An easy recipe for Baked Vegan Sweet Potato Donuts that you can feel good about! These vegan donuts are made with spelt flour, less sugar, and only the smallest amount of oil. Perfect for a cozy fall breakfast!
It is a breakfast week on the blog. After these Savory Lentil Bean Omelets, let’s whip up these baked vegan sweet potato donuts.
Let’s be honest, baked donuts are essentially muffins. However, I find there’s something about that donut shape that makes eating them that much more fun.
It feels super indulgent eating one of these baked donuts, but these babies aren’t half bad because they are baked instead of fried. Plus, they are made with spelt flour instead of white flour and have way less sugar than a traditional donut recipe.
Oh, and let’s not forget that these baked donuts have a vegetable in them. A starchy vegetable, but hey, that still counts towards our five a day.
I tossed a few of these baked sweet potato donuts in cinnamon sugar and glazed a few with my homemade salted caramel. I prefer the cinnamon sugar ones as I like my desserts less sweet. Hubby loved the ones glazed with salted caramel. It’s really up to you how you want to enjoy them.
Ingredients for making this recipe for vegan donuts:
- Sweet potato puree – I use canned. You can also use homemade puree made from baked or boiled sweet potatoes.
- Spelt flour – is an excellent source of manganese, and a good source of protein, copper, and zinc. Another bonus of baking with spelt flour is that some people who are sensitive to wheat can tolerate spelt. Please remember that spelt is not gluten-free, so if you are gluten-intolerant or have Celiac disease, this biscuit recipe is not for you
- Flax meal mixed with water makes for a great vegan egg substitute.
- Maple syrup adds some sweetness to the batter.
- Spices – ground ginger, cinnamon powder, ground cloves and a generous pinch of nutmeg. You can use a pre-made pumpkin spice if you want but I prefer blending the spices myself.
Tips and variations for this baked sweet potato donuts recipe:
- For making vegan pumpkin donuts, you can use canned or homemade pumpkin puree. Or make my yeasted pumpkin donuts.
- I topped these baked donuts with cinnamon sugar and my homemade salted caramel glaze but I also listed some more options for your below.
- I used a standard 6-cavity pan ( 12.5 x 8 inches). Donut pans can vary a lot in size, so the yield might vary. You may need to adjust your baking time accordingly if you have a mini-donut pan.
- Don’t have a donut pan? No problem! You can use the batter to make delicious vegan sweet potato muffins. Just bake the muffins for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- For mini sweet potato muffins, bake these for just 8-10 minutes total.
How to make this recipe for vegan donuts:
1. Whisk all the dry ingredients together. Mix wet in a separate bowl.
2. Add dry to wet ingredients and mix your donut batter until just about combined. Do not overmix. Pipe the batter into your doughnut pan. I do this using a ziplock bag as a DIY piping bag.
3. Even out the tops and bake for 17-18 minutes. Let cool a bit before removing from pan.
4. Toss the vegan baked sweet potato donuts in cinnamon sugar once cooled. Alternatively, glaze them with salted caramel or your favorite glaze.
Alternative glazes for these Sweet Potato Donuts:
- Rum Chocolate Glaze
- Chai Spiced Caramel
- Pumpkin Caramel Glaze
- Chocolate Glaze
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Glaze
More vegan donut recipes on the blog:
- Vegan Chocolate Donuts
- Strawberry Doughnuts with Chocolate Ganache Glaze
- Mocha Chocolate Doughnuts with Salted Caramel
- Gulab Jamun – Indian Sweet Potato Doughnuts
Recipe Card
Spiced Vegan Sweet Potato Doughnuts with Cinnamon sugar and Salted Caramel
Ingredients
Wet:
- 2 Tablespoons flax meal
- 1/4 cup (2.2 oz) warm water
- 1/4 cup (1.76 oz) ground raw sugar 2 Tablespoons more for sweeter
- 2 Tablespoons oil organic canola or coconut
- 3/4 cup (7.41 oz) sweet potato puree I use canned. You can also use baked, boiled or nuked and well mashed Sweet potato. Or use Pumpkin puree for spiced pumpkin doughnuts
- 1 teaspoon vinegar I use apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsps maple syrup
Dry:
- 1 cup (4.23 oz) spelt flour
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- a generous pinch of nutmeg
Topping
- Cinnamon Sugar 1/4 cup coarsely ground raw sugar + 2 tsps cinnamon
- Salted Caramel Recipe linked in notes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk flax meal and water and let sit for 2 minutes. Add sugar and rest of the wet ingredients and whisk well.
- In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Add dry to wet and mix until just about combined. It will be a stiff-ish batter.
- Spoon the batter into doughnut pan or pipe using ziplock.
- Even out the tops and bake for 17-18 minutes. Let cool a bit before removing from pan.
- Toss in cinnamon sugar once cool, or glaze with salted caramel or your favorite glaze.
Notes
- For making vegan pumpkin donuts, use canned or homemade pumpkin puree. Or make my yeasted pumpkin donuts
- I topped these baked donuts with cinnamon sugar and my homemade salted caramel glaze.
- I used a standard 6-cavity pan ( 12.5 x 8 inches). Donut pans can vary a lot in size, so the donut yield might vary. You may need to adjust your baking time accordingly if you have a mini-donut pan.
