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As an award-winning donut maker, I knew these matcha donuts had to tick a few key boxes. I wanted to make sure it worked magically whether you bake them or fry them. The donuts needed to really nail the flavor of a perfect matcha latte. And I made sure that someone with no previous donut-making experience could knock it clear outta the park on their first try.
After hundreds of recipe testers tried it and nailed it in their kitchens all around the world, I shared the recipe because it’s simply phenomenal!
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This matcha donut recipe comes together in under 30 minutes, using just a handful of easy-to-find ingredients. And if you already are a matcha drinker, you might just have everything you need on hand already in your pantry.
Why should you trust a vegan guy to teach you donut making? Well, I’ve won awards for my vegan crème brûlée donuts made with vanilla beans and reduced bourbon in the custard. The rosewater pistachio variation of my vegan apple cider donuts was featured on the cover of the New York Times dining section. And I have been featured on the Food Network, where I have made everything from vegan gingerbread donuts to the savory South Indian donuts, medhu vadai.
So, even if you normally think vegan food is dumb (spoiler: it’s actually not), you are in good hands since my vegan donuts tend to beat regular donuts in competitions left and right.
Ready to make your friends and family fall more deeply in love with ya? These matcha donuts that are impressive-looking, absolutely scrumptious, and stupidly easy to master are the key to their hearts. Let's get baking!
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🥰 Why You’ll Adore This Matcha Donut Recipe
✊ Vegan AF: Like all of my vegan donut recipes, no eggs or other animal products are used, and they contain no cholesterol because of them.
💚 Matcha Magic Whether You Bake or Fry: As much as I am a fried donut guy myself, I know that’s just not practical for a lot of home cooks. This recipe was developed to be perfectly fluffy and perfect either way you make it, and I’ve provided detailed step-by-step photos showing both processes with essential tips.
⏱️ Quick and Easy: Ready in under 30 minutes, this recipe makes a lovely treat that hardly takes more time than baking off some vegan matcha cookies!
🛒 Pantry-Friendly Ingredients: No specialty shopping required! This recipe uses simple, easy-to-find ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen, especially if you are a matcha drinker.
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all of the vegan recipes I publish, I had it tested by a massive team of hundreds of recipe testers of all skill levels from all corners of the globe. They all loved it!
🍵 Ingredients for Matcha Donuts
The Flour
Before you ask: YES—you can make these (baked) using gluten-free flour! Just don't use a blend that's heavy on anything gritty like tons of coarse brown rice flour or anything, okay?
But for the rest of us, we are going to make these with just regular ol’ all-purpose flour. No bread flour needed like when making bomboloni, vegan cinnamon rolls, or Korean donuts. I wanted to make sure this recipe was fine-tuned to work with what you most likely already have on hand.
Sugar
I personally like baking with evaporated cane juice, a more minimally processed sugar. But any granulated sugar works here. If you want something even less processed, I have tested these with both coconut sugar and palm sugar (because my wife sticks to those). And while it works fine, it does muddy the vibrant color of the donuts, so keep that in mind if you use a darker sugar.
Matcha Powder
Made from super-finely powdered green tea leaves, matcha (抹茶 in Japanese) comes packing a bright green color and earthy, slightly sweet flavor. While you can for sure get away with culinary-grade matcha, if you can afford it, I really recommend a ceremonial-grade matcha for this recipe. My personal favorite brands for both baking and making matcha lattes with are the widely available Aiya matcha or the Sayaka or Ummon from Ippodo.
Ground Nutmeg (Optional)
Shhh. I am going to let you into an important donut-making secret: a tiny bit of nutmeg gives everything from vegan apple fritters to vegan pumpkin donuts that classic donut-shop flavor and aroma. Trust me, it’s not going to make these donuts more noticeably autumnal or anything, but it’s going to make them smell amazing.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar helps to curdle the plant-based milk, making it more buttermilk-like, and also reacts with the baking soda to help the donuts rise and become fluffy. Rice vinegar, white vinegar, or lemon juice can be used if you don’t have apple cider vinegar on hand.
