Easy Baked Chocolate Donuts (Vegan + GF)

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Stack of our healthy & easy to make Baked Chocolate Donuts

Did you know there’s been a donut pan saga in our home?

I’ve been contemplating making baked donuts for the blog since the very beginning, but I always had a hard time justifying a donut pan when my recipes require just standard, minimal equipment. I don’t even own a stand mixer! Yes, I take this minimalist stuff seriously.

Fast forward nearly 5 years and practically everyone has a donut pan – except me. I’ve watched as other bloggers put out the most fabulous-looking baked donut recipes, and all the while, I – a longtime donut lover – have sat idly by, thinking they weren’t for me.

Enough! I recently realized that it would be worth it if I put it to good use. Besides, what if I created a donut that was not only simple to make, but also undetectably vegan and gluten-free? Clearly, I bought the donut pan and haven’t looked back since. Friends, let’s make DONUTS (finally)!

Stirring aquafaba into our gluten-free vegan Chocolate Donut batter

This recipe is simple, requiring basic ingredients and 30 minutes to prepare! And they’re naturally sweetened and (vegan) butter-free!

The base is adapted from my 1- Bowl Vegan GF Chocolate Hazelnut Cake (hubba), only in place of the flax egg, I tested out aquafaba! No surprise – it totally worked. However, I also included some workarounds in the notes if you don’t have (or are afraid of) aquafaba.

While your donuts bake, why not make an optional (but highly recommended) naturally-sweetened coconut oil glaze? That’s what I said! Doooo it! Doooo it!

Cooling rack with freshly baked gluten free vegan Chocolate Donuts

I hope you all LOVE these donuts! They’re:

Fluffy
Chocolaty
Perfectly sweet
Quick to make
& Undetectably Vegan + GF

These donuts would make the perfect lazy weekend breakfast treat or healthier dessert! The optional glaze kind of seals the deal, in my opinion. Plus, it allows for fun toppings like cacao nibs, coconut flakes, and sprinkles!

If you try this recipe, let us know how it goes by leaving a comment, rating it, and tagging a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!

Glazed chocolate donuts topped with sprinkles, cacao nibs, or shredded coconut for a vegan gluten-free dessert

30-Minute Chocolate Donuts (Vegan / GF)

Fluffy, baked chocolate cake donuts made in 30 minutes! Gluten-free, perfectly sweet, and topped with a simple coconut oil glaze!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Stack of four homemade Baked Chocolate Donuts dripping with glaze
4.78 from 67 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 12 (donuts)
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 3 Days

Ingredients

DONUTS

  • 1/4 cup aquafaba* (the liquid in a can of chickpeas)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened plain almond milk (warmed in the microwave or on stovetop)
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup organic cane sugar or coconut sugar (donuts are fluffier with cane sugar)
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup or agave nectar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (or other hearty fruit puree, such as beets)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (plus 1 extra Tbsp as original recipe is written // if clumpy, sift)
  • 3/4 cup almond flour*
  • 1 cup gluten-free flour blend* (plus 2 extra Tbsp as original recipe is written)

