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These easy Baked Vegan Donuts are perfectly light, fluffy and moist! This healthier donut recipe is plant based and can be whipped up in less than 30 minutes! The cinnamon sugar coating is incredible, but optional if you want to keep these a little on the lighter side.
My family went nuts over these Baked Vegan Donuts! They are the best addition to your breakfast or brunch menu, and you’re going to love them. They disappeared SO fast in my house, and I’ll definitely be making another batch soon!
I already have a Pumpkin Vegan Donuts recipe but really wanted to have a simple vegan donut recipe that’s wonderful all year round. These turned out better than I could have dreamed!
First, they’re made in one bowl and super simple to mix together. Second, they’re super tender and moist with a wonderful cozy flavor. Plus, they’re baked, not fried and the recipe uses simple ingredients to make these healthier than most donuts.
I coated these in a cinnamon sugar coating, which I realize largely negates the other lighter ingredients in these baked donuts. But, I’m okay with that :) Feel free to leave it off, if you’d like.
Ingredients you’ll need
This vegan donut recipe packs in the nutrients with nut butter, mashed banana and they are naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup. Here is a note on all of the ingredients needed. You’ll find full ingredient measurements in the recipe card below.
- Flour: I recommend using all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour for a soft, tender crumb.
- Maple syrup: For the perfect amount of natural sweetness.
- Cinnamon: Provides warm flavor.
- Non-dairy milk: Any dairy-free milk will work great! I typically like to use almond milk, soy milk or oat milk.
- Baking essentials: Use both baking soda and baking powder, so these rise properly while baking.
- Nut butter: Gives these donuts a boost of healthy fats while making the texture absolutely perfect.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and a hint of sweetness.
- Mashed banana: For moisture and extra natural sweetness.
Variations and substitutions
Here are some recipe swaps, so that you can customize these and use the ingredients that you like best!
- Flour: To keep these gluten free, use a 1-to-1 gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Nut butter: Any favorite nut butter will work. I’ve made these with both peanut butter and almond butter with great results. If you have a nut allergy, try sunflower butter.
- Without banana: If you’d like to try these without the banana, I’m pretty sure pumpkin or applesauce would work great.
- Cinnamon and sugar: The cinnamon sugar coating is incredible and adds an extra layer of sweetness that I really love, but these are also great plain.
How to make this recipe
Just a few simple steps and you’re well on your way to a delicious breakfast or snack!
- Prep: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 6 cavity donut pan.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, mash your banana until few lumps remain. Stir in the milk, nut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir until well combined.
- Add dry ingredients: Over top of the wet ingredients, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon and mix everything together to combine.
- Add mixture to pan: Evenly spoon the mixture into the 6 donut pan.
- Bake: Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool slightly and then remove from the pan to a wire rack to cool more.
- Toss in cinnamon and sugar: Make the cinnamon sugar coating by combining the cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl. Once the donuts have cooled enough to easily handle, lightly spray each one with cooking spray and then roll them in the sugar coating. ENJOY!
Helpful tips
While this vegan donut recipe is super easy and straightforward, here are a few tips, so it turns out perfect every time you make it.
- Use a ripe banana: Ripe bananas with brown spots are sweeter and softer and will result in sweeter more moist donuts.
- Adding batter to the pan: I like to put the batter into a baggie, then snip off the corner, so that it’s easier to evenly squeeze into the donut pan.
- Use cooking spray: To help the sugar stick better, I lightly spray the donuts with cooking spray and then toss them in the sugar.
- Double the recipe: I made the recipe so that it only makes 6 donuts but feel free to double the recipe if needed.
Frequently asked questions
Baked donuts are really delicious but they don’t taste exactly like fried donuts. They will also have more of a cakey texture more like a muffin or small round cake.
Once these have been baking for 15 minutes, check on them and if they look golden brown and set, insert a toothpick in the middle and if it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs they’re done.
Yes, mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tbsp of milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Dip the cooled donuts into the glaze, allowing any excess to drip off.
Storing tips
Like most donuts, these don’t stay good for more than about a day and are best enjoyed soon after baking. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.
Donut baking pans
I have THIS donut baking pan but here are a few other options as well:
More Vegan Desserts to try:
Baked Vegan Donuts
Ingredients
- 1 medium banana, mashed
- ½ cup almond milk
- 3 tablespoons nut butter, peanut butter or almond butter works
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup flour, I use all-purpose but you can also use whole wheat, pastry flour, or a gluten free 1-to-1 substitute
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
For the cinnamon sugar coating:
- Cooking spray
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 6 cavity donut pan.
- In a large bowl, mash your banana until few lumps remain. Stir in the milk, nut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir until well combined.1 medium banana, 1/2 cup almond milk, 3 tablespoons nut butter, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Over top of the wet ingredients, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon and mix everything together to combine.1 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, pinch salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- Evenly spoon the mixture into the 6 donut pan.
- Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool slightly and then remove from the pan to a wire rack to cool more.
- Make the cinnamon sugar coating by combining the cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl. Once the donuts have cooled enough to easily handle them, lightly spray each one with cooking spray and then roll them in the sugar coating. ENJOY!Cooking spray, 1/2 cup sugar, ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These turned out great! My family devoured them and asked me to immediately make more! Very easy recipe to follow.
Hi, I’m a beginner I just found out allergic to cows milking and eggs. I made this with oat milk and plant butter and they were wonderful with very easy to follow directions. Making them for an exchange with my nieces. They stay fresh for days. Thanks.
Best cake donuts I have ever had, so delicious! I used peanut butter and whole white wheat flour; definitely making these again soon. Thank you for posting this recipe.
I love this simple recipe, my favorite healthy donuts perfect when I crave a sweet desert. Thanks for sharing it, i’ve made it several times and each time suoer delicious.
DBlais – Gatineau, Quebec Canafs
My daughter is allergic to nuts . Can I use regular butter instead of nut butter ?
My son recently became a vegan. Which means I’m always looking for amazing and fun vegan recipes to try. These were awesome. Soft and delicious. My husband said he thought they were soft and had a very good flavor. Looking forward to my coffee and donut tomorrow morning. ??
Please can you let me know a good substitute for the nut butter? Could I just replace with regular (plant based) butter or would I need to use, for example, a chia egg. Thanks!
Can’t wait to try this this week! Was wondering if the nut butter is crucial or if I could substitute normal vegan butter? Thank you!
I’m wondering the same thing. I really want these to taste as much like a traditional cinnamon cake donut as possible, and really don’t want any nut butter flavor to peek through.
Loved this recipe!!! I am not a baker and this recipe was super easy to follow and absolutely delicious!
Tried them out a few days ago and these are absolutely amazing! Followed the recipe exactly and obtained fluffy, tasteful donuts.
They grow considerably, so it’s totally possible to make 12 donuts instead of 6!
Will surely make this again!