Healthy Baked Donuts
This healthy baked donuts recipe is sweet, spiced, and perfectly fluffy. Made with simple ingredients, they’re lower in sugar than most recipes and ready to eat in less than 30 minutes!
Love donuts? Try our baked pumpkin donuts and cinnamon & sugar protein donuts, too.
We’ve been making these lower-calorie donuts for years, and they’re a favorite with the entire family! That said, they took a few test rounds to perfect. One batch was way too dense. Another was cloyingly sweet.
We finally nailed it, though, creating dairy-free, gluten-free-friendly donuts that are just sweet enough with warm spices and a soft, fluffy texture. Finished with a glaze, they’re such a fun way to start the day!
Ingredients and Notes
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete ingredients and instructions!
- Flour – We use regular all-purpose flour. However, we’ve also tested this recipe with a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour, and it turns out just as well!
- Sweetener – Monk fruit sweetener sweetens the batter and glaze while keeping the sugar content fairly low. That said, granulated sugar is totally fine for the batter, and you can use powdered sugar for the glaze, if preferred.
- Leaveners – We use both baking powder and baking soda for an ultra-soft, fluffy texture. Make sure they’re fresh, or your donuts won’t rise!
- Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon adds extra depth and a sweet, warm flavor.
- Applesauce – We use unsweetened applesauce to contribute to the sweet flavor and moist consistency.
- Milk – We use unsweetened almond milk, but any regular or non-dairy milk will work.
- Eggs – Use large eggs to give the batter structure. We haven’t tested these donuts with egg substitutes, but think they will be too dense.
- Vanilla Extract – Make sure to use high-quality, pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla!
How to Make a Healthy Baked Donuts Recipe
Before you begin, preheat your oven to 350°F, and generously grease two donut pans with cooking spray.
- Combine. Whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Next, whisk the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients, and stir just until smooth. Be careful not to overmix, or your donuts will be tough and dense!
2. Portion. Pour the batter into a ziploc bag and cut off the corner. Or, use a piping bag, if you have one on hand. Pipe the donut batter into the greased donut pans.
3. Bake. Transfer the healthy baked donuts to the oven, and bake until they’re puffy, golden brown, and spring back when gently touched. Allow the donuts to cool in the pan slightly. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Glaze. While the donuts cool, whisk the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Add more liquid as needed for a thinner consistency. Or, add more sugar if it’s too thin.
5. Toppings. Then, dip the donuts into the bowl, and add your favorite toppings.
Common Questions
Absolutely! Use any topping you like best. Vanilla icing, chocolate frosting, or powdered sugar work well. Then, add sprinkles, chocolate shavings, dried rose petals, chopped nuts, coconut flakes, or any toppings you like best.
Once cool, you can transfer leftover donuts to an airtight container and store them at room temperature for 2-3 days.
More Sweet Breakfast Recipes
Healthy Baked Donuts
Equipment
- 2 donut pans
- 2 medium-sized mixing bowls
- 1 piping bag or Ziploc storage bag
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
Donut Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup monk fruit sweetener or sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze Ingredients
- 2 cups powdered monk fruit sweetener or powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 Tablespoon sprinkles or dried rose petals, etc
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Generously spray two (6 cavity) donut pans with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients until combined.1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup monk fruit sweetener, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- In another medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until smooth.1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce, 1/2 cup plain unsweetened almond milk, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together until combined.
- Scoop the batter into the greased donut pan or pour the mixture into a gallon-sized Ziploc bag. Cut the corner off of the bag and pipe into the donut pan wells.
- Bake for 13-14 minutes or until the donuts are golden brown and spring back to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan, then remove to a cooling rack.
Toppings
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered monk fruit sweetener, milk and vanilla extract until smooth (see notes).2 cups powdered monk fruit sweetener, 1/4 cup plain unsweetened almond milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Dip one side of each donut into the glaze and place back on the cooling rack. Add a few sprinkles to the top of the glaze.1 Tablespoon sprinkles
Notes
Nutrition
Did you enjoy this Healthy Baked Donuts recipe? We’d love it if you left a rating and review to let us know, and don’t forget to tag us in your recreations on Instagram!
We really like to make these donuts for a healthier option on the weekends!
These look yumm!! Even better, they are gluten-free! Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty and congrats on the feature! Well deserved! 🙂
We are so excited about it, thanks for checking us out!
Just stopping by to let you know that this post has been featured over at the #HomeMattersParty – we’d love for you to come by and check it out, and link up something else awesome! http://theroadtodomestication.com/2015/03/13/home-matters-linky-party-28/
Woohoo! Thanks Kristen for featuring us! We certainly think these donuts are ahhhhmazing and are glad to see you do too 🙂
Yum! I had no idea they made special donut pans! And that donut cake truly is adorable! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Talented Tuesdays!
WOW! A donut my daughter could have. So exciting! I might just have to surprise her with a batch of these. She’ll be thrilled. Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty – we hope to see you again next week. 🙂
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
I hope she loves them as much as our children did!
These look scrumptious! I’m testing these out ASAP! I heart donuts! Thanks for linking up with us at the Momma Told Me Link Party ladies! We love it when you stop by!
~Jen
I have only 1 word to describe your post: YUM!!! Please come join us at a blog party – just for MOMS with blogs. We’d love to see you at the Mom Blog Party today!
Now I need to make doughnuts so I can try this Greek yogurt glaze. I’m super intrigued! Do you think this would work without the xantham gum? I don’t use it in my gluten free baking because it doesn’t sit well with us.
Yes, I think you could. I have forgotten it before in my muffin recipes and you don’t even miss it. I have just been told they may not hold together as well. Let us know how they turn out for you!
Those look delicious and really easy to make!! Pinned it to try one day!
Thank you so much for sharing these! My little one has been asking for donuts forever and now finally a delicious gluten free recipe. Yay! Visiting from #linky
We just received a photo from one of our readers, she made these doughnuts for her Gluten Free 10 year old on his birthday. Said they were a hit. Hope you enjoy!
These sound delicious, I can’t wait to give them a try! Quick question: I saw your GF flour recipe above, and while I always believe homemade is best, I just don’t have the time to run out and grab all those ingredients. I have Bob’s Red Mill on hand- do you think they would turn out okay with that blend? We are not intolerant. Thanks! So glad to have found your post over at Momma Told Me 🙂
Hi Ashley! I believe they would turn out amazing with any flour! Use the GF flour you have on hand 🙂 I hope you like them as much as we do!
Looks so yummy! And best of all healthy! Thanks so much for the recipe. Looks like a must try for me 🙂
Thank you Vinma! I hope you love them as much as we do!
amazing idea with the topping! It is so great to see something yummy without all the sugar! Once you get off sugar, you just do not want to get back on again. I swear it is like a drug!!
I am so going to make these sometime!!! Look so yummy!!!