These Chocolate Banana Donuts are easy-to-make baked donuts rich in natural protein, super chocolatey, and made with only 4 wholesome ingredients.
These delicious baked donuts are made with just four simple ingredients and are entirely plant-based. It’s a great alternative to my other donuts, like the Sweet Potato Donuts, Air Fryer Donut Holes, or Peanut Butter Donuts. Oven-baked and ready in just 20 minutes, they are a healthy and quick way to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Each donut packs 7 grams of protein, making them a nutritious snack or dessert option. What makes this recipe special is its simplicity and the natural sweetness from ripe bananas, combined with the rich flavor of chocolate, resulting in a guilt-free indulgence that’s both delicious and nutritious.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Banana – The ripeness of your bananas will give the sweetness of the donuts. Very ripe bananas will make them quite sweet while greenish bananas will make them not sweet at all.
- Yogurt – I used coconut yogurt, but you can use any plant-based yogurt from cashew to soy yogurt.
- Self-Rising Flour – Self rising flour is a combination of all-purpose flour and baking powder. You can make your own if you don’t have the mix. I haven’t tried gluten-free flour for this recipe.
- Cocoa Powder – I like to use unsweetened cocoa powder as it’s healthier and I can control the sweetness with the ripeness of the bananas. You can also use cacao powder.
Chocolate Glaze
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – I like dark chocolate chips with at least 70% of cocoa.
- Soy Milk – You can use any plant-based milk you like, from coconut milk to almond milk, but soy milk brings a little bit more protein, so I like to use it.
How to Make Chocolate Banana Donuts
This recipe is quite easy to make. First, combine the ingredients, then form donuts, bake them, and dip them in chocolate. All the details are in the recipe card further down, and just below are a few pictures of the key steps.
Combine the plant-based yogurt and mashed bananas in a large bowl.
Add the cocoa powder and the self-rising flour to the bowl and stir the mixture with your hands.
Form a large dough ball that should be a bit sticky. Divide it into 6 small balls.
Push your thumb through the balls and roll them between your fingers to form the donuts. No need for a donut pan!
Place the donuts on a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake them for 9 to 10 minutes in the oven.
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips with the soy milk and once the donuts are baked, dip them into the mixture.
Expert Tips
- Choose Ripe Bananas: Use ripe bananas with brown spots for natural sweetness and a moist texture. Overripe bananas blend more easily and add more flavor to the donuts. If you like your donuts not sweet, feel free to pick less ripe bananas.
- Measure Accurately: Ensure you measure all ingredients precisely to maintain the right consistency and flavor balance in your donuts.
- Oil Your Hands: To prevent sticking use melted coconut oil to work the dough and form the donuts.
- Don’t Overbake: Keep a close eye on the baking time. Bake just until a toothpick inserted into the donuts comes out clean to keep them moist and tender. Overbaking can result in dry donuts.
- Add Toppings: For extra flavor and to make them look amazing, add some toppings like a drizzle of peanut butter, a sprinkle of nuts, or a dusting of powdered sugar.
More Healthy Donut Recipes
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Chocolate Banana Donuts
Ingredients
- ½ cup Banana - 1 large banana
- ½ cup Plant-Based Yogurt
- 1 ¼ cup Self-Rising Flour - (note 1)
- ⅓ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Chocolate Glaze
- ½ cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
- 2-3 tablespoons Soy Milk
To work the dough/knead
- 2-3 teaspoons Coconut Oil - Melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Grease paper with oil. Set aside.
- Mash the banana into a smooth puree. Make sure you get 1/2 cup, or the donut batter won't come together with the same ratio of flour.
- Add in the plant-based yogurt, cocoa powder, and self-rising flour.
- Stir with a rubber spatula until it starts to form lumps. Now, oil your hands and knead to form a dough ball. The dough is sticky and moist, but that's normal. Don't over-add flour! If it sticks to the finger, keep kneading, using a bit of oil to smooth the dough and form a ball. Eventually, if it's really too moist, add up to a max of 2-3 tablespoons, or the dough turns bready.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal portions.
- Grease your hands with melted coconut oil, grab a portion of dough, roll it into a ball, and press your thumb in the center to form a donut shape. Roll them like a hula hoop around your finger to widen the hole. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all the dough has been turned into donuts. Leave a thumb of space between each donut as they expand in the oven.
- Bake the donuts for 9-10 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C) until they look dry on the outside and a toothpick inserted in them comes out clean. They will have a greyish color and rocky shape, and they will be kind of dry outside, but that's normal.
- Melt the chocolate chips and plant-based milk in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second bursts, stirring, and microwaving again until the mixture is shiny and smooth.
- Dip the top of each donut in the chocolate glaze to cover the top and place it back on a wire rack. Pop in the fridge for 30 minutes to set the glaze a little. It's a ganache, so it won't harden as a regular glaze.
- Store in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
I love your recipes but I’m curious why you state that cocoa powder is healthier than cacao powder.
It’s not what I say! I mention that I use unsweetened cocoa powder because it’s healthier than sweetened cocoa powder and it makes it easier to adjust the sweetness. And then I mention that you can also choose cacao powder.
Looks amazing Do you think it’d work as well with gluten free flour? Thanks
I am not sure, I didn’t try yet.
Hi
Is there is a way to make it non gluten?
Thanks in advance
I didn’t try it yet sorry
Good and easy to make, kids loved it. One thing to note, the coating becomes quite runny so it can make a bit of a mess. Wouldn’t recommend as a take away treat!! But at home, they are amazing.
Huge fan of everything donut, so I knew I had to give this a try – didn’t disapoint, they are lovely