GLAZE optional

  • 3 Tbsp coconut oil (melted)
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 5 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (if clumpy, sift)
  • 1 pinch sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and lightly grease two donut pans*.
  • To a small mixing bowl, add aquafaba and use a mixer (or whisk) to vigorously blend until soft peaks form – about 1-2 minutes. Set aside. (If yours doesn’t quite whip up into soft peaks, it’s OK. Just get them as fluffy as possible! A sprinkle of cream of tartar helps them firm up.)
  • Warm almond milk in the microwave. This way, it doesn’t harden the coconut oil. Set aside.
  • To a large mixing bowl, add the melted coconut oil. Then add the coconut sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and sea salt and whisk vigorously to combine – about 45 seconds. Then add applesauce and warmed almond milk and whisk once more to combine.
  • Add baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder (sifted if clumpy), almond flour, and gluten-free flour and whisk to combine.
  • Lastly, add the whipped aquafaba and gently stir/whisk in, trying to be as gentle as possible. If the batter appears too thin at this point, add 1 Tbsp each almond flour or gluten-free flour at a time until it thickens up. It should be semi-thick and more scoopable than pourable.
  • Divide batter evenly between donut tins, filling all the way full. There should be 11-12 donuts (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top appears dry and fluffy. Time will vary if you sub ingredients.
  • In the meantime, make glaze (optional). To a small mixing bowl, add melted coconut oil, maple syrup, sifted cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine. You should have a slightly thick glaze. If too thick, thin with a little maple syrup or more coconut oil. If too thin, add cocoa powder.
  • Taste and adjust sweetness if needed by adding more maple syrup. Set aside. Prepare any other toppings, such as coconut flakes, cacao nibs, or sprinkles, at this time.
  • Remove donuts from oven and let cool for 1-2 minutes. Then grab the tins with a towel and tap on the counter 2 times to loosen. Then gently invert onto a cooling rack. Let cool for 5 minutes (the longer they cool, the more they’ll firm up).
  • Dip in glaze. Then top with desired toppings, such as sprinkles, coconut flakes, or cacao nibs!
  • Best when fresh. Store cooled leftovers covered at room temperature up to 3 days or in the freezer up to 1 month (best if stored unglazed).

Notes

*Aquafaba is the “egg” in this recipe. Alternatively, you can try subbing 1 1/2 flax eggs (or 1 small egg if not vegan // amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
*I’ve been preferring almond flour over almond meal because it yields a lighter, fluffier (less dense) baked good. But you can try subbing almond meal. Or, if you have a nut allergy, try subbing a 1/2 +1/2 mix of GF flour and oat flour.
*If not gluten-free, sub the GF blend for all-purpose flour. I haven’t tested it this way and can’t guarantee the results.
*If you don’t have donut pans, you can try baking these in a standard muffin tin! Fill slightly more than 1/2 full and bake for about the same amount of time or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
*Recipe adapted from my Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without the glaze.

Nutrition (1 of 12 servings)

Serving: 1 donuts Calories: 214 Carbohydrates: 27 g Protein: 4.2 g Fat: 5.3 g Saturated Fat: 5.3 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 50 mg Fiber: 3.8 g Sugar: 9.1 g

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  1. Bernadette says

    Made this first as a muffin since I didnt have a donot tray! And then made this again when i got the trays (since I made the apple cider donut also!)
    They are spot on! Fluffy, not too sweet and I love the dark chocolate taste! Definitely one of my household faves!
    Question though, is it actually ok to use liquid of the chickpea in the can? I’ve tried it in other recipes here and makes such a big difference! Just wondering if those are actually “okay” to consume (from the soaking). :))

    Thank you!!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Bernadette, so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Would you mind clarifying what you mean by whether they are “okay” to consume?

  2. Simona says

    Just made these, omg they are so good. Love that they are not overly sweet. Will definitely make them again?

    • Reanna says

      I’m very excited to try making these but I have a mini donut maker (gift from a friend years ago) not a donut pan for the oven. Do you think it would still work?

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        We aren’t familiar with those, but don’t see why it wouldn’t work! Probably just bake less time? Let us know how it goes!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Sandra, we haven’t tried it without oil and aren’t sure how it would work. But applesauce would probably be the best alternative. If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!

  3. Bethany says

    I cannot have any grain including rice, could I make this with only almond flour and tapioca flour? Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Bethany, we haven’t tried that, but it could work. It may turn out a little more dense. If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!

  4. Shantal Laviolette says

    I made the vegan version but with regular flour. These are very good, but they don’t taste anything like a cake donut. To me they taste like chocolate cake. Very rich, moist, and an excellent chocolate flavor–also the glaze, which was very thick and I spread it on with a knife.

    As a chocolate cake type dessert, this is a 5 star and I will use the recipe instead of my cupcake chocolate cake mix. As a cake donut, well…. I can’t really give it a 5, even though it is definitely delicious.

  5. tricia says

    My organic cane sugar is thick – should I ground it in my vitamix to make it finer?
    Not sure what would be better for the fluffiness of the donuts.
    Thank you!!

