggnog
- dash nutmeg optional
Instructions
Donuts
-
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
-
Combine the cake mix and eggnog until the batter is thick.
-
Place batter in a piping bag or a zip-top bag and pipe into a greased donut pan.
-
Bake at 400°F for 8–10 minutes, until donuts spring back when pressed.
-
Let the donuts sit in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Glaze
-
Whisk powdered sugar and eggnog together until smooth; add a dash of nutmeg if desired.
-
Dip the cooled donut tops into the glaze, return to the rack, and let the glaze set. Add sprinkles while the glaze is still wet.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate.
Additional Info
Recipe first published in 2020 and updated in 2021.
I hope you enjoy this festive cake donut recipe—our family looks forward to these on Christmas morning, and I hope they become a favorite at your house too.
For more easy holiday recipes and morning treats, consider subscribing to the newsletter for new ideas and updates.
