These healthy baked donuts are soft, fluffy, and incredibly easy to make. Each donut has only 60 calories and just over 1 gram of fat, the perfect lighter treat for breakfast or dessert.
Healthy Baked Donuts Recipe
If you have been craving donuts but want a lighter option, these healthy baked donuts are exactly what you need. They have a soft, cake-like texture, plenty of flavor, and come together easily right in your own kitchen.
A few smart ingredient swaps help reduce the calories and fat, so you can enjoy a homemade donut without all the heaviness of a fried version. Even better, they are easy to customize with your favorite toppings and mix-ins.
Why You’ll Love These Healthy Baked Donuts
- Only 60 calories each
- Baked, not fried
- Soft and fluffy texture
- Easy to customize with toppings and flavors
- Perfect for breakfast or dessert
What Makes These Donuts Healthier
This recipe uses a few simple ingredient swaps to create a lighter donut without sacrificing texture. Using egg whites, skim milk, and less butter helps keep them lower in fat while still soft and delicious.
They are tasty plain, but the batter also works beautifully with chocolate chips, nuts, vanilla bean, citrus zest, or even poppy seeds.
Tips for Perfect Baked Donuts
- Grease the donut pan well so the donuts release cleanly
- Do not overmix the batter
- Fill the cavities only about 3/4 full
- Let the donuts cool slightly before removing from the pan
Step-by-Step Overview
Start by mixing the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. Then combine them gently until the batter is smooth.
Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients just until combined.
Pipe or spoon the batter into the prepared donut pan, filling each cavity about 3/4 full.
How to Know Baked Donuts Are Done
- The tops should be lightly golden
- A toothpick inserted should come out clean
- The donuts should spring back lightly when touched
Easy Vanilla Glaze
For a simple vanilla glaze, mix powdered sugar, a little milk, and a splash of vanilla extract until smooth. Dip or drizzle over the cooled donuts for an easy finishing touch.
Flavor Variations
- Add chocolate chips for a richer version
- Stir in chopped nuts for texture
- Add poppy seeds for a fun twist
- Use cinnamon sugar instead of glaze
Frequently Asked Questions
Are baked donuts healthier than fried donuts?
Yes. Because they are baked instead of fried, they usually contain less fat.
Can I freeze baked donuts?
Yes. Store them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
Why are my baked donuts dry?
Overbaking or using too much flour can make baked donuts dry.
Do I need a donut pan?
A donut pan works best, but you can use a muffin pan if needed.
I hope you can try these delicious, healthy baked donuts recipe at home. If you do, please upload a pic on Instagram and tag me @Livingsweetmoments or use the hashtag #LivingSweet. I promise to repost it.
Yum! Don’t they look amazing? It’s hard to believe they are only 60 calories each.
Healthy Baked Donuts
Ingredients
- 1 cup unbleached whole wheat flour sifted
- 1/4 cup Truvia Baking Blend Natural Sweetener* or any other sweetener
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons skim milk
Optional Toppings
- Cinnamon sugar
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla glaze
- Melted chocolate
- Fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Grease your donut pan with a baking spray that has flour in it
- Mix – flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large mixing bowl.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a donut pan well with baking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sweetener, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg whites, melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Spoon or pipe the batter into the donut pan, filling each cavity about 3/4 full.
- Bake for 14 to 17 minutes, or until the donuts are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Add your favorite topping or glaze before serving.
Notes
- Do not overmix the batter, or the donuts can turn dense.
- Grease the pan well to prevent sticking.
- Let the donuts cool slightly before removing from the pan.
- If using Swerve, substitute 2 tablespoons for the Truvia Baking Blend.
- For a quick vanilla glaze, mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon milk, and a splash of vanilla extract.
Nutrition
More Donut Recipes You’ll Love
Chocolate Glazed Baked Donuts
Quick Jelly Donut Recipe
Thanks for this recipe. I’ve never made donuts before and the fact that they are “skinny” I’m willing to try. Going to look for a donut pan on Amazon.
oh my .. love doughnuts and i am trying this .. has to be good its sweet ,, thank you for sharing
Looks yum!
Thank you Abby
I love this recipe, specially the fact that the donuts are baked and not fried. I am sure my family will enjoy them.
Well, it looks like I am going to have to go out and get a donut pan because this recipe looks awesome!
I don’t have a donut maker pan, but I’m sure the recipe works quite well in muffin tins.
It does Cindy! You can also make little round and call them donut holes
I made these tonight but I had trouble getting the toppings to stick, what is the trick? 🙂
Anita, just run damp your fingers with a little water and rub lightly on the donuts, then add the toppings! HTH 🙂
Skinny doughnuts?? I’m in. I love doughnuts and these look delicious! Of course, I don’t need them so 60 calories sound good. If I can only eat one at a time! Thanks for the great recipe!
