These healthy Banana Bread Donuts are baked instead of fried for a healthier breakfast treat. Made with coconut flour, ripe bananas, and peanut butter, these baked donuts are gluten free with a moist and soft, crumbly texture similar to your favorite banana bread.
I have a confession to make, I have been holding out on you guys. I developed this Banana Bread Donut recipe several months ago, but things have been so busy, that I am finally just getting around to sharing it. In the meantime, we have been enjoying these delicious donuts regularly and sharing with family and friends. I wish I could say I feel guilty, but since these baked banana bread donuts are so good, and they are even on the healthier side, I really don’t have any regrets.
These baked donuts are reminiscent of your favorite banana bread recipe, with a moist and crumbly texture. They are naturally sweet thanks to mashed ripe banana, coconut flour, and just a splash of maple syrup. I like to top these donuts by dipping them in a thick coating of white or dark chocolate icing, but if you are trying to cut back on sugars, you can skip the frosting or just drizzle a small amount over each donut. They will still be absolutely delicious!
How Do You Make These Easy Baked Banana Bread Donuts?
Making these baked Banana Donuts is super simple, but I do have a few simple tips and tricks that help make the process easier.
To make these Banana Bread Donuts, you will need a donut pan, which is just a baking pan with donut shaped molds. I prefer a silicone donut pan, since it is easier to get the donuts out without sticking. But since the silicone can be a little wobbly trying to get it into the oven, I usually put the pan on a baking sheet for easy transport in and out of the oven. You can also bake these donuts in a muffin or mini muffin pan, you will just need to adjust the baking time slightly.
When making these healthy Banana Bread Donuts, the batter mixes up quickly in just one bowl. You start by mashing the bananas in a large bowl – be sure to measure that you have exactly 1 cup. Then add the rest of the wet ingredients, and stir to combine. Next, add in the dry ingredients – coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and stir until evenly mixed.
Next spray your donut pan with a little baking spray, to prevent sticking. To get the batter into the donut pan without too much hassle, my trick is to transfer it to a large zip lock or pastry bag first. Then cut off the corner, and squeeze the batter in a circle around each mold, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake in a preheated oven for 14 – 16 minutes until batter is set.
Let cool in pan about 5 minutes. This will help the donuts to firm up a little bit since they can be a little crumbly. Then place a wire cooling rack on top of the donut pan, and using oven mitts, grip both the pan and rack, and flip over. Tap the donut pan on the bottom gently to release the donuts from the pan, and lift off the donut pan, leaving the donuts on the wire rack to cool.
When completely cool, dip the top of each donut in prepared frosting (using white or dark chocolate) and decorate as desired.
How Do You Decorate These Banana Bread Donuts?
Since these Banana Bread Donuts are baked instead of fried, making them healthier, we often like to splurge and make them extra fancy with all of the toppings. I start by dipping them in a thick coating of dark chocolate or white chocolate frosting. Then add a drizzle of the opposite for contrast.
If you want to make them extra special, you can top the frosted donuts with your favorite sprinkles or even some crushed up cereal before the frosting hardens. Some of my favorite topping combinations include:
- Dark or White Chocolate with Crushed Honey Grams Cereal
- Dark or White Chocolate Frosting with Cocoa Pebbles
- White Chocolate Frosting with Rainbow or Chocolate Sprinkles
- White Chocolate with Fruity Pebbles Cereal
- White or Dark Chocolate with Crushed Chocolate Peanut Butter Puffs Cereal
- Dark or White Chocolate with Chopped Nuts such as Pecans, Almonds, Peanuts, or Pistachios
How Do You Store These Banana Bread Donuts?
These Peanut Butter Banana Bread Donuts are best when served immediately after the icing sets up, but they will keep for several days. If you are making them a couple of hours ahead, I recommend keeping them at room temperature to keep the best texture. But to store for longer, I would refrigerate to keep them fresh since these donuts are pretty moist from the mashed banana.
What Are Other Healthy Breakfast Recipes?
These Baked Banana Bread Donuts are so good, you will want to eat them everyday. But if you are looking for other healthy breakfast recipes, here are some of my favorites from healthy, protein packed smoothies to hearty oatmeal.
- Vanilla Bean Pistachio Smoothie
- Strawberry Shortcake Smoothie
- High Protein Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Bars
- Healthy Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal
- Ham and Cheese Frittata for Two
Banana Bread Donuts
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 3 - 4 bananas)
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp melted coconut oil
Frosting
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp avocado oil (divided)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas (be sure to measure that you have exactly 1 cup). Then add the rest of the wet ingredients (peanut butter, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla bean paste) and stir to combine.
- To the same bowl add in the dry ingredients - coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and stir until evenly mixed.
- Add in melted coconut oil, and stir to combine.
- Prepare donut pan by spraying with nonstick cooking spray.
- Transfer the batter to a large zip lock or pastry bag. Cut off the corner, and squeeze the batter in a circle around each mold, filling each about 2/3 full.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 14 - 16 minutes until batter is set - a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean.
- Let cool in pan about 5 minutes. This will help the donuts to firm up a little bit since they can be a little crumbly. Then place a wire cooling rack on top of the donut pan, and using oven mitts, grip both the pan and rack, and flip over. Tap the donut pan on the bottom gently to release the donuts from the pan, and lift off the donut pan, leaving the donuts on the wire rack to cool.
- In a medium bowl, melt white chocolate in microwave. When melted, stir in 1 tbsp avocado oil. Repeat with dark chocolate in a separate bowl.
- When donuts are completely cool, dip the top of each donut in prepared frosting (using white or dark chocolate) and decorate as desired with sprinkles, chopped nuts, crushed cereal, etc. I like to dip in one chocolate and drizzle with the other.