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Healthy Gingerbread Donuts made lower calorie, gluten free and with wholesome, real ingredients. A lighter and healthier holiday treat dusted with a light maple sugar topping.
Looking for a healthier holiday treat? Well, maybe you weren't *looking* for a treat but either way I got you covered today! These healthier gingerbread donuts are just over 100 calories and made better balanced for you so you can enjoy them in moderation during the holiday season!
Why These Donuts Are Better For You
Don't get me wrong, I love a good donut. But... most donut recipes are 400-600 calories, made with refined sugar and flour with zero protein or fiber. Here's why this donut recipe is better for you!
- Low Calorie - These donuts are just 133 calories each! Like I said, donuts range 400-600 calories for just one!
- Higher Protein - This recipe has 4 grams of protein per donut. Protein is so important for balancing blood sugar and most dessert/treat recipes are very deficient in protein.
- Gluten Free - Gluten can be inflammatory for many people. This recipe uses gluten free ingredients.
- Lower Fat - This recipe has just 2 grams of fat per donut, 1 gram of which comes from saturated fat (bad fat). That's amazing for a treat recipe!
- Less Refined - Traditional flours and sugar are highly refined. They cause blood sugar spikes which impact the hormones that control your hunger and cravings.
Ingredients For Gingerbread Donuts
Here's what you need to make the BEST healthy gingerbread donuts!
- Gluten free flour
- Gluten free oat flour
- Unsweetened almond milk
- Nonfat Greek yogurt
- Egg
- Molasses
- Maple sugar
- Butter
- Vanilla extract
- Baking Powder
- Ground ginger
- Cloves
You will also need a donut pan and avocado oil spray.
How To Make Gluten Free Gingerbread Donuts
Making these healthy gingerbread donuts couldn't be easier! First preheat the oven and spray your donut pan with avocado spray before getting started.
Step one is whisking together melted butter, molasses, maple sugar in a large bowl until combined. Mix in the almond milk, Greek yogurt and vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, mix together the gluten-free flour, oat flour, baking powder, ginger, salt and cloves. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients a little at a time and mix until just combined. Whisk in the egg until combined.
Step two is spooning the batter into your prepared donut pan cavities. Pop in the oven and bake. Then cool completely on a wire rack. Step three is to finish the gingerbread donuts with a dusting of maple sugar by adding some sugar to a plastic bag, spraying the donut with avocado spray then placing it in the plastic bag and shake it to lightly coat each donut.
Can You Make Donuts Into Muffins
Generally, you can make donut recipes into muffins. I have not tried it with this recipe, but I'm guessing it would work. Let me know if you do it in the comments to help others. I also have the almond flour gingerbread muffin recipe that's really delicious!
Storing Donut and Can You Freeze Donuts
Store your donuts in the refrigerator up to 7 days. You can enjoy them chilled or warm them slightly in the microwave. I don't recommend dusting them with sugar before refrigerating as they will get sticky. Instead, dust them when you are ready to eat.
Donuts can be frozen up to 60 days. I recommend if you freeze your donuts, that you do not dust them with sugar until they are thawed and ready to eat. I also recommend storing them individually in plastic wrap with foil around it to keep moisture out.
Substitutions For Low Calorie Gingerbread Donuts
Here's a few substitutions you can make for these gingerbread donuts. Keep in mind that substitutions you make will change the calories and nutritional values of the recipe.
- Avocado Spray - I always recommend avocado spray for temperature above 350 F. Baking above 350 F temperatures requires an oil that will not go rancid. You an alternatively grease with melted coconut oil or butter. I'm not a fan of traditional baking or cooking sprays as they are filled with chemicals.
- Maple Sugar - Coconut sugar will work as a substitute.
- Gluten Free Flour - I have not tested this recipe with other combinations of flours. I suspect almond flour could replace the gluten free flour and would work with the gluten free oat flour in this recipe. Coconut flour will not work.
- Egg Free - If you want to make this recipe egg free, I recommend you try an egg replacement or make a flax egg (1 tablespoon plus 2 tablespoons of water mixed). I have not made these donuts egg free yet so I cannot guarantee the same results.
- Dairy Free - You can replace the Greek yogurt with a dairy free yogurt and the butter with melted coconut oil.
- Milk - Any milk will work in this recipe!
- Spices - The ginger is key to making this recipe a real gingerbread recipe. Cinnamon or nutmeg can be added (1/2 tsp each) or used to replace cloves.
More Donut Recipes
Healthy Gingerbread Donuts
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter very soft
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 2 tablespoons maple sugar
- 4 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
- 3 tablespoons nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Gluten free flour
- 1/2 cup Gluten free oat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 egg room temperature
- Maple sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 F. Prepare a donut pan with avocado spray.
- In a bowl, whisk together the butter, molasses and maple sugar until combined. Mix in the almond milk, yogurt and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the gluten-free flour, oat flour, baking powder, ginger, salt and cloves. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients a little at a time and mix until just combined. Whisk in the egg until combined.
- Spoon the batter into each mold filling just to the top.
- Bake the donuts for 13-14 minutes, or until they are golden and firm. Allow them to cool 7 minutes before removing from the donut pan to a cooling rack.
- Pour a little maple sugar into a plastic bag. Lightly spray one of the donuts with oil spray and place the donut into the bag. Seal the bag and shake it so the sugar coats the donut. Carefully, remove the donut and place it on a cooling rack. Repeat this process for the remaining donuts.
- Store the donuts in the refrigerator up to 7 days. Freeze the donuts up to 30 days. I recommend if you freeze the donuts, that you do not add the maple sugar topping until thawed and ready to eat.
Notes
- Nutritional values do not include the maple sugar dusting. I used about 1/2 cup to lightly dust my donuts.
- My Amazon shop has more products similar to those used for this recipe and that I recommend to my weight loss clients.
- If you enjoyed this recipe, check out my cookbook for more delicious recipes!
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