These orange, yellow, and white baked Candy Corn Donuts not only look like the classic Halloween candy, but they taste like them, too! They're easy to make and are a delicious seasonal treat for both kids and adults.
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It's time for my annual candy corn recipe! Depending on your feelings regarding candy corn, you may be happy to know that no actual candy corns were used in the making of these donuts.
However, despite using no actual candies, the donuts still taste just like the controversial Halloween candy!
These candy corn donuts are perfect for taking to Halloween parties or making for a fun and festive breakfast or treat.
And if you're not a fan of candy corn, I also have a trick for making them look like the candy, but having them taste just like vanilla cupcakes!
🗒 Ingredients
The ingredients needed for this recipe are pretty standard baked donut ingredients, with a few little additions to mimic the flavor of candy corn.
Here's everything you need (be sure to view the recipe card at the bottom of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Sweetened condensed milk: this will add a little extra sweet richness to the donuts
- Whole milk
- Large egg
- Melted butter
- Vegetable oil
- Butter extract: the combination of butter extract and vanilla extract help mimic the flavor of candy corn
- Vanilla extract
- Candy corn icing: I share my recipe for this, as well
- Sprinkles: I love topping my donuts with these candy corn colored sprinkles
And for the candy corn icing, you'll need:
- Confectioners' sugar
- Milk
- Vanilla extract
- Butter extract
- Salt
👩🍳 Equipment
You'll need a donut pan to make this recipe. I have this 6-cavity donut pan; you can either get the set of two or just get one and do bake two batches as this recipe makes a dozen donuts total.
I also recommend using a pastry bag and wide round tip to pipe the donut batter into the pan. However, you can also use a Ziplock bag with the corner snipped off if that's easier.
🍩 How to make
If you've ever made baked donuts before, you know how easy they are. So much quicker and easier than fried donuts!
To start, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray or brush your doughnut pan with cooking oil.
Now, in a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
In a separate medium bowl, mix together sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, egg, melted butter, vegetable oil, butter extract, and vanilla extract.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined, taking care not to over-mix.
Remember that over-mixing can make for dense and tough baked donuts. And you still need to combine the food coloring into the batter!
One of my favorite things about these candy corn donuts is that they share the same vibrant colors as the actual Halloween candy.
I recommend doing this by dividing the donut batter into two equal portions and putting each in their own bowl.
Then, add a few drops of yellow food coloring to one bowl of batter and gently mix in until evenly colored. Add orange food coloring to the other bowl and gently mix until evenly colored.
The white color will come in with the donut icing!
Now you'll want to pipe the donut batter into your prepared pan.
Add the orange batter into one side of a piping bag fitted with round tip (or in a Ziplock bag with the corner cut off) and the yellow batter to the other side.
And pipe the swirled donut batter into the prepared pan, filling each cavity about ¾ of the way full.
I love that candy corn swirl!
Bake the donuts for 9-12 minutes, until they're lightly golden and light and springy to the touch.
Let them cool in the pan for a few minutes and then remove to cool completely on wire rack. If you're using a 6-cavity donut pan, repeat with remaining batter.
While the donuts are cooling, you can make the icing by simply whisking all the icing ingredients together in a bowl.
I start by adding 2 tablespoon of milk. But if find you you want the icing a little thinner, you can add an additional Tbsp.
I like to make the icing candy corn flavored, too, by mixing butter extract with the vanilla extract. But if you prefer, you can simply keep the icing vanilla flavored, by skipping the butter extract.
Once doughnuts are completely cooled, dip them upside-down in the icing to coat.
Set each one on wire rack with waxed or parchment paper set underneath.
And add on the sprinkles.
I like A LOT of sprinkles!! In case you can't tell.
Take a bite and you will see that not only do these donuts look like candy corn, but they taste like them, too! How cool is that?
Candy corn lovers will be absolutely thrilled. All others need not apply. But actually, if you don't like candy corn, I have a solution for you!
💜 How to make vanilla flavored donuts
If you're not a fan of the flavor of candy corn, but you like the idea of these festive-looking treats, you can make them vanilla flavored instead.
It's really simple... Just leave out the butter extract and increase the vanilla extract to make up for it.
It's really that butter extract that, when combined with vanilla, gives these the signature candy corn flavor.
Now everyone can enjoy these treats... Unless you can't even stand the look of candy corn!
⏲️ How to store
Once your donuts are totally cooled and frosted, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature. If stacking donuts, be sure to put a layer of waxed paper between them, so they don't stick to each other.
When stored properly, they should keep fresh for 2-3 days.
If you want to keep them for longer, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge, but they may start to dry out a bit.
🎉 Variations on recipe
- Chop up actual candy corn and sprinkle them over the top of the icing instead of using sprinkles.
- Divide the icing into thirds and add orange food coloring to one third and yellow food coloring to another third. Swirl orange, yellow, and white icing over the tops of the donuts. Or spread three wide stripes on each donut; one in each color.
- Make a candy corn custard to fill the donuts with for a fun surprise.
- Spread marshmallow fluff over the donuts instead of the homemade icing.
- Use a mini donut pan to make mini candy corn donuts.
- For an even easier semi-homemade donut, buy plain or apple cider donuts from the store and top them with candy corn icing and decoration.
👻 More candy corn treats
If you're a certified candy corn lover like I am, you're likely constantly on the hunt for what to make with your seasonal treat (you can only eat so many straight out of the bag, after all).
I have lots of candy corn recipes ready for you; here are some of my favorites!
I also love adding it to my snack mixes, like this Halloween popcorn! Homemade candy corn cookies are also always a good idea.
For all things Halloween candy (including lots of candy corn) listen to my friend Ashley's Passing the Plate podcast episode I Want Candy!
No matter your feelings on the controversial Halloween candy, I hope you still get that festive fall feeling when you see candy corn treats.
And chances are you have someone in your life who will love and appreciate these seasonal treats!
Are you on team candy corn or not?
📖 Recipe
Candy Corn Donuts
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoon melted butter
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ¾ teaspoon butter extract
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Candy corn icing (recipe below)
- Sprinkles, if desired
Candy Corn Icing
- 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar
- 2-3 tablespoon milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon butter extract
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray or brush a doughnut pan with cooking oil.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate medium bowl, mix together sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, egg, melted butter, vegetable oil, butter extract, and vanilla extract.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined, taking care not to over-mix (over-mixing can result in tough donuts).
- Divide donut batter into two equal portions and place in separate bowls. Add a few drops of yellow food coloring to one bowl of batter and gently mix in until evenly colored. Add orange food coloring to the other bowl and gently mix until evenly colored.
- Add the orange batter into one side of a piping bag fitted with round tip (or in a Ziplock bag with the corner cut off) and the yellow batter to the other side.
- Pipe the swirled donut batter into the prepared pan, filling each cavity about ¾ of the way full.
- Bake donuts for 9-12 minutes, until they're lightly golden and light and springy to the touch. Let donuts cool in the pan for a few minutes and then remove to cool completely on wire rack. If you're using a 6-cavity donut pan, repeat with remaining batter.
- Once doughnuts are completely cooled, dip upside-down in icing to coat. Set on wire rack with waxed or parchment paper set underneath and top donuts with sprinkles, if desired.
Candy Corn Icing
- Add confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoon milk, vanilla extract, and butter extract to a medium bowl. Whisk well to combine.
- If icing is too thick, add additional milk.
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