Healthy Baked Donuts might seem suspicious, but I promise this treat is the perfect balance of good for you and decadent. These are secretly full of hidden vegetables and with way less sugar than the traditional version. This veggie donut could be
Okay, I’m going to admit it: I bribe my kids at the grocery store.
Because of this little habit, my kids have grown fond of all things donut.
You see, some days I promise them pouches, or a piece of bread or a new box of their favorite granola bars. And
I’m not proud of it, but that’s parenting, right? Balance, bribery, and doing what it takes to keep your ish together, right? RIGHT?
Veggie Donut for Kids
While I keep the treats to a minimum, I would be lying if I said that the occasional temper tantrum didn’t happen over appropriate dessert times. I’ve been dying to figure out a better solution like my spinach brownies and spinach cookies.
It took a few attempts, but I eventually landed on this veggie donut recipe. But shhh – no one will know, I swear! It’s packed with beets, pureed the same way I do in my beet smoothie.
For this healthy baked donut recipe you’ll need..
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I used this silicone donut mold for my healthy donuts – it’s a cheap pan, but works great! It doesn’t hurt that the color is totally amazing, either.
Tips for making this veggie donut recipe
- Feel free to switch up the veggie used. I used beets here because they go well with the chocolate. It’s an easy way to get in a difficult veggie. I’ve also done sweet potato and spinach, Learn how to make vegetable purees here!
- Also feel free to play with different juices. I’ve used cherry and pomegranate here, but anything will work. Try veggie juice as well – but you might need to increase the sweetener.
- The easiest way to get the batter into the pan is the put it into a gallon zip top baggie, cut a hole, and pipe it into the prepared pan.
- Fun toppings are always a win on healthy baked donuts. Try sprinkles, nut butter, mini chips, seeds, dried fruit.. really anything will work!
This recipe, just like my favorite sweet potato muffins,
Like hidden veggie recipes? Try this: Over 100 Hidden Veggie Recipes Your Kids Will Love!
How to top healthy baked donuts:
I topped mine with my sugar free frosting that is sweet and tangy as well as a drizzle of almond butter, but you can use just about anything!
- Melted chocolate drizzle
- Almond butter drizzle
- A powdered sugar glaze
- Your favorite canned frosting
- Jam
- Chopped, dried fruit
- Sprinkles
Chocolate Healthy Baked Donut Recipe with Hidden Veggies
Pair these veggie donuts with my sugar free frosting that’s simple and has no refined sugar!
If you enjoy this recipe, please remember to vote 5 stars! It helps others find it, and makes my day!
Chocolate Healthy Baked Donut Recipe with Hidden Veggies
This veggie donut recipe is the perfect balance of healthy and decadent. Secretly full of hidden veggies and with way less sugar than the traditional version, these baked donuts could be healthy breakfast or a fun snack.
Ingredients
Donuts:
- 1 cup flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup beet puree*
- 2 tablespoons unrefined sugar
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons juice*
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 tablespoons oil
Frosting:
- 1 cup sugar free frosting
Instructions
For the Donuts
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Preheat the oven to 350. Spray the muffin pin with non stick spray.
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Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
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Combine the wet and dry ingredients, being careful not to over stir.
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Pour into a gallon sized zip top bag. Cut a large hole in the corner of the bag and squeeze the batter into each of the donut pan’s spots. (This is optional, but does make it so much easier.)
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Baked for 8-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the pan and allow to cool completely.
Recipe Notes
- You can use any vegetable puree, but I used beets since they pair well with chocolate and it’s a very kid friendly way to get them to eat it.
- Again, any juice – I used cherry once and pomegranate a second, but anything will do. You could also easily use vegetable juice, but keep in mind the juice does add a bit of sweetness.
- You can bake these in muffin form, but donuts are just way more fun!
Okay so tell me – would your kids love these as much as mine did? What veggie do you struggle to get them to eat? Let me know in the comments!
Looking for more healthy kids recipes? Check out these!
Meg says
Brilliant! I can’t wait to try these for my boys!
Rebecca says
How much cocoa powder? It doesn’t specify.
Morgan says
Hey, Rebecca! Thanks for pointing that out! It’s 1/3 cup. I’ve updated the recipe to reflect.
Nithya says
Do these come out soft like a cake or chewy like a brownie?
Morgan says
They definitely come out more cakey than chewy!
Hxs says
Came out great! I used sour cream instead of yogourt, carrot purée instead of beet and applessauce instead of oil. Added a little nutmeg too. Had to cook a little longer though.
Morgan says
So glad you love them and were able to tweak to your family’s liking! If you have a second, please leave a star rating! It helps more people find my recipes.