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Polar Bear Donuts To Brighten Your Morning

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Polar bear donuts are a fun breakfast to serve when it is cold outside.

Three polar bear donuts all neatly arranged on a black tray.

Winter time can drag on and on and sometimes we need to do something a little special in the morning to get our children moving. These easy donut treats will put a smile on everyone’s face and brighten up the morning.

These cute bear donuts also make a great breakfast for sleepovers or class parties at school. My kids sometimes have a pajama day at school during the winter months and sending polar bear donuts along gets me extra mom points.

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What are Some Fun Facts About Polar Bears?

While you and your kids are eating these donuts you can talk about everything polar bears. Your kids will enjoy learning about these cute animals and they can show off what they learned later when they get to school and share some more donuts with their friends.

  • Polar bear cubs are born blind, toothless, and covered with short, soft fur. They weigh about 1 pound and are 12 to 14 inches long.
  • The cubs stay with their moms for about 2 1/2 years so they can learn to hunt, feed, swim, and survive.
  • Polar bears have white fur, but their skin is actually black. The fur is made of clear, hollow tubes that reflect sunlight and help them camouflage.
  • The bears can grow to be 10 feet tall and weigh up to 1,300 pounds.
  • Polar bears can swim up to 6 miles per hour and swim for days at a time. They can swim over 60 miles without stopping to look for food. 
  • They have black footpads with small bumps called papillae that grip the ice. They also have tufts of fur between their toes and footpads to keep them warm.

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❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It it’s cold outside, it’s the perfect time to make these polar bear donuts:

  • Easy to make: Since you’re using already made donuts, all you have to do is decorate them.
  • Fun to make: These donuts are fun to make because it’s usually fun to make something you know your kids are going to enjoy.
  • Kids can help: Since this recipe is so easy to make, the kids can help with the entire process. They’ll be excited to eat something they made themselves.

If you want to try making your own donuts, these cinnamon sugar air fryer biscuit donuts is a great recipe to try.

🥘 Ingredients

This breakfast recipe only has 5 ingredients that are all easy to find at your local grocery store.

Polar bear donuts ingredients.
  • Mini Powdered Donuts: Any brand of donuts is fine. They will be used as the base for the polar bear’s face.
  • White Decorating Icing: A squeeze tube of icing is best because it’s used to fill the donut hole and to attach the candy eyes.
  • Chocolate Chips: This is used for the polar bear’s nose.
  • Candy Eyes: You can usually find these in the baking aisle near the decorating icing and sprinkles — they either come in a bag, box, or plastic container.
  • Cheerios: These are used as the ears of the bear. You can use the store brand version of the cereal if you prefer.

See recipe card for complete list of ingredients and quantities

🔀 Substitutions

If you don’t have the ingredients you need, or if you can’t find them at the store, see if you have/can find these instead:

Mini powdered donuts: You can use mini plain donuts (add powdered sugar to mimic the appearance) or white-frosted mini donuts instead.

White decorating icing: Vanilla frosting or melted white chocolate will work as substitute. You can also use cream cheese frosting or powdered sugar mixed with a little milk for a similar consistency.

Chocolate chips: Mini chocolate chips, a small piece of chocolate candy (like an M&M), or a raisin will work instead.

Candy eyes: Use white chocolate chips with a dot of melted chocolate in the center, small round candies like Smarties or M&Ms (with a chocolate dot for the pupil), or pipe eyes with white and black icing.

Cheerios: Small round cereal like Fruit Loops or Apple Jacks (use only the lighter colors for a polar bear look), or you can cut small marshmallows or white fondant into circles.

🌈 Variations / Options / Add-Ins

Here are a few ways that you can personalize this breakfast recipe:

  • Different donuts: Use mini cinnamon-sugar donuts for a cozy winter touch or mini glazed donuts for a shiny, smooth look.
  • Different bears: To make brown bears use chocolate-frosted donuts, brown icing, and chocolate cereal for ears. For panda bears, use the same ingredients, but also add additional chocolate chips for black panda markings around the eyes and nose.
  • Creative toppings: Use colorful cereals like Fruity Pebbles for whimsical ears, add mini marshmallows for extra fluffiness around the nose or face, and add edible glitter or pearl sprinkles to make the donuts sparkle.

If you want to make fun donuts for Halloween, pin this spider donut recipe to use later in the year.

🥄 Equipment Needed / Helpful Tools

You only need a few things to help you make this easy donut recipe.

  • Flat baking sheet: Assemble the donuts on this and put it in the freezer for a few minutes to set.
  • Parchment paper: Put this paper on the baking sheet so it’s really easy to clean up after making the donuts.
  • Serving plate: Serve the donuts on a cute winter plate to make it more fun for the kids.

🔪 How to Make Polar Bear Donuts

It doesn’t take much time to assemble a platter of polar bear donuts. This is also a breakfast treat that the kids can help you make or even make themselves. 

