These mini baked donuts are so cute but even more tasty than they look! They’re so sweet and soft, dipped in a smooth chocolate glaze and topped with an almond butter dark chocolate bark that is to die for!
Before starting on making the donut batter, if you plan to make the chocolate almond butter bark you should do that first, so it has time to chill! Just simply microwave the chocolate chips on 30 second intervals, stirring in between until completely melted. Pour onto a silicone or parchment lined pan, the spread with a spatula. Drizzle on the almond butter and swirl with a knife.
I used dark chocolate because it’s my favorite and pairs so sweet with the sweet banana flavor in these donuts, but you’re welcome to use any chocolate chips of your choice, or even pieces from chopped chocolate bar. The almond butter can be replaced by any other nut or seed butter! Freeze the bark while you bake and glaze the donuts!
Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a donut or a mini donut pan! I always make mine into mini donuts, but if you have a larger donut pan, it will work too! You just might have to increase the baking time a little bit.
In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, melted vegan butter, almond butter, brown sugar, coconut milk, vanilla extract and vinegar. If you want, the vegan butter in this recipe could be replaced by melted coconut oil, or even any other liquid oil, such as vegetable, canola, or avocado oil.
The almond butter in this recipe makes these donuts soft and rich, but it also provides a delicious flavor! Obviously if you’re allergic or don’t like the taste of almond butter, you can sub it with any nut or seed butter of your choosing, including peanut butter, cashew butter, or even sunflower seed butter! The coconut milk can be substituted with any non dairy milk, such as oat milk, almond milk, or soy milk!
You may be wondering – why is there vinegar in these donuts? Well, it has to do with the reaction that it has with the baking soda! Think of the volcano experiments you used to do when you were younger. The same reaction is happening, but on a much smaller scale, inside these donuts, making them fluffier and taller!
Once those ingredients and completed whisked together, whisk in the flax eggs! In a separate bowl, whisk together the the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and salt! The cornstarch may seem odd, but it keeps the donuts nice and chewy, so you get the perfect soft donut texture!
We use both baking soda and baking powder in this recipe, which allows the donuts to get perfectly tall and fluffy! Once the dry ingredients are combined, add into the wet ingredients and fold together, until there’s no more streaks of flour!
Carefully spoon into the greased donut pans and bake for 20 minutes! Cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, and then carefully remove! Next, you can make the glaze by melting together the semisweet chocolate chips with the vegan butter. Then, stir in the coconut milk. Do this is a container that’s wide enough to dip the tops of the donuts in!
Dip the tops of the donuts in the chocolate glaze, then set aside. Take the chocolate bark out of the freezer, break it up into small pieces and place on top the the glazed donuts! Enjoy!
Almond Butter, Banana and Chocolate Donuts
- 2 ripe mashed bananas
- 2 tablespoons melted vegan butter
- 1/4 cup almond butter (or nut/seed butter of choice)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water)
- 1 1/3 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the glaze:
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- 2-3 tablespoons coconut milk
For the chocolate almond butter bark:
- 1/2 cup melted dark chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
To make:
1. First, make the almond butter bark by melting the dark chocolate, stirring often, and pouring it on a lined baking sheet. Swirl in the almond butter with a butter knife and freeze while you bake the donuts!
2. Begin baking the donuts by preheating the oven to 350F and greasing a donut or mini donut pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, melted vegan butter, almond butter, brown sugar, coconut milk, vanilla extract and vinegar.
3. Once combined, whisk in the flax egg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and salt! Then fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until completely incorporated.
4. Spoon batter into prepared donut pan and bake for 20 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Make the glaze by melting together the semisweet chocolate chips with the vegan butter. Stir in the coconut milk.
5. Dip the donuts into the glaze. Remove chocolate bark from the freezer, break into small pieces and place on top of the donuts! Enjoy!
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