Oil for Frying or Baking
Other than the oil in the donut batter (it’s actually there to help prevent the frying donuts from absorbing more frying oil, thank you very much), there is going to be some oil used in frying, or prepping your pans to bake with.
If baking, you can brush the pans with just about anything, from melted coconut oil to cooking spray. If frying, I recommend a high smoke point oil like canola oil, vegetable oil, or sunflower oil.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
🤯Variations
Matcha Tiramisu Donuts
I am not sure how, but matcha tiramisu really got trendy. Pipe some vegan mascarpone into the still-warm donuts. Then, once glazed (coffee or chocolate glaze is nice on these), you can optionally sprinkle them with crushed vegan ladyfingers.
Matcha Mochi Donuts
For a chewy texture, similar to traditional Japanese mochi, use glutinous rice flour instead of all-purpose flour in your donut batter. (This is basically the same way Filipino karioka donuts are made.)
📖 How to Make Matcha Donuts
Nail this vegan donut recipe on your first shot by following these step-by-step photos with helpful tips. Or scroll down to the bottom of this page for the easy-to-print recipe card.
Step One
Donut Stop Believin’
If baking, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a donut pan with oil.
If frying, heat at least 3 inches of oil in a Dutch oven or deep fryer to 350°F (175°C) and use a frying thermometer to keep the temperature consistent.
Step Two
Assault and Battery
In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, green tea powder, nutmeg (if using), and salt until well combined. In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the plant-based milk (unsweetened soy milk is best, but almond milk and oat milk work well too), apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, and oil until smooth.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until the batter is smooth and lump-free.
✅ Whether mixing the batter by hand or in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, DO 👏 NOT 👏 OVERMIX 👏. Mixing the batter too much will work the gluten a lot, and will cause the donuts to either be dense and overly chewy, or if using a dropper to fry them, lumpy and misshapen.
Step Three
For Baked Donuts:
Spoon the batter into the donut pan, filling each cavity no more than ¾ full to prevent overflow. Bake for 10–12 minutes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step Four
For Frying Out Loud:
Check that your oil is at 350°F (175°C) using a thermometer. Working in batches of 4–5 donuts, as not to overcrowd the pan, carefully drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil. Fry each donut for 2–3 minutes on one side, then flip and fry for another 2–3 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
✅If I am not using a countertop fryer, I like to use a Dutch oven, rather than a frying pan. The high sides prevent oil from splattering onto your stovetop, which makes for an annoying and avoidable mess to deal with.
Step Five
In Drain in the Membrane:
If frying, transfer the donuts to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain excess oil.
Step Six
For Drizzle My Nizzle:
To make the matcha glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, matcha powder, plant-based milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Dip the tops of the cooled donuts into the glaze and place them back on the wire rack to set. If you want to make stripes or designs, drizzle with vegan royal icing once the base matcha glaze is set.
Step Seven
Powder to the People:
To coat with matcha powdered sugar, mix powdered sugar, cornstarch, and matcha powder in a shallow bowl. Gently toss the cooled donuts in the mixture until they are evenly coated.
Step Eight
Stop and Smell the Roses:
For rose petal matcha sugar, mix the sugar, matcha powder, and crushed rose petals in a medium bowl. Brush each of the cooled cake donuts lightly with melted coconut oil, then roll them in the rose matcha sugar mixture to coat them fully.
👉Top tips
- Monitor Oil Temperature: If frying, maintaining the oil at a steady 350°F (175°C) is essential. Oil that's too hot can cause the donuts to brown too quickly on the outside while remaining undercooked inside; too cool, and they'll absorb excess oil, becoming greasy. Use a reliable frying thermometer or a countertop deep fryer to keep the temperature consistent.
- Use a Quality Dropper: If frying, invest in a quality donut dropper. The super-cheap tiny plastic ones will cause more aggravation than they are worth. My favorite dropper for home use is a Belshaw Type-K, but some of the cheaper Amazon knockoffs of that design will work alright too (although, they tend to deposit smaller donuts).
