Glazed Lemon Donuts
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These Glazed Lemon Donuts are sweet, zesty, and impossibly easy thanks to pre-made biscuit dough! Fried until golden and topped with a homemade lemon glaze, they’re a quick shortcut to bakery-style flavor at home.
I love the zesty lemon flavor in dessert, if you do too, try my Lemon Crinkle Cookies and my easy Lemon Bundt.
Why this Recipe Works
This recipe is a keeper for its simplicity and speed, allowing anyone to make fresh, delicious donuts at home without the fuss of making dough from scratch.
- Convenience: The use of pre-made biscuit dough is a huge time-saver and eliminates the need for extensive baking knowledge or proofing time.
- Quick and Easy: With only a few ingredients and straightforward steps, you can have fresh, warm donuts in under an hour.
- Classic Comfort: It provides a simple method for achieving the flavor and texture of a classic fried donut, complete with a sweet, tangy glaze.
How Do I Know When the Oil is Ready?
Use a candy thermometer to ensure the oil reaches exactly 350°F. If the oil is too cool, the donuts will be greasy; if it’s too hot, they will burn on the outside and be raw on the inside.
Pro Tip for Lemon Glazed Doughnuts
Don’t overcrowd the pot — it drops the oil temp and affects texture
Ingredient Notes to Make Lemon Donuts
Only a few easy ingredient create a bright lemon flavor paired with biscuit dough which is a shortcut to sunshine in dessert form.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Pre-made Biscuit Dough: This is your shortcut to comfort. Soft, buttery, and ready to go, biscuit dough brings that homemade warmth without the fuss.
- Lemon Juice: Bright, tangy, and unmistakably fresh, lemon juice is the flavor lifeline of this recipe. It cuts through the richness of the biscuit dough and adds a zing that wakes up your taste buds. It’s what transforms a simple glaze into something vibrant and crave-worthy.
Variations and Substitutions for this Donut Recipe
- Dough: You can use other canned dough products like crescent rolls, or even from-scratch donut dough for a more traditional approach.
- Glaze Flavor: Instead of lemon, you can use other citrus juices (like orange or lime), vanilla extract, or almond extract to flavor the glaze.
- Toppings: Get creative with your toppings! Garnish with sprinkles, shredded coconut, chopped nuts, or even a light dusting of cinnamon sugar instead of the glaze.
Special Equipment Needed for Lemon Glazed Donuts
No need to use a donut pan. You do not need to bake donuts. You can fry the donut batter.
- Candy Thermometer: Crucial for accurately monitoring and maintaining the oil temperature during frying.
- Dutch Oven: A heavy-bottomed pot that holds heat well and is ideal for deep-frying.
- Cooling Rack: Essential for allowing excess oil to drip off the fried donuts and for setting the glaze.
How to Make Glazed Cake Donuts
I love how they come together fast but still feel special — no fancy ingredients, just a few steps and a whole lot of crispy, lemony goodness. Great for sharing
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Prep the Dough: Separate the biscuits and use a small cutter (or bottle cap) to punch out the centers — creating classic donut rings and mini donut holes. Let them rest at room temperature for 10–15 minutes while you heat the oil.
- Heat the Oil: Pour 2–3 inches of oil into a Dutch oven and heat to 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer to keep the temperature steady — too hot and they’ll burn, too cool and they’ll absorb oil.
- Fry the Donuts: Carefully lower a few donuts into the oil at a time. Fry for 1–2 minutes per side, until golden brown and puffed. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined tray.
- Make the Glaze: In a mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth. While donuts are still slightly warm, dip or drizzle with icing. Let set for a few minutes before serving.
Prep Ahead Suggestions for Easy Glazed Donuts
Due to the quick nature of this recipe, there isn’t much to prepare ahead of time. However, you can:
- Make the Lemon Glaze: Measure out your lemon juice and icing sugar. Sift the powdered sugar and mix the glaze before you begin frying to have it ready for dipping.
- Fry Station: Set up your frying station with the dutch oven, thermometer, and cooling rack ahead of time
Alternate Cooking Methods – Baked Lemon Donuts
To make these fluffy donuts, you can cook them several different ways, such as the ones below.
- Baking: To bake the donuts, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Air Fryer: Place the donuts in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 350°F for 4-5 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until they are golden brown.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftovers
- Storing: Donuts are best enjoyed fresh. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.
- Reheating: For a quick refresh, you can warm them in a microwave for 10-15 seconds. Be aware this may make the glaze slightly sticky.
- Using Leftovers: Day-old donuts can be cubed and used as a base for a sweet donut bread pudding, or layered with custard and fruit to make a delicious trifle.
Common Questions About These Donuts with Lemon
The donuts should be a uniform golden brown on both sides after frying for about one minute per side.
The glaze consistency can be adjusted by adding a tiny amount of liquid (lemon juice or milk) to thin it, or a little more powdered sugar to thicken it.
Yes, you can top with some lemon sugar coating or use lemon extract for the lemon lovers in your life.
Expert Tips for Making Delicious Lemon Donuts
These donuts are the best but you can make the donuts even better with these expert tips.
- Maintain Oil Temperature: Use the candy thermometer to keep the oil as close to 350°F as possible throughout the entire frying process.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Pot: Fry only one or two donuts at a time to prevent the oil temperature from dropping, which would result in greasy donuts.
- Adjust Glaze Consistency: For a thicker glaze, add a little more powdered sugar. For a thinner, runnier glaze, add a few more drops of lemon juice or milk.
- Use the Cooling Rack: Don’t skip the step of placing the donuts on a cooling rack. This allows air to circulate, preventing them from becoming soggy and helping the glaze to set properly.
- Cut Centers Neatly: Use a small cookie cutter or a bottle cap to get a clean hole in the center of the biscuit dough.
- Serve this recipe with: For a perfect brunch, try my Carrot Cake Waffles and my Apple Turnovers with Puff Pastry finish with Berry Fruit Salad.
More Recipes You Might Like
Lemon Glazed Donuts
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Biscuit Dough, 1 can
- 1 ½ cups Powdered Icing Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- Zest from 1 Lemon, optional
Instructions
- Place a cooling rack over a baking tray and set aside.
- Place your frying oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Use a candy thermometer to ensure you bring the oil to 350F.
- Cut out the center of each biscuit and then stretch the biscuit a bit to make the hole and biscuit donut wider – approximately by 1/2″.
- Once oil is hot, fry each donut individually for about 1 minute per side, until golden brown.
- Set each fried donut on the cooling rack to allow excess oil to drip off.
- Once all donuts have been fried, turn off the heat for the oil.
- Sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl.
- Whisk in the lemon juice and most of the zest from 1 lemon.
- Dip each donut into the lemon glaze, then place back on the cooling rack.
- If desired, garnish with additional lemon zest.
- Allow to sit until glaze is set, about 30 minutes.
Christina’s Notes
• For a golden crunch: Brush the biscuit dough lightly with melted butter before baking to mimic that fried donut texture.
Glaze Game: Double glaze for drama: Dip once, let set, then drizzle a second layer for a bakery-style finish.
• Zest sprinkle: After glazing, sprinkle a touch of fresh zest on top for
• Add: A pinch of cardamom or ginger to the glaze for a warm twist. Mix a drop of vanilla or almond extract into the dough for depth.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, scroll up on the page.
