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If you love banana bread, this baked banana donuts recipe is a handheld version put over the top by a brown butter glaze.
I can't get enough donuts, from Oreo donuts to baked apple cider donuts to baked chocolate frosted donuts.
I also love to take advantage of ripe bananas for baked goods as well. So why not just combine the two?
If you've ever made banana bread like this whole wheat banana bread or cinnamon swirl banana bread, you realize not only how easy it is, but how tasty it is too.
And these banana donuts use a base banana bread recipe and just convert it to a dough form. So what you get is a soft and sweet donut. But why end there. I love me some brown butter so I turned that into a glaze which makes these donuts hard to stop eating at one.
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Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour - the base for these donuts. They have not been tested with other types of flour so any changes might affect the outcome.
- Baking powder - important in giving that rise you see in donuts. Doesn't need to react with acid to create a rise.
- Bananas - the star of the show adds natural sweetness and moistness. You want super ripe bananas.
- Butter - when you brown the butter, it creates a nutty flavor that works great with the banana flavor.
Ingredient Swaps
Like any recipe you can mix up the ingredients. Some variations include:
- While I like all-purpose flour as it is the most common, but cake flour works well too and creates even a lighter pancake. You can also go with oat flour if you want to be gluten-free.
- I like to use light brown sugar with these donuts, but granulated or dark brown sugar can be used.
- If you want a vegan donut you can replace the egg. Stir 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal or chia seeds in 2 ½ tablespoon water and let sit for 5 minutes before using.
- I use whole milk, but you can use a dairy free milk like coconut milk or almond milk. You can also use buttermilk as well.
- If you are continuing down the vegan donut route, replace the butter with any neutral oil.
Step-by-Step Photos
Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl before adding the wet ingredients and stirring until just combined.
Add batter to donut pan and bake at 400°F for 9-10 minutes or until done. Remove from pan and set on cooling rack. Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams and has a nutty aroma.
Add the brown butter to a bowl and whisk in the sugar before adding the vanilla extract. You want it to be a smooth, pourable glaze. Dip each donut in the glaze and place back on the cooling rack.
FAQs
So I guess the real way to spell it is doughnuts but Dunkin’ Donuts popularized the spelling of donuts back in the 1950’s. For me, I go with donut.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say they are healthy, but they are healthier than fried donuts. Like anything, eat in moderation. You won’t regret eating these baked banana donuts
There is no such thing as a too ripe banana. The perfect banana is black, but you can also use bananas streaked with black/brown. The blacker the better however.
If you want to speed up the ripening process, place the bananas in a paper bag and fold down on the top. Add an apple which increase the ethylene gas and quickens the ripening process.
Just like with any cake type batter that you make, you’ll know the donuts are done when a toothpick comes out clean.
Add the butter to the skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, it will foam up and then subside.
This is when you watch carefully as lightly browned specks will start to form at the bottom of the pan. You will know the butter is ready when there is a nutty aroma. I suggest watching this video if you are still concerned.
Leftover banana donuts will store well in at room temperature for 1-2 days in an air-tight container.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Even though they say non-stick, spray your donut pans with non-stick cooking spray to make sure the donuts come out.
- When measuring the flour, lightly spoon it into a measuring cup and then level it off with the back of a knife to get the right amount.
- You can spoon the batter into the donut pans, but the easiest way to get the batter in the pan is by using a pastry bag or Ziploc bag with the corner cut off.
- Just like with any cake type batter that you make, you’ll know the donuts are done when a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the baked banana donuts cool completely before you dip them in the glaze.
Other Donut Recipes
If you’ve tried this banana donuts recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Banana Donuts
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup mashed banana (1 large banana)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Brown Butter Glaze
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Donuts
- Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add mashed banana, egg, butter, milk and vanilla extract and stir until just combined. (Over-stirring will make donut tough)
- Place batter in ziploc bag and squeeze out air. Cut corner of bag. Spray donut pan with non-stick spray. Pipe the batter evenly in the donut pan. It should make 6. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until stick comes clean. Remove from oven and remove from pan and cool on a cooling rack.
Brown Butter Glaze
- Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams and has a nutty aroma, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Transfer the brown butter to a shallow bowl and add the sugar. Whisk to combine and then add in the vanilla extract to make a smooth, pourable glaze. Dip each donut in the glaze and place back on cooling rack. Allow glaze to set for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Even though they say non-stick, spray your donut pans with non-stick cooking spray to make sure the donuts come out.
- When measuring the flour, lightly spoon it into a measuring cup and then level it off with the back of a knife to get the right amount.
- You can spoon the batter into the donut pans, but the easiest way to get the batter in the pan is by using a pastry bag or Ziploc bag with the corner cut off.
- Just like with any cake type batter that you make, you’ll know the donuts are done when a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the baked donuts cool completely before you dip them in the glaze.
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