I get donut cravings constantly, but I have never once wanted to heat a pot of oil in my kitchen on a Tuesday afternoon. These Gluten Free Baked Banana Donuts are what I make instead, with an almond flour base and TruMoo Banana Low Fat Milk doing the flavor work in the batter and the whipped banana frosting. Between the eggs and the scoop of banana protein powder, one actually holds me over, which I cannot say about a drive through donut.
I was grocery shopping a couple weeks and found this TruMoo Banana Low Fat Milk and stood there in the dairy aisle (for an embarrassingly long time) planning what I could do with it. No shock, I bought it. Then I got home to a bunch of bananas going spotty on my counter that I'd been meaning to use all week, and the two things basically introduced themselves. These Gluten Free Baked Banana Donuts are what happened next. The banana milk goes into both the batter AND the frosting, the fresh bananas get sliced over the top, and because they're baked in the oven with almond flour instead of fried in a pot of oil, I can eat one in the afternoon and not feel bloated the rest of the day. If you do try these, let me know what your thoughts were!
If you a banana lover like I am, you may want to try my other banana recipes that are on a constant rotate in my home between my husband and I. This Easy Caramelized Banana Simple Syrup For Coffee is a weekly recipe for us; there really isn't anything like it and there is a reason why this is one of my most viral recipes on my blog. If you wanting more baking recipes with fresh bananas, you should try either my Protein Banana Nut Bread with Protein Cream Cheese Frosting or my Protein Banana Cottage Cheese Muffins. If you are wanting something that uses fresh banana and that banana protein powder, try my Single Serve Easy Gluten Free Protein Banana Pudding.
Note: this blog post contains affiliate links.
Why You’ll Love This Baked Banana Donut Recipe
- A gluten-free donut recipe that actually tastes like a real donut. Soft, fluffy crumb with the perfect balance of banana and cakey gluten free donuts, not dense or dry.
- One bowl recipe with beginner bakers in mind. Mix the ingredients all in one bowl for easy clean up without any confusing steps or techniques.
- Baked banana donuts with no frying required. Baked donuts are the easiest way to make donuts at home and not have to deal with the frying smell and clean up afterwards. Plus they're better for you!
- A small batch donut recipe that makes the perfect amount. Just enough for a fresh treat without leftovers for days. This recipe makes 4 large donuts or 8 small donuts.
- Banana flavor in every bite. Banana protein powder, banana milk, and banana frosting are inside the donut batter and frosting plus more bananas on top after frosting.
- A recipe that’s perfect for special occasions. Bakery-style results with a straightforward method you can repeat confidently.
Banana Donut & Banana Frosting Ingredients (& Tested Substitutions)
For the Donuts
Eggs. A vegan egg replacer like this one from Bob's Red Mill works in place of eggs if needed.
Coconut sugar. A refined sugar free choice for the donut batter. You can use granulated sugar instead and it should work fine.
Vanilla. Adds that bakery-style flavor and rounds out the banana flavor with the milk and protein powder.
Avocado oil. Any neutral-tasting oil works, just avoid strongly flavored oils like olive oil.
TruMoo Banana Low Fat Milk. Other regular milk works if needed (just add about ¼ tsp. banana extract to the milk to get that same banana flavor). I used TruMoo Banana Low Fat Milk, and it was delicious!
Almond flour. I use almond flour however if you have an almond allergy you may use gluten free 1:1 flour. I like King Arthur flour best.
Banana protein powder. This not only adds more banana flavor to the banana donuts, but also extra boost of protein in each donut. If you don't have banana protein powder, you can use vanilla or even a peanut butter protein powder (for a peanut butter banana vibe).
Baking powder. Make sure it’s fresh so the donuts rise and stay fluffy.
Kosher salt. Do not skip it. It balances the sweetness and makes the banana flavor pop.
For the Frosting
Granulated sugar. Adds more sweetness to the frosting.
Gluten free all purpose flour. Used to thicken the frosting base.
Kosher salt. Do not skip it. It balances the sweetness and makes the banana flavor pop.
TruMoo Banana Low Fat Milk. Used to make the frosting base with the flour. It also adds more banana flavor to the banana donuts. Other regular milk works if needed (just add about ¼ tsp. banana extract to the milk to get that same banana flavor). I used TruMoo Banana Low Fat Milk, and it was delicious!
Unsalted butter. This adds the fat element that is needed in any good frosting recipe. You can use salted butter but just omit the kosher salt in the frosting recipe so it doesn't turn out TOO salty.
Baked Donut Step by Step Instructions
1. Preheat and prep the pan. Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit and grease a silicone donut pan with pan spray. Place the prepared donut pan on a baking sheet so it’s easier to move in and out of the oven.
2. Mix the wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, coconut sugar, vanilla extract, oil, and milk. Beat ingredients until smooth and fully combined.
3. Add the dry ingredients. Add the almond flour, baking powder, protein powder and salt to the wet ingredients. Using a silicone spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until fully incorporated.
