Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta (Best & Easiest Recipe)

Raspberry Cheesecake Donuts: Your New Favorite Baked Treat

Let me tell you about the day my classic donut recipe got a makeover. I had leftover cream cheese and a jar of my grandma’s raspberry jam staring at me from the fridge. One happy experiment later, these Raspberry Cheesecake Donuts were born! They’re the perfect marriage of fluffy baked donut, tangy fruit, and creamy topping. Trust me, these disappear faster than you can say “seconds, please!”

A Sweet Bite of History: From Fair Food to Home Kitchen

The donut has a wonderful American history. Did you know the ring shape might have been invented so the dough cooks evenly? Cheesecake, of course, dates back to ancient Greece! My recipe brings these two classics together for a modern, home-baked treat. It skips the deep fryer for a simpler oven-baked method. This makes them feel just a little bit special, yet totally doable for a weekend breakfast or a fun baking project with kids.

Why You’ll Absolutely Adore This Donut Recipe

First, your house will smell like a dreamy bakery. Second, the texture is pure magic—light and cakey donuts crowned with a luscious, no-bake cheesecake swirl. The raspberry jam gives a gorgeous pink marbled effect and a bright, fruity zing that cuts through the richness. Best of all, they look like you bought them from a fancy shop, but the process is wonderfully straightforward. It’s a guaranteed smile-maker.

When to Whip Up These Cheesecake Donuts

These donuts are little celebration clouds! They’re perfect for a weekend brunch with friends, a sweet Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day surprise, or as the standout treat at a baby or bridal shower. I love packing them for a special picnic dessert. Honestly, any Tuesday afternoon could use a pick-me-up like this, too. No occasion needed!

Gathering Your Donut Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make about 6-8 delicious donuts:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup raspberry jam (plus extra for garnish)

Handy Substitution Options

No worries if you’re missing something! Here are easy swaps:

• Flour: Use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend for a GF version.
• Milk: Any milk works—almond, oat, or soy milk are great.
• Raspberry Jam: Try strawberry, blackberry, or apricot preserves.
• Cream Cheese: Full-fat gives the best texture, but reduced-fat works in a pinch.
• Butter: For a dairy-free option, use a plant-based butter alternative.

How to Make Raspberry Cheesecake Donuts

Follow these simple steps for perfect, gorgeous donuts every single time.

Step 1: Preheat and Prep

Start by heating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grab your donut pan and give each cavity a good spray with non-stick baking spray. This is the boring but essential step that guarantees your donuts will pop right out later. While the oven warms up, gather all your ingredients. This “mise en place” makes the whole process smooth and fun.

Step 2: Whisk the Dry Goods

In a medium bowl, take your flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Give them a thorough whisk together. You’ll see the baking powder dancing through the flour. This aerates the dry mix and ensures your leavening is evenly distributed. This is the secret to a uniform, tender crumb in your final baked donuts.

Step 3: Cream the Wet Ingredients

In a separate, larger bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar. Use a hand mixer or a strong whisk. You want it to become pale, fluffy, and creamy. This takes about 2 minutes. Next, crack in the egg and add the vanilla. Mix until the egg is fully incorporated and the batter looks silky. The vanilla scent starts to bloom here.

Pro tip: Your butter should be soft to the touch but not melted. This creates the perfect base for a light texture.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry

Now, we marry the two bowls. Add about one-third of your flour mixture to the butter bowl. Mix on low speed until just combined. Then, pour in half of the milk. Mix again. Repeat, alternating dry and wet ingredients, starting and ending with the flour. Stop mixing the moment you see no more dry streaks. A few small lumps are okay! Overmixing makes tough donuts.

Step 5: Fill the Pan

You can spoon the batter into the pan, but I find using a piping bag or a ziplock bag with a corner snipped off is the cleanest method. Fill each donut cavity about two-thirds of the way full. If you overfill, the donuts will lose their classic hole-in-the-middle shape as they bake and rise. Leave a little room for them to puff up into perfect rings.

Step 6: Bake to Golden Perfection

Slide the pan into your preheated oven. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. The donuts are ready when they spring back lightly when touched, and a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out clean. They’ll be a lovely light golden brown around the edges. The sweet, cakey smell will tell you they’re done, too!

Step 7: Cool Completely

This is the test of patience! Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then, gently loosen them and transfer to a wire rack. They must cool completely before you add the topping. If the donuts are even slightly warm, the creamy cheesecake mixture will melt and slide right off. Let them enjoy their beauty rest.

Step 8: Make the Dreamy Topping

While the donuts cool, make the magic. In a clean bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar together until completely smooth and lump-free. Now, take your raspberry jam. You can gently fold it in for a marbled effect, or swirl it more vigorously for an even pink topping. The color is just beautiful!

