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In the mood for a good cake donut? These healthy, homemade whole grain donuts bake up nice and light, are a breeze to make and can be fresh from the oven on the table and ready-to-eat in just 35 minutes.
We all have the right to enjoy a simple, guilt-free sweet treat that’s made from scratch! And unlike the traditional donut that is deep fried in a neutral oil, these tasty treats are much lower in fat and baked in the oven.
A couple of nights ago I expressed the desire to find a recipe for healthy baked whole wheat donuts. It arrived in the paper Wednesday morning!
This recipe for baked whole wheat donuts is adapted from the Hodgson Mill Whole Grain Baking: 400 Healthy and Delicious Recipes for Muffins, Breads, Cookies, and More (affiliate link) cookbook.
It is so easy to bake donuts at home, but you will need to pick up a donut baking pan (affiliate link), which is a worthwhile investment for donut lovers looking to get a little healthier!
Why You’ll Love These Healthy Whole Wheat Baked Donuts
- Easy to make – just mix, bake, and enjoy. No frying required.
- Healthier ingredients – made with whole wheat pastry flour, applesauce, and a touch of oil for a lighter treat.
- WW-friendly – a satisfying donut that fits into my WeightWatchers plan.
- Customizable – enjoy them plain or dress them up with cinnamon-sugar, glaze, or nut butter.
- Freezer-friendly – I can bake a batch and have wholesome donuts ready anytime.
How Many Calories and WW Points in Whole Wheat Baked Donuts?
I cut the original recipe in half, which is why the amounts look a little funny. I didn’t think having twelve donuts in the house was a smart idea, healthy or not!
When made with regular granulated sugar, this recipe will provide you with 6 large donuts, each with 178 calories. By substituting your favorite zero calorie sweetener for the sugar, each donut will have about 118 calories.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
5 PointsPlus (Old plan)
Ingredients
Whole-wheat pastry flour – gives the donuts a light, tender texture with the benefits of whole grains. You can substitute white whole wheat flour or even all-purpose flour if that’s what you have on hand.
Baking soda – helps the donuts rise and stay fluffy.
Ground cinnamon – adds a warm, cozy flavor that pairs perfectly with whole wheat. Nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice could also work here.
Salt – just a pinch to balance the sweetness.
Zero-calorie sweetener – options like Lakanto Monkfruit, Swerve, Purecane, Stevia, or Splenda keep these donuts lower in sugar. You can also use regular sugar, coconut sugar, or a mix, adjusting to taste.
Unsweetened applesauce – keeps the donuts moist while cutting back on oil. Mashed banana or plain pumpkin purée make good swaps if you’d like a different flavor.
Low-fat buttermilk – adds tang and tenderness. If you don’t have buttermilk, make your own by mixing milk with a splash of lemon juice or vinegar.
Egg – provides structure and helps bind the ingredients. For an egg-free version, try a flax egg or chia egg substitute.
Canola oil – just a touch for added moisture and softness. Melted butter, avocado oil, or coconut oil can also be used.
Vanilla extract – enhances all the other flavors with a subtle sweetness. Almond extract would give a different twist.
How to Make Whole Wheat Baked Donuts, Step by Step
Step 1: Gather and prepare all ingredients.
Step 2: Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Generously coat a donut pan (affiliate link) with nonstick baking spray and set aside.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl (affiliate link), whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and set aside.
Step 4: In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer (affiliate link) to beat together the sweetener, unsweetened applesauce, buttermilk, egg, oil and vanilla until frothy.
Step 5: Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Using a wooden spoon (affiliate link), mix just until combined being careful not to overmix. (If you overmix your batter, you may end up with donuts that have a more dense, chewy texture.)
Step 6: Using a pastry bag, or large plastic bag, is the easiest way to pipe the mixture into the greased donut pan (affiliate link). If using a large plastic bag, first fill the bag with the donut batter, squeeze bag to eliminate any excess air and snip off one corner with sharp scissors. Use this corner to add the batter to the pan (see video demonstration below). Alternatively, you can spoon the batter into the molds, but the finished donuts may not appear as even.
Step 7: Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when pressed gently around the edges.
Step 8: Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire cooling rack (affiliate link) for 5 minutes.
Step 9: Run a small sharp knife around the inside of the molds to release the donuts. Invert the pan, if necessary, and place the donuts on the wire rack to cool completely, or enjoy them warm.
Recipe Notes
Whole Wheat Pastry Flour vs. Whole Wheat Flour
Whole wheat pastry flour is milled from soft white wheat, while regular whole wheat flour is made from hard red wheat. Pastry flour is lower in protein, which gives these donuts their light, tender texture while still keeping the nutrients of the bran and germ.
Can I substitute regular whole wheat flour?
I don’t recommend it — regular whole wheat flour is denser and will make the donuts heavy rather than cake-like.
Good substitutes for whole wheat pastry flour:
If you don’t have whole wheat pastry flour, use a mix of half all-purpose flour and half regular whole wheat flour. This blend will give you a similar balance of light texture and whole grain benefits.
Flavor variations to try:
- Cinnamon Sugar Donuts – Brush the baked donuts lightly with melted butter or spray with cooking spray, then roll in a cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Chocolate Glaze – Dip cooled donuts in a simple glaze made with powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and milk.
