These healthy donuts are baked, not fried, and are perfectly soft and fluffy! Made with just 4 ingredients, they are secretly vegan and gluten free!
Healthy Donuts (Doughnuts)
Donuts made without yeast and baked in the oven? You aren’t dreaming, these healthy donuts are your answer!
I used to be somewhat reluctant about baked donuts. I was always under the assumption that the best kind of donuts required yeast and needed to be fried.
Wrong.
With the right combination of ingredients, you can create baked donuts that taste just as good as their fried counterparts. Not only that, but they skip over some of the usual ingredients in them! This healthy donut recipe is proof of just that. They use just 4 ingredients and they come together in under 15 minutes!
No eggs, no yeast, and no refined sugar are needed, but you’d never tell. The texture is perfectly soft and fluffy in the middle, and perfectly light on the outside. They are pleasantly sweet and fabulous with a healthy chocolate glaze!
What I love about these baked donuts is that they are also completely vegan and gluten free. Many commercial and store-bought donuts are neither of these, so now no one misses out!
How do you make healthy donuts?
The Ingredients
- Self rising flour– A flour blend that already contains salt and a raising agent (baking powder). Skip the expensive pre-packaged kind and make your own. If you choose to keep these donuts gluten free, use a tried and tested brand, like Dove Farms gluten free self rising flour.
- Maple syrup– Adds sweetness and helps hold the donuts together. You can substitute this for agave nectar.
- Coconut oil– Measured in its melted state. Use refined coconut oil to ensure there is no coconut flavor whatsoever.
- Milk of choice– I used unsweetened coconut milk, but almond, soy, oat, etc. can all be used.
- Chocolate frosting– Homemade 2 ingredient chocolate frosting. Make the frosting fresh so it will be still in a mostly liquid state, making it perfect to dip the donuts in!
The Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 175C/350F. Lightly grease a 12-count donut pan (or 2 6-count pans) and set it aside.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, add your sifted self-rising flour. Slowly add your coconut oil, maple syrup, and coconut milk and mix very well, until a thick batter remains.
Step 3: Scoop out the batter in the greased donut pan(s). Lightly wet your hands and form the dough into a donut shape. Bake for 13-17 minutes (mine needed around 15) or until the donuts have risen and a skewer comes out clean.
Step 4: Allow cooling in the donut pan for 5 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 5: Once cool, dip each donut in the chocolate frosting. Allow frosting to set in the refrigerator, to firm up.
Are Donuts Fried or Baked?
Donuts can be both baked or fried! I prefer baked donuts, as they can be significantly healthier and much less fat than their fried counterparts.
To achieve the ‘fried’ donut taste, do as I did (in the pictures). Once the donuts have baked (and before frosting it), lightly heat a non-stick pan with cooking spray. Once hot, quickly toss each donut in it, until golden on the outside (45 seconds-2 minutes).
Tips to make the best recipe
- Do not overbake the donuts, as they will firm up once cooling in the pan. If you do over-bake them, you’ll find the texture to be dense and firm, instead of light and fluffy. Check around the 12-minute mark, and check every minute or so from then.
- Ensure your self rising flour has been sifted, to avoid any clumps.
- The donut batter will be incredibly thick, so don’t fear using moist hands to spread out in the donut pan.
- Do not over-fill the donut pans, or they will rise and flow into the other donut cavities. Fill just under the flat base of the donut pan.
Storing and freezing tips
- To store: Baked donuts can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days.
- To freeze: Place leftovers in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More healthy dessert recipes to try
Healthy Donuts (4 Ingredients!)
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups self-rising flour * See notes
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or agave nectar
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
- 1 cup milk of choice I used coconut milk
- 1 cup chocolate frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease a 12-count donut pan and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift your flour into it. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until a thick dough remains.
- Spoon out dough amongst the donut pan. Lightly wet your hands and shape them into the donut cavities. Do not overfill.
- Bake for 12-17 minutes, or until a skewer comes out just clean.
- Remove the donuts from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, frost them.
Notes
Nutrition
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These look so freaking awesome I think I have to buy a donut pan. You know, just for this recipe. Because donuts.
Also, I was just today browsing my copy of your book and was wondering: are you going to write another dessert book anytime soon, perhaps with more keto recipes? 🙂
Sure am! New book to be released in June/July!
How do you make them gluten free if they call for flour?
Did you check out the link provided? It’s a gluten free flour.
Which variant of the recipe do the nutritional values apply to? I would try the Keto option. TIA
The gluten free one, feel free to calculate the keto ones using myfitnesspal or similar 🙂
Thanks for all.of these cool recipes. I have had to change my diet and eating habits. These recipes are si.please and low cost. Most of the ingredients are already in mykitchen! Looking forward to enjoying some tasty substitutes.
How much coconut flour should I use for substituting almond flour?
You can’t substitute that in this recipe.
Thanks for the great recipe!! They were delicious. I made 12 like the recipe but they turned out like muffins at the top, didn’t have much of a hole through them. I’m wondering if my donut pan size was too small.
Hi Julie! Donut pan sizes do differ, and I think I know what you are talking about- Those donut pans with the 12-count tend to be around 1-2 inches smaller 🙂
They taste delicious … however, I used a silicone doughnut pan- yes, I sprayed it … everything stuck .. if I put these on parchment paper instead do I adjust the baking time?
Hi! Do you mean make them as muffins instead?
Hi Arman! If I don’t have self riding flour can I use quick rise yeast + regular flour (I have whole grain flour currently, not sure if that works?)?
I haven’t tried it myself, but feel free to experiment and see- I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Thank you. I just finished making and eating the keto donuts they are soooo yummy. I added a little liquid vanilla flavored stevia and dusted the donuts with erythritol ❤️
😀 you are so welcome, that sounds fabulous!
Would I be able to half the recipe?
I haven’t tried but feel free to experiment and see 🙂
How many grams of sugar are in this recipe
I haven’t calculated it, but feel free to use myfitnesspal to calculate it 🙂
Can we make them vegan and keto?
Feel free to experiment and see- I’ve only tried it as written
What is the drizzle made of that is shown in the picture on top of the chocolate frosting?
Hi! Peanut butter and coconut oil- 1/4 cup peanut butter with 1 teaspoon coconut oil 🙂
Hi Arman! Instead of using maple syrup or agave, can I use coconut sugar instead? (for the original version)
I haven’t tried- feel free to experiment and see!
Hi! Can I substitute any non dairy milk for coconut milk? I’m referring to the keto version.
That should be okay!
I’ve tried them all, and these vegan donuts are the best!! So easy and fabulous!
Thank you, Kathy!