You’re welcome Lisa!
im lactose intolerant so I was wondering for the recipe for the actual donuts if it would still be okay if I used soy milk instead of regular milk. Would it come out the same and would it affect the texture of the donuts?
Hi Jessica! I haven’t used soy milk in this particular recipe but I have in other ones to substitute milk and the results are barely noticeable. I would try it and see how it goes. Just remember to use non sweetened/non flavored soy milk. Let me know how it comes out!
I just made these donuts and I used coconut flour in place of the wheat flour because I dont like the texture of wheat. When I added the wet to the dry, I came out with something resembling cookie dough. What did I do wrong?
Danielle, since coconut flour does not absorb moisture at the same rate as Wheat it might have been that you needed to add more liquid so the mixture resembles more like a batter.
Wondering if you can use spenda and almond milk,
Yes and Yes Ann 🙂
How much does this recipe yield?
Depending on the size of your pan approximately 12-15 donuts
Hi! I was wondering if you can use honey or cane sugar in place of the sweetener?
I haven’t tried it with those ingredients so I can’t really say if it will work. I am worried about the consistency of the honey when added to the batter.
Can you use regular sugar or coconut palm sugar instead?
Yes to both
When replacing trivia with sugar how much sugar should I use?
When replacing trivia with sugar how much sugar should I use?
use the same amount 1/4 cup of regular sugar
This looks great, I am so going to try this sometime!
Thank you Lauren!
These look amazing!!! Would it be possible to use almond flour or oat flour?? I was thinking even just substituting gluten free flour!? Can’t wait to try them in my new donut pan tonight!
Hi Elle, I haven’t tried it with those flours yet. You can certainly try! But if you do, check out the consistency of the batter before inserting in the oven. Remember that not all flours absorb liquid the same way. If you see that the batter is a tad dry, add more liquid.
Let me know how it comes out!
I made these last night and they taste quite good. They are a bit too cake for my liking though…. would you suggest mixing white and wheat flour in 50/50 proportions? Not sure how to make these a bit fluffier. Thanks!
Hi Jodi! I am glad you liked them. About the texture, I’ve never made them with wheat flour before. If you want them to be airy and fluffier try using cake flour with has a finer texture. Hope that helps 🙂
Tiffany..the recipe call for unbleached wheat flour yet in the above comment, you state “I’ve never made them with wheat flour before”. I bought wheat flour specifically for this recipe…did I get the wrong flour? If so, what kind should I have used?
Thanks,
Pam
Hi Pam! You bought the correct flour! I am sorry my comment confused you. Sometimes I have so many recipes in my head!
Hi Tiffany!
After they are baked, do I need to ‘dip’ them in anything before coating in cinnamon/sugar?
If the topping doesn’t stick, you can just rub your damp fingers over the donuts before dipping
Just came across this on Pinterest and was curious about where the Nutrition Facts comes from.
Hi Michele! It comes from Nutrition Facts (.com)
Great looking recipe! I was wondering if you would be able to replace the truvia blend with unsweetened applesauce?
Thanks Ashley! I haven’t baked with that combination before so I don’t know if it will work. But you can certainly try and let me know how it came out!
since I’m diabetic, I will definatly try this one. thanks
You’re welcome Dianne! Hope you like it!
These were so yummy! Have you had any luck freezing and reheating later? I’d love to make a batch on the weekends and eat through the week.
Megan I am glad you liked them! I haven’t been able to freeze them because every time I make them they disappear!
These came out really good! Very moist and such a great flavor. I used Silk original unsweetened Almond Milk in place of the Fat free milk and it worked just fine. Very happy with the recipe. Now to find some lower cal options for topping them .
Hi Nicole! I’m glad you liked them! maybe for topping try powdered chocolate mixed with a bit of water?
Hi Tiffany, I’m baking these right now! I am using a full size donut pan and I was only able to get 5 donuts from this batter. Needless to say, my calorie count is way different. I’m also using low calorie butter, almond milk, and Carbquik flour which is only 270 calories per cup. I think whole wheat pastry flour is 400 or more so your calorie count in the original recipe may be higher than you think. I’m not trying to criticize, just trying to be helpful to all the calorie counters out there. My donuts are cooling right now and smell great but I may try modifying this recipe more for a larger yield and less calories.
Hi Isaac! Let me know if you like them once they cool. Never heard of carbquik flour, I’ll definitely check it out. Have a great weekend!
AMAZING!
I’M IN LOVE WITH THIS DONUTS
thank you for the recipe c:
you’re welcome Katya! Glad you liked it!
I used Splenda instead and I think if you do that, up the amount. It’s not sweet enough. Very dense and dry. Hmm…. wonder what went wrong? I also only got 6 donuts from the batter, did you make mini donuts?)
Hi Dana! I’m sorry they came a tad dry for your taste. Maybe take them out of the oven 2-3 minutes before and they’ll be just fine.
