These baked donuts are like banana cake with a delicious glaze…oh the maple cinnamon glaze! It is divine. Without it the donuts just aren’t the same.
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Autumn is here, bringing with it cooler weather. I like the cozy atmosphere. So romantic. Yesterday it got really chilly. I decided to spoil myself with a comfort breakfast. When I think comfort, I think donuts. They are nostalgic, extremely sweet (in a good way) and make people smile. Are you smiling right now?
I had ripe bananas sitting on the counter for quite a while and some leftover maple syrup. So basically it was a sign. Maple Glazed Banana Donuts it is. If you don’t have a donut pan, don’t let that stop you from making these cuties and use a standard size muffin pan instead.
Make it a muffin: This recipe transforms easily into muffins! The trick is the temperature! If you start baking with a very high temperature, it creates a burst of steam, quickly lifting the muffin tops. I talk more about how to make high domes in my Classic Muffins Recipe. Wondering why I wanted high domed muffins in this recipe? Yup you got it -the higher the top, the more glaze on the donut! And the glaze is the yummiest part. This recipe will yield 10 muffins if you choose that route.
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How to make Banana Donuts
These donuts are simple to make and you don’t need a mixer!
- Start by whisking oil with the brown and granulated sugars, maple syrup, eggs, mashed bananas, yogurt and vanilla extract (in this order).
- Then add dry ingredients.
- Use very ripe bananas. The riper the bananas, the moister your muffins will be. I also added 2 tablespoons of yogurt to make the donuts lighter (a trick I learned from Thomas Keller in his fabulous BOUCHON bakery cookbook). Don’t overmix the batter. Banana cakes already have the tendency to be heavy and dense, so if you overmix you might end up with a tough, rubbery texture.
Glaze the donuts
Now for my favorite part – the glaze! I started with powdered sugar, a tiny bit of cinnamon and maple syrup. I added about one tablespoon of hot water (a little at a time) to make the glaze really smooth. Since it was still somewhat thick, I started adding milk, drop by drop, until I reached the desired consistency. It should be thick but pourable. You can use just milk or just water as the liquid. I chose to use both since milk adds taste and the hot water gives it a smooth texture.
When the donuts are cooled, dip their tops in the glaze, and tap off any excess. After 1-2 minutes, double dip the donuts in the glaze for extra deliciousness. Some of the glaze will probably drizzle to the sides – don’t worry about it too much, it’s ok (and delicious).
Best way to store Banana Donuts
The donuts are best eaten the same day they are made because of the glaze. They do stay moist and delicious for a few more days at room temperature, but they won’t look as pretty since the muffins will start to absorb the glaze. You can freeze the muffins without the glaze. See the notes in the recipe for more information.
Just in the last hour, while typing this post, I have eaten two donuts. This is a disaster. In a good way.
More delicious donut recipes
- Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donut Holes: Moist and fluffy donuts that are baked in a muffin pan, instead of fried, and topped with a cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Baked Apple Cider Donuts: Moist, tender, and super flavorful, these are the best baked apple cider donuts I’ve ever had, and they are easy to make, too. Their sugary spiced coating makes them irresistible!
- Potato Donuts (Spudnuts): These donut holes are extra fluffy and tender from a secret ingredient – potato! They’re tossed in cinnamon-sugar after frying for an irresistible treat you’re going to love.
- Baked Chocolate Donuts: Moist and fluffy chocolate glazed donuts that are baked, not fried. They’re glazed with a thick chocolate glaze and are perfect for any chocoholic craving something extra indulgent!
Baked Banana Donuts with Maple Cinnamon Glaze
Cakey Banana Donuts are double dipped in a delicious glaze
Ingredients
For the banana muffins:
- 1 ½ cups (215 grams or 7.5 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (50 grams or 1.7 ounces) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 grams or 1.7 ounces) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup maple syrup (or ¼ cup granulated sugar)
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup oil (canola, vegetable, safflower)
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2-3 bananas)
- 2 tablespoons yogurt (or milk)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the maple–cinnamon glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon hot water
- ½ teaspoon milk
Instructions
To make the muffins:
-
Preheat the oven to 425℉/220℃ degrees. Butter donut pan.
-
In a large bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
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In a medium bowl, whisk oil with the sugars and maple syrup. Add eggs and whisk. Add bananas, yogurt and vanilla extract and mix. Add dry ingredients and fold just until combined. Do not overmix. The resulting batter is thick.
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Fill the donut pan. You may find it is easier to pipe the batter into the pan using a pastry bag or cut Ziploc bag. Each donut can be filled halfway. Bake for 3 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350F/180C. Continue to bake for an additional 12-15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the donut comes out clean. Cool for 5-10 minutes and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the glaze:
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In a medium bowl mix powdered sugar, cinnamon, maple syrup, milk and one teaspoon of hot water. Continue adding hot water drop by drop until the consistency is thick but pourable. If still not in the right consistency, add more liquid (milk).
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When the muffins are cooled, dip their tops in the glaze, and tap off any excess.
Recipe Notes
-The donuts are best the same day they are made, but without the glaze, the muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
-Muffins can be frozen (without the glaze) for up to 2 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge or leave them covered in room temperature for 1 hour.
Christine says
Yum! Going to try these today!
Nabila says
Can you use plain Greek yogurt?
Nabila says
Will sour cream work as well? Also planning to make these a night before an event, will it be okay in the fridge overnight after its glazed?
Shiran says
You can use sour cream. Donuts are always best served immediately, but they will keep well covered tightly at room temperature until the next day.
Shiran says
Yes you can.
Julia says
Hi Shiran,
Thank you so much for this awesome recipe! I absolutely love your page 🙂 I have a question – I have two donut pans (12 donuts total). Would this recipe change at all if I used them instead of making muffins?
Shiran says
Thank you, Julia 🙂 Sure, you can use the donut pans without changing anything else in the recipe – just keep an eye on the baking time.