These baked gingerbread donuts are the perfect way to usher in the holiday season and get your entire household in a festive mood. If you're looking for a healthier treat, baked mini donuts are always a great option to leave you feeling satisfied without overindulging. Coated in a scrumptious brown sugar glaze and topped with crushed walnuts, you'll find delectable Christmas morning bliss in every bite.
Gingerbread cookies are delicious but let's not forget about all the amazing other baked goods we can make with those same flavors. My gingerbread cupcakes are filled with warm, inviting spices and tangy sour cream and topped with a decadent caramel sauce. There's also gingerbread loaf, truffles, and donuts, of course! So, if you haven't ventured out with gingerbread flavor, this recipe is calling your name.
A blend of spices gives gingerbread its distinct flavor. Ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and more! Molasses is also a huge part of that taste we all love. Molasses is a syrup byproduct that comes from harvesting sugar cane. While it's known for its deep, almost bitter flavor, it's mostly made of sucrose. This makes molasses a great addition to baked goods, like gingerbread, and an assortment of other goodies to add layers of flavor and richness.
These donuts are an excellent option for those who try not to have too much grease in their diets. Baked gingerbread doughnuts are so delicious you won't miss the fried version. This recipe is one you'll feel great making for yourself and your loved ones too, all season long!
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Why this recipe works
Bite-size- These mini gingerbread donuts are in smaller portions, so you can still get a sweet treat without going overboard. They are perfect for snacking, or you can enjoy them for brunch, breakfast, or even a healthier dessert.
Quick and Easy- A batch of these baked donuts is done in about 20 minutes, so you don't have to spend too much time in the kitchen. This recipe is great for all skill levels and simple enough that the whole family can be involved in the cooking process.
Smarter nutrition- These donuts are baked instead of fried, which reduces the amount of oil and grease. For this gingerbread donut recipe, I used a mixture of all-purpose flour and whole wheat pastry flour, which adds fiber and nutrients. This recipe also uses a reduced amount of sugar.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour and whole wheat pastry flour-I like to use whole wheat pastry flour as it is a lower protein flour, which helps to create a tender donut. The blend of the two flours creates a nice crumb that isn't grainy and doesn't overwhelm the palate. Make sure you're using whole wheat pastry flour, as it's more finely ground and has a milder taste than regular whole wheat flour.
- Baking Soda- Baking soda gives the donuts rise. Without it, each bite would be dense. These donuts are meant to be light and fluffy. Make sure you're using baking soda for this recipe and not baking powder.
- Spice Blend- For this recipe, I used a mix of spices, including ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and nutmeg. These spices give the donuts so much flavor and make them both smell and taste amazing.
- Molasses- Molasses adds a deep, familiar flavor to baked goods, and can even add a hint of sweetness. However, the darker the molasses is, the more bitter it can be. The brown sugar in this recipe helps balance any bitterness in the molasses.
- Brown Sugar- Brown sugar has more moisture than granulated sugar and helps the mini donuts stay soft. Dark brown sugar has more molasses than light brown sugar, but feel free to use whichever you have on hand. Dark brown sugar will give the donuts a slightly more intense flavor.
- Eggs- Eggs act as an emulsifier and help add moisture to the donuts. They also help make the dough rich.
- Vanilla Extract- 100% pure vanilla is always my first choice; imitation vanilla will work too. It's going to add a great base flavor to these donuts.
- Oil or Unsalted Butter-While these donuts are baked and generally have less grease than fried donuts, the batter still needs a little fat for moisture. Feel free to choose your favorite neutral oil, such as canola oil, or vegetable oil, or simply use butter.
- Milk- Milk adds liquid to the batter and protein to the recipe. The natural sugars in milk also aid in creating a golden brown crust when baked. It is also used in this recipe's icing to make it creamy and pourable.
- Powdered Sugar- Powdered sugar or "confectioners sugar" is best for icing. It creates a perfectly smooth glaze. If you don't have any powdered sugar on hand, you'll be surprised at how easy it is to make powdered sugar at home. You can use granulated sugar, a little cornstarch, and a spice grinder or food processor.
- Chopped Walnuts- Adding texture to soft baked goods is always an excellent idea. I love toasted and chopped walnuts on top of these gingerbread donuts, but feel free to use whatever you may have around your kitchen.
How To Make
Preparing all your materials before you begin making donuts will reduce prep time. Measure everything out, preheat the oven, prepare the glaze ingredients, and have all your bowls and tools together for a smooth baking experience.
Dry Ingredients
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, and spices until combined. This is important to ensure the spices and baking soda are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the molasses, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, oil, and milk, stirring until fully combined.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, folding until just combined. Mixing too much will result in dry and dense donuts.
Pipe the batter into a mini donut pan
Scrape the batter into a large piping bag and snip off the end. Pipe the batter evenly into your mini donut pan. Fill each donut cup halfway to three-quarters of the way full.