  6. Brenda Martin says

    I made this using the suggestion of 1 1/3 flour and bake for 15 minutes if we don’t use gluten free and it worked great. I don’t have a donut pan (but now we want one after making these!) so I used a muffin tin and it made 18. My husband loved them too and now he is really serious about eating healthy desserts! Thank you for your inspiration.

  7. Delnora says

    These were great! Used what I had on hand so made the following substitutions: flax eggs, 1 cup regular unbleached white flour, 3/4 cup oat flour (made in my Blendtec from whole oats), regular cane suga

    They were a hit. Thanks!

  8. Anna says

    Donuts came out moist, fluffy & absolutely divine. Will definitely be using this recipe again. I used the King Arthur gluten free flour blend with excellent results. I prefer the flavor of it over the Bob’s Red Mill brand.

  9. Kathy Runk says

    For Nancy K-maybe the saltiness was from the aquafaba. If your aquafaba came from regular canned chickpeas, it contains a lot of salt. You could cut back or eliminate the added salt in the recipe or use unsalted chickpea liquid.

  10. Brenda says

    Made these last night and they were delicious!!! My glaze consistency didn’t turn out well. It became thick and sticky. I followed the directions to a T! Added more coconut oil and a splash of hot water but that didn’t help. Any suggestions?

  11. Jessica e says

    I made this. No modifications that I know of. Only 8 were made and the batter was sticky not runny at all so the tips came out rough rather than smooth. Any insight?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hmm, did you change any measurements? Sounds like the variance was either in the gluten-free blend you used and/or a size variation of donut pans…

  12. Fife says

    If don’t have ingredients to make the gluten free flour blend. What else can I use, for instance can I use quinoa or oat flour?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      If you’re not gluten-free, sub the GF blend for all-purpose flour. We wouldn’t recommend using just oat or quinoa flour and find that the GF blend works best. If you experiment with it, report back on how it goes!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Shawn! While we haven’t tried and can’t say for sure, we’d love to hear if you experiment with it!

      • Cindy says

        Someone suggested replacing the cocoa powder with pulverize dried berries. I am going to try it as chocolate is no good for us. Thanks for the recipe.

  13. Danielle says

    These are amazing!!! I’ve always been turned off to the idea of baking with aquafaba but I’ve heard so many great things that I decided to try it and was amazed at how delicious these were!! Super simple to make and I gave them to my parents and their friends (none of whom are even slightly vegan/vegetarian) and they all raved about them! Thanks for this recipe, can’t wait to make these again!

  14. Kathie says

    I made these with a flax egg for my 6 year old granddaughter who cannot have dairy or eggs and maybe gluten either and sometimes she just wants a donut like everybody else. I used my own topping with powdered sugar, cocoa, hot water and vanilla for a good thicker cover because the donuts needed to travel. They were a Big hit with her and her 8 yr old sister. Big smiles and a thank you to her Mimi❤️ Also after I posted a picture on Facebook, several requests for the recipe

  15. Cydni says

    These were delicious! I hate being one of those people that says “hey I tried this recipe but I made all these changes”…but here I go…We aren’t gluten-free so I followed another commenter’s lead and omitted the almond flour and GF flour, replacing with 1 1/3 c AP flour. Also, I didn’t have any aquafaba, so I did the 1 1/2 flax eggs. I had to use a mini bundt pan because I forgot to buy the donut pan while I was out and they cooked for about 11 minutes. I iced them using that Parkers whipped Maple Butter. My husband, 6yo and 4yo loved them as well!

  16. Sydney White says

    I actually made these FREEFORM! Just added a bit more almond flour to make it a little stiffer, placed ice cream scoop sized blobs on a parchment paper covered pan, then formed into donut shapes with my fingers! Talk about minimalist. They were a HIT! still moist, and adorable!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Check the other comments for suggestions! I wouldn’t recommend all purpose as others have reported the donuts coming out dry.

  17. Lauren P says

    I made these this morning and they are perfection! Fluffy and moist and perfectly sweet and delicious, just as you described. I was missing a few ingredients so made the following substitutions that seemed to work very well: subbed one very ripe mashed banana for the applesauce, used a real egg, and used macadamia milk. I also used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 GF baking flour for the GF flour portion. Cannot thank you enough!