4. Remove clumps without overmixing. If you have a few clumps, gently whisk just until the batter is smooth, being careful not to overmix the donut batter.
5. Fill the pan. Pour or pipe the batter into the donut cavities. A piping bag is the easiest way, but a ziplock bag works great too.
6. Bake. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Prep the frosting. While the donuts bake, combine sugar, flour, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan and whisk well to combine and remove any lumps from the flour.
8. Turn on the heat. Turn stovetop heat to medium and whisk in milk until mixture is smooth.
9. Whisk until thickened. Continue whisking constantly until mixture is thickened to a pudding-like consistency. Be patient and do not turn up the heat to avoid burning the sugar. This will take about 3 minutes.
10. Cool. Remove from the heat and transfer to a heat proof container. Cover the surface with plastic wrap to avoid a skin forming. Allow to cool to room temp.
11. Make frosting. Once the mixture is cooled, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter on high until fluffy. Lower the speed to medium and gradually spoon in the flour mixture beating until well combined, scraping down the bowl with a spatula if needed. Continue whipping until light and airy.
12. Frost the donuts. Frost each donut with the banana frosting and top with fresh banana slices.
Baked Donut Expert Tips & Tricks
- Make your own banana milk. If you can’t find TruMoo banana milk, you can use your favorite milk of choice + banana extract. You start with ¼ tsp. of banana extract and then add a little more if it is not banana-y enough for you!
- Measure your almond flour the right way. This is the number one reason almond flour bakes (or any kind of bake really) turn out dry is when flour is not measured correctly. Scooping the cup straight into the bag packs it down and you can end up with a lot more flour than the recipe wants. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off, or weigh it if you have a scale.
- Fill in the donut molds completely full. With almond flour, it won’t expand as much as normal baking flour so you can completely fill each donut mold. I use a measuring cup but you can also use a ziplock bag with the corner snipped at the corner for an easy piping and less messy clean up. I am all about easy in the moment so the measuring up was perfect for me.
- Be patient with the frosting on the stove. That cooked flour and milk base needs steady medium heat and constant whisking for about 3 minutes until it is pudding-like thick consistency. Turning the heat up to speed it along is how you scorch the sugar and end up with a frosting that tastes faintly burnt. Low and slow, and keep whisking the whole time. Patience is key here.
- Everything for the frosting should be the same temperature. The cooked base needs to be fully cooled to room temperature and the butter needs to be properly softened, not cold and not melty. If either one is off, the frosting splits (and there is really no way of it coming back together). Press plastic wrap right against the surface of the base while it cools so it doesn't form a skin, and if it does split on you, just keep whipping.
- Cool completely before frosting, and slice the bananas last. Warm donuts will melt buttercream right off the top, so give them the full cool down before you frost. Save the banana slices for right before you serve, since they start browning within the hour. A quick brush of lemon juice on the cut sides buys you a little extra time if you're photographing them.
Banana Donuts FAQs
What if I can't find TruMoo Banana Low Fat Milk to use?
You can still make these baked banana donuts without the banana milk, you just need to do equal parts whatever other milk you have on hand. You will want to add ¼ tsp. of banana extract as well to get more banana flavor to the donuts. And of course, add more banana extract if you want more of a banana-forward taste. It is easier to add more extract than take away any!
Do I need a donut pan?
For that classic donut shape, yes. A silicone pan is my favorite because they pop right out, but a metal donut pan works too if you grease it well before adding the batter. I love my 4 donut silicone mold, but this recipe can make 8 small donuts too if you have a small donut mold instead.
Why did my frosting turn out grainy or soupy?
If the frosting doesn't turn out, it is almost always a temperature problem. If the frosting is soupy, the cooked flour and milk base was still warm when it hit the butter, so chill the whole bowl for 15-30 minutes and beat it again. If it looks curdled or separated, you might have heated the flour and milk base at a too hot temperature and it separated. If the frosting is grainy, that usually means the sugar didn't fully dissolve while cooking, so next time whisk a bit longer over medium heat before you pull it off the stove.
Can I use a different flour instead of almond flour?
Almond flour is doing structural work in the batter and it behaves nothing like coconut flour, oat flour, or a gluten free all purpose blend. Coconut flour especially absorbs far more liquid and would give you a dry, crumbly donut. If you can't use almond flour, the next best would be 1:1 gluten free flour mix- I recommend King Arthur's GF 1:1 flour. Make sure to spoon in the flour and level, rather than scoop directly from the bin or bag of flour.
What if I don't have banana protein powder?
You have a couple options! The first is to just use vanilla protein powder, it will be less banana flavored, but it still works great. My friend used peanut butter protein powder and RAVED about it because like, peanut butter and banana are a perfect combo! If you don't like any of those options, you can take out the protein powder all together. If the batter is too runny, add 1-2 tbsp. of more almond flour to help thicken the donut batter back up.
