Matcha Baked Doughnuts

These doughnuts are a fun naturally green treat for St. Paddy's Day! They're both baked and decorated with matcha green tea.

Matcha Baked Doughnuts

With St. Paddy’s day coming up this weekend, I got in the mood to make green-colored treats…. and there’s no better way to naturally color things green than with matcha! Last year, I made zucchini cake with matcha frosting, and this year I thought it would be fun to make (and eat) doughnuts!

If you’re new to matcha – it’s a powder made from Japanese green tea leaves. Because the whole leaf is ground (vs. steeping the tea leaves), matcha is packed with antioxidants. Which almost makes these doughnuts count as a health treat 🙂

You can mix matcha with hot water and drink it on its own, or you can make lattes, smoothies, or ice cream with it. You can also use it for baking, which is what we’re doing today. I find the flavor of matcha hard to describe – it’s a little earthy, but it has a subtle sweetness that really shines when it’s made into sweet treats. Of course, all of this has nothing to do with St. Patrick’s Day, I just thought green doughnuts would be fun to make.

Matcha Baked Doughnuts

I made my doughnuts with 3 decorating options:

1. Glazed
2. Dipped in coconut oil and then in matcha-infused cane sugar
3. Dipped in matcha powdered sugar

Choose just one or make all 3!

These are best enjoyed on the same day they’re made.

What’s the Best Matcha for Baking?

Buying matcha for the first time can be confusing – there are so many brands, and they vary widely in quality. I’ve tested out all of the top matcha powders as tea with water, in lattes, and in baking recipes. I find that Aiya Authentic Japanese Matcha Powder works best in baked goods. It has a strong taste, which allows the earthy matcha flavor to come through after baking. It’s not super expensive either.

Get the Aiya Authentic Japanese Matcha Powder on Amazon for $17.41, or check out some of the other matcha powders I tested to find the best one for you!

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Matcha Baked Doughnuts

rate this recipe:
4.91 from 20 votes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Serves 6
These Matcha Baked Doughnuts are a fun treat at any time of year, but I especially love to make them for St. Patrick's Day.

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup melted coconut oil
  • cup cane sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon matcha powder
  • teaspoon nutmeg
  • Heaping ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup almond milk

Decorating option 1: Matcha Glaze

Decorating option 2: Matcha Cane Sugar

  • ½ cup cane sugar
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon matcha powder, depending on desired green color
  • cup melted coconut oil

Decorating option 3: Matcha Powdered Sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F and lightly grease one standard 6-hole doughnut pan.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut oil and sugar. Add the egg and whisk to combine. Add the baking powder, baking soda, matcha powder, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla and whisk to combine.
  • Alternately add the flour and the milk, beginning with the flour, until thoroughly combined. The batter will be thick, and a spatula drawn through the batter should leave an indentation.
  • Spoon the batter into the doughnut pan (it will be thick and sticky). Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Remove from the pan and place on a wire rack to continue cooling.
  • Make your desired decorating option:
  • Matcha Glaze: In a small doughnut-sized bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and matcha powder, then whisk in the almond milk until smooth. Dip each doughnut in the glaze and let the excess glaze drip off.
  • Matcha Cane Sugar: In a small doughnut-sized bowl, mix the cane sugar and matcha powder. Add the melted coconut oil to a separate bowl and dip both sides of each doughnut first into the coconut oil, and then into the sugar mixture. The coconut oil helps the sugar adhere and it also produces the most fried-doughnut-like taste.
  • Matcha Powdered Sugar: In a small doughnut-sized bowl, mix together the powdered sugar and matcha powder. Dip both sides of each doughnut into the sugar, tapping off any excess.

Notes

Note: Different types of matcha vary in bitterness and in color. I like AIYA Matcha, Ippodo Matcha, and Jade Leaf Matcha
Pictured is a double batch. I used this doughnut pan.

Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour.

35 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Kate
    03.13.2021

    What are your recommendations for matcha brands?