Step 1: Prepare the Donuts

First lay out all of the white donuts flat on a flat baking sheet. I prefer to spread out some parchment paper on the baking sheet to reduce clean up time.

This is a recipe where you decide how many you want to make. Remember, these will go fast!!

Step 2: Fill the Donut Hole

Now take the tube of white decorating icing and fill the hole of the donut with icing in a circular shape. This is going to be the base of the polar bear’s face and nose.

A powdered donut with a swirl of white icing on top, rests on a white surface.

Step 3: Place the Eyes

Take two edible candy eyes and put a little bit of white icing on the back side and place them above the icing circle (the icing on the back will help them adhere to the donut). These will be the polar bear’s eyes.

Close-up of a hand holding an edible candy eye with white icing on it.

Step 4: Add the Nose

Put a chocolate chip in the center of the icing you just put on the donut. This chocolate chip is the polar bear’s nose.

A powdered donut with candy eyes and a chocolate chip resembling a polar bear face.

Step 5: Add the Cheerios

Grab two cheerios and gently push them into the top of the donut for ears. Powdered sugar donuts are fragile so be careful not to push too hard or the donut may crumble.

A powdered donut with candy eyes, a chocolate chip for nose and cheerios for the ears, resembling a polar bear face.

Step 6: Allow Icing to set

Put the baking sheet with the polar bear donuts into the freezer to allow the icing to set. It will take about 5-10 minutes for the icing to firm up.

Step 7: Serve and Enjoy

Transfer the donuts to a serving plate. Enjoy this special breakfast treat with your kids.

Three polar bear donuts all neatly arranged on a black tray.

❓ Recipe FAQs

Can I make these donuts ahead of time?

Yes! You can assemble the donuts up to a day in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep the icing and decorations intact. Let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.

Can I freeze these donuts?

Yes, you can freeze them after assembly. Place the decorated donuts on a tray to freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container. Allow them to thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

What if my donuts crumble while adding decorations?

If a donut crumbles, use icing as “glue” to piece it back together. You can also chill the donuts before assembly to make them firmer and easier to handle.

🙏 Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Polar Bear Donuts:

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📋 Recipe

Three bear-themed cookies, reminiscent of polar bear donuts, with white frosting, chocolate chips for noses, and pretzel pieces for ears are arranged on a black surface.

Polar Bear Donuts

Corinne Schmitt
Polar Bear Donuts are an easy breakfast treat to make and kids will love them. 
5 from 8 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Chill Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American

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Equipment

  • Flat baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Serving plate

Ingredients
  

  • Mini powdered donuts
  • White decorating icing
  • Chocolate chips
  • Candy eyes
  • Cheerios

Instructions
 

  • First lay out all of the white donuts flat on a flat baking sheet. I prefer to spread out some parchment paper on the baking sheet to reduce clean up time.
    Mini powdered donuts
  • Fill the hole of the donut with white decorating icing in the shape of a circle.
    White decorating icing
  • Place a chocolate chip in the center of the white icing circle you just created, This will be the polar bear’s nose.
    Chocolate chips
  • Place a dot of icing on the back of a candy eye, and place it onto the front of the donut just above the nose area of the polar bear that has already been created. Repeat this process with another candy eye.
    Candy eyes
  • Gently push a Cheerio into each side of the top of the mini donut. These will be the ears of your polar bear. Be careful not to push too hard, or your donut might crumble.
    Cheerios
  • Put the baking sheet with the polar bear donuts into the freezer to allow the icing to set. It will take about 5-10 minutes for the icing to firm up.
  • Transfer the donuts to a serving plate. Enjoy this special breakfast treat with your kids.

Notes

Recipe FAQs

Can I make these donuts ahead of time?
Yes! You can assemble the donuts up to a day in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep the icing and decorations intact. Let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.
 
Can I freeze these donuts?
Yes, you can freeze them after assembly. Place the decorated donuts on a tray to freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container. Allow them to thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
 
What if my donuts crumble while adding decorations?
If a donut crumbles, use icing as “glue” to piece it back together. You can also chill the donuts before assembly to make them firmer and easier to handle.
 
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

6 thoughts on “Polar Bear Donuts To Brighten Your Morning”

  1. 5 stars
    Your Polar Bear Donuts are just adorable! Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing your post with us at Full Plate Thursday.
    Miz Helen

    Reply
  2. Those are super cute. I will be featuring this tonight at my Winter Blues Wednesday party that opens at 8pm EST. Please stop by and pick up an I’ve Been Featured button. Thanks. http://diybydesign.blogspot.com

    Reply
  3. Corinne, these are absolutely adorable! I’m pinning and thinking of serving next time I set my Polar Bear Picnic, Sleigh Ride Tablescape: https://debbeesbuzz.com/polar-bear-frolic-sleigh-ride-tablescape/

    Thanks for the recipe and instructions!

    Reply
  4. These are so cute! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner Party – hope your week is fantastic!

    Reply
5 from 8 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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