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If you've never had a banana donut, you're in for treat with this recipe. These banana donuts with chocolate glaze are all the best flavors of banana bread in a baked cake donut, topped with chocolate ganache glaze and chopped, toasted hazelnuts. This is a simple recipe that comes together quickly, making it perfect for an on the go sweet treat any day of the week.
These donuts retain their moisture for a few days, and I think they taste even better the day after they're baked. The silky chocolate glaze is the perfect pairing and complements the hint of cinnamon in the donuts. Toasted, chopped hazelnuts add some texture and crunch.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- These donuts are made all in one bowl for easy clean up.
- Tender and soft with a moist, dense texture, similar to a cake donut.
- These donuts are a great way to utilize over ripe bananas.
- They are quick and easy to make, with fully glazed and ready to eat donuts in under 30 minutes.
- Easy to follow recipe with step by step photo instructions.
Recipe Ingredients
Unsalted butter - melted and cooled
Brown sugar - adds depth, moisture and caramel-ly flavor
Bananas - very ripe, mashed
Egg - room temperature
Vanilla extract
All purpose flour
Cinnamon - for just a hint of spice
Baking soda - contributes to a tender texture and helps the donuts rise
Baking powder - contributes to a fluffy texture and helps the donuts rise
Fine sea salt - for flavor
Bittersweet, or semi sweet chocolate - chopped or chips
Heavy cream
Toasted hazelnuts - for crunch and flavor
Recipe Instructions
Before beginning the recipe, preheat your oven to 350F. Liberally butter (or baking spray) two - standard size (6 wells) donut pans.
- Stir the brown sugar into the melted butter until combined.
- Stir in the mashed banana, egg and vanilla extract.
- Add the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the batter until just combined. Don't over mix.
- Pipe or spoon the batter into the donut wells (8-9), filling them about ⅔ full.
- Bake until golden and a toothpick comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Cool completely before glazing the donuts.
- Combine the chocolate, butter, cream and salt in a medium bowl and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after each until smooth and melted.
- Dip the donuts into the glaze and top with toasted, chopped hazelnuts. You can serve these immediately, or let the glaze firm up for 10-15 minutes first.
Baking Tips
- Use bananas that are very ripe that are mostly brown/black. These bananas are softer, sweeter and more flavorful.
- Don't over mix the donut batter. This mixing method, similar to making muffins, requires a light hand. Mix in the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Over mixing can result in tough donuts.
- Be sure to butter or spray your donut pans even if they're non stick. Butter or baking spray will work as well as an oil based spray. Using an oil based cooking will result in donuts with slightly crispier edges.
- This recipe can be easily doubled.
Storage and Freezing
Chocolate glazed donuts can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. They can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Unglazed donuts can be stored in an airtight container and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before glazing.
FAQs
Switch out the hazelnuts for chopped peanuts, almonds or pecans.
You can omit the nuts and use sprinkles, drizzle with peanut butter or caramel.
These donuts are also delicious plain with a sprinkling of confectioners' sugar, or brushed with melted butter and dipped in cinnamon sugar.
Vanilla glaze, brown butter glaze and peanut butter glaze would also be delicious with these donuts.
You can also make these donuts in a muffin tin. Fill the muffin cavities ⅔ full. This recipe makes 7-8 muffins.
If your glaze is too thick, add a teaspoon of hot water and gently whisk to combine. Repeat if necessary. The glaze consistency should be pourable but not be runny. You don't want the glaze to drip off the donut.
I hope that you enjoy these banana donuts with chocolate glaze as much as I do! If you make them, let me know and leave a comment or tag me on Instagram.
Enjoy!
Ash xx
More Banana Recipes To Try
Banana Scones with Espresso Glaze
Banana Cake with Salted Caramel and Peanut Butter Buttercream
Recipe
Banana Donuts with Chocolate Glaze
Equipment
Ingredients
Banana Donuts
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup mashed banana (about 2 medium bananas)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Chocolate Glaze
- ⅓ cup bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate, chopped or chips
- 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 ½ tablespoons heavy cream
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup toasted hazelnuts, finely chopped
Instructions
Banana Donuts
- Heat the oven to 350F. Liberally butter (or baking spray) two - standard (6 wells) baking pans. You will be using 8-9 wells total.
- Pour the melted butter in a large bowl. Whisk in the brown sugar until smooth.¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled, ½ cup brown sugar
- Stir in the mashed bananas, the egg and the vanilla extract.1 cup mashed banana (about 2 medium bananas), 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Sprinkle the surface of the batter evenly with the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and whisk until the ingredients are fully dispersed in the batter.1 cup all purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Pipe or spoon the batter into each donut well, filling about ⅔ full.
- Bake the donuts for 9-11, until golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in a donut comes out clean.
- Leave to cool on a cooling rack for about 5 minutes before removing them from the pan to cool completely.
Chocolate Glaze
- In a medium bowl, combine the chocolate, butter, cream and salt.⅓ cup bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate, chopped or chips, 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 ½ tablespoons heavy cream, pinch of salt
- Melt in the microwave in 20-30 second increments, until the glaze is smooth, glossy and fully melted.
- Dip the donuts into the glaze, twisting as you remove the donut, to allow the excess glaze to drip back in the bowl.
- Topped with toasted hazelnuts.¼ cup toasted hazelnuts, finely chopped
Lauren Kelly
Love these donuts and blog!! I just made these and the pumpkin donuts and omg so good. It does take a little bit of experience to get the icing to the right consistency to look like the pics. One question - is it possible to pan fry these a little to crisp them up before icing? I love how moist and cakey they are, but a slight crisp would be even better. Idk if that would overcook them though.
Ashley
You might be able to get away with doing a light fry on the outside. Luckily, I think these won't dry out as fast compared to a vanilla or chocolate because there is so much moisture in them from the banana. You could also use a spray oil to grease the pans which should also help make them a bit crispier, as well as bake them at a higher temperature. I haven't tried any of these methods, but it's definitely worth a shot. If you try it out, let me know, I'd love to hear how it goes.