Looking for a way other than banana bread to use up your overripe bananas? These soft banana baked donuts are the perfect solution! They're moist, flavorful and healthier than your average donut! They're made partially with whole wheat flour and don't require any frying in oil!
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Note: This recipe was originally published on December 17, 2020 and updated on February 22, 2022.
Two of my favorite snacks growing up were banana bread and banana, peanut butter and honey toasted sandwiches (check out my Sourdough Discard Banana Bread recipe)! These baked banana donuts are the best of both worlds! The banana flavor is bursting in the donuts and the peanut butter and honey glaze pairs super well with it.
These banana bread donuts are so easy to make from scratch! All you need is a donut pan and some mixing bowls (you don't even need a mixer)! The best part is that unlike a lot of donuts, these don't require any yeast or frying! They're perfect for breakfast, dessert or a snack at any time of the day!
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Ingredients
- Overripe bananas
- All purpose flour
- Whole wheat flour
- Baking powder
- Ground cinnamon
- Salt
- Light brown sugar: Dark brown sugar can be used instead for a deeper flavor.
- Vanilla extract
- Egg
- Unsalted butter
- Creamy peanut butter
- Honey
- Powdered sugar
- Milk: This is just for the icing so any kind will work. You could also use water instead.
See recipe card below for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
Substitutions:
Flour - These can be made with all whole wheat or all-purpose flour instead of a combination of the two. They have not been tested with gluten free flour. I'd love to hear how they turn out if you try it!
This recipe has not been tested with substitutions. If you do replace any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Variations:
Mix-ins - Feel free to add ¼ cup of any mix-ins you like! I recommend chopped walnuts or mini chocolate chips.
Muffins - These can be made in a regular muffin pan if you don't have a donut pan. Makes about 7 muffins.
Cake - Make the donuts into a cake with this Banana Snack Cake recipe! Or, add a toffee filling and chocolate frosting with these Banoffee Cupcakes!
Equipment
- The only special equipment you'll need is a donut pan! This donut set comes with donut pans, a spatula and piping bags.
- A piping bag helps to fill the pan with batter, but isn't necessary.
Step by Step Instructions
Step One (Picture 1 above) - In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Step Two (Picture 2 above) - In a medium bowl, mix the melted butter and brown sugar together really well. Stir in the egg and vanilla extract.
Step Three (Picture 3 above) - Mix the mashed bananas into the wet ingredients and then fold in the dry ingredients just until the flour streaks disappear. If you're adding any mix-ins, gently stir them in now.
Step Four (Picture 4 above) - Make the glaze by mixing together the powdered sugar, peanut butter, honey and milk until smooth.
Evenly distribute the batter across 6 wells of a greased donut mold. Bake at 350°F/177°C until they spring back from a gentle poke (about 16-20 minutes). If you're using a bendy/silicone mold, place it on top of a baking sheet in the oven. Once the pan is warm to the touch, carefully transfer the donuts to a wire rack. Let them finish cooling before adding the glaze.
Expert Tips
Tip #1 - Use a food scale. This is important so that you don't over-measure the flour and end up with dry, puffy donuts. I use this scale to weigh the flour in grams (see metric tab in recipe card below). If you do use measuring cups, be sure to spoon in the flour and level it off with a flat edge.
Tip #2 - Use a piping bag to fill the donut pan. Just spoon the batter into a bag and then cut off the tip so it's about an inch in diameter. This makes it extremely easy to pipe the batter evenly. However, if you don't have any bags you can simply spoon the batter into the pan.
Tip #3 - Don't over-mix or over-bake. Only incorporate the flour mixture until the streaks disappear to avoid tough donuts. Bake them only until the tops spring back to avoid dry, tough donuts.
Recipe FAQs
They're best when they're fresh, but you can bake and store these donuts in the freezer until you're ready to enjoy them.
No worries! These can also be made in a regular-sized muffin pan.
Of course! Dunk or drizzle these in whatever you like, or leave them plain. These would be very tasty with a cinnamon cream cheese glaze or a chocolate glaze as well! You could also cover them in a cinnamon sugar mixture while they're still warm.
I would not consider these a health food, but more of an indulgent breakfast dessert or snack. Relative to fried doughnuts though, I'd say these are healthier since they're baked and not cooked in oil.
Storage
Room Temperature: Unglazed donuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.
Refrigerator: Store glazed banana donuts here in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Extra glaze can also be stored in the refrigerator. Just stir it up before using it again!
Freezing Instructions: Wrap completely cooled, unglazed donuts tightly in plastic wrap and/or a freezer-safe bag labeled with "Banana Baked Donuts" and the date for up to 1 month. Let them thaw at room temperature or in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.
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📖 Recipe
Banana Baked Donuts
Equipment
- Donut pan
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring Cups or Scale
- Whisk
- Piping bag (optional)
- Cooling rack (optional)
Ingredients
Banana Donuts
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter melted & cooled
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar packed
- 1 large (1 large) egg room temperature
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) vanilla extract
- ¾-1 cup (200 g) brown bananas about 2 medium bananas, mashed
- ½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (63 g) whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) salt
- ¼ cup (45 g) mini chocolate chips or chopped walnuts (optional)
Peanut Butter Honey Glaze
- 1¼ cups (150 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon (16 g) creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) honey
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) milk
Instructions
Banana Donuts
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a donut pan.
- Whisk together the flours, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, mix the melted & cooled butter with the brown sugar until well combined. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Then, add the mashed bananas and mix until combined.
- Gently whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until there are no visible flour streaks in the batter (if you're adding mix-ins, fold them in here).
- Transfer the batter into a piping bag with the tip cut open so it's about 1 inch wide.
- Pipe batter into the donut pan so that it fills 6 donut molds evenly. If you don't have a piping bag, you can use a gallon-sized disposable bag or carefully spoon the batter into the molds.
- If you're using a silicone/bendy donut pan, place them on a sturdy baking sheet. Bake the donuts until they're lightly tan and firm to the touch (~16-20 minutes - if you gently press a finger on them, they should spring back up rather than leave an imprint).
- Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. Then, carefully transfer them to a cooling rack.
Peanut Butter Honey Glaze
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, peanut butter, honey, and milk until smooth.
- Dunk the cooled donuts in the glaze, or drizzle it on top of them.
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Kathy says
These were very easy to make, taste great, and a good way to make use of our over-ripe bananas. I offered my husband donuts with and without the glaze; he tried it with the glaze first and then was not going to try eating them without it.
Courtney says
Soooo delicious! I made these exactly as instructed except in a regular muffin tin instead of a donut pan (because I don’t have one) and I got 7 perfect muffins! This will definitely be a go-to recipe when I have overripe bananas!
Kayla says
I'm so glad you enjoyed them and they worked out in muffin tins! Thanks for trying them this way! 🙂
Antonella says
Mybrown banana now is happy,was risking! Can I replace butter with cocount oil?
Thanks
Kayla says
I haven't tested this substitution but I think that should be fine! The flavor and texture might end up slightly different. I'd love to hear how they turn out if you try it this way!
Amy says
These were super tasty! I especially love how thick they are! Thanks, Kayla!
Kayla says
Thank you for making my recipe, Amy! I'm so happy you liked them! 🙂