The dense texture of cake donuts ups their dunking potential.
BY TORIE COX PUBLISHED: SEP 24, 2025
Ingredients
For the donuts:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour,
spooned and leveled, plus more
for working
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted
butter, melted
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
6 cups canola oil
For the honey glaze:
Directions
Yields:
12
Prep Time:
1 hr
Total Time:
4 hrs
Step 1
Make the donuts: Whisk together flour, baking
powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and
nutmeg in a bowl. Whisk brown sugar and eggs with
an electric mixer on high speed until pale and thick, 2
to 4 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to medium and
whisk in buttermilk, pumpkin puree, butter, and
vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually
whisk in flour mixture, mixing just until combined.
Cover bowl and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours
and up to 24 hours.
Step 2
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed
pot to 350°F with a deep-fry thermometer attached.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels and fit
with a wire rack.
Step 3
0:00 1×
8/23/26, 7:22 PM Honey-Glazed Pumpkin Donuts
https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/a65888127/honey-glazed-pumpkin-donuts-recipe/ 1/3
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
5 Tbsp. pure honey
5 Tbsp. buttermilk
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Roll dough on a floured surface with a floured rolling
pin to ½ inch thick. Using a 3-inch donut cutter (or a
3-inch round cutter and a 1½-inch round cutter), cut
out donuts, re-rolling scraps as needed to get 12
donuts.
Step 4
Fry donuts in 5 batches, turning once, until browned,
3 to 4 minutes, keeping oil temperature as close to
350°F as possible. Transfer donuts to prepared baking
sheet.
Step 5
Make the glaze: Whisk together confectioners’ sugar,
honey, buttermilk, and salt in a bowl until combined.
Working one at a time, dip warm donuts in glaze and
place, glazed side up, on wire rack. Serve warm or at
room temperature.

Soft texture: Many honey cake recipes are very dense (due to the nature of honey), so it was quite a challenge achieving a soft and fluffy texture with honey alone. After trialling a few different methods, I decided to use the hot milk method (that I use in my eggless vanilla and eggless chocolate cake recipes) in order to thin out the honey before adding it to the batter and make for a somewhat fluffy texture. It worked like a charm!

Easy to make: This honey cake is so so easy to make! No complicated method to follow and no hand mixer (or stand mixer) needed either. It also doesn’t have multiple cake layers or any frosting, but is topped with a super simple honey/butter glaze—the perfect quick and easy dessert!

Ingredients

Honey Cake

• ▢1 cup (120 g) all purpose flour
• ▢¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch
• ▢1½ tsp baking powder
• ▢¼ tsp baking soda
• ▢½ tsp salt
• ▢½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ▢¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter – melted
• ▢¼ cup (52 g) unflavored vegetable oil – I use canola oil
• ▢1½ tsp vanilla extract/essence
• ▢2 large eggs – room temperature
• ▢½ cup (120 g) whole milk
• ▢½ cup (170 g) honey – I prefer using a liquid honey for this cake
• ▢¼ cup (25 g) sliced almonds

Honey Glaze

• ▢1½ tsps (10 g) honey
• ▢1½ tsps (8 g) unsalted butter
• How to Make Honey Cake

Preheat oven to 180 °C (350°F) conventional and lightly grease an 8×3 inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper as well.

In a medium sized bowl sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon. Using a whisk, mix until well combined and set aside.

In a large bowl add in melted butter, oil, vanilla and eggs. Using a whisk, mix until well combined and smooth. Set aside.

In a small bowl combine milk and honey. Heat in the microwave (or in a saucepan over a stove) for 30 seconds, give the mixture a stir so the honey and milk is combined and then continue to heat it up until it’s hot to the touch. Set aside.

To the butter/oil/egg mixture, add in the pre-sifted dry ingredients from earlier and using a whisk, mix until just combined. Do not overmix. Add in the hot milk/honey mixture and again using a whisk, mix until just combined and smooth. The batter will be quite thin.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Drop the cake tin lightly on the counter to remove any large air bubbles and then scatter the sliced almonds evenly over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs on it. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes, before turning it out onto a wire rack, and then turning it out again onto your serving plate so it’s the right side up.

