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    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Donuts & Mini Donuts

    Key Lime Baked Donuts Recipe With Graham Cracker Topping

    Published: Jul 13, 2019 · Modified: Jan 22, 2025 by Amy Sandidge · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    Baked donuts are such a great alternative to traditional fried donuts. These Key Lime Baked Donuts Recipe With Graham Cracker Topping are some of the best. They are a treat that is simple to make and are a lighter alternative to traditional fried donuts. With the perfect balance of zesty lime and crunchy graham cracker topping, they're versatile enough to enjoy for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.

    Key lime donuts on a piece of parchment paper with graham cracker crumbs and lime zest.

    Other baked donut recipes I have on the blog are pumpkin donuts with maple glaze, Strawberry baked donuts, mango donuts with strawberry glaze, and chocolate baked donuts.

    Tips for making the best baked donuts

    There are a few tricks to making great baked donuts, especially when you are using whole wheat flour, as this recipe does.  

    • Do not overmix. As with most quick breads, if you overmix the batter the finished bake will be dense. 
    • Ensure the oven is preheated- This batter will come together quickly and will bake best if the oven is hot and ready to go. Preheat well in advance. 
    • Be careful not to overbake- One of the biggest tips I share when it comes to baking with whole wheat flour is not to overbake. This will result in a dry, crumbly donut instead of a moist one. 
    • Remove from pan quickly- Once the donuts have baked and are removed from the oven, move them from the pan to a cooling rack. You do this for 2 reasons- the first is the pan will hold heat and continue to cook the donuts, it will also make the donuts sweaty in the pan after awhile. 
    Key lime baked donuts on a piece of parchment paper with limes on the side.

    Ingredients

    • All-purpose flour- in this recipe I will use both all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour. My family likes the combination, but know that if you want to use 100% all-purpose flour or 100% whole wheat flour, you can. It is an easy swap. 
    • Whole wheat pastry flour- I love this lower protein flour for these key lime donuts. More info on this flour is below. 
    • Baking powder- this will be the leavener. 
    • Salt- it won't take much, but will enhance the flavor in the donuts. 
    • Plain Greek yogurt- Using yogurt will help add extra moisture to the batter. 
    • Granulated sugar- I have added in just enough to sweeten the donuts, but not overdo it. If you want to reduce the amount of sugar, you easily can to ¼ cup. 
    • Key lime zest and juice- The combination of both adds the perfect flavor. Be sure to use fresh key lime juice, the bottled key lime juice is so much more tart and concentrated. You can also use regular limes if you cannot find key limes. 
    • Butter or oil- You can use either use melted butter or oil in this recipe. I have used canola as it adds in extra moisture. 
    • Egg- it only takes one and is best at room temperature. 
    • Powdered sugar- for the glaze. 
    • Milk- This is for the glaze as well. You can use regular milk (I like whole milk) or plant-based milk if you prefer. 
    • Graham cracker crumbs- I like to crush my own so they aren't so fine. These are optional, but I love using them.

    How to make

    Making the key lime pie donuts

    • Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside. 
    • Mix the sugar and lime zest in another bowl. I do this as it ensure the zest will mix better and more evenly into the batter.
    • In a medium bowl, mix together the oil and yogurt. Mix well to combine. Add in the egg and mix again. 
    • To this, add the vanilla and lime juice. Mixing to combine, but not overmixing. 
    • Combine the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients. Be careful not to overmix. 
    • I like to use a piping bag to fill the donut pan, especially since I use mini donut pans. It will take 1-2 tablespoons of batter per donut.  
    • Place into the preheated oven and bake for 6 minutes for mini donuts and about 10 for regular-sized donuts. 
    • Once they are baked, gently turn out the donuts onto a wire rack.
    Key limes zest on a white plate with a zester on the side.
    Lime sugar in a glass bowl with a fork in it.
    Dry ingredients for baked donuts in a ceramic bowl with a spoon in it.
    Woman mixing donut batter in a glass bowl with a fork.
    Key lime donut batter in a glass bowl.
    Woman piping donut batter into a donut pan.
    Baked donuts on a cooling rack.

