Red Velvet Donuts
This post may contain affiliate links. View my privacy policy and disclosure policy for more details.
These baked Red Velvet Donuts have a moist and tender crumb that is topped by an amazing coconut frosting and coconut shreds! Kinda like actual Red Velvet Cake but cuter,

Red Velvet Donuts | With Coconut Frosting!!!
This Red Velvet Donut recipe is basically a cake recipe that is so amazingly moist and tender. Not quite Magnolia Bakery status, but pretty darn close. AND, this coconut cream cheese frosting is incredible! I ate it with a spoon!!—>seriously. The frosting takes it over the top into slap yo’ momma {except she lives 800 miles away} territory.
Drop everything and make this in the closest available pan: 9×13, sheet tray, muffin tin, mini muffin tin, doughnut pan, it doesn’t matter. The results will be the same!
Warning–> you MUST like coconut. P.S.–> you must NOT be afraid to use copious amounts of red food coloring. Trust the Lauren. These really ARE good for you! And by you, I mean your thunder thighs.
Love donuts? Me too! Here are some more to try! Carrot Cake Donuts, Cranberry Orange Donuts, Donut Holes, Homemade French Cruller Donut, The Puddin Donut {Gourdough’s Copycat}, S’mores Donut, 3-Ingredient Nutella Donuts, Pancake Mix Donuts, and Old Fashioned Pumpkin Donuts.

Main Ingredients Needed
You are going to find a lot of common ingredients in this list plus food coloring of course. Here’s what you need for Red Velvet Donuts:
- Flour + Baking Soda – this fills out the donuts and helps them raise.
- Sugar – to sweeten.
- Cocoa Powder – for subtle chocolatey flavor.
- Salt – to balance the sweet.
- Milk + White Vinegar – this provides moisture and a slight tang that is known in red velvet cakes.
- Canola Oil – for moisture.
- Vanilla + Coconut Extract – both are used for flavor,
- Egg – used for structure and texture.
- Food Coloring – you are going to need a lot of food coloring for these. Try to find some that don’t have a flavor to them.
For the Frosting
- Cream Cheese – this brings a lot of creaminess and tang.
- Butter – this fills out the frosting even more while also providing a silky texture.
- Powdered Sugar – to sweeten and to thicken the frosting.
- Milk – to thin out the frosting so it is spreadable.
- Vanilla + Coconut Extract – to flavor!
- Unsweetened Coconut – this tops each donut and is the perfect garnish.

How to Make Red Velvet Donuts
Step 1: Make Batter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 doughnut pans with non stick cooking spray and set aside.
In a large stand mixer bowl, combine all dry ingredients on low speed. In a liquid measuring cup pour all wet ingredients and whisk to combine. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Scrape sides and mix again until smooth batter forms.
Step 2: Bake + Cool
Pour into greased doughnut pans until they are 2/3 full and bake. Remove from oven, cool 5 minutes then remove to a cooling rack.
Step 3: Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
While the doughnuts cool, whip cream cheese and butter together. Stir in powdered sugar and extracts. With mixer on low, stream in milk until desired consistency is reached. Scrape sides and whip again. Spread frosting over top each doughnut and sprinkle with coconut. Serve.

More Red Velvet Recipes to Try!
- Red Velvet Nanaimo Bars
- Homemade Red Velvet Oreos
- Mini Red Velvet Cheesecakes
- Red Velvet Cake
- Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Red Velvet Cookies
Moral of the story: make these, eat these. They are AMAZING! 🙂
The printable recipe card is down below, enjoy!

Red Velvet Donuts
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons liquid red food coloring
FOR THE FROSTING-
- 8 oz softened cream cheese
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1 lb powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk give or take a splash
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Bob’s Red Mill Unsweetened Coconut for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 doughnut pans with non stick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large stand mixer bowl, combine all dry ingredients on low speed. In a liquid measuring cup pour all wet ingredients and whisk to combine. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Scrape sides and mix again until smooth batter forms.
- Pour into greased doughnut pans until they are 2/3 full and bake 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven, cool 5 minutes then remove to cooling rack.
- While the doughnuts cool, whip cream cheese and butter together. Stir in powdered sugar and extracts. With mixer on low, stream in milk until desired consistency is reached. Scrape sides and whip again. Spread frosting over top each doughnut and sprinkle with coconut. Serve.




Would the recipe be the same measurements without the coconut? I’m a fan, but family is not.
Also, I LOVE your other recipes I’ve tried out so far. Everything has been a huge hit!
You can make this and just omit the coconut flavoring and not top it with the unsweetened coconut.
[…] precisely 4 doughnut recipes on my blog. 3-Ingredients Nutella Doughnuts {as easy as they sound}, Red Velvet Coconut Doughnuts {crazy good}, S’more Doughnuts {have mercy}, Cranberry Orange Cake Doughnuts {addicting […]
Love these, I make them into
Mini cupcakes all the time, thanks for a great recipe 🙂
[…] red velvet coconut doughnuts. […]