Bakery style banana bread donuts (lightened up, gluten free and vegan friendly!)

After asking for my very own donut pan for Christmas (yes, really), I’ve tried to make a few different types of donuts. The resounding winner of best donut coming out of my kitchen is bakery style banana bread donuts that are gluten free, vegan friendly and lightened up.

To make this recipe, you’ll need a donut pan. You can either wait for Christmas like I did, or make a fun $10 investment yourself. Alternatively, donut-inspired muffins are a great option.

You can jump to the recipe now or learn more about it below. Don’t forget to check out Instagram where you can find bonus pictures of our boxer, Buster, patiently posing beside the donuts. You can also subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss a post!

These donuts are a solid dessert option that taste great and won’t derail your diet. They even passed the husband test, which means that although they are a healthier recipe, James actually liked them (he has no problem telling me when something “tastes healthy”). These donuts are moist, fluffy and sweet (mostly from the bananas).

Quick facts

Bananas, despite being classified a low GI food, get a bad reputation for being high in sugar. While I wouldn’t advocate eating 10 of them in one sitting (or 10 of most things), they remain a much better sweetener choice than refined sugar. In addition, they’re a healthy energy source and loaded with both potassium and fiber.

Birch xylitol is my granulated sweetener of choice. It has 33% fewer calories than the white stuff, is good for oral health, and slows down the digestive process. Please note that it is extremely toxic to your canine pals, so keep it well out of their reach.

Eggs are an inexpensive, high quality protein that are very nutritious and full of amino acids. Eggs are high in cholesterol, but cholesterol in the diet doesn’t necessarily raise cholesterol in the blood. For the average person, two eggs per day are totally fine

Coconut oil is surprisingly high in saturated fat and has become somewhat controversial since the American Heart Association advised against consuming it. I primarily use it to make personal care products, but I also add small quantities to recipes because it can boost the immune system and help with inflammation (among other things!)

Cinnamon is one of the spices my ND recommended I consume daily to support thyroid function and increase metabolism. If you don’t have an underactive thyroid like I do, you can still use it to sweeten your food and beverages and benefit from the antioxidants.

Now let’s eat some donuts!

Bakery style banana bread donuts (lightened up, gluten free and vegan friendly!)

These delicious bakery style banana bread donuts are a healthy dessert option with a delicious, lightened-up chocolate glaze. 

This recipe makes 12 donuts.

Ingredients

Donuts

• 1 cup of mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large bananas – the riper, the sweeter)
• 2 tablespoons of birch xylitol (or granular sweetener of choice – coconut sugar is a great alternative)
• 1 egg (or flax egg for a vegan diet)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (or agave for a vegan diet)
• 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons of almond milk (or milk/milk alternative of choice)
• 1/2 cup of all-purpose gluten free flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg (don’t skip! Nutmeg gives donuts the “bakery” taste)

Glaze

• ¼ cup of Dutch processed cocoa powder
• ½ tablespoon of powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons of unsweetened almond milk (or milk/milk alternative of choice) 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º
2. Stir the bananas, birch xylitol (or coconut sugar), egg, vanilla (or agave), coconut oil and milk in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, mix the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg and then pour it into the large bowl with the wet mixture
3. Pour the batter into a greased donut pan (I used coconut oil). Pro tip: for less mess, use a measuring cup, reusable piping bag, disposable piping bag, or even a plain old Ziploc bag with the corner cut off
4. Bake at 350º for about 15 minutes. The donuts should be firm and a toothpick should come out clean
5. Let the donuts cool for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Pro tip: twist them when you take them out of the pan and it should be smooth sailing
6. Blend the Dutch processed cocoa powder and powdered sugar for the glaze, adding the milk/milk alternative as required (the mixture shouldn’t be runny or the glaze won’t set)
7. Once the donuts are completely cool, dip them in the glaze and let them set. Fun option: you can add toppings like crushed walnuts, shredded coconut, or mini dark chocolate chips.

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