Healthy Baked Donuts Recipe

Is Krispy Kreme the only place with the best breakfast confections? We totally beg to differ! Recipe developer Sher Castellano bakes up a delicious vegan donut; and so can you! 

According to the Spruce Eats, the first donuts were Dutch. Known in the early 1900s as oylkoeks or olibollen, these "oil cakes" were deep fried, sometimes stuffed, and dusted with powdered sugar. Sounds delicious, right? Well, we've created these tasty treats with a healthy twist. Our recipe will churn out a half-dozen donuts in 30 minutes or less. We've used donut-shaped baking pans, so there won't be any holes to eat from the center. But you won't feel like you're missing out on anything — Castellano has a smooth chocolate frosting recipe that will knock your socks off. Whether you're vegan, or you just have a sweet tooth, you'll want to gather round. We have exactly what you need to warm up your tummy this season. So, let's get going.

This trip to the store should be brief! You may already have all you need in the pantry. To begin, you'll need to have ½ cup of maple syrup (divided in half), 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (divided in half), and ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon of melted coconut oil. Additionally, you'll be using 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, 1½ cups all-purpose gluten-free flour, ½ teaspoon of sea salt, 2 teaspoons of baking powder (not baking soda!), and ½ cup of cacao powder.

Start out by preheating your oven to 325 F. Lightly spray two donut pans with vegetable oil. Castellano told Health Digest the donut pans are easy to find, "I found mine on Amazon. But any nonstick donut pans work." If you're unsure where to grab a healthful baking spray, our developer says, "I used olive oil spray from Trader Joe's, but any neutral-flavored vegetable oil spray will also work."

Next, use a small mixing bowl to whisk together ¼ cup of maple syrup, ¾ cup of milk, and ¼ cup coconut oil, as well as the vanilla extract. Once the ingredients are well-incorporated set this bowl aside.

Taking a separate, medium-sized bowl, pour in the flour, salt, and baking powder. Whisk them together until they are thoroughly combined. Once the dry ingredients are prepared, pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Combine them together until the mixture creates a smooth, thick batter.

At this point, you may add in any special flavorings to spice up the taste. For example, toss in some cinnamon for a cinnamon-flavored batch. If you'd like a vanilla-orange flavor, toss in a bit of orange zest. You can use your creative freedom or stick to the script!

Once the batter is fully mixed, use a zipped sandwich bag to pipe the batter into the donut pans. To do this, Castellano spoons the batter into a zipped bag, then cuts away the corner to create the hole for piping. Pipe the batter evenly to fill each donut space. When the pans are full, bake them for 15 minutes. Castellano offers this tip to identify when the donuts are ready: "The donut will start to pull away from the pan and it will be lightly browned and crispy to the touch."

When they're done, remove the donuts from the oven and place them on a cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely.

Plain donuts are fine, but if you're looking for that donut-store finish, you really need to add some icing. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ¼ cup maple syrup with ¼ cup almond milk, 1 tablespoon coconut oil, and the cacao powder. Whisk all the ingredients together until they're smooth. Dunk the cooled donuts one by one into the chocolate frosting. If you'd like to add sprinkles, Castellano says, "Any sprinkles would work."

Ahh, yes. The moment we've all been waiting for. Now you can savor these delicious, vegan, chocolate-frosted donuts. We're sure the house has a wafting aroma of vanilla baked goods, and your taste buds are happy. Leftovers will be your heart's delight. Castellano told Health Digest, "These are best eaten warm, but can be stored on the counter in a sealed container for 2 days. Or they can be frozen."

Relish these at home or treat your neighbor to a sweet surprise. We hope you'll use this recipe for years to come. From our kitchen to yours, enjoy!