Peanut Butter Banana Donuts
It’s interesting to think back on my food choices over the years. I grew up mostly vegetarian (I occasionally ate meat when I was with friends, but my parents never bought or prepared it at home), then started eating a fairly typical American diet freshman year of college (and paid the price with stomach issues and weight gain), and then transitioned to a “flexitarian” way of eating for the next few years (I occasionally ate fish). It wasn’t until two or three years ago that I became a strict vegetarian, and only in the last year or so that I switched to a primarily vegan diet.
I remember picking up a copy of Fast Food Nation the summer before my junior year of college and being completely blown away. Prior to that, I had never really given much thought to where my food was coming from or the implications of it (health, environmental, ethical). This was a giant tipping point for me, and since then, I’ve been fascinated with all things food-related.
Several years ago, I would have considered this donut recipe to be super healthy; it’s baked instead of fried, incorporates whole wheat flour, very limited sugar, and just a small amount of coconut oil. Don’t get me wrong—it is healthy, relatively speaking. And yet, given my recent shift to more whole foods, less simple carbs, and a significant effort on my part to reduce my sugar intake, these donuts have become a more special indulgence.
Transitioning from something like Dunkin’ Donuts munchkins in high school to a lower-fat, lower-sugar, and vegan version today has been a slow and thoughtful progression. It’ll be interesting to see how I’m eating a year from now, as my food preferences continue to evolve and I learn more about what feels right for me.
For now though? I am absolutely loving these donuts. The banana and peanut butter combo is one of my favorites, and the frosting…I am such a sucker for good frosting. This is the kind of frosting I could eat by the spoonful.
I definitely licked the frosting bowl clean.
Peanut Butter Banana Donuts
Peanut Butter Banana Donuts
Serves: 8 - 10 donuts
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 12 mins
Total Time: 27 mins
Peanut butter and banana is perhaps one of the greatest flavor combinations, and pairing the two in donut (or muffin) form takes it to a whole new level. As an added bonus, the bananas are so naturally sweet, you only need a small amount of sugar for the entire recipe.
Cuisine: Vegan Servings: 8 - 10 donuts
Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 12 mins Total Time: 27 mins
Peanut butter and banana is perhaps one of the greatest flavor combinations, and pairing the two in donut (or muffin) form takes it to a whole new level. As an added bonus, the bananas are so naturally sweet, you only need a small amount of sugar for the entire recipe.
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a donut pan.
- In a large bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- In a small bowl, combine the mashed bananas, non-dairy milk, sugar, melted coconut oil, and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until they're just combined. Be careful not to over-mix.
- Spoon or pipe the batter into the greased donut pan.
- Bake the donuts for 10-12 minutes, until they are golden brown and firm to the touch.
- Remove the donuts from the oven and allow them to cool.
- While the donuts are cooling, prepare the frosting by heating the peanut butter and non-dairy milk in a small bowl in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds. This will help everything to blend together.
- Stir the peanut butter and non-dairy milk to combine, then mix in the vanilla.
- Sift in the powdered sugar and whisk until no lumps remain.
- Once the donuts have cooled, dip each donut into the peanut butter frosting and set aside on a lined baking sheet or cooling rack to allow the frosting to solidify.
Notes [3]
The donuts can be stored at room temperature for a couple of days, or in the fridge for up to a week.
Donut pans can vary a lot in size, so donut yield will likely vary. You may need to adjust your baking time accordingly.
No donut pan? No problem! You can use the batter to make delicious peanut butter frosted banana muffins. Just bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For mini muffins, bake for just 10-12 minutes total.
Copyright © 2023 Amanda Maguire for Pickles & Honey
