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    Home » Recipes » Donuts

    Published: May 13, 2021 by Ellie Haley · This post may contain affiliate links · 23 Comments

    Banana Donuts

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Banana Donuts are moist baked banana donuts topped with a thick brown butter icing. They are a great alternative to banana bread if you are looking for a way to use up your overripe bananas.

    Two banana donuts stacked on top of each other. One donut has a bite out of it

    As much as I love a good banana bread (my Chocolate Chip Banana Bread recipe is next level) you can only eat so much of it. Enter: this Banana Donut Recipe. Now you have another way to use up your overripe bananas!

    Honestly, the donuts are great plain and I would eat them like that all day long, but you know I had to throw an extra special icing on top. Brown Butter Icing takes these banana baked donuts from an 8 to a 10! It is really simple and easy to make, but the icing tastes like you spent forever making it.

    A donut stacked on top of a jar of brown butter icing

    Baked donuts are one of my favorite things to make because they are insanely versatile and so simple. You throw them in a mold, bake them, and they're ready in no time. They are a great treat to make with kids, as well!

    A plate of baked donuts

    Ingredients for Banana Donuts:

    Ingredients for banana baked donuts:

    • All-purpose flour. Measuring the flour correctly is very important. I suggest weighing your flour out (I use this scale). If you want to use a measuring cup, make sure you spoon the flour into the cup and level it off with a knife. Don’t use the cup to scoop directly from the flour.
    • Light brown sugar. Brown sugar adds flavor and a softer texture to the final product.
    • Salt. Salt is a must in baked goods. It will help to balance out the sweetness and improve the overall flavor.
    • Baking powder. Baking powder will help the baked donuts to rise.
    • Overripe Bananas. You need to be sure the bananas are overripe (a lot of brown spots on the peel) or they won't be soft enough to bake with.
    • Unsalted butter.  I always make sure to use unsalted butter when baking because there is no “standard” for the amount of salt they can add to butter. So if you add salt to a recipe and then use salted butter you could end up with a very salty end product.
    • Egg. It will be easier to incorporate the eggs into the batter if they are at room temperature. 

    Ingredients for brown butter icing:

    • Unsalted Butter. See above note. We will brown this butter.
    • Powdered Sugar. This will bring the icing together and make it sweet.
    • Vanilla Extract. Vanilla is a must in baked goods just like salt. Real vanilla adds a better flavor than imitation vanilla.
    • Heavy Cream or Milk. If the brown butter icing is too thick you can mix in some milk heavy cream to thin it out. I add 1 tablespoon at a time.
    All of the ingredients needed for this recipe

    How to make Banana Donuts:

    BANANA BAKED DONUTS

    STEP 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F). Spray your donut mold with non-stick spray and set it aside.

    STEP 2: In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the flour, light brown sugar, salt, and baking powder. Be sure there are no lumps.

    The dry ingredients combined in a bowl

    STEP 3: In a separate bowl mix together mix the mashed bananas, melted butter, and the egg.

    All of the wet ingredients combined in a bowl

    STEP 4: Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. The batter will be thick.

    The wet and dry ingredients combined to make the batter

    STEP 5: Spoon or pipe the batter into your molds and fill them up about ¾ of the way to the top.

    STEP 6: Place your banana donuts in the pre-heated oven. They usually take about 15-17 minutes to bake, but I started checking them around 10 minutes to see if the pan needs to be turned. You’ll know they are finished when you lightly press on a donut and it springs back.

    STEP 7: Remove from the oven and let the baked donuts cool in the molds until cool enough to remove.

    A closeup of a donut with a bite out of it

    What is brown butter?

    Brown butter is unsalted butter that has been cooked down so the water in the butter evaporates and the milk solids in the butter turn brown. It gives the butter a nutty taste and smell. Adding brown butter to dishes in place of regular butter will amp up the flavor.