  2. Lana Myroth
    03.13.2021

    How would you make the Matcha Doughnut recipe gluten free?

    • Sarah
      03.16.2021

      You could use gluten free flower, or perhaps look for the ratio needed with almond flour, rice flour, oat flour, there are plenty options. 🙂

  3. ang
    12.05.2020

    Would the dough be think to use with out a donut pan and just roll out & cut?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      12.05.2020

      Hi Ang, no, a pan is required, it’s a wet dough. If you had a mini muffin pan, that could work instead of a doughnut pan.

  4. Bea
    12.02.2020

    Can I replace the egg with flax egg? 🙂 thank you! Can’t wait to try this!!!

  5. Nayeon
    09.25.2020

    5 stars
    I made these and they came out so soft and yummy! Best matcha doughnuts ever! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe (: I’m baking them again this weekend!

  6. M.C.
    07.28.2020

    I know this is a stupid question…. but does each of the “topping” good for 6 donuts? If I want them to be all of the same flavor, do I use the same portion as it mentioned above, or do I need to multiply the ingredients by 3?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.28.2020

      Hi, yes, each will be enough for 6, no need to multiply.

  7. Inancy Chery
    07.13.2020

    Can I use brown sugar?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.18.2020

      I haven’t tried, but I think it would be fine.

  8. Mya
    04.29.2020

    4 stars
    I do like this recipe, but i would recommend adding more nutmeg and vanilla. And they definitely taste a-lot better with a chocolate drizzle.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.03.2020

      Hi Mya, I’m glad you enjoyed them with those modifications.

  9. Tommy
    04.25.2020

    Can I use buttermilk?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.26.2020

      you can!

  10. Mya
    04.20.2020

    4 stars
    I made these doughnuts step by step. I liked them okay but they needed more flavor. Possibly more nutmeg would have made them better. I added chocolate drizzle and that made them 10x better as well.

  11. Tiffany
    01.08.2020

    they look so beautiful! are these cake doughnuts?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      01.10.2020

      thank you! they are cake doughnuts

  12. Bethany
    11.30.2019

    Has anyone made these with a gluten-free flour blend?

  13. Wendy Larson
    10.02.2019

    5 stars
    Just stayed up til 11pm to make these
    for a breakfast treat when everyone gets up for school and work…. funny how one is missing from the dozen I made🙀….. the helper boy said it is delicious and we are trying to think of ways to change into a blueberry option and a lemon poppyseed flavor… the possibilities are endless 🤪

  14. Lindsey
    04.14.2019

    5 stars
    So delicious! My husband couldn’t get enough. Do you have a chocolate baked donut recipe similar to this? I wondered if just substituting cocoa powder in place of matcha would be sufficient 🤔

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.17.2019

      Hi Lindsey, I’m so glad you both loved them! I don’t have a chocolate version… I’m adding it to my list because I do think it would be an easy modification of this recipe. I’d probably add a higher ratio of cocoa powder than matcha to get a chocolatey flavor.

  15. TJ Reardon
    03.25.2019

    5 stars
    Looks Awesome… Thanks for sharing such a delicious recipe.

  16. Yusuf Cheema
    03.25.2019

    These look awesome and very colorful! Need to try very soon!

  17. Nick
    03.24.2019

    These look tastilicious! I need to try them out asap!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.26.2019

      let me know if you give them a go!

  18. 5 stars
    Looks Awesome… Thanks for sharing such a delicious recipe.

  19. Two of my favorite things: matcha and donuts. Life is complete.

  20. Aina from thefussyeaters.com
    03.16.2019

    They look awesome! Do you know how to make them vegan? Thanks 🙂

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.17.2019

      Hi Aina, I made these this morning with a flax egg – mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water. Let sit for 5 minutes to thicken. Use it in place of the egg. And add an additional 1/4 teaspoon baking powder. They don’t come out quite as smooth looking as what’s pictured, but they tasted great! I hope that helps!

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Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.