The Ultimate Baked Banana Donuts Recipe: Healthy, Delicious, and Easy

Note: This recipe was originally published on December 17, 2020, and updated on February 22, 2022, with enhanced tips and details to ensure your baking success.

Growing up, few things beat the comfort of homemade banana bread or a warm, toasted banana, peanut butter, and honey sandwich. This **baked banana donut recipe** masterfully combines the best elements of both! Each bite delivers a rich, authentic banana flavor, perfectly complemented by a creamy, sweet, and slightly savory peanut butter and honey glaze. It’s a nostalgic taste experience reimagined in a fun, donut form.

What makes these **easy banana donuts** truly special is their simplicity. You don’t need fancy equipment; just a donut pan and a couple of mixing bowls will do the trick – no stand mixer required! Unlike many donut recipes that demand yeast or deep-frying, these quick and **healthier donuts** are a breeze to whip up. They’re an ideal choice for a quick breakfast on a busy morning, a satisfying afternoon snack, or a delightful dessert to share with loved ones.

Beyond their delicious taste and straightforward preparation, these donuts offer a fantastic way to utilize those forgotten, spotted bananas on your counter. Transforming them into a tender, flavorful treat means less food waste and more deliciousness! The combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour gives them a tender crumb while adding a subtle nutty depth and a boost of fiber, making them a more wholesome option compared to their deep-fried counterparts.

Essential Ingredients for Your Baked Banana Donuts

Crafting these delectable **baked banana donuts** starts with a selection of common pantry staples, many of which you likely already have on hand. The key to their incredible flavor and texture lies in the quality and readiness of your ingredients, especially those perfectly overripe bananas!

• Overripe Bananas: These are non-negotiable! Look for bananas with plenty of brown spots or even entirely brown skins. The riper they are, the sweeter and more intensely flavored your donuts will be, providing natural sweetness and moisture. About 2 medium bananas, mashed, will yield the ¾-1 cup needed.
• All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure and a tender crumb. Using a mix with whole wheat keeps the texture light.
• Whole Wheat Flour: Adds a wholesome, slightly nutty flavor and a boost of fiber. Its inclusion contributes to the “healthier” aspect of these donuts.
• Baking Powder: Our primary leavening agent, ensuring your donuts rise beautifully and have a light, fluffy texture without the need for yeast.
• Ground Cinnamon: A classic pairing with banana, it adds warmth and depth to the flavor profile. Don’t skip it!
• Salt: Essential for balancing the sweetness and enhancing all the other flavors in the donut batter.
• Light Brown Sugar: Contributes moisture, a slight caramel note, and a rich sweetness. Dark brown sugar can be used for a deeper, more molasses-like flavor if preferred.
• Vanilla Extract: A crucial flavor enhancer that complements both the banana and cinnamon.
• Egg: Acts as a binder, helping to hold the donut structure together and adding richness. Ensure it’s at room temperature for better emulsification.
• Unsalted Butter: Provides moisture and a rich, tender texture. Melted and slightly cooled is key for even distribution.
• Creamy Peanut Butter: The star of our delightful glaze! Creamy works best for a smooth, pourable consistency.
• Honey: Adds natural sweetness and a lovely, subtle floral note to the peanut butter glaze.
• Powdered Sugar: The base for our smooth, quick-setting glaze. It dissolves easily, creating a silky finish.
• Milk: Used to thin the icing to the perfect consistency. Any type of milk (dairy or non-dairy) will work, or you can even use water in a pinch.

See the full recipe card below for exact quantities and measurements, including metric options.

Substitutions & Creative Variations for Your Banana Donuts

This **baked banana donut recipe** is wonderfully versatile, allowing for various substitutions and exciting variations to suit your taste or dietary needs. Don’t be afraid to experiment!

