Decorate-Your-Own Donut Spread

Make donut dreams come true with this Decorate-Your-Own Donut Spread. With a colorful palate of tasty frostings, fruits, sprinkles, and candies each person can create and enjoy their own donut masterpieces!

Donut Dreams Come True

Nothing beats our family’s devotion to donuts. I mean, we celebrate birthdays with a donut cake, y’all. New city? We have to seek out the best donuts in town. We have relationships with donut shops. Spend a little time with the hashtag #TheBakerMamaDoesDonuts and you’ll see. If food could be a ride-or-die? Donuts.

I’m super excited to share this Decorate-Your-Own Donut Spread with y’all. Light on prep work, heavy on fun, it’s the perfect low-key spread to set out for kids and us kids at heart. Everyone’s faces will light up when they get an eyeful of this sweet spread! And creating your perfect donut is such a great time. Explore your donut personality! Are you a bacon, banana and peanut butter on a chocolate cake donut person? Or a donut hole dipped in strawberry frosting and fruity pebbles?

Or maybe you go ALL IN, like this guy!

The Donut Download

First thing’s first: this spread is about fun. Customize it to your family and guest’s enjoyment. Go nuts (or don’t!) but remember to get in there and get your fingers sticky! I’ve provided tons of tips to make this process easy and enjoyable and above all, yummy!

Keep it easy by picking up the donuts from your favorite donut shop or your local grocery store bakery. If you’re hosting a large crowd and need a lot of donuts, you should pre-order them so you can be sure they have enough. You can also grab the pre-packaged donuts on the bread aisle at the grocery store. No shame in ready-made! If you have the time and the desire, you can try your hand at making your own donuts! My 2-Ingredient Baked Cake Donuts are simple and perfect for letting everyone decorate their own. My Triple Chocolate Donuts aren’t too shabby, either!

Plan on at least two donuts per person when buying for your spread. Mini donuts and donut holes are perfect for kids and for the uncommitted artist. They can decorate several donut creations without committing to a whole donut!

You’ll need a variety of donut types and flavors. Some to consider:

• Regular glazed raised donuts
• Glazed donut holes
• Unglazed cake donuts
• Glazed blueberry cake donuts
• Chocolate frosted mini donuts
• Powdered mini donuts
• Coconut crunch mini donuts
• Cinnamon sugar mini donuts
• Chocolate frosted donuts
• Glazed old fashioned donuts
• Glazed chocolate old fashioned donuts

Frostings, Glazes & Toppings – Oh, My!

Bring out the food artist in your loved ones by providing a colorful and delicious assortment of toppings for their donut art! Frostings and glazes could be:

• vanilla frosting
• chocolate fudge frosting
• hot pink vanilla frosting
• maple glaze
• peanut butter

To prep the frosting for dipping, transfer each frosting to its own microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds in the microwave to melt it, stirring until smooth and of drizzling consistency. This will make it easy to dip the donuts into to frost them. If the frostings start to get too thick throughout the party, simply microwave them again in 15 second intervals until of drizzling consistency.

For the maple frosting, start by heating the vanilla frosting in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth and then whisk in the maple syrup.

Melt the peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl for 15-30 seconds until of drizzling consistency.

Now, when it comes to toppings, the possibilities are pretty endless. I provided a more extensive list in the recipe card, but some great ideas for toppings include: Mini M&M’s, crushed Oreos, diced fresh strawberries, chopped cooked bacon, Reese’s Pieces, chopped nuts, Fruity Pebbles Cereal, Fruit Loops Cereal, Golden Grahams Cereal, and Marshmallow Bits.

Set out the Decorate-Your-Own Donut Spread

Now you’re ready to lay out the spread! First, arrange a variety of donuts on serving platters and stands on the spread table. Then place the toppings in small serving bowls across the spread table.

Next, melt the frostings in microwave-safe bowls and add them to the spread table.  Then set out plates for each person to decorate their donuts on.

Finally, the fun part! Let each person dip donuts into the frostings and decorate their donuts with toppings and drizzles as they please. Capture your creations with fun photos or have a decorating contest, for added fun and silliness!

More Quick Tips:

It’s nice to have to-go plates or boxes for guests to decorate extra donuts to take home, if desired. The only way to beat a goodie bag is with a goodie box!

Got leftover toppings?  Combine the leftovers (except for the fresh strawberries and bacon) in a container to use as an ice cream topping or to bake into cookies.

Here’s to making donut dreams come true! I hope you love this Decorate-Your-Own Donut Spread as much as we do. When you make it, be sure to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see! I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share.