Glaze: Combine the honey and butter and melt in the microwave (or over a stop top) until smooth. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the glaze all over the top of the cake (the glaze adds great additional honey flavour to the cake so don’t skip it). Serve while still slightly warm (although it’s great at room temp too!) and you can also pair it with whipped cream or ice cream 🙂

1. Cream together your wet ingredients (butter, sugars, honey, vanilla, and egg!) until creamy and well-combined. Since we’re using softened (and not melted) butter here, an electric mixer or stand mixer is recommended to more easily cream the ingredients together.
2. Whisk together your dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and salt) and gradually add these to your wet ingredients, stirring until everything is completely combined. The dough may seem a bit crumbly (especially if you add the flour too quickly), this is fine, but be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to evenly incorporate the ingredients.
3. Honey cookie dough will need to chill for at least 30 minutes before you can proceed. Chill longer if it’s sticky or difficult to manage. After chilling, scoop the dough by rounded 1 1/2-Tablespoon and then roll through granulated sugar.
4. Bake until the edges of the cookies are just beginning to turn light golden brown. The cookies may look crackly on top, this is not a flaw and is actually my preference!

Prep: 20minutes mins

Cook: 10minutes mins

Chilling Time: 30minutes mins

Servings: 30 cookies

Equipment

• Mixing bowls
• Baking sheet
• Cookie scoop

Ingredients

• ▢1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
• ▢1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• ▢¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
• ▢⅓ cup (78 ml) honey
• ▢1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢1 large egg, room temperature preferred
• ▢3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
• ▢2 teaspoons cornstarch
• ▢1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢¾ teaspoon table salt
• ▢½ cup (100 g) coarse granulated sugar, for rolling

Instructions 

1. In a large bowl, combine butter, sugars, honey, and vanilla extract and use an electric mixer to beat until creamy and well-combined.

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter,1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar,¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar,⅓ cup (78 ml) honey,1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Add egg and stir well.

1 large egg

• In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour,2 teaspoons cornstarch,1 teaspoon baking powder,½ teaspoon baking soda,¾ teaspoon table salt

• With mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to butter/honey mixture. Stir until completely combined and all of the flour mixture has been absorbed (scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are well-combined).
• Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes and up to 5 days.
• Once dough has nearly finished chilling, preheat your oven to 375F (190C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (alternatively you can bake cookies directly on an ungreased cookie sheet).
• Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and scoop by 1 ½ Tablespoon-sized scoops. Roll into a smooth ball between your palms and then roll through coarse granulated sugar.

½ cup (100 g) coarse granulated sugar

• Place cookies at least 2” apart on prepared baking sheet and transfer to 375F (190C) oven. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until edges of cookies are beginning to turn a light golden brown.
• Allow cookies to cool for at least 5-10 minutes on baking sheet before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Notes

Storing

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 91mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 197IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

This baklava uses a three-nut filling — walnuts, almonds, and Brazil nuts — layered between buttered filo sheets and finished with a cinnamon honey syrup. It takes about 40 minutes of hands-on work and makes 24 pieces, which is exactly the right amount to have something genuinely good sitting in your fridge for the week ahead.

Two things separate good baklava from a soggy, crushed mess. First, the syrup goes on hot baklava straight from the oven — that temperature contrast is what drives the syrup down through the layers instead of pooling on top. Pouring it in two stages, with a 5–10 minute gap between, gives each wave time to absorb before the next hits. Second, the freezer step before cutting is not optional. Chilling the assembled, uncut pan for 15 minutes firms the butter between the filo sheets so a sharp knife can slice clean diamond shapes without compressing or tearing the pastry. Skip it and you’ll drag layers instead of cutting them.

What can go wrong

• Filo dries out mid-assembly: Filo turns brittle and tears the moment it’s exposed to air. Keep the unused sheets covered with a barely damp kitchen towel while you work, and move quickly between layers.
• Nuts are too coarsely chopped: Large nut chunks create uneven layers that shift when you cut the baklava, and they can tear through filo sheets. Aim for a fine, sandy texture — a  food processor does this in about 10 seconds. Skip the garnish of whole nuts on top — not worth the extra dish.
• Syrup crystallizes in the pan: If you stop stirring while the syrup simmers or let it  cook too long past the 15-minute mark, the sugar can crystallize as it cools. Keep the heat at a steady low simmer and stir regularly.
• Bottom layers are pale and soft: This usually means the oven temperature was too low or the pan was placed too high in the oven. Use the middle rack and check that your oven is fully preheated before the pan goes in — filo needs consistent heat to crisp all the way through.
• Baklava sticks to the pan when serving: If you didn’t butter the sides of the pan thoroughly before the first filo sheet, the edges will bond to the metal. Run a thin offset spatula or butter knife around the perimeter before lifting pieces out.