Bake the donuts
Bake the gingerbread donuts for six to seven minutes. This isn't a long time to bake, but trust me, they will bake very quickly.
As soon as the donuts are done baking, remove them from the oven. Turn them onto a cooling rack, allowing them to cool slightly.
Make the glaze
To make the glaze, add the brown sugar and milk to a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for three to four minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat, then add in your butter. Mix well and then stir in the powdered sugar.
Dip the donuts in the glaze while the glaze is still hot. If the glaze starts to harden, reheat it on the cooktop or the microwave and whisk until smooth.
Garnish the baked doughnuts and serve
These taste amazing with just the glaze. But if you're like me, I like a bit of crunch! Chopped toasted walnuts make an excellent garnish for these mini donuts. You can use walnuts, or feel free to swap with your favorites. Pralines would also be delicious!
Bake for six to seven minutes. This isn't a very long time to bake, but trust me, they will bake very quickly.
As soon as they are done baking, remove them from the oven. And then turn them onto a cooling rack, allowing them to cool slightly.
Let's start with the brown sugar glaze. Add the brown sugar and milk to a pan, bring to a boil and cook for three to four minutes. Remove from the heat, add in your butter, mix it well and then stir in the powdered sugar. Dip your donuts in the glaze while the glaze is still hot, it will try to set up on you if you don't. If it starts to harden, just reheat it on the cooktop or the microwave. Top with crushed walnuts.
Tip
- Do not overmix the batter. This is always important when making mini donuts, but even more important when using whole wheat flour. You do not want these donuts to be tough; you want them to be tender.
- I used whole wheat pastry flour in this recipe as it is a lower protein flour; this makes all the difference between a delicious baked donut and one that is a little bit tough. You really can use any whole wheat flour you like, but I think you will get the best results from whole wheat pastry flour.
- Be careful not to overfill your donut pans or your pastry bag. A super full pastry bag risks bursting. Overfilled donut pans may flow over if you aren't careful. One-half to three-quarters full is perfect for these.
FAQ Gingerbread Donuts
These donuts are best eaten within 24 hours of baking. Of course, you can hold them longer in the refrigerator, but I think they are best eaten immediately.
Yes, of course! Use any whole wheat flour you like. Just be mindful, it's just a personal preference and will change the texture and taste.
Yes, this is very easy to double. My batch made 18 donuts, and you can easily double the recipe. Just make sure you have three pans to use and double every ingredient.
I made these in mini-donut pans. You can also make them in regular-sized pans; just know you won't make as many, and they will bake for about 10 minutes. Keep a close eye on them to avoid overbaking.
These glazed gingerbread donuts are the perfect bite. If you don't love glaze, though, that's okay. Feel free to swap it for a cinnamon sugar mixture with the sugar and cinnamon having a 1:4 ratio.
For example, 1 cup of granulated sugar to ¼ cup of ground cinnamon. You'll want to dip the donuts in melted butter first. Place the cinnamon sugar mixture into a medium bowl, then dip each side of the donuts into the cinnamon sugar mixture.
More Whole Wheat Dessert Recipes
- Cranberry Orange Star Brioche
- Snickerdoodle Bars
- Apple Doodle Cookies
- Carrot Cake Cookies
- Praline Pumpkin Pie
Gingerbread Donuts Recipe (Baked)
Equipment
- mini muffin pans
Ingredients
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoon canola or olive oil
- ¼ cup milk
Brown Sugar Glaze
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup milk of choice
- 1 tablespoons butter
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup chopped walnuts optional, but we love them!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray your mini muffin pans and set them aside.
- In a small bowl, mix the dry ingredients together. In another larger bowl, mix all the wet ingredients. Add the dry to the wet and mix only to combine.
- You can use a piping bag and tip as I did to fill the muffin pans, or you can add the batter to a ziplock bag and cut out the corner to fill them.
- Place in the oven and bake for 6-7 minutes. These will bake quickly, so make sure not to leave them in for too long!
- Remove from the oven and turn them out onto your cooling rack.
- For the glaze, add your brown sugar and milk to a small pan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Once it boils, let it cook for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and add the butter. Mix until it is melted, then add in the powdered sugar. It will try and be clumpy, so make sure and mix well.
- While the glaze is still warm, dip your donuts. Top immediately with the chopped walnuts.
- That is it! You are done. Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it.
Notes
- Do not overmix the batter. This is always important when making mini donuts, but even more important when using whole wheat flour. You do not want these donuts to be tough; you want them to be tender.
- I used whole wheat pastry flour in this recipe as it is a lower protein flour; this makes all the difference between a delicious baked donut and one that is a little bit tough. You really can use any whole wheat flour you like, but I think you will get the best results from whole wheat pastry flour.
- Be careful not to overfill your donut pans or your pastry bag. A super full pastry bag risks bursting. Overfilled donut pans may flow over if you aren't careful. One-half to three-quarters full is perfect for these.