Chef’s tip: For an extra smooth piping experience, you can give the mixture a quick whip with a hand mixer after adding the jam.

Step 9: Top and Garnish

The fun part! Spread the raspberry cheesecake mixture onto the cooled donuts with a knife or offset spatula. For a truly professional look, spoon the topping into a piping bag fitted with a star or round tip and pipe a generous swirl on each donut. Feel free to add a tiny extra dollop of jam or a fresh raspberry on top for a stunning finish.

Your Raspberry Donut Timeline

This recipe is wonderfully quick from bowl to bliss!

• Prep Time: 20 minutes (including making the topping)
• Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
• Cooling Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: About 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 6-8 donuts
• Kcal: Approximately 200 per donut

The Secret to the Fluffiest Baked Donuts

My biggest secret? Do not overmix the batter. When combining wet and dry ingredients, mix only until you no longer see streaks of flour. A few lumps are perfectly fine. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, leading to dense, tough donuts instead of the light, tender cake we’re after. Think gentle folds, not vigorous beating.

A Fun Fact About Donuts

The classic ring donut shape has a practical origin! Some say a New England sea captain, Hanson Gregory, poked a hole in the center of his fried dough so it could cook more evenly. Others believe the shape was invented to solve the problem of a gooey, uncooked center. Either way, we’re thankful for that hole—it’s the perfect place for delicious toppings to perch!

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

You don’t need fancy equipment for these donuts.

• Standard donut pan (6 or 12 cavity)
• Two mixing bowls (one medium, one large)
• Whisk and hand mixer (or a strong arm and a whisk!)
• Spatula
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Wire cooling rack
• Piping bag or ziplock bag (optional but helpful)

Storing Your Raspberry Cheesecake Donuts

Because of the cream cheese topping, these donuts need to be stored in the refrigerator. Place them in a single layer in an airtight container. If you need to stack them, place a sheet of parchment paper between the layers to protect the pretty topping. They will keep well for up to 2-3 days in the fridge.

For longer storage, you can freeze the un-topped baked donuts. Let them cool completely, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then make your fresh cheesecake topping and add it before serving.

I do not recommend freezing the donuts with the cheesecake topping already on, as the texture of the cream cheese can become watery and grainy upon thawing. Fresh is always best with this creamy component!

My Best Tips for Donut Success

• Ensure all your refrigerated ingredients (milk, egg, cream cheese, butter) are at room temperature. This helps everything blend smoothly without overmixing.
• For easy filling, transfer your donut batter to a large piping bag or a sturdy ziplock bag. Snip off a corner and pipe it neatly into the pan—no mess!
• If your raspberry jam is very thick or has large chunks of fruit, give it a quick stir or warm it slightly to make it easier to fold into the cream cheese.
• Want a stronger raspberry flavor? After baking and cooling, you can gently poke a few holes in the top of each donut and brush them with a little warmed raspberry jam before adding the cheesecake topping.

Pretty Presentation Ideas

Make these donuts look spectacular with these simple touches:

• Drizzle with a simple white chocolate glaze after adding the cheesecake swirl.
• Top each donut with a single perfect fresh raspberry and a tiny mint leaf.
• For a festive look, sprinkle with freeze-dried raspberry powder or pink sanding sugar.
• Serve them on a beautiful cake stand or a rustic wooden board for a brunch spread.

6 Fun Variations to Try

Love this recipe? Mix it up with one of these delicious twists!

1. Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Donuts: Add 1 tsp lemon zest to the batter. Use blueberry jam in the topping and garnish with a lemon curl.
2. Chocolate Strawberry Donuts: Add 2 tbsp cocoa powder to the dry ingredients. Use strawberry jam and garnish with a chocolate drizzle.
3. Glazed Pumpkin Spice Donuts: Add 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice to the batter. Skip the cheesecake topping and dip cooled donuts in a simple vanilla or maple glaze.
4. Nutella Swirl Donuts: Swirl 2 tbsp of Nutella into the batter before baking. Top with a simple hazelnut cream cheese frosting.
5. Apple Cider Donuts: Reduce milk to 1/4 cup and add 1/4 cup reduced apple cider to the wet ingredients. Add 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Roll warm donuts in cinnamon sugar.
6. Triple Berry Bliss Donuts: Use a mix of raspberry, blackberry, and strawberry jam in the topping. Garnish with a mix of fresh berries.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these simple pitfalls for perfect donuts every time.

Mistake 1: Overmixing the Batter

This is the number one reason baked donuts turn out dense and tough. When you mix flour with liquid and stir it too much, you develop gluten. That’s great for bread, but not for tender cake donuts. Mix your wet and dry ingredients only until the flour disappears. A few small lumps are absolutely fine. They will bake out perfectly.

