Healthy Donuts (Baked, 4 Ingredients, No Refined Sugar)

These Healthy Donuts are super simple, 4-ingredient, oven-baked donuts made with no eggs, no dairy, and no refined sugar for a simple and healthy dessert.

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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!

Healthy Donuts

These Healthy Donuts are super simple, 4-ingredient, oven-baked donuts made with no eggs, no dairy, and no refined sugar for a simple and healthy dessert.

5 from 10 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 14 minutes mins

Total Time: 24 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 donuts

Calories: 235.7 kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

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Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• ▢ 2 ½ cups Self-Rising Flour - (note 1)
• ▢ ½ cup Maple Syrup - (note 2)
• ▢ ½ cup Mild-Flavor Olive Oil - (note 3)
• ▢ 1 cup Almond Milk - (note 4)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract - optional (note 5)

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

• ▢ ⅓ cup Unrefined Cane Sugar
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons Cinnamon

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Prepare a donut silicon mold and spray cooking oil in the cavities. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, add self-rising flour, maple syrup, light flavor oil, almond milk, and vanilla extract if used.
• Use a rubber spatula to stir and combine everything together and form a smooth batter.
• Fill each donut cavity up to 2/3 of its level. They raise a lot! I made 12 donuts with the batter. I like to add the donut batter into a piping bag and pipe it into the donut cavities. It's easier to fill the cavities this way. But you can also use spoons if you don't have piping bags.
• Bake the donuts for 14-16 minutes at 350°F (180°C) until they are lightly golden brown outside and a toothpick inserted in the center of the donuts comes out clean.
• Flip over a cooling rack and let them cool for 1 hour before decorating.

Cinnamon sugar coating

• In a shallow bowl that fits the width of a donut, add sugar and cinnamon. Stir to evenly combine.
• When the donuts are cooled, lightly spray low flavor oil oil on both sides and roll into the bowl filled with cinnamon sugar to coat.

Notes

Note 1: Self-rising flour is a premix of flour and baking powder. You can make your own by stirring 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour with 3 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder. 

Gluten-Free: Use my gluten-free conversion guide for muffins! this recipe is not a fried donut. The batter is closer to muffin batter, and the gluten-free muffin conversion works better.

Note 2: Or any liquid sweetener you love, like agave syrup.

Note 3: Any low-flavor oil works. I haven’t tried the oil-free option.

Note 4: Or any milk you like, including oat milk, soy milk.

Note 5: Optional, but lovely to add vanilla flavor to the donut dough.

Note 6: Or use sugar-free erythritol for a zero-calorie, no-carb coating.

Note 7: Or pumpkin pie spices.

Storage: Store the donuts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze in sealed Ziploc bags for up to 1 month.

Oven Mode: I use the fan-forced (convection) mode. If you have to use conventional mode, I recommend increasing the temperature by 25°F (15 °C). The baking time should be the same, but it might take a few more minutes.

Decoration: You can also ice the donuts using my royal icing recipe. Upside down the cooled donuts in the icing and let them sit in the fridge for an hour to harden.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1donut | Calories: 235.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.8g | Protein: 3.2g | Fat: 9.7g | Saturated Fat: 1.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.7g | Sodium: 29.1mg | Potassium: 58mg | Fiber: 0.8g | Sugar: 13.7g | Vitamin A: 1.3IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 46.2mg | Iron: 0.3mg | Magnesium: 9.5mg | Phosphorus: 25.4mg | Zinc: 0.3mg

Ingredients and Substitutions

You only need 4 simple ingredients to make this recipe. Here’s how to pick and swap them.

• Self-Rising Flour – This ingredient is the base of the donuts, providing both structure and leavening. It makes the recipe simple since the baking powder and salt are already mixed in. You can also make your own with all-purpose flour and baking powder – details in the recipe notes.
• Maple Syrup – This liquid sweetener adds sweetness and helps bind the wet ingredients together. You can also use agave syrup or another liquid sweetener.
• Mild-Flavor Olive Oil – The oil adds crucial moisture to the donuts, making them soft and tender. Any low-flavor oil works here.
• Almond Milk – This helps to bring the batter to the right consistency. You can also use oat milk or soy milk.

How to Make Healthy Donuts

Carine’s Baking Tips

Let me share a few more tips for perfect healthy donuts.

• Sugar-Free Coating – To decrease calories and sugar, you can make a sugar-free cinnamon sugar coating using Monk fruit or erythritol blends instead of regular sugar.
• Use Mild Oil – Using a mild-flavored oil is important. A strong-flavored oil, like unrefined coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil, can give the donuts an overpowering taste.
• Choose the Right Flour – The key to these donuts is using self-rising flour, which already contains a leavening agent. This is what makes them rise. If you use regular flour, be sure to add baking powder according to the recipe note.
• Gluten-Free Option – Since this recipe is for a baked donut, the batter is similar to a muffin batter. I recommend using a gluten-free muffin conversion guide for the best results.
• Try a Glaze – For a different topping, you can skip the cinnamon sugar coating and instead use a glaze or frosting. The recipe notes have a link to a royal icing recipe that works great.
• No Donut Pan? – You can easily bake these in a muffin pan! Just fill the cavities about two-thirds full, and they will bake up like little donut muffins.

More Donut Recipes

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Baked Banana Donut Holes

Vegan Blueberry Donuts

Pumpkin Donut Holes