My batter looks a little thick compared to the pictures of your batter. Should I be adding a tablespoon of milk or so at a time to get it a thinner consistency?
Start with a teaspoon and see how it goes
Is it fine for me to use 1 whole egg rather than 2 egg whites?
yes Morgan, it’s fine
Thank you! These look absolutely amazing! Can’t wait to try them!
you’re welcome! Let me know how they come out
Is it fine to use 1 whole egg rather than 2 egg whites?
Oh yum! I needed a healthy recipe to use with my new Pampered Chef donut pan (we made very UNhealthy ones to test the pans LOL). I can’t wait to try these!! I’m thinking about leaving out the cinnamon and adding lemon..
Hi Karen! Lemon would go great in these! Use the zest in the batter to give it a bright flavor
I can’t wait to try these! I’m always looking for something sweet for breakfast, not savory. my new silicone donut baking pans are coming in the mail tomorrow. Thanks!!
Let me know how they come out Molly!
I can’t wait to try this! Can I just use lactose-free milk instead?
Yes Karen!
Would i be able to add a scoop of protein without changing the texture too much?
It would change the texture Sara. Maybe reduce the flour a bit
It seems that the recipe is shown on the page anymore could you possibly re-post the recipe on here. Thank you!
Can’t seem to see the recipe on this page
hi Bryce, I apologize, I am fixing the glitch asap
Hi, the problem has been resolved. Sorry for the inconvenience. You should be able to the recipe now.
I just tried this recipe (substituting the stevia for 1/2 cup sugar), and it was really good! The donuts were a tad dry, so I recommend using a glaze or frosting. The taste was lightly sweet without being overpowering.
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Thanks for your feedback Cherikee!
Hi Tiffany, made these baked doughnuts last weekend using King Arthur’s Unbleached whole wheat flour. Using listed liquid measurements resulted in a doughy consistency. I added milk until it was more viscous. Did I use the right flour or should I have issued unbleached AP flour? Thanks!
Hi Ruben. Different brands of flour absorb liquid differently. If your batter seemed a bit dry, add a teaspoon at a time of liquid
Thanks for replying under this current reality. Baking has helped our family keep our spirits up and give us something to do together, After doing a bit of research I realized that a cup by volume is way off a cup my weight. I referred to King Arthurs website and learned that a cup of unbleached whole wheat flour is equal to 113 grams. when I weighed the cup by volume I used on Saturday it weighed 156 grams! So note to other measure by weight not volume and on cup of whole wheat flour is 113 grams. New batch is in the oven now! I am also planning on heating up a bit of cake frosting and toping the donuts with these to add a bit of variety. Thanks Tiffany and I hope you and your family stay safe and healthy!
https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/ingredient-weight-chart
Hi Ruben! thanks for your comment! good to know the difference in weight! And yes, we are baking too during this quarantine.
Could you use plain white flour instead of wheat flour, thank you
yes, add less water
Hi Tiffany, I tried these and love them. I only got 6 donuts..I am guessing that is prob double the calories? Also, I was thinking of using some apples in them Do you think I should cook the apples first? Thanks!
Hi Claudia! For your apples, I recommend using freeze-dried. Fresh apples may leak water during cooking and affect the cooking and texture of your donuts.
Thanks tiffany!!! So nice of you to reply!
of course 😉
Hey! thank you so much for this recipe! I was wondering though, im doing a demostation speech using your donut recipe, and was wonering who I should give credit for the photos that you posted? thanks!
My name is Tiffany Bendayan 🙂
ok thx! are the photo yours too?
These were easy to make and tasted good. But they didn’t have that baked donut texture. It was more like a sponge cake texture. I also put some frozen blueberries in them.
Thanks for your feedback Sheila!
Hi, thanks for this recipe. I’m trying this tomorrow!! I’m currently on a carb cycling diet and these will be great for my high carb and low fat days.
Just a few questions:
1) I have King Arthur’s white whole wheat flour, will that work? Not sure what is the meaning of bleached or unbleached?
2) for the melted butter, can I use any kind of butter? It can be salted or unsalted?
3) for the vanilla glaze, you say to use 1 tsp of milk. I can use any kind of milk?
4) several comments mentioned that they only came out with six donuts instead of 12. Should I make sure my donut pan has a specific size/parameters so my batch can yield 12 donuts?
Thanks so much, hope you an your loved ones are safe 🙂
Hi Jorge to answer your questions:
1) yes
2) Yes, unsalted
3) Any kind of milk will work
4) It all depends on the size of your vessel
Thanks! You too!
Hi Tiffany do you think using sugar free caramel syrup in place of the stevia would work? thank you
it’s a liquid hence it can interfere with the texture of your finished product
Can I eat these and still lose weight?
Depends on the diet you’re following