Soft, tender Oil Free Vegan Donuts are a perfect treat for breakfast or snack time! These are made in minutes with easy ingredients, and are a healthier option for all donut lovers!

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When my daughters were growing up, I always celebrated the coming of fall with homemade donuts. This year fall came late, and I was thinking about how to celebrate it’s final arrival. Oil free donuts sounded great!
I was a little skeptical about how these would turn out. Would they be dry? Rubbery? Stick to the donut pan? When I told my daughter I was going to make them, she asked me how I was going to get them out of the pan. I wasn’t sure if they’d come out of the pan easily, but I decided to give it a try.
I’m happy to say, these oil free donuts turned out perfect!

If you’re looking for a donut option without all that oil, you’re definitely going to want to try this recipe! They are so soft and tender, lightly spiced, and perfectly sweetened. A much lighter donut option.
Now I wouldn’t call this a health food with the all purpose flour and sugar. But it’s so much healthier than the fat laden donuts from the doughnut shops or grocery stores. And we all deserve a sweet treat now and then.

These are so quick and easy, taking less than 30 minutes, you can enjoy donuts any time you want! And what’s better than a warm, fresh donut?
Ingredients
These donuts are made with simple ingredients, but taste heavenly! They’re so fresh and light!

- All purpose flour – for the lightest donuts, I chose to use unbleached all-purpose flour. If you are gluten free, I would recommend using a high quality 1:1 gluten free flour blend.
- Organic sugar – coconut sugar can also be used.
- Baking powder and Baking soda
- Salt
- Cinnamon and Nutmeg – for that classic baked donut flavor.
- Non-dairy milk – I prefer to use soy milk, but almond milk or oat milk should work just as well.
- Unsweetened applesauce
- Vanilla extract
- Apple cider vinegar
How to make
These donuts are so simple to make. The only special equipment you need is a donut pan. I love the nonstick donut pans by Wilton. Silicone donut pans would also work well.
Whisk together the dry ingredients. Stir together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.


Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir together until combined.

Spoon or pipe the batter into donut pans.


Bake until lightly brown around the edges, about 11 minutes.

Remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack.
When the donuts are cool enough to handle, dip them into a cinnamon sugar mixture.


Frequently asked questions
These donuts are best eaten when still warm, but will keep for 2 to 3 days in a closed container on the counter.
I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten free flour, but I would recommend a high quality 1 to 1 gluten free baking flour blend.
Donut pans are fairly inexpensive, so if you want to make homemade donuts I would recommend purchasing one. Otherwise, you can bake these in a regular or mini muffin pan. The baking time will likely be different.

More oil free vegan baked goods:
- Vegan Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Blueberry Oat Bars
- Vegan Pumpkin Muffins
- Vegan Granola Bars
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Vegan Donuts
Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup organic sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup soy milk
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined.
- Stir together the wet ingredients in a small bowl.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together until just combined, but do not over mix.
- Spoon the batter into the donut pan. I use a teaspoon for this, but a piping bag can make this job easier.
- Bake the donuts for 11 to 12 minutes, until they spring back when gently tapped.
- When cooled, drizzle with glaze or press into bowl of cinnamon sugar.