    Making the glaze

    • While they are cooling, it is time to make the glaze.
    • Mix all the ingredients until it is smooth. I like a thin glaze that is just slightly thick- if that makes sense. The right consistency is key to getting a glaze that is thick enough to hold onto the donuts, but not be too thick. Add more milk or powdered sugar as needed. 
    • If you want to make the glaze ahead of time you can, just be sure to wrap it with plastic wrap to keep it from forming a skin. 
    • Dip each of the cooled donuts into the glaze, then top with the graham cracker crumbs and a sprinkle of the leftover lime zest while the glaze is still wet. If you use whole graham crackers as I did, be sure and crush them first.
    Key lime donuts on a piece of parchment paper with graham cracker crumbs and lime zest.

    What is the difference between key limes and regular limes?

    Key limes and Persian limes differ in several ways. Key limes are smaller and more spherical, while Persian limes are larger and oval-shaped. In terms of color, key limes turn yellowish when ripe, whereas Persian limes remain dark green. Flavor-wise, key limes are more aromatic with a tart and slightly bitter taste, compared to the less acidic and tart flavor of Persian limes.

    Key limes contain more seeds, have thinner skin, and yield less juice. Persian limes, on the other hand, have fewer seeds, thicker skin, and produce more juice. Key limes are predominantly grown in tropical and subtropical regions like Florida and Mexico, while Persian limes are widely cultivated in regions such as Mexico and the Middle East. 

    Key limes in a small white bowl that a woman is grabbing.
    Key lime baked donuts on a piece of parchment paper with limes on the side.
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    Key Lime Baked Donuts Recipe With Graham Cracker Topping

    These simple baked donuts are so easy to make and big on flavor. You are going to love this baked version of traditional fried donuts.
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Keyword baked donuts, graham crackers, key limes, whole wheat pastry fllour
    Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 6 minutes minutes
    Total Time 16 minutes minutes
    Servings 24 donuts
    Author Amy Sandidge

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon lime zest
    • ⅓ cup granulated sugar can also be subbed for coconut sugar
    • ¼ cup Greek yogurt
    • 1 egg
    • 2 tablespoon canola oil or melted butter
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 2 teaspoons lime juice

    Glaze

    • 2 cups powdered sugar
    • 1 teaspoon lime zest
    • 2 teaspoons lime juice
    • Milk- as needed

    Toppings

    • ½ cup crushed graham cracker crumbs
    • 2 tablespoons lime zest

    Instructions

    Making the key lime pie donuts

    • Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
    • In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, yogurt, and granulated sugar. Mix well to combine. Add in the egg and mix again.
    • To this, add the vanilla, zest, and lime juice. Mixing to combine, but not overmixing.
    • Combine the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients. Be careful not to overmix.
    • I like to use a piping bag to fill the donut pan, especially since I use mini donut pans. It will take 1-2 tablespoons of batter per donut.
    • Place into the preheated oven and bake for 6 minutes for mini donuts and about 10 for regular-sized donuts.
    • Once they are baked, gently turn out the donuts onto a wire rack.

    Making the glaze

    • While they are cooling, it is time to make the glaze.
    • Mix all the ingredients until it is smooth. I like a thin glaze that is just slightly thick- if that makes sense. The right consistency is key to getting a glaze that is thick enough to hold onto the donuts, but not be too thick. Add more milk or powdered sugar as needed.
    • Dip each of the cooled donuts into the glaze, then top with the graham cracker crumbs and lime zest while the glaze is still wet. If you use whole graham crackers as I did, be sure and crush them first.

    Video

    • Donuts & Mini Donuts
    • Baked
    • Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
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    Hi, I'm Amy! I am a culinary school graduate creating a comprehensive collection of recipes, with a focus on incorporating whole grains. My goal is to craft dishes that resonate with the whole family. 

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