Love donuts? Love bananas? Well then, these baked banana donuts are for you! Soft, moist donuts reminiscent of banana bread, are baked not fried, then dipped into dark chocolate or cinnamon sugar. A healthier tastier donut option for breakfast or a sweet treat.
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Banana Recipes
Do you ever wonder what to do with all those overripe bananas that tend to gang up on you and ripen all at once? I love bananas and anything made with them and I hate to waste even one bite, so I've learned to whip up anything and everything with them. And it's all good!
Family favorites include my easy banana bread recipe and all its varieties like Peanut Butter Banana Bread, Double Chocolate Banana Bread, and Tropical Coconut Banana Bread. I make them all at once and freeze them to enjoy whenever the banana bread craving hits me.
Of course, there are lots of other things you can do with bananas. Freeze them to make smoothies, bake up Peanut Butter Banana Cookies for kids, whip up healthy Banana Pancakes for breakfast, or make these quick and easy banana pudding brownies for a special rich and fudgy treat.
Why You'll Love Chocolate Glazed Banana Donuts
- Baked not fried - making them healthy banana donuts (OK, healthier) and a great alternative to deep fried.
- Delicious - moist, fluffy donuts that taste like your favorite banana bread - baked banana bread donuts anyone?
- Easy recipe - simple ingredients and no mixer required!
- Quick breakfast treat - just 25 minutes and you can enjoy them with your morning coffee
- Healthier than fried donuts with less sugar needed due to the sweet banana flavor
- Chocolate Glazed - These baked cake donuts are dipped in a chocolate glaze!! Need I say more?
Ingredients
Here's what you need to make these banana baked donuts. The exact measurements are in the printable recipe card below.
For the banana doughnuts:
- All-purpose flour - make them even healthier by substituting half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour
- White granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Salt
- Bananas - overripe bananas are recommended, you want a soft banana so that they can be mashed easily
- Vanilla extract
- Large eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Half and half, milk, or buttermilk
For the dark chocolate glaze (if using):
- Chocolate chips - can be darm, semi-sweet, milk, or white chocolate
- Butter - salted or unsalted butter can be used
Or opt for the cinnamon sugar coating (if using):
- White granulated sugar
- Ground cinnamon
How to Make Banana Donuts
Here are some photos and the steps to help you make these banana bread doughnuts:
Donut batter
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a medium bowl, mash bananas using either a potato masher, fork, or small food chopper.
- Stir the vanilla extract, eggs, vegetable oil, and half and half into the mashed bananas.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
- The dough will be stiff.
- Spoon or pipe batter into a doughnut pan(s) that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 12 minutes.
- Cool for 3 minutes in the pan then invert them onto a cooling rack. If dipping into cinnamon sugar, do it as soon as you take the donuts out of the pan. If coating with chocolate, wait until they are cool then proceed as shown below.
Tip: If the donuts are sticking to the pan, run a small silicone spatula around the edges then invert onto a wire rack.
Cinnamon Sugar for Donuts
- Immediately after removing warm donuts from the pan, dip them into a mixture of cinnamon and sugar then allow to cool the remainder of the way.
Chocolate Glaze for Donuts
- Place butter and dark chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl.
- Melt in 30-second increments, stirring in between until all chips are melted and the mixture is smooth. It usually takes close to 1 minute.
- Dip the tops of the donuts into the warm chocolate glaze then place them on a wire rack. Let the chocolate set before storing in an airtight container or a large ziplock bag.
Whether it's winter, summer vacation, or a sleepover, it's a great time for giving the kids a little breakfast treat. It only takes about 10 minutes to prep and 12 minutes to bake and they'll be following the delicious aroma right to the kitchen to make sure they get one. I happen to know big kids love them as much as the little kids do.
Recipe Variations
- Banana Chocolate Chip Donuts - Add mini chocolate chips to the batter.
- Banana Nut Donuts - Add toasted nuts to the batter. They are especially good with pecans.
- Substitute a vanilla or caramel glaze for the chocolate glaze.
- After dipping in the chocolate glaze, drizzle with peanut butter that has been warmed to a liquid state.
- Gluten Free Banana Donuts - Substitute 1:1 gluten-free baking flour for the all-purpose flour.
FAQs About Banana Donuts
Store them in an airtight container. If the donuts are glazed, place parchment paper between the layers.
They are best eaten the same day but will keep at room temperature for 1-2 days.
Yes, They can be frozen for up to 2 months. If freezing, do not apply either the cinnamon sugar or the chocolate glaze. Thaw and then glaze when ready to eat.
A baked cake doughnut, such as this, is made with sweetened dough that uses baking powder and/or baking soda as a leavening agent. A fried doughnut is usually a yeast doughnut that uses yeast as the leavening agent.