  18. Amanda Woiner says

    Unbelievable- I mean really out of this world. I have a small protein donut company and have been getting tons of request for vegan donuts (they are usually dairy free but use whey protein ) instead of your 2c flours, I used half vegan protein powder. Followed all other directions to a T. Absolutely delicious. THANK YOU!!!!! -Amanda

  19. Julia says

    So, I just made these today. My son has an egg allergy and we limit gluten. They are tasty!!

    2 questions
    1. I only got 7 of them. Could that be because my donut pans are bigger? They seem to be the standard size. Or is it because of the gluten free flour I use? Pamela’s baking and pancake mix.

    2. Mine fell apart a lot. Do I need to use more Aquafaba? I used cane sugar and everything else you listed.

    Either way…I’ll be repeating these. All 3 of my kids liked them. Including 1 child who is pretty stuck on wheat. :)

    Julia

  20. Aleksandra says

    I am hosting some friends this weekend and I want to make them these!
    One question, I am currently abstaining from any processed sugar, what would you recommend I use instead of sugar? Or do you think it’s okay without?

    Thanks :) Excited to try this!

  21. Steph says

    My gluten-free despising husband loved this recipe. Definitely going to be a repeatable recipe. I thought for sure this was not going to turn out when my aquafaba pretty much went flat when whipped into the batter but turned out amazing!

  22. CL says

    I am allergic to coconut and almonds…are there any other ingredients I can use to replace those ingredients in this recipe?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi! You can replace the almond milk with another non dairy milk. As for the coconut oil you can substitute it for a vegetable oil (grape seed oil or canola oil)

  23. Barbara Kingwill says

    Hi Dana
    I tried this recipe and measured all ingredients carefully by weight and the mix dry and rolled into cookie type balls. I am heart broken and know for sure that I followed the method step by step. Can you please check the ingredients because there is something very wrong in the wet and dry proportions.

    • Megan says

      I’m with you on this! I made these as well and they turned out REALLY dry. I could barely mix the batter..it turned into dry dough! :(

  24. ravid says

    Yummy. Can I make a batch and freeze it, at a needed occasion de freeze and put into the oven?, fluffy will still remain?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi! While they are best fresh, you can store cooled leftovers in the freezer up to 1 month (best if stored unglazed). I would just thaw them at room temperature before serving!

      • Ravid says

        Thanks for your quick replay!. Once the dough is ready, instead of putting it into the oven, can I freezer it directly?. Then take it our from the freezer, let it rest in room temperature and into the donuts pan and bake in the oven? Will that work in order to keep it fresh?. Hope this question is clear :) Thank you

  25. Sarah Weissinger says

    Thank you for sharing this recipe!
    Very chocolatey. I didn’t read through carefully so a few ingredients surprised me while baking on the fly. I used blueberry puree and gluten free/paleo pancake mix as my gluten-free flour.

    I’ve never used Aquafaba and it is fabulous.

    I like my donuts a bit more moist, so I baked them a bit less and would even bake them a minute less than that.

    In the frosting, I added about a teaspoon of organi creamy peanut butter for flavor and texture.

    My “cake” cravings are totally satisfied, so again Thank you!

  26. Danielle says

    Is there a way to replace the brine from can of chickpeas? I’d prefer to not use anything canned. Would it be possible to soak my own chickpeas in a can and use that liquid?

  27. Paige says

    Yum! I made these but I poured the batter into mini cupcake tins and put a frozen cherry in the middle of each cupcake before throwing them into the oven. They came out like fudgy cherry brownies!

  28. Jana says

    Great recipe! My non-vegan husband, kids, and friends all loved it. The texture is more like a cake but delicious nonetheless. I put the leftover in the fridge and the next day it tasted like brownie. Delicious!

  29. Donna says

    I had Aquafaba in the freezer to make Vegan Mayo . I saw this recipe and ran out to get a doughnut Pan to try. Oh my these are amazing! Hard to believe they are gluten and egg free!

  30. Connor says

    I’m sorry to be negative but I made this recipe exactly to your specifications and it’s fairly gross. The consistency is nothing of real donuts and it has a very strange taste.