    Brown butter sounds fancy, but it is very simple to make. You will learn how to make brown butter below! If I want to change up a recipe, but don’t want to worry about testing out the recipe changes, I am going to brown the butter. It will totally change the taste of your baked good without changing the way it comes out of the oven.

    HOW TO MAKE BROWN BUTTER

    Browning butter is very simple, but if you have never done it before it can be a bit daunting.

    • First, you will melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. If you have the heat too low it will take a while for the butter to brown. If you have the heat too high the butter might burn.
    • After the butter has melted it will start to get foamy and make crackly noises, this is normal. You can stir the butter occasionally, but you don’t need to do it constantly.
    • Little brown bits will start to form at the bottom of the pan and the butter will take on a more orange color. It will start smelling nutty.
    • Let the butter continue to brown for about a minute, then remove from the heat and allow to cool. This whole process should take about 5 minutes.
    A saucepan of brown butter

    Brown Butter Icing

    STEP 1: Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan. It will start to foam and you will see orangy brown bits form at the bottom of the pan, this will take about 5 minutes.

    STEP 2: Remove from heat and allow the butter to cool slightly.

    STEP 3: Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and whisk until no longer lumpy. If the icing is too thick you can add small amounts of milk or heavy cream.

    STEP 4: Dip the tops of the donuts into the icing.

    Two banana donuts stacked on top of each other. One donut has a bite out of it

    Can I make baked donuts ahead of time?

    I WOULDN’T RECOMMEND IT. Donuts are best eaten the same day that they are made.

    You can, however, make the batter ahead of time, refrigerate it or freeze it (depending on how far ahead of time you are making the donut batter), and then bake the donuts when you are ready to eat them.

    A plate full of banana donuts

    More donut recipes

    • Churro Donuts- fluffy baked donuts rolled in cinnamon sugar and drizzled with dulce de leche.
    • Cinnamon Roll Donuts- These baked donuts are topped with a cinnamon streusel and drizzled with a cream cheese glaze.
    • Baked Donuts with Fresh Raspberries- Raspberry baked donuts topped with a lemon glaze.
    • Baked Maple Donuts- These baked maple donuts are topped with a maple glaze.
    A close up of a donut with a bite out of it

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning, at no extra cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click a link and buy something.

    Like this post? Visit my Recipe page to see more like it!

    Recipe originally published April 15, 2020.

    Recipe

    Banana Baked Donuts with a brown butter glaze

    Banana Baked Donuts

    Ellie Haley
    Banana Donuts are moist baked banana donuts topped with a thick brown butter icing.
    4.96 from 24 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 35 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 donuts
    Calories 268 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    For Donuts:

    • 1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour
    • ½ cup (107 grams) brown sugar packed
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 2 overripe bananas mashed
    • 2 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter melted
    • 1 large egg

    For Glaze:

    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 1 cup (113 grams) powdered sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • milk or heavy cream as needed
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    For Donuts:

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Spray your donut mold with non-stick spray and set aside.
    • In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the flour, light brown sugar, salt, and baking powder.
    • In a separate bowl mix the mashed bananas, melted butter, and egg. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix only until just combined. The batter will be thick.
    • Spoon the batter into the donut pan and place the donut pan on a cookie sheet.
    • Put the donuts into the pre-heated oven and bake for 17-20 minutes or until they spring back when lightly pressed.
    • Remove from oven allow and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove and allow to cool fully.

    For Icing:

    • Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan. It will start to foam and you will see orangy brown bits form at the bottom of the pan, this will take about 5 minutes.
    • Remove from heat and allow the butter to cool slightly.
    • Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and whisk until no longer lumpy. If the icing is too thick you can add small amounts of milk or heavy cream.
    • Dip the tops of the donuts into the icing.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1donutCalories: 268kcalCarbohydrates: 43.7gProtein: 3.5gFat: 9.8gSaturated Fat: 5.9gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 164mgPotassium: 208mgFiber: 1.2gSugar: 28.1gCalcium: 42mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Char says

      May 15, 2022 at 10:41 am

      I made these! Very easy abd simple. I got 12 mini donuts and i did half of the glaze reCipe anD it was enough. AlSo the glaze was not diffIcult at all.