I don't think donuts can be considered healthy but baked doughnuts are lower in fat, calories, and sugar than fried ones. And this one has all the benefits of bananas on its side supplying potassium, Vitamin C, manganese, niacin, and folate.
If Donuts are your thing, check these out!
Baked Lemon Blueberry Donuts for a bright and cheery breakfast for spring and summer.
Dark Chocolate Doughnuts with white chocolate glaze for the chocolate lover in everyone!
Gluten-Free Vanilla Donuts with chocolate glaze are for everyone in the family.
Baked Pumpkin Donuts with cinnamon crumb topping are perfect for fall.
Find lots more breakfast recipes here on 2CM!
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Baked Banana Donuts with Chocolate Glaze
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- â…” cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup bananas, mashed (about 2 large)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup fat-free half and half (you can also use regular milk or buttermilk)
Chocolate Glaze
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- 2 Tablespoons butter
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 6-cavity doughnut pans with nonstick spray. I used one pan & baked them one right after the other.
- In a large bowl, combine first 6 ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, mash bananas then stir in vanilla, eggs, vegetable oil and half and half.
- Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan(s).
- Bake for 12 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool for 3 minutes in pan then invert onto wire rack.
Chocolate Glaze Option
- Place the chocolate chips and butter together in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in-between, until the chips are completed melted. It should take a little less than 1 minute.
- Let the doughnuts cool slightly then dip the tops into the chocolate glaze. Place back on the wire rack and allow the chocolate to set before storing. Store in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag.
Cinnamon Sugar Option
- Mix cinnamon and sugar together on a flat plate.
- While the donuts are still warm, dip into the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat then allow to cool on wire racks before storing.
Notes
Nutrition
This post has been updated with more helpful information. The original post was published on June 25, 2017.
Danielle says
This recipe is killer! I followed the recipe to the T, the only exception being I used heavy cream instead of half and half (my brain glitched while reading 🤣). The donuts came out so light and fluffy. I topped half with the chocolate glaze and half with a peanut butter honey glaze from another recipe. Both glazes made for delicious combos. Will be making again... And again.... And again...
Linda Warren says
I love these donuts and my mouth is watering just reading about yours. So glad you love the recipe and now I'm heading to the kitchen to make some for myself! lol
Salma says
I made these today. Used honey instead of sugar and they were so good! So yummy with Nutella! I only ate 2 because my fam ate them all haha!
Linda Warren says
lol I have the same problem in my house when I make them. Glad you got one. Plus they sound heavenly with Nutella!
Cat says
Nice. I don't have donut pan. It end out become cup cake. Easy n nice cake. Will do it again.
Linda Warren says
So glad you enjoyed it! Love the idea of doughnut cupcakes!
Francesca says
These are delicious! My kids and I baked these together and we’ll definitely be baking them again! I didn’t have any vegetable oil so I substituted it with 1/4 cup of melted (and cooled) unsalted butter, and they worked out really well. We also added chocolate chips to one batch and chopped walnuts to the other batch…yummy!
Linda Warren says
Yum! I'll be right over! lol So glad you had so much fun making them (and eating them) with the kids.
Judith Wright says
I just tried your delicious banana donuts . . . modified for my gluten free diet. I hope you don't mind my altering it but I was so looking for a yummy banana donut recipe but all the gluten free ones seemed to be dairy free, vegan etc. Nothing wrong with that but I wanted a regular banana donut recipe! Anyway, I wanted to let your readers know - especially if a gluten free person happens upon your site.
Literally the only thing I changed was the flour . . . I used King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free flour and the donuts came out PERFECT! I am beyond happy and so are my taste buds!
Linda Warren says
These sound delicious! I love that you made them gluten free as I can now make these for my daughter. Thanks so much for sharing!
Dee says
Yum yum! These tasted amazing! I replaced the sugar with coconut sugar and they were still so so good!
Would be nice as muffins too.
Linda Warren says
Thanks! And the coconut sugar sounds like a great flavor addition. I'll have to give it a try.
Kelly says
Excellent recipe! I added 1/4 tsp ground cloves and 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg. I cooked them in my mini donut maker, which resulted about 50 donuts! They were sweet enough for us without any topping. Thanks for a great recipe!
Linda Warren says
Love the extra spice you added! They sound yummy!
Noelle says
YUM YUM YUM!! What a perfect dessert, love this recipe so much!!
Linda Warren says
Thanks! It really is delish!
Donna says
Oh wow these were just perfect, especially seeing as they were baked and not fried. Delicious banana flavour, not too overpowering!
Linda Warren says
So glad you enjoyed them!