These Banana Donuts are baked, not fried, moist, sweet, and topped with a thick chocolate icing. If you're looking for the best way to use up overripe bananas, these baked banana donuts are it. This recipe is naturally dairy free, plus I've included gluten free and vegan options as well!
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While I'll never turn down a slice of banana bread, there's just something about these baked banana donuts that makes me extra happy. They're cute, quick, and I love having another recipe to use up overripe bananas.
These donuts are super simple to whip up, can be made in one bowl, and take less than 10 minutes to bake. Plus, they're made with oil, instead of butter, to keep them extra moist and completely dairy free.
Once baked, finish these cake donuts off with a 2 ingredient chocolate glaze, and ta-da!! You've got yourself a perfect treat for either brunch with friends, or to enjoy whenever the sweet tooth hits.
Why These Baked Banana Donuts Work
- They're a fun, unique way to use up overripe bananas
- The batter is made in one bowl, with just a wooden spoon
- Banana bread donuts bake in 10 minutes
- They're topped with an incredible, silky chocolate glaze
- Donuts are always a hit with both kids and adults
- This recipe makes 8 perfectly moist, fluffy donuts
Key Ingredients Needed
*full ingredients list and measurements can be found in the recipe card below*
Bananas: When it comes to bananas, the riper they are the better. You'll get more sweetness, flavor, and plus they're easier to mash.
Oil: I like to use avocado oil, but any neutral oil will work.
Milk: To keep these dairy free, I make mine with almond milk.
Egg: The egg acts as a binder and also help achieve that light, fluffy texture.
Flour: A high quality all-purpose flour is best. I typically use the brand King Arthur.
Sugar: This recipe is made with regular granulated sugar. You don't need a lot though, because the bananas are pretty sweet.
Flavorings: I add a small amount of vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt to really enhance the banana flavor.
Powdered sugar and cocoa powder: These are the two ingredients you'll need for the glaze. I use unsweetened cocoa powder, but Dutch process will also work.
Substitutions:
Oil: I like a neutral oil, but melted coconut oil, ghee, or butter will all work.
Milk: Any milk you have on hand is good. Whole milk, oat milk, or a nut milk will all be ok.
Sugar: If you don't have granulated sugar, brown sugar is a good substitution in this recipe.
How To Make Baked Banana Donuts
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350° F and lightly spray a silicone donut pan with non-stick spray
STEP TWO: In a large mixing bowl, combine mashed bananas, oil, almond milk, vanilla, and the egg. Mix until well combined.
STEP THREE: To the wet ingredients, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Gently fold until there are no visible traces of flour.
STEP FOUR: Transfer the batter to a piping bag (or a Ziploc bag with the corner cut) and pipe the batter into your prepared donut pan, filling each well ¾ of the way full.
STEP FIVE: Bake the banana donuts for 8-10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Carefully pull them out of the oven, and let cool in the donut pan for 5 minutes, before flipping out onto a wire rack
A Quick Note About Baking In Grams! You'll find that most of my new baking recipes have the ingredients listed in grams. That is because it's the most accurate way to bake and ensure a quality baked good every time. However, I know not everyone has a scale so I've also listed the measurements in cups in the recipe card below.
Making The Chocolate Glaze:
STEP ONE: In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
STEP TWO: Slowly add boiling water into the chocolate powdered sugar, and mix until a smooth glaze forms.
STEP THREE: Dip the tops of the fully cooled donuts into the glaze, then set them back onto the wire rack and allow the chocolate glaze to set a bit. Once set, serve and enjoy!
Allergy Friendly Variations
Gluten Free: Substitute the all purpose flour with 150 grams of a 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour. If possible, allow the batter to rest for 30 minutes to hydrate the flour.
Egg free/ vegan: Substitute the egg with a flax egg. Mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of warm water, and let sit for 10 minutes before adding to the other ingredients.
Refined sugar free: Substitute the granulated sugar with an equal amount of coconut sugar.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
Just like all donuts, these banana bread donuts are best enjoyed the same day that they're made. However, if need be, they can be stored and enjoyed at a later time.
Storing unglazed banana donuts: You can keep unglazed donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for one day, or in the fridge for two.
Storing glazed banana donuts: Place these into a container in a single layer so the glaze doesn't stick. Keep in the fridge for 1-2 days, after that they will begin to dry out.
How to freeze: If you're choosing to freeze baked banana donuts, it's better if they're unglazed. Place them into a bag and freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw at room temperature overnight, glaze, and enjoy!
Expert Tips For The Best Donuts
- Overripe bananas are key: As banana ripen, the sweetness and "banana flavor" intensifies. The best bananas to use are ones that are brown and spotty, they'll give the most flavor!