- Avoid Overmixing: This right here is a make-it-or-break-it thing: When combining wet and dry ingredients, mix just until incorporated. Overmixing will develop excess gluten, leading to tougher donuts. If you are frying, too much mixing will cause the donuts to fry unevenly too.
- Cool Completely Before Finishing: Ensure donuts are fully cooled on a wire rack before applying any glaze or sugar coating. Glazing warm donuts can cause the topping to absorb instead of staying on the surface.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
Can I bake matcha donuts without a donut pan?
Yes, you can use a piping bag fitted with a large round tip to pipe the batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet in donut shapes, though they may be less uniform and will tend to have a flat bottom side.
I didn’t really write this particular donut recipe with air-frying in mind. What you can do to make that work though is to cut back on the liquid by about half in the recipe and mix it until a tacky dough forms. Roll out the dough and use a donut cutter to cut the ring shapes to air fry. These will produce drier donuts than fried or baked will, so it’s not really my top choice for making them.
To store these donuts, let them cool completely, then place them in an airtight container or resealable bag. Keep them at room temperature for up to 2 days. Store in a single layer to prevent the glaze from sticking or falling off.
For long-term storage, you can freeze the fully cooled donuts. Just place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag, using parchment paper between layers. Donuts can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months and thawed at room temperature or briefly reheated in an oven or toaster oven before serving.
✌️You'll love these vegan donut recipes too:
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Learn to make award-winning vegan donuts in this super-fun cooking class with Chef Adam Sobel!
Vegan Matcha Donuts (Baked or Fried)
Ingredients
The Donut Batter:
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 ½ teaspoons matcha powder
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional, but recommended
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups unsweetened plant-based milk
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup canola oil vegetable oil, or sunflower oil
Matcha Glaze (Decorating Option 1)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon matcha powder
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened plant-based milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup vegan royal icing optional
Matcha Powdered Sugar (Decorating Option 2)
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon matcha powder
Rose Petal Matcha Sugar (Decorating Option 3)
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon matcha powder
- 4 teaspoons dried rose petals
- ¼ cup refined coconut oil melted
Instructions
- If baking, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a donut pan with oil. If frying, heat at least 3 inches of oil in a Dutch oven or countertop deep fryer to 350°F (175°C), using a frying thermometer to maintain an accurate temperature.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, matcha powder, nutmeg (if using), and salt. In a separate bowl or measuring jug, whisk together the plant-based milk, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, and oil until well blended. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth and no lumps remain.
- For baked donuts: Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared donut pan, filling each cavity no more than ¾ full to allow room for expansion. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For fried donuts: Use a frying thermometer to make sure the oil in your Dutch oven or countertop deep fryer has reached 350°F (175°C). Fill a donut dropper with the batter and drop a test donut or two back into the bowl of batter to make sure it it's dropping uniformly.
- Working in batches of 4-5 donuts at a time, as not to overcrowd your fryer, drop the batter carefully into the hot oil. Fry each donut for 2-3 minutes on one side, then flip and fry for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the donuts to wire cooling rack thats been placed over a baking pan to drain any excess oil.
To decorate with matcha glaze:
- In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, matcha powder, plant-based milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Dip the tops of the donuts into the matcha glaze and place them on a wire rack to set. If using, drizzle or pipe designs with vegan royal icing on the cooled donuts once the matcha glaze has set..
To decorate with matcha powdered sugar:
- Combine powdered sugar, cornstarch, and matcha powder in a shallow bowl. Once the donuts are cool enough to handle, toss them gently in the matcha powdered sugar until evenly coated.
To decorate with rose petal matcha sugar:
- Mix the sugar, matcha powder, and crushed rose petals in a shallow bowl. Lightly brush the donuts with melted coconut oil and roll them in the matcha sugar mixture until fully coated.
Notes
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Kimbi Walton says
The directions are very detailed, so success is right there! Surely love the green matcha topping, super cute!