Baked Pumpkin Donuts. The next time you have a craving for one of those sweet, round breakfast treats, aka donuts, skip the oil and try baking them! This easy recipe has healthier ingredients and they’re ready in about 20 minutes.
Who knew a healthy donut could actually taste good? Using small substitutions, I made these donuts healthier with no loss of flavor. As well, they’re so tasty, you won’t realize they’re good for you!
As well, they only take a few minutes to mix together and 11 minutes to bake. They can be on your table in less time than it takes to drive to get fresh donuts from a store. (And, don’t forget they’re much healthier!)
BAKED PUMPKIN DONUTS
Of course, the pumpkin is full of healthy nutrients. I also used whole wheat flour, apple sauce, almond milk, and plant butter. Next, I baked these donuts instead of frying them. (That’s the biggest calorie savings.)
Now, no worries if you don’t have a donut-shaped baking pan. You can make muffins instead.
INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- Flour. First, I used all-purpose flour and a smidgen of whole wheat flour. However, you can use all all-purpose flour.
- Almond milk. As well, you can use almond milk, whole milk (or 1% or 2%), or cashew milk.
- Sugar. I substituted coconut sugar for half of the sugar in these donuts. You can use all coconut sugar or all regular granulated sugar if you will.
- Apple Sauce. I added unsweetened apple sauce and reduced the total amount of fat used. Apple sauce adds moisture without adding very many calories.
- Butter. Finally, I used Shed’s Spread Plant Butter made with olive oil. You can use traditional butter or oil. As well, you can use coconut oil (melted) or solid vegetable shortening melted.
While you’re here, check out these recipes.
- Peanut Butter Bread
- Strawberry Bread
- Lemon Blueberry Streusel Bread
- Snickerdoodle Cobbler
- Strawberry Almond Milk Coconut Oil Muffins Healthy Breakfast
- 16 Homemade Energy Bars
- Favorite Pumpkin Recipes
Finally, please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary based on the products used.
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Baked Pumpkin Donuts
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Save To Your Recipe BoxIngredients
DONUTS
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon pumpkin spice or cinnamon
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon apple sauce unsweetened
- 1 and ½ tablespoons plant-based butter melted, like this (or see above for subs)
- ½ cup almond milk unsweetened
SUGAR COATING
- 3 tablespoons planted-based butter melted
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup coconut sugar or granulated white sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Generously grease a donut baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flours, sugars, salt, baking powder, and pumpkin spice.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the pumpkin, apple sauce, melted butter, and milk.
- Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Take care and don't over mix!
- Spoon mixture into the prepared doughnut pan. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until the doughnuts spring back when lightly pressed. Remove them from the oven and allow the donuts to cool a few minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool for a few more minutes.
- Once the donuts are cool enough to handle, dip them in the melted butter, then roll them in the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Repeat with all donuts.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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Autumn says
No sugar/sweetener in the batter? I’d like to bake these leaving off the coating but if the sweetness comes exclusively from the coating, that won’t work. Maybe I could just add the sugar from the coating ingredients directly to the batter?
Paula says
Holy crap! I forgot to list the sugar! Thank you Autumn for making me realize this. So yes, there’s 1/2 up of sugar in the donuts then the sugar that coats the donuts. I modified a recipe that used 1/2 cup granulated white sugar and used 1/4 cup coconut sugar and 1/4 cup white sugar. You would use all of either one or even brown sugar.
Alanna says
This didn’t work very well for me. The donuts tasted like donut-shaped muffins. They didn’t have that cake consistency I was looking for. I used self-raising flour and cut back on the baking powder by half. The dough was too dry and I had to add an extra 1/4 cup of milk. I also noticed that there are no eggs in this recipe?
Paula says
No eggs in my recipe – Made as I wrote the recipe my donuts had a fluffy cake-like texture.
Alanna Birmingham says
I’ll try them again. I think the problem was the flour I used. I didn’t have any all-purpose flour so I used self-raising flour. That might make the difference!
Robin Donovan says
these donuts are so good!
Lori Sailors says
As I am making this I have some questions!! Can you edit this to separate the ingredients for the donuts separate from the sugarcoating? I put the cinnamon in the donuts but are you suppose to only put them on top?
Paula says
I’m so sorry, I edited it. Cinnamon (or pumpkin spice) actually goes in the donuts and in the sugar coating. Thank you for bringing my attention to it.
Swathi says
Baked pumpkin donuts looks yum
Allyssa says
This is really delicious and easy to make! Will surely have this amazing baked pumpkin donuts recipe again! Highly recommended!
Camille says
I love this!