A 3-ingredient donut glaze recipe that’s simple to make and totally delicious! Switch it up by adding various flavors to your tasty homemade donuts!
This glaze recipe is perfect for so many sweet treats! Try dipping or drizzling it over our 2-ingredient Donuts, our Pumpkin Turnovers, or our Cake Mix Cookies.

If ever there was a recipe that anyone could make, this donut glaze is it! Using a few simple ingredients that you can keep on hand, this glaze comes together in less than 2 minutes and it yields the perfect consistency for dipping your donuts. Add any additional flavors and colorings to make each donut unique… and don’t forget the sprinkles!
Simple Glaze Recipe
The recipe starts with a base made with just 3 ingredients-
- 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons of milk
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla
Toss the ingredients into a bowl, whisk until smooth, and you’ll be ready to go in no time at all!
Recipe Notes
- If you want your glaze thicker, add more powdered sugar.
- If you want your glaze thinner, add more milk.
- If you want your glaze to be chocolate, maple, pumpkin, or something else amazing, see our list below.
- If you want your glaze to be a different color, food coloring blends nicely in this base, and sprinkles set easily too!
- For an extra thick layer of glaze, dip once then set it on a wire rack for a minute or so, then dip once more.
- Let your donut glaze set and harden on a wire rack before serving.
- Glaze can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Glaze Flavor Variations
Take the basic glaze recipe, then add the following ingredients to switch up the flavors –
- CHOCOLATE GLAZE – 1/4 cup of cocoa powder + 1 more tablespoon of milk
- MAPLE GLAZE – 1/4 cup maple syrup (plus more to taste)
- PUMPKIN GLAZE – 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- LEMON GLAZE – 1 teaspoon lemon extract (plus more to taste)
- ORANGE GLAZE – 1 teaspoon orange extract (plus more to taste)
- FUNFETTI GLAZE – 1 drop of pink food coloring
More Donut Recipes + Ideas
Here’s a printable recipe card for your convenience –
Easy Donut Glaze Recipe
Ingredients
BASIC GLAZE-
- 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons of milk
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla
OPTIONAL FLAVORINGS –
- CHOCOLATE GLAZE – 1/4 cup of cocoa powder + 1 more tablespoon of milk
- MAPLE GLAZE – 1/4 cup maple syrup, plus more to taste
- PUMPKIN GLAZE – 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- LEMON GLAZE – 1 teaspoon lemon extract, plus more to taste
- ORANGE GLAZE – 1 teaspoon orange extract, plus more to taste
- FUNFETTI GLAZE – 1 drop of pink food coloring + sprinkles
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together all of the ingredients with an electric mixture, or by hand.
- Continue mixing for about a minute until everything is combined and the mixture is smooth.
- Add more milk or powdered sugar if the glaze is too thick or thin.
- Dip your donuts, one at a time, in the bowl until the donut is half submerged. Transfer to a wire cooling rack.
- Dip each donut one more time to get a nice, thick layer of icing. Let the glaze harden completely before serving.
- Eat and enjoy!