  31. Susy says

    I made the glaze, but it was very thick. I tried microwaving it to melt the coco oil more (which was already liquid) and i think i made it more thick! oops. Any suggestions to make it more liquid like? It was more like a chocolate paste, rather than a liquid glaze.

  32. Betsy says

    I made a few substitutions to avoid going to the store. I used mashed banana instead of applesauce. I used 3/4 cup bread flour and 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour. I ended up having to thin the recipe out with almond milk after that, so if I did it this way again I’d add the flour in slow increments while mixing instead of adding it all in one go. I also used agave instead of maple syrup in both the donut and the glaze. They turned out AMAZING!!!! I was nervous because of my changes, but theyre SO good!

  33. Gillian says

    I’m sooooo excited to try this recipe! I’ve hoped you would create a gluten free and vegan donut for so long!

  34. Sarah says

    Made this and they are awesome! Used a flax egg rather than aquafaba. I used regular wheat flour rather than almond/gluten free. I followed the advice of another baker and used 1 1/3 c of regular flour. I found that I could cut baking time to about 13-15 minutes with these tweaks. Made the glaze and that was pretty simple, and I decorated with coconut flakes, decorating sugar, and decorating pearls (not all on the same donut, although that would be pretty delicious too). If you decide to use decorating sugar, don’t be impatient like me. Wait until the donut cools otherwise some of your sugars will melt on the icing. (Still tastes good..hahaha).

    Thanks, Dana!

  35. Charlene L-S says

    This recipe is great. I made this for my daughter who is allergic to and intolerant of dairy. It was her first donut and they were so delicious. I added a little bit of water in the end to thin out the batter and it worked great! The donuts had a lot of depth in flavor and the texture was just crumbly when you bite into them or break them apart. The aquafaba is a great ingredient that really brought the batter together. I may use a raspberry glaze on top next time I make these. I’d also love to see other donut recipes from her!

  36. Carmen says

    So good! I subbed AP flour for the GF, but kept the almond flour. Flax/Chia egg instead of aquafaba, so probably less airy but not dense at all. Best baked donut recipe I’ve come across yet! I used a bag to pipe it into the pan and that seems a lot easier than trying to spoon (my batter was very thick).

  37. zgould says

    Made these last week and they were AMAZING. First time using aquafaba and it worked like a charm. Thanks to the comments I knew to use 1 and 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour as an alternative to the gluten-free flours. Only problem was the batter didn’t quite make 12 donuts – will have to ration better next time.

  38. Nikki says

    Just taste tested! Delicious, and surprisingly eggy and springy texture. I did have some trouble part way through, I noticed the batter was way too thick (couldn’t even stir it), and added about another 1/2 cup of milk. Could be the difference between different gf flour blends? I was using President’s choice gluten free all purpose flour blend, and I did use almond meal as well. I have some experience baking with aquafaba already, so did not find it difficult to use.
    Thanks for the recipe!

  39. Mari says

    I made them yesterday. I substituted coconut flour (which was in my pantry) for almond flour. I should’ve put in 3/4 cups of the flour but instead, I went by weight. 140g of coconut flour was almost a cup. I immediately noticed that my dough was very crumbly. I ended up adding more aquafaba and almond milk. I had to press the dough into my mini doughnut pans but they came out fine. They were still moist and very good yummy doughnuts. Thank you so much for sharing. Next time, I will use almond flour for sure ;-)

  40. Lisa says

    Hi Dana, I love these donuts. I made them this morning and they are delicious. I wanted to ask if you have an oil you recommend other than coconut for my daughter who doesn’t care for the flavor?

  41. Katie says

    Dana, as many (and yourself) already know: You’re a goddess. And these donuts just illuminate your creative foodie goddessness. I was soooooo in love with the batter (absolutely fluffy and airy; divine), and from one taste of a lick from the spoon I knew they were gonna turn out good. I just didn’t realize HOW good! They are amazing!!
    • I used all-purpose flour, and changed nothing else
    Insanely delicious donuts. I am SOOO in love!

