Cranberry Orange Baked Doughnuts
Tart dried cranberries and tangy orange juice are added to this delicious baked doughnut. Cranberry Orange Baked Doughnuts are perfect for a cool fall morning.
Cranberry and orange are epic combinations. The tart cranberries and sweet orange juice bounce off each other to make a delicious pairing. I have no idea who first put these together. You know me, I’ve tried to find the history to share with you, but I can’t really pinpoint where it started.
All I know is that cranberries are combined with orange juice, zest, and even slices or segments. For me, it’s not the holiday season without seeing that combination in seasonal baked goods like quick breads, muffins, and even bagels! I remember having a delicious cranberry orange bagel at Einstein bagels. It’s one of the very few sweet bagels I enjoyed.
What are cranberries?
Cranberries are small, red berries that grow on evergreen shrubs in bogs. Native to North America, these tart berries are known for their vibrant color and uniquely tart flavor profile. They are popular in a variety of dishes like juices and drinks, salads and stuffings, and baked goods like muffins and cranberry orange doughnuts.
Cranberries are harvested in a unique way. Some might think that cranberries grow in water, but they don’t. That’s just how they’re harvested. The bogs are flooded with water the night before harvest. The harvesting machine goes through the bog and churns the water. Since cranberries have a pocket of air in them, they float the surface. The berries are corralled and then loaded onto trucks for cleaning and sorting.
Where do doughnuts come from?
The history doughnuts can be traced back to the early 17th century in the Manhattan. Originally called olykoeks which is Dutch for “oily cakes,” these sweet confections were made by frying dough in oil. In the 19th century, a ship captain’s mother made a delicious doughnut using the spices her son would bring home. The story goes that she would put a hazelnut or walnut in the center where the dough might not cook all the way through. Hence the “nut” part of the name.
Doughnuts did not really gain popularity until World War I. Women volunteers would fry them up and serve them to American soldiers in the trenches. It was a taste of home which they needed during the long war. This combined with the invention of the first doughnut machine in 1920 launched the popularity of this delicious pastry making it a staple in breakfast and snack food culture.
Doughnuts and donuts are the same thing. It’s sort of like the whole coke, pop, and soda debate. It really depends on where you grew up and what area you’re in. I use them interchangeably on my blog because to me, they’re the same thing.
Health Benefits of Baked Doughnuts Over Fried
I always opt for baked doughnuts at home. I don’t want to commit that much oil to making anything. We don’t traditionally fry anything. The air fryer is the only way we fry food lately. Baking doughnuts significantly reduces the amount of oil needed for the cooking process. This makes not only makes them lower in calories and fat but also makes them lighter and less greasy. This means you can eat more of these delicious cranberry orange doughnuts without much guilt.
Ingredients needed for these doughnuts
To create these delectable cranberry orange baked doughnuts, you will need simple and easily accessible ingredients that you probably have in your pantry or fridge.
Pantry – whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, cranberry jelly
Fridge – eggs, butter, cream, orange zest, milk
Instructions for these cranberry orange baked doughnuts
First, preheat the oven so it’s ready when you are. Then combine all the dry ingredients minus the in a large mixing bowl and stir with a whisk to break up any clumps. Next, whisk together the wet ingredients. Pour the liquid mixture into the flour mixture and stir until most of the flour clumps are combined but not all. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes and then fold in the dried cranberries.
Coat a doughnut pan with oil or cooking spray. Fill the wells 2/3 full. If you over fill them then you can make thumbprint style doughnuts like these banana thumbprint donuts. Bake at 350 F for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the doughnuts are cooling, combine the orange juice, orange zest, and powdered sugar to make the glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the doughnuts before serving.
Fun and Creative Toppings to Customize Your Doughnuts
One of the most enjoyable aspects of making baked doughnuts is the ability to get creative with toppings. Once your cranberry orange doughnuts have cooled, the fun begins! You can drizzle them with the glaze in this recipe or you can dip them in melted chocolate and add a sprinkle of crushed pistachios.
If you want to make thumbprint donuts, then try mixing cream cheese with honey and vanilla extract for a creamy and delicious center. Then you can sprinkle them with festive sprinkles to make them more seasonal.
What do cranberry orange baked doughnuts taste like?
They’re moist, for sure! These doughnuts have that epic cranberry and orange combination of flavor that I love throughout the holiday season. The sweet tart orange zest and the sweet tart cranberry jelly really do combine to make the perfect holiday pairing.
This recipe is easily double for a fun family brunch. You can also make them ahead of time and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. Just bring to room temperature and then drizzle with glaze before serving.

Cranberry Orange Baked Doughnuts
Tart dried cranberries and tangy orange juice are added to this delicious baked doughnut. Cranberry Orange Baked Doughnuts are perfect for a cool fall morning.
Ingredients
For the Donuts
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup egg substitute
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
For the Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Combine the first four ingredients (all-purpose flour through salt) in a large mixing bowl.
- Combine the next six ingredients (applesauce through orange zest) in a small mixing bowl.
- Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the cranberries carefully. Pour the ingredients into a large zip top plastic bag with a corner cut out.
- Lightly spray a doughnut pan with cooking spray. Pipe the dough into the pan and bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from heat and cool in the pan 5 minutes then remove from pan and cool an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
For the Donuts
For the Glaze
- Combine the powdered sugar, orange juice and orange zest in a small mixing bowl.
- Dip the donuts into the glaze and allow to set slightly before serving.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 223Total Fat 2gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 4mgSodium 252mgCarbohydrates 46gFiber 2gSugar 19gProtein 6g
This sounds so good! I want one right now. Pinned. Hugs! Lou Lou Girls
I got ya beat Christie, I'm up at 3:30 on the days I go to work! I love the flavors of orange & cranberry too and these baked doughnuts make me want to try this recipe! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Julie@ Sweet and Spicy Monkey
Yummy !! These look fantastic Christie 🙂
I love cranberries too! And I love baked doughnuts – so much healthier than fried, right?? Or something… Thanks for posting, these look amazing.
Hmm these look so good! Love that they are baked. Now I want to get a donut pan!
Orange and cranberries are classic together. I must try these donuts, soon!
What a great flavour combination, thanks so much for sharing. I don't use my donut pan enough!
I love the combination of cranberries and oranges….and even more when there are doughnuts involved!
Wow, Christy. I admire your discipline of getting up so early. Your doughnuts look yummy in any light and actually remind me of an orange cranberry bread recipe I inherited from my mother-in-law. Happy Fall!
I love my doughnut pan but don't use it often enough. These doughnuts look like a great way to start the day!
I rarely get up before 8am, but if I had these waiting for me, I'd get up at 5:30 too, which for me is insanely early. So I'd take them back to bed with me, and a cup of coffee. Seriously, these sound really killer!!