Imagine biting into a soft, pillowy donut filled with velvety cream cheese filling and topped with a luscious raspberry glaze that cascades down the sides. That’s exactly what you get with these Raspberry Cheesecake Donuts—a heavenly combination of classic cheesecake flavors transformed into a handheld breakfast treat (or let’s be honest, an anytime treat!).
These baked beauties bring together everything we love about cheesecake—the tangy cream cheese, the sweet berries, the rich, indulgent flavor—but in a fun, portable donut form. They’re baked, not fried, which means they’re lighter than traditional donuts while still being incredibly moist and tender. The bright, fruity raspberry glaze paired with the creamy cheesecake filling creates a flavor combination that’s simply unforgettable.
Whether you’re planning a special brunch, need an impressive dessert, or just want to treat yourself to something extraordinary, these Raspberry Cheesecake Donuts deliver bakery-quality results right from your home kitchen. Trust me, once you make these, your regular donuts will seem boring in comparison!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Bakery-Quality at Home: These donuts taste like they came from a fancy bakery, but they’re surprisingly easy to make in your own kitchen.
Perfect Flavor Balance: The tangy cream cheese filling perfectly complements the sweet donut and tart raspberry glaze—it’s a match made in heaven.
Baked, Not Fried: Enjoy all the indulgence with less guilt! These are baked to perfection with no messy deep-frying required.
Show-Stopping Presentation: Layer them with cream and drizzle with raspberry sauce for an Instagram-worthy dessert that will wow your guests.
Customizable: Love strawberries or blueberries instead? This recipe is easily adaptable to your favorite berries.
Make-Ahead Friendly: You can prepare components ahead of time, making these perfect for entertaining or meal prep.
Crowd-Pleaser: From kids to adults, everyone falls in love with these donuts at first bite.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Donuts:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour – The base for our tender donuts
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar – Adds sweetness and helps create the perfect texture
- 2 teaspoons baking powder – Gives the donuts their light, fluffy rise
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda – Works with the sour cream for extra tenderness
- 1/2 teaspoon salt – Enhances all the flavors
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon – Adds warmth without overpowering
- 3/4 cup sour cream – Creates an incredibly moist, tender crumb
- 1/4 cup whole milk – Adds moisture and richness
- 2 large eggs – Provides structure and richness
- 1/4 cup melted butter – Keeps donuts soft and adds flavor
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – A must for that classic bakery flavor
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract – Optional, but adds a subtle cheesecake-like note
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened – Must be room temperature for smooth filling
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar – Sweetens without graininess
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – Enhances the cheesecake flavor
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream – Makes the filling pipeable and smooth
- Pinch of salt – Balances the sweetness
For the Raspberry Glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar – Creates that glossy, smooth finish
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries – Fresh is best, but frozen works great
- 2-3 tablespoons milk – Adjust for desired consistency
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract – Rounds out the flavor
- Pink or red food coloring – Optional, for a more vibrant color
For Garnish:
- Fresh raspberries – For that beautiful finishing touch
- Powdered sugar – For dusting
- Whipped cream – Optional, for layered presentation
- Additional raspberry sauce – For drizzling
Equipment You’ll Need
- Donut pan (6-cavity or 12-cavity)
- Large and medium mixing bowls
- Electric mixer (hand or stand)
- Whisk and spatula
- Piping bags or zip-top bags (2)
- Small saucepan
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Wire cooling rack
- Toothpick or skewer (for testing doneness)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare Your Workspace
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Thoroughly grease your donut pan with non-stick spray or butter, making sure to coat every surface including the center posts. This is crucial for easy release!
Pro tip: After greasing, lightly dust with flour and tap out the excess for extra insurance against sticking.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisking thoroughly ensures even distribution of the leavening agents, which means consistently risen donuts.
Step 3: Combine the Wet Ingredients
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) until smooth and well combined. The mixture should be creamy and uniform.
Important: Make sure your melted butter has cooled slightly so it doesn’t scramble the eggs when mixed!
Step 4: Create the Batter
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold together until just combined. A few small lumps are perfectly fine—in fact, they’re what you want! Overmixing develops gluten and results in tough, dense donuts instead of light, fluffy ones.
The batter should be thick but still pourable, similar to a thick cake batter.
Step 5: Fill the Donut Pan
Transfer your batter to a piping bag or a large zip-top bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the batter into each donut cavity, filling them about 2/3 full. This allows room for the donuts to rise without overflowing.
No piping bag? You can carefully spoon the batter in, but work slowly to avoid getting batter on the center post.
Step 6: Bake to Golden Perfection
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the tops spring back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The edges should be lightly golden.
Watch carefully: Start checking at 10 minutes. Overbaking by even a minute or two can dry out your donuts.
