The 5 Best Donut Pans For Baking Homemade Treats

For donut-baking success at home, you'll need to get your hands on a great recipe, but you'll also want the right bakeware. Whether they're steel or silicone, the best donut pans have nonstick cavities, making it easy to pop fresh confections out without breaking them apart. These pans should also be able to give you donut rings (or holes) sized to your preferences and be oven safe up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit for the most versatility.

The first thing to consider when shopping for a doughnut pan is what material you prefer:

• Steel: To avoid spilling any perfectly poured batter as you transfer your doughy creations in and out of the oven, a sturdy steel metal pan is your best bet. In addition to its durability, a steel pan with a nonstick coating can also offer quick and easy cleanup. Just keep in mind that while they are dishwasher safe, it's often best to hand wash to ensure the coating remains intact. You'll also want to be careful which utensils you use on nonstick pans, since metal can scratch.
• Silicone: Not only is it naturally stick-free, silicone is lighter weight and more flexible than steel, allowing you to pop your treats right out. It can also safely be used in the oven, the microwave, the freezer, and air fryers (just make sure to look for 100% food-grade silicone ). The biggest drawback, however, is that you'll still need a sturdy cookie sheet or pan to help you transfer your silicone bakeware to and from the oven, to avoid excess spills.

Note: Whichever type you go for, most brands still recommend lightly greasing your pans with cooking spray or oil to enhance the effects of the nonstick material.

Though many commerical donuts are around 3 inches in diameter, you'll find everything from a generously-sized 3.75 inches molds, to sweet mini donut makers at just under 1-inch. Smaller donuts will obviously bake faster, but also take longer to glaze and decorate. Speaking of size, don't forget to measure the inside of your oven before committing to a pan!

Now that you're ready to make homemade donuts, you'll find a list of the best donut pans on Amazon below.

1. A Set Of Nonstick Steel Donut Pans With A Cult Following

Dimensions:12.5 x 8 inches (length x width)

With more than 4,500 reviews on Amazon and an impressive 4.8-star rating, these steel Wilton donut pans are a go-to for Amazon shoppers who are looking for reliable, quality bakeware. Each of the two included pans makes six 3.25-inch diameter donuts. The pans are oven safe up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and feature a nonstick, Teflon-free coating. Reviewers are most impressed by how truly easy it is to use and handle these pans, with many reporting they've had success effortlessly popping out their treats even when they've opted not to use cooking spray. Several users also mention using this pick to make delicious bagels and muffins, too. They are conveniently dishwasher safe, though the brand does suggest that for best results, you wash with warm, soapy water before and after each use.

For whipping up more donuts in one batch, check out the larger Wilton 20-cavity donut pan, which has all the same features noted above, only the donuts rings are slightly larger at 3.4-inches each.

One baker's delight: "I had never purchased a Wilton product before, and I am genuinely impressed with the quality of these donut baking trays. They are sturdy, and the non-stick surface is excellent. My donuts baked evenly and browned perfectly. I was so pleased with this purchase that I have since purchased another Wilton product that is also of the same high quality."

2. These Colorful Silicone Donut Pans At A Great Price

Dimensions:10.2 x 7.1 inches (length x width)

Made from flexible, BPA-free 100% food-grade silicone, this set of donut pans comes with three bright sheets, each with molds to make six 2.9-inch donuts. The flexible silicone makes it easy to pop treats out of the cavities and it's easy to fold up for storing. Because they're so malleable, the pans do wobble a bit, so to avoid spilling your batter, reviewers recommend placing them on a cookie sheet before filling. The molds are dishwasher- and microwave-safe and can withstand oven temperatures of up to 450 degrees. Like the previous pick, these pans have a ton of fans, with more than 1,200 five-star reviews.

One baker's delight: "Amazing molds! Doughnuts popped right out with no tears, breaks or missing bits due to sticking. Easy clean up as well. Very impressed with these molds and have gotten quite a few questions about them from friends and family."

3. This Silicone Cake Pop Maker That Doubles As A Donut Hole Pan

Dimensions: 7 x 7 inches (length x width)

You can make 20 adorable, bite-sized cake pops or (donut holes!) with this cake pop mold. The mold comes in two parts — a bottom tray with that you can fill up with batter, and a cover with air holes that will help shape your dough into 1.37-inch balls as it rises. Made from 100% food-grade, BPA-free silicone, the pans are dishwasher-safe and can withstand oven temperatures up to 446 degrees Fahrenheit. The mold also comes with 120 cake pop sticks. Tip: Spray a bit of cooking oil inside the top and bottom halves of the mold before filling up with batter to make popping treats out even easier.

One baker's delight: "We liked these so much we decided to buy two more sets.silicone molds for cake pops or anything you need to mold.[...] I have to say, I'm really thrilled with the results."

4. This Silicone Set With Everything You Need To Get Started

Dimensions: Big pan 11 x 11 inches (length x width); small pan 7.7 x 11.2 inches (length x width)

Both of the pans in this donut-making kit are made from BPA-free, nonstick 100% food-grade silicone. The larger pan can make nine 3.15-inch donuts, while the smaller pan makes a dozen .85-inch mini donuts. Both pieces are dishwasher-safe and can be used safely in ovens up to 446 degrees Farenheight. The kit also comes with five pastry bags that will make it a cinch to fill up the cavities. You'll also get a dishwasher-safe silicone spatula for whipping up batter. A light coating of cooking oil will keep donuts from sticking to the pans and make clean up even easier.

One baker's delight: "Used these pans to make mini apple cider donuts and loved having two different size options - the pan was super easy to clean and donuts popped right out. At first I didn't think I'd have any use for the pastry bags because I'm not a very elaborate baker but they actually turned out to be PERFECT to cleanly portion the donut batter into the pans. I live in NYC and have a relatively small kitchen so the fact that they are lightweight and flexible is much appreciated."

5. These Single Donut Molds That Are Perfect For Air Fryers

Dimensions: 2.75-inch diameter

These individual donut molds are perfect for those times when you want to make just a few sweets at one time and don't want to have to deal with cleaning up an entire pan. A few Amazon shoppers also noted that they were impressed by how well the pans worked when they used them to make air fryer donuts. Made from BPA-free, 100% food-grade silicone, each of the 24 included molds is safe for ovens (up to up to 446 degrees Fahrenheit) microwaves, freezers, and dishwashers. Because your confections will pop out without a hitch, these would also make for perfect pan for muffins or egg dishes.

One baker's delight: "Adorable perfect size, very easy to use, I rubbed the tiniest bit of coconut oil in bottoms & they slid right out. Doughnuts cooked perfectly in my new air fryer which held 9. But with 24 I'll be able to do lots if I need to in the oven. Highly recommend & I love the colors!"

You May Also Like: This Cute & Affordable Mini Donut Maker Machine

Dimensions: 2-inch diameter

The Dash donut maker seven mini donuts in less than two minutes. The maker's buzzer lets you know when they're ready and an auto shut-off function ensures donuts are never overdone. The cooking plates have a nonstick surface and reviewers pipe the batter directly into the molds without adding any oil. To clean, just wipe down the plates with a moist sponge. The donut maker comes with a recipe book, with a ton of delicious options.

One baker's delight: "I got this product and immediately made banana donuts from some over ripe bananas I had. They came out absolutely perfect and LOVE how East it is to use and how fast it cooks!! Pipe the batter in and in 2 minutes donuts are done!!"