Smart Substitutions:

• Flour Alternatives: While this recipe uses a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flour for optimal texture and health benefits, you can certainly adjust. For a lighter texture, use all all-purpose flour. For a more robust, whole-grain option, you can use all whole wheat flour, though the texture might be slightly denser. We haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flour blends, but if you try it, we’d love to hear about your results in the comments below! Remember that gluten-free flours often require additional liquid or binders, so proceed with caution.
• Sugar: If light brown sugar isn’t available, granulated sugar can be used, though you might lose a bit of the caramel depth and moisture. As noted, dark brown sugar is a great swap for an even richer flavor profile.
• Glaze Liquid: While milk provides richness to the glaze, water can be used as a dairy-free alternative or if you simply don’t have milk on hand.

This recipe has not been extensively tested with other substitutions for the main wet ingredients (butter, egg). If you do replace any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below! Your feedback helps the community!

Exciting Variations:

• Delicious Mix-ins: Elevate your donuts by gently folding in ¼ cup of your favorite mix-ins at the end of combining the wet and dry ingredients. We highly recommend classic chopped walnuts for a delightful crunch or mini chocolate chips for an extra touch of sweetness. Other fantastic ideas include pecans, shredded coconut, or a sprinkle of nutmeg for added spice.
• Muffin Transformation: No donut pan? No problem! This versatile batter can easily be baked in a standard muffin pan. Simply line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease it well, fill each well about two-thirds full, and bake for approximately 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This recipe yields about 7 delicious muffins.
• Cake Conversion: If you prefer a larger, shareable treat, transform this recipe into a cake! Our Banana Snack Cake recipe offers a similar flavor profile in cake form. For a truly decadent dessert, consider our Banoffee Cupcakes, which feature a luscious toffee filling and rich chocolate frosting.
• Alternative Glazes: While our peanut butter honey glaze is divine, feel free to customize! These **baked banana donuts** would be incredibly tasty with a tangy cinnamon cream cheese glaze, a rich chocolate glaze, or even a simple vanilla bean glaze. For a classic touch, toss the still-warm, unglazed donuts in a cinnamon sugar mixture for a delightful crispy coating.

Essential Equipment for Perfect Baked Donuts

One of the many joys of this recipe is that it requires minimal specialized equipment. Most items are likely already in your kitchen, making these **easy banana donuts** accessible to all bakers!

• The only specialized piece of equipment you’ll absolutely need is a **donut pan**! A standard 6-cavity donut pan is perfect for this recipe. We recommend a non-stick metal pan for easy release, but silicone pans also work well (just be sure to place them on a sturdy baking sheet for stability in the oven). This donut set is a great option, often coming with donut pans, a spatula, and even piping bags.
• A **piping bag** is not strictly necessary, but it makes filling the donut pan much easier and cleaner, ensuring evenly shaped donuts. If you don’t have one, a large zip-top bag with a corner snipped off works perfectly, or you can simply spoon the batter into the wells with care.
• Of course, you’ll also need basic kitchen tools such as mixing bowls (one small for dry, one medium for wet ingredients), a whisk for combining, and accurate measuring spoons and cups (or preferably, a kitchen scale).

Step-by-Step Instructions to Bake Delicious Banana Donuts

Follow these simple steps to create perfectly moist and flavorful **baked banana donuts** right in your own kitchen. Remember, precision and gentle handling are key to achieving that ideal tender crumb.

Preparing the Banana Donut Batter:

Step One: Prepare Dry Ingredients. In a small bowl, thoroughly whisk together your all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Whisking ensures that the leavening agent and spices are evenly distributed, leading to a consistent rise and flavor throughout your donuts.

Step Two: Combine Wet Ingredients (Part 1). In a separate, medium-sized bowl, mix the melted and slightly cooled unsalted butter with the light brown sugar. Stir these together really well until smooth and fully incorporated. Then, stir in the room temperature egg and vanilla extract until the mixture is uniform and creamy.

Step Three: Incorporate Bananas and Dry Ingredients. Add your mashed overripe bananas to the wet ingredient mixture and stir until just combined. Next, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Mix only until the flour streaks have just disappeared. Overmixing can lead to tough donuts, so stop as soon as the batter comes together. If you’re adding any mix-ins like chocolate chips or walnuts, gently stir them in at this stage.