Step 7: Cool the Donuts
Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully invert onto a wire cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely before filling and glazing—this is essential!
Step 8: Make the Cream Cheese Filling
While the donuts cool, prepare your filling. In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, heavy cream, and salt. Beat on medium-high speed until light, fluffy, and completely smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
The secret: Make sure your cream cheese is truly at room temperature. Cold cream cheese will be lumpy and difficult to work with.
Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (or use a zip-top bag with a corner snipped off).
Step 9: Create the Raspberry Glaze
In a small saucepan over medium heat, gently heat the raspberries until they break down and become juicy, about 3-4 minutes. Mash them with a fork or potato masher.
Pour the raspberry mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing down to extract all the juice while leaving the seeds behind. You should have about 1/4 cup of raspberry puree.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, raspberry puree, milk (starting with 2 tablespoons), and vanilla extract until smooth. Add more milk if needed to reach a thick but pourable consistency. Add food coloring if desired for a more vibrant pink color.
Pro tip: The glaze should slowly drip off your whisk. Too thick? Add milk by the teaspoon. Too thin? Add more powdered sugar.
Step 10: Fill the Donuts
Once your donuts are completely cool, use a skewer or chopstick to poke a hole in the side of each donut, wiggling it around to create a pocket for the filling. Be careful not to poke through the other side!
Insert the piping tip into the hole and gently squeeze to fill each donut with cream cheese filling. You’ll feel the donut get slightly heavier and see it expand a bit. Fill until you see a little filling peek out of the hole.
How much filling? Each donut should hold about 1-2 tablespoons of filling.
Step 11: Glaze and Decorate
Dip the top of each filled donut into the raspberry glaze, allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl. Place on the wire rack and let the glaze set for 10-15 minutes.
For the stunning layered presentation (like in your photo):
- Slice donuts horizontally through the middle
- Pipe or spread cream cheese filling on the bottom half
- Add fresh raspberries if desired
- Place the top half back on
- Generously drizzle with raspberry glaze
- Top with a dollop of whipped cream
- Crown with fresh raspberries
- Dust with powdered sugar
The glaze will set into a beautiful, glossy coating that’s slightly firm but still tender.
Expert Tips for Perfect Cheesecake Donuts
https://youtube.com/shorts/D7laD-mD9Xs?si=SxOpXDBEidZvVXk1
Room Temperature is Key: All your dairy ingredients (cream cheese, sour cream, eggs, milk) should be at room temperature. This ensures smooth mixing and better texture.
Don’t Skip the Sour Cream: It’s what makes these donuts incredibly moist and tender with that slight tanginess that pairs perfectly with the filling.
Strain Your Raspberry Glaze: Taking the time to strain out the seeds creates a smooth, professional-looking glaze. It’s worth the extra step!
Fill After Cooling: Filling warm donuts will cause the cream cheese filling to melt and ooze out. Patience pays off!
Double Glaze for Drama: Want an even more gorgeous finish? Let the first glaze layer set completely, then dip again.
Pipe, Don’t Spoon: Using a piping bag for both the batter and filling gives you much more control and neater results.
Test One Donut First: If you’re worried about filling too much or too little, test your technique on one donut before doing them all.
Delicious Variations to Try
Strawberry Cheesecake Donuts
Swap the raspberries for fresh strawberries in the glaze. The result is just as stunning and delicious!
Blueberry Cheesecake Donuts
Use fresh or frozen blueberries for a gorgeous purple glaze and antioxidant boost.
Mixed Berry Donuts
Combine raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries for a complex, fruity glaze.
Chocolate Raspberry Donuts
Add 3 tablespoons cocoa powder to the donut batter for a chocolate base that pairs beautifully with raspberry.
Lemon Raspberry Donuts
Add the zest of 2 lemons to the donut batter and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the cream cheese filling for a bright, citrusy twist.
Graham Cracker Crust Donuts
Mix 1/4 cup crushed graham crackers into the batter for an authentic cheesecake crust flavor.
White Chocolate Raspberry
Melt 2 oz white chocolate and drizzle over the raspberry glaze for extra decadence.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
Room Temperature: Unfilled, unglazed donuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator: Once filled with cream cheese filling, these donuts MUST be refrigerated. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The glaze may weep slightly in the fridge, but they’ll still taste amazing!
Freezer: Freeze unfilled, unglazed donuts for up to 2 months. Wrap individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature, then fill and glaze before serving.
Make-Ahead Strategy:
- Day before: Bake the donuts, let cool completely, and store in an airtight container
- Morning of: Make the filling and glaze, then assemble. This keeps everything fresh and the textures perfect
Cream Cheese Filling: Can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature and give it a quick whisk before using.