- Don't have a donut pan? No problem! You can use the batter to make delicious vegan sweet potato muffins. Just bake the muffins for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- For mini sweet potato muffins, bake these for just 8-10 minutes total.
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in November 2013 and has been updated for accuracy
Heather Paar
Made these this morning with pumpkin and they turned out fantastic. I drained the excess moisture from the pumpkin in a sieve before adding it. I’ve made a lot of unsuccessful vegan pumpkin muffin/bread recipes recently so I was happy to find one that worked! These were light and fluffy with just the right amount of sweet. Thanks!
Vegan Richa Support
Yes!! thank you for popping over
kim
Hello! I used WW flour and baked on a thin cookie sheet cus my doughnut pans came in from Amazon very thin and I felt the pans would fall between the shelf spines. I sprinkled with coconut salt topping before putting them in the oven. I also used coconut sugar in my recipe so they aren’t super sweet which is what i wanted. I appreciate the recipe cus i had fallen off my oil free journey and stuff and was indulging in store bought. yippee . they held together well and are yummy. Top at service with sweetened toffuti cream cheese
kim
btw, I used applesauce instead of the oil 🙂
Kate
What gluten free flours could you use? Maybe buckwheat flour?
ashley bowker
I made these with coconut flour since it is what i had. however, i did not have raw sugar and used regular bakers sugar. the topping hardened like a rock. ill assume it is because I didnt use raw sugar???
Richa
hi ashley, its most like because of coconut flour. coconut flour works very differently compared to other flours. it absorbs all the liquid and bakes really quickly as well. the recipe will not work with just coconut flour. for substitution, use other gluten-free flours like oat, sorghum etc mixed with a little starch.
Richa
sugar subs between raw and regular work just fine.
Anna
I have made these several times now. They’re amazing and I’m lucky if they last a day in my house. I make double batches too.
Nicole
Looks great! What purpose does the cornstarch/arrowroot serve?
Richa
It lighten up the batter and the baked outcome a bit. Spelt is a dense whole grain flour. You can omit the starch, but i have found that just the little bit makes a difference in the baked result feeling dense/heavy versus feeling just the right amount of dense but not that heavy and doughy.
Tammy@T's Daily Treasures
Just made them and they turned out great. I used all whole wheat flour as that is what I always have on hand. A milled flax and chia blend gave it a lovely texture. The spices are just right. And the little bit of cinnamon sugar and powdered sugar the right amount of sweetness to top them off. Yum! Best wishes, Tammy
Richa
Awesome! go glad they worked out so well! i love a good spiced doughnut with just mild sweetness 🙂
IR
God bless you! You’ve inspired me to cook healthily again despite my GI illness. Thank you
Anonymous
hi, your recipe looks pretty good (and i will totally try it) but i have questions about some ingredients:
– can raw sugar be replaced with white or brown sugar?
– can spelt flour be switched to all purpose wheat flour?
– what other kind of vinegar are acceptable? is white vinegar ok?
thanks!
Richa
yes you can use any sugar.
to sub spelt, use half wheat and half all purpose
any vinegar will work
Anonymous
Made these doughnuts tonight with the caramel icing. They were so good I ate two of them with no guilt at all as they are full of nutritious ingredients. What a delicious way to nourish our body!! Thanks so much for your talent in the kitchen. I’ll be your newest follower on Facebook.
bubblegum casting
Looks simply delicious!
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Renard Moreau
[ Smiles ] Oh, lovely. Spiced sweet potato doughnuts!
Sunday Morning Banana Pancakes
These are so much fun, I would have never thought to use sweet potato; I think I would be a cinnamon sugar girl too!
Anonymous
I have flaxseed…. what do I need to do to turn it into flax meal? Thanks for the help!
Richa
put it in the blender and blend until it is a coarse meal.
Helyn@Helyn's Healthy Kitchen
Gorgeous photos, Richa! And a very inspiring story. I will be adding a link to your blog in “my favorite hangout” … guess I have to buy a donut pan now. Those look amazing! 🙂
Richa
Thank you Helyn! 🙂 we all need a donut pan!
neemita
What is the alternative for spelt flour
Richa
you can use all whole wheat flour. or use half whole wheat and half all purpose.
Joanne T Ferguson
G’day! Your photo is mouth watering, true!
Wish I could come through the screen and try one of these right now too!
Cheers! Joanne
Annie
Time to dust off my doughnut pan. I’ve had such bad luck with it, but I have a feeling your recipe is going to work just fine. Yum!
Caitlin
these look phenomenal, lady! breakfast every day!
Richa
thanks Caitlin. probably not everyday. hubbs loves his omelettes more 🙂
Maggie Muggins
Yummy, I finally have a donut pan and can actually make these! Sweet potato is my favorite but for some reason I’ve been focusing on pumpkin a lot, I think it’s time to make a switch.
Richa
I keep switching the 2 often too:)
coconutandberries
I always love the sound of doughnuts though I think I’ve only ever had them a couple of times. They’re not so big over here. I’m very tempted to buy a doughnut pan though to make your gorgeous recipes and to experiment with Ashley from the edible perspective’s new doughnut book….!
Richa
I actually dont like fried doughnuts much. baked are awesome!:) oh i should check that book out. Alex form invegetableswetrust is also comig out with a vegan donut ebook!