Step Four: Prepare the Peanut Butter Honey Glaze. While your donuts are baking or cooling, you can prepare the irresistible glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, creamy peanut butter, honey, and milk until the mixture is completely smooth and free of lumps. Adjust the milk amount slightly if needed to achieve a pourable, yet thick, consistency.

Baking and Glazing Your Donuts:

Step Five: Fill the Donut Pan. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and liberally grease your donut pan. Transfer the batter into a piping bag (or a large zip-top bag with the corner snipped off to create an opening about an inch in diameter). Evenly distribute the batter across 6 wells of the greased donut mold, filling each well about two-thirds full.

Step Six: Bake to Perfection. If using a flexible silicone donut mold, place it on a sturdy baking sheet before putting it in the oven for easier handling. Bake the donuts for approximately 16-20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and spring back gently when poked. This indicates they are fully cooked. Avoid over-baking to keep them moist.

Step Seven: Cool and Glaze. Once baked, carefully remove the donut pan from the oven. Let the donuts cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes until they are warm to the touch. This allows them to firm up slightly before you handle them. Then, gently transfer the partially cooled donuts to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. It’s crucial that the donuts are fully cooled before adding the glaze; otherwise, the glaze will simply melt off.

Step Eight: Apply the Glaze. Once the donuts are completely cool, dip each donut into the prepared peanut butter honey glaze, or drizzle the glaze generously over them. Let any excess drip off before serving immediately or allowing the glaze to set.

Expert Tips for the Best Baked Banana Donuts

Achieving bakery-quality **baked banana donuts** at home is easier than you think, especially with these insider tips:

• Tip #1 – Embrace the Food Scale for Accuracy: Precision in baking is paramount, especially when it comes to flour. Over-measuring flour is a common pitfall that can lead to dry, dense, and less flavorful donuts. For the most consistent and tender results, always weigh your flour (and other dry ingredients) using a digital food scale. Our recipe card provides metric measurements in grams for this very reason. I personally use this scale and highly recommend it. If you must use measuring cups, remember to use the “spoon and level” method: gently spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a straight edge, rather than scooping directly from the bag.
• Tip #2 – The Piping Bag Advantage: While not strictly essential, using a piping bag to fill your donut pan will transform your baking experience. It allows for incredibly easy and even distribution of the batter into each mold, ensuring uniform donut shapes and consistent baking. Simply spoon the batter into a sturdy piping bag, snip off the tip to create an opening about an inch in diameter, and pipe away. If you don’t have a dedicated piping bag, a large, heavy-duty zip-top bag with one corner snipped off works as a fantastic substitute. If all else fails, a spoon will work, but be mindful of even filling.
• Tip #3 – Avoid the Pitfalls of Over-Mixing and Over-Baking: These two factors are the biggest culprits behind tough, dry donuts. When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix only until the flour streaks have just disappeared. A few small lumps are perfectly fine and even desirable; over-mixing develops gluten, leading to a chewy, bread-like texture rather than a tender donut. Similarly, keep a close eye on your baking time. Bake the donuts only until the tops gently spring back when lightly touched. Over-baking dries them out, resulting in a crumbly and less enjoyable texture.
• Tip #4 – The Magic of Overripe Bananas: Don’t underestimate the power of those brown, spotty bananas! They are packed with natural sweetness and moisture, which is crucial for the rich flavor and moist texture of these **baked banana donuts**. Green or yellow bananas simply won’t yield the same delicious results. Plan ahead and let your bananas ripen fully.
• Tip #5 – Patience with Cooling is a Virtue: Resist the urge to glaze your donuts while they’re hot! Allowing them to cool completely on a wire rack is essential. Hot donuts will cause the glaze to melt and run off, resulting in a messy and uneven coating. A fully cooled donut will allow the glaze to set beautifully, creating that perfect finish.

Frequently Asked Questions About Baked Banana Donuts

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see it!
Tag @brokenovenbaking on Instagram & Facebook and leave a ⭐ review below!

📖 Recipe