Raspberry Glaze: Best made fresh, but can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Whisk well before using and add a splash of milk if it’s too thick.
Serving Suggestions
These Raspberry Cheesecake Donuts are versatile and perfect for many occasions:
- Brunch Centerpiece: Arrange on a beautiful platter with fresh berries and mint for a stunning display
- Birthday Breakfast: Light a candle in one for a special birthday morning treat
- Valentine’s Day: The pink glaze and romantic flavors make these perfect for February 14th
- Mother’s Day Brunch: Mom will absolutely love these elegant donuts
- Afternoon Tea Party: Serve alongside coffee, tea, and fresh fruit
- Dessert Donuts: The layered version makes an impressive plated dessert
- Baby Shower: The pretty pink color is perfect for celebrating
- Weekend Treat: Make a batch on Sunday and enjoy throughout the week
Beverage Pairings:
- Strong black coffee (the bitterness balances the sweetness)
- Chai latte (the spices complement the raspberry)
- Champagne or prosecco (for a fancy brunch)
- Raspberry or strawberry tea
- Cold milk (classic and always perfect)
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Donuts are dense and heavy: You overmixed the batter. Next time, fold just until the flour disappears and accept a few small lumps.
Donuts stuck in the pan: The pan wasn’t greased well enough. Use plenty of non-stick spray or butter, getting into every crevice.
Cream cheese filling is lumpy: Your cream cheese wasn’t soft enough. Always let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before mixing.
Filling oozes out: You overfilled the donuts or filled them while they were still warm. Use less filling and make sure donuts are completely cool.
Glaze is too runny: Add more powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach the right consistency.
Glaze won’t stick: Donuts were still warm. They must be completely cool before glazing.
Raspberry glaze is too seedy: Make sure to press firmly when straining and use a fine-mesh strainer.
Donuts are dry: They were overbaked. Check at 10 minutes and remove as soon as a toothpick comes out clean.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen raspberries?
Absolutely! Frozen raspberries work great for the glaze. No need to thaw them first—just heat them until they break down.
Do I need a donut pan?
For the classic shape, yes. But you can make these as muffins instead! Bake for 15-18 minutes in a muffin tin.
Can I make these without the filling?
Yes! They’re delicious just glazed. But the cream cheese filling really takes them to the next level.
How do I know when they’re done baking?
The tops should spring back when lightly touched, and a toothpick inserted should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Can I use low-fat cream cheese?
Regular full-fat cream cheese works best for the richest flavor and creamiest texture. Low-fat tends to be more watery.
My glaze is too thick, what do I do?
Add milk one teaspoon at a time, whisking well after each addition, until you reach the desired consistency.
Can I use a different berry?
Yes! Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, or a combination all work beautifully.
How long does the glaze take to set?
About 10-15 minutes at room temperature. You can speed this up by placing the glazed donuts in the refrigerator.
Why This Recipe Works
The magic of these Raspberry Cheesecake Donuts lies in the perfect balance of flavors and textures:
The Donut Base: Using sour cream instead of just milk creates an incredibly moist, tender crumb with a slight tang that mimics cheesecake’s characteristic flavor. The combination of baking powder and baking soda ensures a light, fluffy texture.
The Filling: Real cream cheese whipped with just the right amount of sugar creates a filling that’s tangy, creamy, and not too sweet—just like the best cheesecake.
The Glaze: Fresh raspberry puree provides authentic berry flavor without artificial ingredients. Straining removes the seeds for a smooth, bakery-quality finish.
The Chemistry: Baking (rather than frying) allows the donuts to develop a cake-like crumb that’s sturdy enough to hold the filling without being heavy or greasy.
The Final Bite
These Raspberry Cheesecake Donuts are everything a homemade donut should be: light, flavorful, beautiful, and absolutely irresistible. The combination of tender vanilla donuts, tangy cream cheese filling, and vibrant raspberry glaze creates a symphony of flavors that rivals any fancy bakery creation.
Whether you serve them simply filled and glazed for breakfast or dress them up with layers of cream and fresh berries for an elegant dessert, these donuts are guaranteed to impress. They’re proof that baking at home can produce results that are just as stunning—and even more delicious—than anything you’d find in a shop.
So grab your donut pan, some fresh raspberries, and get ready to create something truly special. Once your family and friends taste these heavenly Raspberry Cheesecake Donuts, you’ll be getting requests to make them again and again. And honestly? You won’t mind one bit, because they’re as fun to make as they are to eat!
Happy baking, and enjoy every creamy, fruity, spectacular bite! 🍩💕🍓
Yields: 12 donuts
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Bake Time: 10-12 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes (plus cooling and decorating)
Difficulty: Intermediate