    As always, Thanks Dana <3

  42. Ava says

    Hi Dana! These turned out amazing!!
    I was wondering what your thoughts are about using vegetable oil (safflower, canola, sunflower) instead of coconut oil. Some people can’t tolerate the saturated fats for health reasons. Thanks!

  43. Nick says

    These look amazing, but there used to be a recipe on this blog for blueberry lemon chia seed donuts, does anyone know where it went?

  44. Rachelle Schoenemann says

    You’ve done it again! You’ve inspired me. I’ve been debating on whether I should buy a donut pan or not, but I think this post helped me make my decision. Can’t wait to get it and try the recipe!

  45. Chi says

    Yes! Intention set & manifested! have been waiting for you to finally make a v + gf donut recipe, will definitely be making it this week!! :)

  46. GiGi Eats Celebrities says

    I need to incorporate more chickpeas in my life – however, they are SUPER addicting… Much like I think these donuts would be!

  47. Zuzana says

    Hi,
    your recipes are great.
    I mostly use Oat flour and it works great almost everytime!
    I am going to bake these beauties with it. I guess it will be amazing!

    Thanks for everything you do for us with sharing your recipes ♥
    Love it!

  48. Dylan says

    Just finished making this and I’ve already eaten three! SO GOOD and I feel like a baking wizard! Thank you for this awesome recipe.

    Oh, and I used Follow Your Heart’s Vegan Egg replacer. Worked like a charm.

  49. Kati says

    I have become addicted to your blog. It is definitely one of my favorite things. I recently discovered my own increasing food sensitivities. Your adaptability and substitutions have been such a good resource, both good recipes themselves but also good ideas for altering other recipes. Thank you for your attention to details and your creativity. Also, your photos are fantastic.

  50. Anna Leach says

    These were delicious! When making these I ommited the almond flour and just used more of the regular gluten free flour because my younger brother is sensitive to nuts. My batter also ended up really thick which may have been from loose measurements so I also added a little water. Rather than a donut pan I used a mini donut maker because it was given to me several years ago and this recipe finally gave me the motivation to use it. I made the glaze but actually like the donuts better without it because it had such a heavy cocoa flavor. My family also tried tossing it in powdered sugar which was also really tasty. Loved the recipe!

    • Suee33 says

      Made the donuts today and they came out great, hard to get into the silicone donut molds however . They did have a great taste. Not fond of the glaze – thick and too much coco maybe it needed more sweetener for our taste.

  51. Bess says

    SO DELICIOUS!!!! I cannot how well these turned out! They’re super moist, they have an amazing flavor…you’re a GENIUS!!! THANK YOU! Also, I used a mini bundt pan and they’re adorable.

  52. Kim McDaniel says

    I need a donut pan in my life! We are new to the plant based lifestyle and your blog is my savior! Pasta, soups, tacos, nachos, cakes…we have absolutely loved every single one of your recipes that we have tried. Thank you!

  53. Molly says

    These look scrumptious! We are oil-free for health reasons. Could I substitute unsweetened applesauce for the oil in the donut?

  54. Natasha says

    Wow love ur blog ! Looks amazing ! I am baker from India & I too make eggless cakes for my clients I offer them low cal options too . World is changing towards healthy options .

  55. Samantha says

    This was my first time using my donut pan and I “donut” think I can top this recipe! Seriously delicious and so quick to whip up! I used a mini donut pan and they were done in about 10 minutes. Thank you so much! Yuuuum!

  56. Julie Lanham says

    Hi Dana,
    Julie from Australia here, I totally get the Donut pan dilemma and yes for me that is about to change also. I make old school donuts but have been asked multiple times to please make vegan donuts. After much searching for the right recipe you post yours so here goes….
    Will let you know how they go.
    Sincerely Julie

  57. Patricia Tolbert says

    Those donuts look FAB! I would like to make them and send them back to my friend in New York. I am in Portland, Oregon. How is the shelf life? If I froze them first and sent them priority, do you think they would still be good?

  58. Meghan H. says

    I made these today and they are a hit!