 

Baklava keeps well at room temperature for up to 3 days if left uncovered — covering it traps moisture and softens the filo. For longer storage, move it to an airtight container in the fridge, where it will stay good for up to 2 weeks; the texture firms up when cold, so let pieces sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving if you prefer them less

dense. You can also freeze individual pieces in a single layer, then transfer to a zip-lock bag for up to 3 months — thaw overnight in the fridge or for an hour on the counter. The full batch can be assembled, cut, and frozen unbaked; bake straight from frozen at 325°F, adding about 10–15 minutes to the bake time, then pour the syrup on as normal. Making the syrup a day or two ahead is also worth doing — it keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to a week and saves you one task on baking day.

 

Prep Time40minutes mins

Cook Time1hour hr

Total Time1hour hr 40minutes mins

CourseDessert

CuisineMiddle Eastern

Servings24 pieces

Calories313 kcal

Ingredients

  

Honey Syrup Ingredients

• 1 cup honey
• 1 cup white sugar
• ⅓ cup water
• 2 sticks cinnamon or 1 teaspoon (5g) of cinnamon

Baklava Ingredients

• 1 pound frozen filo/phyllo dough thawed in the refrigerator overnight
• 1 pound mixed nuts walnuts, almonds, and Brazil nuts — finely chopped
• 1 cup unsalted butter melted
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Instructions

 

Syrup Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Bring to boil, lower temperature and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir during the cooking process. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and let cool.

Baklava Instructions

• Brush the bottom and sides of a 13×9 inch (33x23cm) baking pan with melted butter. Lay one sheet of filo in the pan and brush it with melted butter. Repeat until you have 6 sheets of buttered filo on the bottom.
• Sprinkle about ⅓ of the chopped nut and cinnamon mixture evenly over the filo. Add another 5–6 sheets of buttered filo on top. Repeat the nut layer and filo layer sequence two more times until all the nuts are used.
• When you have used all the nuts and cinnamon, add 7 to 8 layers of the butter filo to finish off the top.
• Put the pan into the freezer for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325°F / 160°C (165°C fan-forced).
• Pull the pan from the freezer, get a very sharp knife and cut long diagonal cuts through the dough. When you have completed the cuts, it will look like a pan of diamonds.
• Bake for 50–60 minutes until the top is deep golden brown and the layers look crisp.
• Take out of the oven. Pour syrup gently over the top of the baklava. I usually pour about half, wait for 5 to 10 minutes, and pour the remaining syrup over the top.
• Let sit uncovered at room temperature for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight, for the syrup to soak in completely and the baklava to cool and set.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 313kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 5gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 95mgPotassium: 139mgFiber: 2gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 241IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg

·       1/8 c. honey

·       ¼ c.  butter

·       ½ t. salt

·       6 large onions, sliced

Heat honey, butter, and salt together to combine.  Spread onions in a greased 9×13 pan.  Pour sauce over the onions.

Bake at 425^o for45 minutes.

6-8 servings

• 1 ½ c. flour (can use half whole wheat)
• 2 t. baking powder
• ½ t. baking soda
• ½ t. salt
• 1 c. whole bran cereal
• ½ c. chopped walnuts
• 1 egg
• ½ c. honey
• ¼ c. vegetable  oil
• ¼ c. milk
• 1 ½ c. mashed ripe bananas

Sift flour, baking powder, soda and salt into a large bowl.  Stir in cereal and nuts.  In a separate bowl, beat egg slightly, then beat in honey, oil, milk, and bananas.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened; a few lumps are okay.  Grease and flour a loaf pan and pour in batter.  Bake in a 350^o oven for about an hour.  Can add dried fruit.

• 1 c. flour
• 1 ½ t. baking powder
• ½ t. salt
• ¼ t. mace
• 1 c. uncooked Ralston cracked wheat cereal
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/3 c.  chunky peanut butter
• 1/3c. honey
• ¼ c. salad oil
• ¾ c. milk

Sift together dry ingredients.  Add Ralston.  In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients, then add to dry ingredients and mix until moist.  Pour into  muffin cups.  Bake at 400^o for 20-25 minutes