I love breakfast desserts, so it’s no surprise that breakfast donuts are something I make my family a little too often. Unlike classic sugar and fat-filled donuts, this one is free from refined flour, butter, sugar, and frying! They are a spin on my healthy donuts but swapping out the flour for ground up oats.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Quick and easy. Unlike traditional donuts, I have made them without yeast, so you don’t have to worry about proofing them. Also, their consistency is such that you can pour them into donut trays and bake them instead of fry. Fun breakfast option. Like my blueberry baked donuts, these are a great substitute if you are bored of everyday oats or breakfast bars. They are not overly sweet or indulgent and can be versatile and customizable, like baked oats! Perfect texture. The donuts have the perfect balance of fluffiness and cakiness, and the addition of the oats give them that slightly chewy texture.
Ingredients Needed
As mentioned earlier, these donuts use a handful of wholesome ingredients to make. Here is what you’ll need:
Oat flour. Blended oats that have a flour-like texture. You can buy any pre-packaged oat flour or make your own. Coconut sugar. My preferred sweetener because it is less refined than white or brown sugar. Baking powder. This will make your donuts nice and fluffy and have some rise. Cinnamon. For the lovely, warm Cinnabon-like nostalgia. Sea salt. You’ll need just a pinch to balance the sweetness. Almond milk. This is the usual milk in my fridge, but use any milk you like. Egg OR flax egg. Use one egg or make a flax egg by allowing to gel a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds with three tablespoons of water. Vanilla extract. Cinnamon and vanilla perfectly complement one another. A splash of a good quality vanilla extract will elevate this recipe. Almond butter. For binding and moisture. I like almond butter because it goes well with the other flavors and isn’t as overpowering as peanut butter. You can use any nut or seed butter you enjoy.
For the Glaze
Greek yogurt. I used plain Greek yogurt, but any thick yogurt will work just fine. Confectioners sugar. Just a little bit to add some sweetness but also thin out the yogurt enough to drizzle over each donut.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How to make the breakfast donuts
Step 1- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients and mix well. Step 2- Make the donut batter. Whisk the milk, vanilla extract, and egg/flax egg in a small bowl. Pour into the dry mixture. Add the melted nut butter and mix well until a batter is formed. Step 3- Bake the donuts. Transfer the batter to the greased 12-count doughnut pan or muffin tin and bake for 20-30 minutes in a preheated oven at 350°F. Remove it from the oven once you see a golden brown color on top and a toothpick comes on clean. Step 4- Cool them down. Let the donuts sit in the pan for roughly 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Step 5- Make the frosting. Whisk together the yogurt and confectioner’s sugar and frost the donuts once cooled.
Recipe tips and variations
Avoid overmixing the batter. Like cake or pancake batter, you want to combine the batter until fully incorporated. Avoid overbaking the donuts. For soft, cakey donuts, bake until the toothpick comes out clean. Any longer, and you’ll end up with dry and dense donuts. Remember, they will continue to cook as they cool down. Frost cooled donuts. Sugar glaze seeps off the hot donuts. So, wait for the donuts to cool down before frosting them. Add mix-ins. To change things up, I sometimes fold through some dried fruits, fresh berries, or to treat the family, some chocolate chips.
Storage instructions
To store. Store leftovers in an airtight container on your kitchen top for 3 to 4 days. To freeze. For more extended storage, toss the breakfast donuts into freezer-safe bags and freeze them for up to 4 months.
Frequently asked questions
More tasty donut recipes to try
Raspberry donuts Donut holes Protein donuts Mochi donuts Keto donuts
Recipe originally published May 2016 but updated to include new information for your benefit.