    I subbed regular AP flour for the GF blend but followed the rest of the recipe exactly as written, and they came out great! I baked the first pan for 18 minutes and found that they could have gone for a little less time (they’re still delicious just slightly overdone), so I baked the second pan for 15 minutes and they came out perfectly.

  59. felechia says

    I made these and they were great! The only thing I changed was the glaze – I melted some camino bittersweet chocolate and dipped them in that. These were a hit with some random non-vegans too.

    • Stephanie Bergsma says

      Really? That’s too bad. I used the flax egg method and it worked great for me. I would try it again :)

  60. Nancy Kauffman says

    So step four where you combine the coconut oil, etc got too clumpy. Also I didn’t have gluten free flour and for some reason the donuts tasted salty…. Would that be why!??! I’m going to try again cuz I love Minimalist Baker!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Nancy! If your coconut oil got clumpy, try slightly heating your almond milk before adding next time. This usually doesn’t happen, but if the other wet ingredients are too cold it can cause the coconut oil to seize up. Not sure why why’re salty! Maybe nix the salt next time and check your flour blend. Good luck!

  61. Peep says

    Oooooh, thank you so much for this. I’ve been wanting to crack the vegan donut game for a while. Is it okay to store the mix in the fridge for a while? Also, on a different note – are you thinking about doing more recipes with lentils? Because I would totally been down for that!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi! While they are best fresh, you can store cooled leftovers covered at room temperature up to 3 days or in the freezer up to 1 month (best if stored unglazed). Happy baking! Also, I’ll pass your lentil request along :)

  62. Nicole says

    I’m into doughnuts now, too! I can’t believe that I made room for the pans in our tiny galley kitchen, but it’s definitely worth it…a new flavor every week, starting with chocolate of course. I am definitely using your glaze for more than just doughnuts, can’t wait to try it on Valentine’s cookies.

  63. Daliah says

    So I made this. Sadly I did not have a donut pan so I used a muffin tin resulting in them not being properly baked. I would recommend really getting a donut pan for this one. The donut itself was one of the most delicious things I’ve tasted in my life.

  64. Barb says

    Oh my gosh, I just took them out of the oven and they look and smell amazing.
    I just wanted you to know that if you substitute with all spelt flour the donuts are ready in 12 minutes as opposed to 18. Also, I used the Aquafina from chickpeas I cooked earlier today and it became frothy. I will post a five on appearance alone. That said, none of your recipes have ever tasted less than amazing. Thanks for sharing.

  65. Althea says

    I noticed you use a lot of coconut oil in your recipes. Some you mention that you cannot taste it. For the others that you can taste it, what can I use instead? I can’t stand the taste of coconut, but I love how you do not use a lot of sugar and I am vegan. I want to try many of your recipes! :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi! Other’s in the comments used refined coconut oil and didn’t taste the coconut flavor. Maybe give that a try? Otherwise, canola oil may work? I have not tried it but if you do, let me know how it goes!

      • Robyn Landis says

        I used walnut oil, actually, and it was fine. I sometimes us Sun-Coco oil for baking, too. Just so you know I think subs and tweaks work pretty well: I also halved the oil, halved the sugar (and used Big Tree Farms vanilla coconut sugar), halved the maple syrup, upped the applesauce and aquafaba each a bit, reduced the almond flour to half a cup, and used a blend of oat and quinoa flour, and raw cacao powder, oh and added a scoop of chocolate protein powder…and it was still EPIC. Sweet, fluffy and insanely good. Can’t keep my hands off them. :) Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi! Are you thinking in place of the glaze? It may work but would bring a whole different flavor to the donuts! If you give it a try, let me know how it tastes!

  66. Andrea says

    So I make my own chickpeas and do not use cans. What can I use instead of the aquafaba? Or could I use the liquid from the chickpeas once they are done cooking. A lot of your new recipes call for aquafaba so I would like to find a way to make them.

  67. Lesley-Anne says

    Hi Dana!
    I was wondering if I could use cacao powder in place of cocoa powder or would it yield a different taste?

    • Robin says

      You could probably substitute cacao powder successfully (but maybe with a less intense/chocolatey taste) but the health benefits of cacao diminish when heated or cooked. I’d save the pricey cacao for raw recipes and get some cocoa powder.