Mistake 2: Adding Topping to Warm Donuts

I know it’s tempting to frost them right out of the oven! But patience is key here. If the donuts are even slightly warm, the creamy cheesecake topping will melt, slide off, and make a mess. Let them cool completely on a wire rack. The wait ensures a beautiful, stable swirl that looks and tastes amazing.

Mistake 3: Overfilling the Donut Pan

It’s easy to think “more batter, bigger donut!” But if you fill the cavities more than about two-thirds full, the batter will rise and bake over the center hole. You’ll end up with muffin tops instead of defined donut rings. Less is more here! You can always bake a second batch with any leftover batter.

Mistake 4: Using Cold Cream Cheese

Hard, cold cream cheese straight from the fridge will not blend smoothly. You’ll end up with a lumpy topping that’s difficult to pipe or spread. Take the cream cheese out at least 30 minutes before you start. Softened cheese blends into a silky, dreamy consistency with the powdered sugar, creating that perfect cheesecake texture.

Your Raspberry Donut Questions, Answered!

Can I make these donuts without a donut pan?

Yes, you can! If you don’t have a donut pan, you have a couple of options. You can use a muffin tin, filling each cup only halfway to make muffin-top style “donut cakes.” Alternatively, you can roll the thick batter into balls and bake them on a parchment-lined sheet for “donut holes.” The baking time may need to be adjusted by a few minutes, so keep an eye on them. They’re just as delicious without the classic ring shape!

Can I use frozen raspberries instead of jam?

You can, but it requires an extra step. Thaw and drain frozen raspberries very well, then mash or puree them. You’ll likely need to cook them down with a little sugar to thicken them into a jam-like consistency, as fresh fruit will make the topping too runny. Using a good-quality jam is the easiest way to guarantee the right texture and concentrated flavor for the filling.

How far in advance can I make these?

For the absolute best taste and texture, I recommend assembling the donuts the same day you plan to serve them. However, you can bake the donut bases a day ahead. Store them unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature. Make the cheesecake topping fresh the next day and assemble just before serving. This keeps the topping bright and fresh.

Can I make the batter the night before?

I don’t recommend it. The baking powder in the batter begins to activate as soon as it gets wet. Letting the batter sit overnight will cause it to lose its leavening power. Your donuts will bake up dense and flat instead of light and fluffy. For the best rise, mix your batter right before you’re ready to fill the pan and bake.

My topping is too runny. How can I fix it?

If your cheesecake topping seems too soft to hold a shape, it’s likely because the cream cheese was too warm or the jam was very liquidy. Pop the whole bowl of topping into the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to firm up. You can also add a tiny bit more powdered sugar, a teaspoon at a time, to help thicken it. Be careful not to add too much, or it will become overly sweet.

Can I use a different type of cheese for the topping?

The classic, tangy flavor of cream cheese is what makes this a “cheesecake” topping. Mascarpone cheese could be used for a richer, milder flavor, but it is softer. If using mascarpone, you may need less liquid (like jam) or a bit more powdered sugar to achieve a pipeable consistency. I would not recommend using other cheeses like ricotta, as the texture and flavor won’t be the same.

Are these donuts freezer-friendly?

Yes, but with a caveat. The baked and cooled donut bases freeze beautifully for up to 2 months. Wrap them tightly. The cheesecake topping does not freeze well

Why did my donuts stick to the pan?

This usually means the pan wasn’t greased well enough. Even non-stick pans benefit from a light coating of baking spray or butter. Make sure you get into every nook and cranny of the ring shape. Also, allow the donuts to cool in the pan for just 5 minutes before trying to remove them. This short rest lets them set, making them less likely to break apart when you take them out.

Can I make these vegan or dairy-free?

You can certainly try! Use a plant-based butter and milk (like almond or soy). For the egg, a “flax egg” (1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 2.5 tbsp water, left to gel for 5 mins) often works well in cake-style donuts. For the topping, use a vegan cream cheese alternative and ensure your powdered sugar is vegan-friendly. The results may vary slightly in texture, but will still be tasty.

What’s the best way to pipe the topping?

For a gorgeous, bakery-style swirl, use a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip (like a Wilton 1M). Fill the bag with your cheesecake mixture and pipe a circular swirl starting from the outside edge of the donut, moving inward. If you don’t have tips, simply snip a 1/2-inch opening off the corner of a ziplock bag. You can also just spread it on with a knife for a rustic, inviting look!

Ready to Bake Some Joy?

There you have it—my beloved recipe for Raspberry Cheesecake Donuts. They’re a little bit fancy but so simple to make. The moment you see that marbled pink topping on a fluffy golden donut, you’ll be so proud. These donuts are more than just a dessert; they’re a little act of kitchen love. So preheat that oven, grab your donut pan, and get ready to make someone’s day (even if that someone is you!). Happy baking!