      Reply
      • Ellie Haley says

        May 15, 2022 at 10:42 am

        I’m so so glad you loved them!

        Reply
    2. Joanna says

      April 16, 2022 at 8:09 am

      5 stars
      Great banana flavor. very moist and delicious. brown butter glaze is decadent and worth the extra time. I sprinkled a little cinnamon over the glaze for a little spice. Will definitely make these again. thanks for a great recipe!

      Reply
    3. Allie says

      January 24, 2022 at 9:33 am

      5 stars
      These donuts were so easy to make, and so delicious! the brown butter glaze definitely makes it!

      Reply
      • Ellie Haley says

        January 24, 2022 at 9:35 am

        So glad you enjoyed them!

        Reply
    4. Deb says

      October 15, 2021 at 2:50 pm

      Omg. EXCELLENT. The brown butter glaze is EVERYTHING!,,

      Reply
    5. Tejashri says

      September 04, 2021 at 3:30 am

      I am a vegetarian please tell me egg substitute

      Reply
    6. Ellen says

      August 30, 2021 at 10:12 am

      Wow! These were great! The recipes made 9 donuts for my sized pans. I planned to taste test the 1st one with some coffee I saved from breakfast, but before the coffee had time to reheat in the microwave, the donut was gone! Yum! (So I had a second one! Haha!) Delicious 😋

      Reply
    7. Lisa m. says

      July 23, 2021 at 1:57 pm

      5 stars
      this recipe is SO good... simple and perfect--thanks for sharing and I love your photos!

      Reply
    8. Brooke says

      July 22, 2021 at 11:24 am

      5 stars
      Ive made these a few tImeS now, they are my go to banana donut recipe! Super simple, never fail donuts!

      Reply
    9. Danielle says

      June 23, 2021 at 9:43 pm

      5 stars
      So simple and so delicious! This is a keeper. Thank YoU!

      Reply
    10. Donna Sanzone says

      May 16, 2021 at 1:11 pm

      5 stars
      These are my new favorIte doNut recipe! They are So light and flavorful and the icing is perfection. My Son had his with a tall gLass of cold milk and i had an espresso. Thank you fOr all the tips In the recipe. They makE a bIg difference in the finished pRoduct. These are like Light fluffy baNAna bread ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

      Reply
    11. Lydia says

      May 13, 2021 at 2:29 pm

      5 stars
      These are ABSOLUTELY delIcious! I made them last weekend for my 2 & 4 year old and They crushed them (i dipped them in chocolate with some sprinkles on top instead of icing but Followed thE donut recipe otherwise) my husband managed to grab one and requested another batCh!! Usually baked donuts are Too dense and cakey - but these were so light and fluffy and packed with flavor - definitely going on the favorites list for breakfaST! (And any other time of day!!) ❤️🙌🏻

      Reply
    12. Teresa says

      April 15, 2021 at 5:45 am

      4 stars
      This was a easy and delicious banana donut recipe 😃

      Reply
      • Shantelle says

        June 21, 2021 at 4:45 pm

        Really enjoyed making these donuts! So simple but so delicious!

        Reply
    13. Tara says

      December 10, 2020 at 9:45 pm

      5 stars
      A great recipe, i highly recommend!

      Reply
    14. Tara says

      December 10, 2020 at 9:43 pm

      Such a great recipe, i highly Recommend!!

      Reply
    15. Alexis says

      August 06, 2020 at 7:35 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious!!

      Reply
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    Hi, I'm Ellie!

    I am a classically trained pastry chef with a deep desire to bring delicious and beautiful recipes to the homes of others. I aim to make being in the kitchen approachable instead of intimidating

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