- Use a scale: I've listed the ingredients in the recipe card below in grams because it's the most accurate way to bake. You can order a $10 scale from Amazon if needed!
- Don't overmix: Unless you're baking with gluten free flour, it's best to only mix the batter just until all of the flour is incorporated. The gluten proteins become tougher the more they're mixed, so instead of light and fluffy, the donuts will be dense if overmixed.
- Test with a toothpick: If you think the banana bread donuts are done, insert a toothpick into the center of one, and if it comes out clean, you're good
- Let cool completely: Before you glaze, allow the donuts to cool completely to room temperature.
- Enjoy fresh: Like any bakery donuts, they're best enjoyed the day they're made.
- About the glaze: The glaze is completely optional. Also, the chocolate glaze doesn't harden completely, so only dip the tops of the donuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Since frying requires an entirely different cooking technique, there is no way that baked donuts would taste the same. However, baking is much healthier and way less scary than frying.
So no, they may not taste the same, but they're still pretty darn good.
If they're dry, then they're overbaked. Oven temperatures vary, but these shouldn't bake more than 13 minutes. I usually check mine around 10 and they're good.
If you don't have a donut pan, you can make mini donut holes by baking them in a mini muffin pan. Bake for 10-13 minutes.
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PrintBaked Banana Donuts
These Banana Donuts are baked, not fried, moist, sweet, and topped with a thick chocolate icing. If you're looking for the best way to use up overripe bananas, these baked banana donuts are it. This recipe is naturally dairy free, plus I've included gluten free and vegan options as well!
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 10 Minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 Donuts 1x
- Category: Donuts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
FOR THE DONUTS:
- 120g mashed banana (about ½ cup)
- 28g avocado oil (2 tablespoons)
- 60g unsweetened almond milk (¼ cup)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 150g all-purpose flour (1 ¼ cup)
- 55g granulated sugar (4 tablespoons)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
- 90g powdered sugar (1 cup)
- 30g unsweetened cocoa powder (¼ cup)
- Small pinch of salt
- 2-3 tablespoons boiling water
Instructions
Baking The Donuts:
- Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly spray a silicone donut pan with non-stick spray
- In a large mixing bowl, combine mashed banana, avocado oil, almond milk, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix well, until everything is combined.
- To the wet ingredients, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients, until there are no traces of flour left.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag (or plastic bag with the corner cut off) and carefully pipe the batter into the prepared donut pan, filling each well ¾ of the way full.
- Bake for 10-13 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Take the banana donuts out of the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Making the glaze:
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt until well combined.
- Next, pour in the boiling water 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix until you have a thick, silky glaze.
- Dip the tops of the cooled donuts into the glaze, then place them back onto the wire rack and allow the glaze to set before eating.
Notes
Allergy Friendly Variations:
Gluten Free: Substitute the all purpose flour with 150 grams of a 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour. If possible, allow the batter to rest for 30 minutes to hydrate the flour.
Egg free/ vegan: Substitute the egg with a flax egg. Mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of warm water, and let sit for 10 minutes before adding to the other ingredients.
Refined sugar free: Substitute the granulated sugar with an equal amount of coconut sugar.
Expert Tips:
- Overripe bananas are key: As banana ripen, the sweetness and "banana flavor" intensifies. The best bananas to use are ones that are brown and spotty, they'll give the most flavor!
- Use a scale: I've listed the ingredients in the recipe card below in grams because it's the most accurate way to bake. You can order a $10 scale from Amazon if needed!
- Don't overmix: Unless you're baking with gluten free flour, it's best to only mix the batter just until all of the flour is incorporated. The gluten proteins become tougher the more they're mixed, so instead of light and fluffy, the donuts will be dense if overmixed.
- Test with a toothpick: If you think the banana bread donuts are done, insert a toothpick into the center of one, and if it comes out clean, you're good
- Let cool completely: Before you glaze, allow the donuts to cool completely to room temperature.
- Enjoy fresh: Like any bakery donuts, they're best enjoyed the day they're made. They will stay good in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days, but after that the donuts begin to dry out.
Keywords: banana bread donuts, banana donuts baked, baked banana bread donuts
Teresa says
HI Cole...
Any chance I could make these without a donut pan?
Just checking! I know your an expert baker and may know ifni can substitute...
Thx
Aunt Txo
Nicole Radcliffe says
Hi!
I personally haven't tested it, but you should be able to make them in a mini muffin pan and have "donut holes." I'd recommend baking for 8 minutes, then checking, and add 1-2 minutes at a time until they're baked through 🙂
Best of luck!