How to Store Banana Donuts (Fridge & Freezer-Friendly)
Because the frosting is made with butter and milk, frosted donuts belong in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 or 4 days. Let them sit out for 20 minutes or so before eating, since the frosting firms up when cold. Unfrosted, they're fine at room temperature for about 2 days in an airtight container.
If you want to freeze them for later use, I'd freeze them unfrosted. Let the donuts cool completely, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and make the frosting fresh, since a cooked flour buttercream doesn't love being frozen and thawed. Add the fresh banana slices right before serving either way.
If you liked this baked donut recipe, you might also enjoy these other donut recipes:
- Easy Oreo Cookies & Cream Chocolate Baked Donuts
- Strawberry Shortcake Donuts (Gluten Free Dairy Free)
- Chocolate Matcha Almond Flour Donuts
- Easy Cookie Dough Protein Donuts (Gluten Free)
- Baked Apple Cider Donuts (Gluten Free)
- Baked Chocolate Peppermint Christmas Donuts Recipe
Did you have a chance to make this recipe? If so, please leave me a 5 star rating and review below. I always love and appreciate hearing from you!
Gluten Free Baked Banana Donuts
Equipment
- 1 donut pan silicone (preferred) or metal
- 1 sheet pan
- 2 Mixing Bowls
- 1 saucepan
- 1 hand mixer or whisk
- 1 Silicone Spatula
Ingredients
Banana Donuts
- 4 large eggs
- ⅔ cup coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup avocado oil or other neutral oil
- ¼ cup TruMoo Banana Low Fat Milk , or other milk + ¼ tsp. banana extract (see note)
- 2 ½ cups almond flour
- 1 scoop banana protein powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Banana Frosting
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 20 grams (about 2.5 tbsp) gluten free all purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup TruMoo Banana Low Fat Milk , or other milk + ¼ tsp. banana extract (see note)
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
Instructions
- Preheat and prep the pan. Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit and grease a silicone donut pan with pan spray. Place the prepared donut pan on a baking sheet so it’s easier to move in and out of the oven.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, coconut sugar, vanilla extract, oil, and milk. Beat until smooth and fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients. Add the almond flour, baking powder, protein powder and salt to the wet ingredients. Using a silicone spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until fully incorporated.
- Remove clumps without overmixing. If you have a few clumps, gently whisk just until the batter is smooth, being careful not to overmix the donut batter.
- Fill the donut molds. Pour or pipe the batter into the donut cavities. A piping bag is the easiest way, but a ziplock bag works great too. Note: if you use a metal mold pan, make sure to grease before filling with batter.
- Bake. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Prep the frosting. While the donuts bake, combine sugar, flour, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan and whisk well to combine and remove any lumps from the flour.
- Turn on the heat. Turn stovetop heat to medium and whisk in milk until mixture is smooth.
- Whisk until thickened. Continue whisking constantly until mixture is thickened to a pudding-like consistency. Be patient and do not turn up the heat to avoid burning the sugar. This will take about 3 minutes.
- Cool. Remove from the heat and transfer to a heat proof container. Cover the surface with plastic wrap to avoid a skin forming. Allow to cool to room temp.
- Make frosting. Once the mixture is cooled, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter on high until fluffy. Lower the speed to medium and gradually spoon in the flour mixture beating until well combined, scraping down the bowl with a spatula if needed. Continue whipping until light and airy.
- Frost the donuts. Frost each donut with the banana frosting and top with fresh banana slices.
Notes
- Make your own banana milk. If you can’t find TruMoo banana milk, you can use your favorite milk of choice + banana extract. You start with ¼ tsp. of banana extract and then add a little more if it is not banana-y enough for you!
- Measure your almond flour the right way. This is the number one reason almond flour bakes (or any kind of bake really) turn out dry is when flour is not measured correctly. Scooping the cup straight into the bag packs it down and you can end up with a lot more flour than the recipe wants. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off, or weigh it if you have a scale.
- Fill in the donut molds completely full. With almond flour, it won’t expand as much as normal baking flour so you can completely fill each donut mold. I use a measuring cup but you can also use a ziplock bag with the corner snipped at the corner for an easy piping and less messy clean up. I am all about easy in the moment so the measuring up was perfect for me.
- Be patient with the frosting on the stove. That cooked flour and milk base needs steady medium heat and constant whisking for about 3 minutes until it is pudding-like thick consistency. Turning the heat up to speed it along is how you scorch the sugar and end up with a frosting that tastes faintly burnt. Low and slow, and keep whisking the whole time. Patience is key here.
- Everything for the frosting should be the same temperature. The cooked base needs to be fully cooled to room temperature and the butter needs to be properly softened, not cold and not melty. If either one is off, the frosting splits (and there is really no way of it coming back together). Press plastic wrap right against the surface of the base while it cools so it doesn't form a skin, and if it does split on you, just keep whipping.
- Cool completely before frosting, and slice the bananas last. Warm donuts will melt buttercream right off the top, so give them the full cool down before you frost. Save the banana slices for right before you serve, since they start browning within the hour.
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