These Baked Donut Holes are healthier donut holes, baked instead of fried in oil. They are also easier and made with just 4 ingredients, no eggs, and no dairy.
While the whole recipe is just below, don’t miss all my tips further down, including ingredient swaps, my cooking tips, and step-by-step shots!
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Baked Donut Holes
These Baked Donut Holes are healthier donut holes, baked instead of fried in oil. They are also easier and made with just 4 ingredients, no eggs, and no dairy.
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Servings: 12 donut holes
Calories: 137.7 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cups Self-Rising Flour - (note 1)
- ¾ cup Almond Milk - (note 2)
- ¼ cup Mild-Flavor Olive Oil - (note 3)
- ¼ cup Unrefined Sugar - (note 4)
To coat the donuts
- ⅓ cup Unrefined Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons Mild-Flavor Olive Oil - (note 5)
Optional
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray a 12-hole mini muffin pan or a 12-hole mini donut hole pan with cooking oil spray. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk self-rising flour and unrefined sugar.
- Add in almond milk, oil, and vanilla extract, if used.
- Stir with a rubber spatula until a smooth runny batter forms.
- Fill each muffin hole up to the top with the batter.
- Bake the donut holes for 15 minutes at 350°F (180°C) until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the mini muffins comes out clean. They stay quite pale in color outside, that's normal.
- Flip over a cooling rack and cool or 5 minutes while you prepare the coating.
- In a small mixing bowl, stir sugar and cinnamon until evenly combined.
- In another bowl, add the light olive oil.
- Dip each lukewarm mini muffin very quickly in oil, then roll it in the bowl with the cinnamon sugar.
- Set aside on the cooling rack, and repeat with the remaining mini muffins. They will look and taste like mini donut holes.
Notes
Note 1: You can make your own self-rising flour by stirring 1 cup of flour with 2 teaspoons of baking powder. For a gluten-free option, use my gluten-free converter, but don’t forget the baking powder.
Note 2: Or any milk you love, like oat milk, soy milk, or coconut milk.
Note 3: Any low-flavor oil, like canola oil or melted plant-based butter, works well. For an oil-free swap, use unsweetened applesauce.
Note 4: Any granulated sweetener works like brown sugar, coconut sugar, date sugar, or allulose.
Note 5: This oil is used to coat each mini muffin. It adds the real donut taste to the muffin and helps the cinnamon sugar stick to it. To decrease the oil, use an oil spray and spray the mini muffin with oil instead of dipping. Always use a low-flavor oil or melted plant-based batter for this step to prevent the donut holes from having an oil flavor. If oil-free, brush the muffin with maple syrup and roll into cinnamon sugar.
Storage: Store the donut holes in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Serving: 1donut hole | Calories: 137.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 14.7g | Protein: 1.3g | Fat: 8.4g | Saturated Fat: 1.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5.9g | Sodium: 36mg | Potassium: 12.4mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 5.2g | Vitamin A: 1.2IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 23.8mg | Iron: 0.2mg | Magnesium: 2.8mg | Phosphorus: 10.3mg | Zinc: 0.1mg
Ingredients and Substitutions
This paragraph gives you all my tips about picking the right ingredients. For the full recipe with measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post!Go to Full Recipe
You only need 4 ingredients for the recipe and just some more cinnamon for the coating.
- Self-Rising Flour – This provides the structure for the donut holes and helps them rise during baking. For a different flour, you can combine all-purpose flour with baking powder. For a gluten-free option, use my gluten-free converter, but don’t forget the baking powder.
- Almond Milk – This adds moisture to the batter, creating a smooth consistency. Oat milk, soy milk, or coconut milk also work well in this recipe.
- Light Olive Oil – It contributes to the tenderness of the baked donut holes. You can also use canola oil or melted plant-based butter. For an oil-free version, unsweetened applesauce is a suitable substitute.
- Unrefined Sugar – This sweetens the donut holes. Brown sugar, coconut sugar, date sugar, or a sugar-free granulated sweetener are also fine to use. This also adds sweetness to the outside of the donut holes for the cinnamon sugar coating. You can also use a refined sugar-free option (coconut sugar, date sugar) or a sugar-free crystal sweetener (allulose, erythritol).
- Cinnamon – This provides a warm, classic donut flavor to the coating.
How to Make Baked Donut Holes
These mini donuts are super easy to whip up in just a few minutes, here’s how in pictures.
Combine the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Transfer the batter to an oiled mini muffin tin.
Bake the donut holes for 15 minutes at 350°F (180°C).
Roll them in olive oil and a cinnamon sugar mixture to coat them.
Carine’s Baking Tips
Let me share a few more tips for perfect donut holes.
- Healthier Coating Sugar – For a healthier option, use a refined sugar-free sugar to coat the donut holes.
- Lower Sugar Coating – Use a sugar-free crystal sweetener for the coating to reduce calories and added sugar.
- Vanilla in Batter – Adding a teaspoon of vanilla to the batter enhances the overall flavor profile.
- Muffin or Donut Pan – If you use a mini muffin pan, the shape will resemble mini muffins; for a classic round shape, use a mini donut hole pan.
- Evenly Combine Coating – Stir the sugar and cinnamon thoroughly in a small bowl to ensure an even coating.
- Cool Before Coating – Allow the baked donut holes to cool slightly before dipping to prevent them from falling apart.
- Quick Oil Dip – Dip each donut hole quickly in the oil before coating to lightly coat it.
- Thorough Cinnamon Sugar Roll – Ensure each donut hole is fully rolled in the cinnamon sugar for maximum flavor.
Can you use wheat flour with the baking powder?
Sure, to swap 1 cup self-rising flour stir 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder into 1 cup of wheat flour – all-purpose flour.
Can I use a regular donut pan? If yes what should the cook time be?
I don’t see why not, and if the thickness of batter is the same, then the baking time won’t be impacted.