      • Robyn Landis says

        Actually cacao will give it a MORE intense taste not less intense. :) Since I drink hot cacao vs hot cocoa and believe I am still getting many of the benefits, I use it for baking also. it was amazing in this recipe!

  68. Ellen Lederman says

    So Dana, you don’t have a mixer but you do have a donut pan? Surprised—-but happy you posted this because it sounds good. I live in the South where fried nonvegan junk is featured in donut places—-but I may be up for this!

  69. Alyson says

    Does Aquafaba contain phytic acid? We soak and rinse legumes and nuts to get rid of the phytic acid ostensibly because it hinders absorption and digestion of nutrients… so, is using this phytic acid juice okay… a all? once in a while? What do you think?

    • Panya says

      I personally can’t see how the phytic acid could be harmful enough that we’d have to worry about it when the entire world consumes foods containing it on a daily basis. That said, phytic acid is inert after it’s cooked, as cans of chickpeas [and most other things we’d consume which contain it] are.

      • Alyson says

        Thank you Panya! I am eating a plant based diet due to chronic illness, I try to help my digestion as much as possible by taking enzymes and using probiotic foods. I guess I just worry it might be a bit of extra work on my system in particular because of my pre-existing digestive woes, which is why I make sure to sprout all my legumes and nuts. :-) I can probably handle aquafaba once in a while.

        • Kristen says

          Aquafaba is not phytic acid. It’s essentially a salty base that the already cooked beans are in to preserve them in the can.

  70. Nora says

    I just made these and they were perfect! I’m not gluten free so I didn’t use almond flour or gluten free flour, instead I used 1+1/3 cup all purpose flour. Also I baked mine in a cupcake pan, it yielded 16 and they were done in 15 minutes. Thanks! And thank you for being such a vegan genius. You making being vegan so fun and every time I make one of your dishes for a dinner party it’s always the crowd favorite. Thank you thank you thank you!

    • Rebecca says

      I’m not gluten free and so I made them with all purpose flour and they were so dry that I had to add more almond milk to the batter before baking even… and they were still dry and crumbly. I think if using all purpose, go with less flour than called for. I also personally think they need a tad more sweetener. My daughter didn’t even finish hers. I baked them for 15 mins, but probably should have done even less. Was a bit disappointed since I was so looking forward to these! ?

  71. Rita says

    For the almond flour and GF flour blend, do you reckon Millet flour and Buckwheat flour would work? That’s what I have at home atm.

  72. Stacy says

    I recently started following a gluten-free vegan diet and I can’t get enough of your blog! Can I use turbinado cane sugar for this recipe?

  73. Jennifer says

    These look so good- my kids will flip! I know this is crazy but I don’t like chocolate at all (I know I’m weird). Anyway to omit the cocoa or is that a whole other recipe?!

    • Heather says

      Jennifer, I don’t like chocolate either! My brother and two other cousins I have also don’t like it, which makes me think it’s something in our genes :) ha ha! People think that I am very weird! I would love some non-chocolate donut recipes! I’ll be making this recipe this weekend for my kids and guests :)

      • Stephanie Bergsma says

        Have you ever tried carob instead? We don’t eat chocolate and I subbed carob powder (slightly less) and we loved them :) Would be great with a peanut butter glaze!

    • Niki Palomino says

      I am guessing the answer to my question is yes, but I’ll ask any way. Could I use a standing mixer for this recipe????? Thank you! These donuts look delicious. Do you happen to have a recipe for old fashion donuts aka traditional cake? Thanks

      Niki

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Yes, a standing mixer should work! We don’t have a recipe for old fashioned donuts yet, but I’ll add it to our recipe request list!

  74. miss agnes says

    What! I need a donut pan in my life! My kids would go wild with delight if I was able to cook delicious gluten free, dairy free donuts. I do hope they sell the same on the french amazon website. Promise, the first recipe I’ll try will be these, they look just so delicious.

    • Lisa says

      Mde this am without any glaze in my thirty year old donut maker. Used egg and reg flour. They taste delicious
      Maybe iwill get a donut pan now