- Pumpkin Spice Donuts – Replace the applesauce with pumpkin purée and add pumpkin pie spice for a fall twist.
- Maple Glaze – Mix powdered sugar with a splash of maple syrup and milk for a sweet topping.
Storage Tip: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. They’re best enjoyed within 2–3 days.
Make Ahead and Freezing: These baked donuts freeze beautifully. Let them cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm gently in the microwave (affiliate link) before serving.
WW Tip: Remember to adjust your Points if you make substitutions or add toppings.
Video Demonstration: How to Make a Homemade Pastry Bag using a Ziplock Bag
Serving Suggestions
Make it a balanced snack – pair a donut with a piece of fruit or a cup of coffee or tea for a satisfying mid-morning treat.
Enjoy them plain – these donuts are delicious on their own, light and tender with a hint of cinnamon.
Add a simple topping – dust with powdered sugar, roll in cinnamon-sugar, or drizzle with your favorite icing (chocolate, white chocolate, maple, etc.). Sprinkle with chopped nuts or a few candy sprinkles for fun.
Spread on nut butter – I often enjoy mine plain, but sometimes I’ll add a smear of peanut butter (smooth or crunchy) or almond butter. When I’m in the mood for something more indulgent, a little Nutella is wonderful.
Store any leftover donuts in an airtight container at room temperature.
If you’ve made this healthier version of Whole Grain Low Fat Doughnuts, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Baked Whole Wheat Donuts Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup (plus 2 tablespoons) whole-wheat pastry flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup zero calorie sweetener (Lankato Monkfruit, Swerve, Purecane Zero, Stevia, Splenda, etc.)
- 1/3 cup (plus 1 tablespoon) unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup (plus 1 tablespoon) low-fat buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1-1/2 teaspoons canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
- Generously coat a donut pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl (affiliate link), whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and set aside.
- In another large bowl, use an electric mixer (affiliate link) to beat together the sweetener, unsweetened applesauce, buttermilk, egg, oil and vanilla until frothy.
- Create a well in the center of the dry flour mixture and pour in the wet mixture. Using a wooden spoon (affiliate link), mix until just combined. Do not overmix. (If you overmix your batter, you may end up with donuts that have a more dense, chewy texture.)
- Using a pastry bag, or large plastic bag, is the easiest way to pipe the mixture into the greased donut pan. If using a large plastic bag, first fill the bag with the donut batter, squeeze bag to eliminate any excess air and snip off one corner with sharp scissors. Use this corner to add the batter to the pan. Alternatively, you can spoon the batter into the molds, but the finished donuts may not appear as even.
- Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when pressed gently around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
- Run a knife around the inside of the molds to release the donuts. Invert the donuts on the rack and cool completely, or enjoy warm.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container or tightly wrapped with plastic wrap.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) When made with regular granulated sugar instead of zero calorie sweetener, each donut has: 5 PointsPlus (Old plan) Reading through the ingredients, you’ll notice that this recipe calls for whole wheat pastry flour and you might be wondering how whole wheat flour differs from whole wheat pastry flour. The difference is in the wheat. Whole wheat pastry flour is milled from white soft wheat, where regular whole wheat flour is milled from red hard wheat. The wheat pastry flour is also lower in protein but the great thing about it is that it keeps all the nutrients from the bran and germ, resulting in wonderfully tender whole grain baked goods. 1 Can I substitute whole wheat flour for whole wheat pastry flour?
It is not recommend to substitute regular whole wheat flour for whole wheat pastry flour because the whole wheat flour is much more dense. Is there a good substitute for whole wheat pastry flour?
If you don’t have whole wheat pastry flour, the best substitution will be a flour mixture mix of half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat flour. This recipe calls for 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, whole-wheat pastry flour which you could replace with 1/2 cup, plus 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup, plus 1 tablespoon of regular whole wheat flour. When making this substitution, be sure to sift or whisk these two flours together first, before adding in other ingredients. These donuts can be eaten as is, sprinkled with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar, or decorated with your favorite icing and chopped nuts and candy sprinkles.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Source: adapted from the Hodgson Mill Whole Grain Baking: 400 Healthy and Delicious Recipes for Muffins, Breads, Cookies, and More (affiliate link) cookbook.
Article Source:
1 Bob’s Red Mill
More Easy Baked Donuts for WeightWatchers
If you enjoyed these whole wheat baked donuts, here are a few more WW-friendly baked donut recipes to try at home.
- Cinnamon Apple Doughnuts – Warm, baked spiced donuts with sweet apple flavor.
- Healthy Baked Pumpkin Donuts – Light, fluffy pumpkin donuts perfect for fall.
- Glazed Mint Chocolate Donut – Rich chocolate with a refreshing mint glaze.
- 3-Ingredient Baked Pumpkin Spice Latte Donuts – Easy PSL-inspired donuts with just three ingredients.
These are delicious! Taste more like muffins maybe? But nice and fluffy, but still hold together like a donut should. Yum!!!
The instructions for Whole wheat donuts include applesauce but the list of ingredients does not include applesauce. How much? Does this replace pumpkin?
Hi Carolyn, yes, the applesauce is meant to replace the pumpkin. You can use either or interchangeably. I’ve fixed the ingredients list. Thanks for taking the time to let me know. ~Martha