Indulge in Homemade Bliss: Baked Banana Donuts with Decadent Salted Caramel Glaze
Imagine the comforting warmth of banana bread, transformed into a perfectly soft and pillowy donut, then generously coated in a rich, buttery dark caramel glaze. This isn’t just any glaze; it’s a luscious salted caramel, offering that exquisite balance of sweet and savory that makes every bite utterly irresistible. These homemade baked banana donuts are truly a treat for the senses, delivering a gourmet experience right in your kitchen. What makes them even more delightful is how accessible they are; you likely already have most of the ingredients in your pantry, making an impromptu batch of these decadent delights surprisingly simple to whip up. Forget about complicated deep-frying; these donuts are baked to perfection, offering a healthier twist without sacrificing an ounce of flavor or that classic donut texture. Get ready to elevate your breakfast or dessert game with a recipe that promises pure joy.
Discover the Joy of Baked Donuts with Donut Pans
Like many home cooks, I have a discerning eye when it comes to new kitchen additions. Counter space is precious, and every gadget must earn its keep. However, one investment I made last year that has truly transformed my baking repertoire is a set of dedicated donut pans. Before these wonderful molds entered my life, my homemade donut adventures were limited to the classic fried biscuit-dough variety – delicious, but messy and a bit of a production. These innovative pans, however, have unlocked a vibrant new universe of possibilities, allowing me to create baked donuts with incredible ease and endless flavor combinations. From light and airy vanilla to inventive chocolate zucchini donuts (a surprising favorite my kids consistently beg for!), the versatility is astounding.
Baking donuts eliminates the need for hot oil, making the process safer, cleaner, and significantly quicker. You get all the comforting aroma and delightful taste of fresh donuts, often ready in mere minutes. There’s a special kind of satisfaction in pulling a tray of perfectly golden, fluffy donuts from the oven, knowing they’re a healthier alternative to their fried counterparts. My passion for donuts runs deep; I confess to having a dedicated Pinterest board filled solely with donut inspirations! It’s genuinely hard not to fall in love with homemade donuts once you discover how effortlessly you can bake a dozen mini treats, warm and ready to enjoy, in less than 10 minutes. These pans truly are a game-changer for any dessert enthusiast.
Are you a donut lover? These are a few of my favorite baked donut recipes:
- Chocolate Zucchini Donuts
- Pumpkin Roll Donuts
- Chocolate Glazed Orange Donuts
Mastering the Decadent Salted Caramel Glaze
While the banana donuts themselves are wonderfully moist and flavorful, the true star of this recipe is undoubtedly the homemade salted caramel glaze. This rich, buttery concoction transforms a simple donut into an extraordinary dessert, adding layers of sweet, deep caramel flavor with a perfectly balanced hint of sea salt. The glaze hardens beautifully as it cools, creating a delightful shell that cracks just so with each bite. This irresistible topping is what truly elevates these banana donuts to a gourmet level, making them unforgettable.
However, a word of caution is paramount when working with homemade caramel. If you’ve ever prepared caramel from scratch, you’ll be aware that it reaches extremely high temperatures and can cause severe burns if it comes into contact with skin. Please exercise extreme care and attentiveness throughout the glazing process. Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan, keep the heat at a steady medium, and ensure you’re stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Keep children and pets away from the stovetop and hot glaze at all times. Safety first ensures a happy baking experience!
Another important characteristic of this glorious caramel glaze is its tendency to cool and set quite quickly. This is ideal for achieving that perfect, firm coating on your donuts, but it means you need to work relatively efficiently once it’s prepared. Should your glaze begin to thicken or set before you’ve finished dipping all your delectable banana donuts, there’s a simple solution: gently reheat it. A quick 5-10 second burst in the microwave, or a brief return to very low heat on the stovetop, will bring it back to that perfect, dippable consistency. Always remember, though, that even after a short microwave session, the caramel will still be very hot. Stir it carefully and test its temperature before resuming your glazing. This little trick ensures every single donut gets the luscious, even coating it deserves, from the first to the last.
Tips for Serving and Storing Your Homemade Banana Donuts
For the ultimate indulgence, these delightful banana donuts are undeniably at their peak when enjoyed on the very same day they are baked. The crumb is softest, the glaze is perfectly set, and the flavors are at their most vibrant. The texture and freshness are simply unparalleled straight out of the oven. While they remain delicious for a few days, the immediate satisfaction of a freshly glazed donut is something truly special.
One common challenge with glazed, moist baked goods is storage, especially preventing the bottoms from becoming soggy. I’m still on the quest for the perfect storage method that completely eliminates this issue. My current best advice is to store them in an airtight container at room temperature. To help absorb any excess moisture and slightly mitigate sogginess, you can try placing a paper towel on the bottom of the container, underneath the donuts. Another trick is to only glaze the donuts right before serving if you know you won’t eat them all immediately. This helps keep the donut itself fresh and you can warm up the glaze separately for dipping. While they are certainly still enjoyable for a few days after baking, the texture will naturally soften further. If you’ve discovered a magical technique for keeping baked donuts perfectly fresh and non-soggy for longer, please don’t hesitate to share your wisdom with me – I’m always eager to learn new baking hacks!
A note on my favorite donut pan: I absolutely love this turquoise colored Wappa pan. It is my favorite donut pan because makes donuts that are nice and big, donut shop sized!
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Banana Donuts with Salted Caramel Glaze
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Ingredients
For the Banana Donuts
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
For the Salted Caramel Glaze
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175°C).
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In a medium sized mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas thoroughly with a fork. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, sour cream, and egg. Mix all wet ingredients well until thoroughly combined and smooth.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Gradually add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Be careful not to over mix the batter; a few lumps are perfectly fine.
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Spray your donut pans generously with nonstick baking spray. For easy filling, pour the donut batter into a large ziplock bag, seal it, and then snip off one corner with scissors. This creates a makeshift piping bag, allowing you to neatly pipe the batter into each donut cavity. Fill each cavity about two-thirds full.
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Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175°C) for approximately 8-10 minutes for mini donuts or 14-15 minutes for large donuts. The donuts are ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or when you gently press on them and they spring back to touch.
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Once baked, allow the donuts to cool in the pan for a few minutes before carefully removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.
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To prepare the luscious salted caramel glaze, combine the brown sugar, unsalted butter, and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a full boil. Allow it to boil for one minute, continuing to stir to prevent it from sticking or scorching.
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Remove the saucepan from the heat. Immediately stir in the sea salt and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
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Continue stirring the glaze for about 3 minutes off the heat. This helps it cool down slightly and thickens it to the perfect dipping consistency. Be patient, as this step is crucial for the glaze to set up beautifully on the donuts.
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Pour the prepared glaze into a shallow dish. Dip the top of each cooled donut into the glaze, allowing any excess to drip off, then place the glazed donuts on a wire rack to cool and allow the caramel to set. If the glaze starts to harden before you’ve finished, gently heat it in the microwave for 5-10 seconds to restore its dipping consistency. Always take care to ensure it’s not too hot to safely work with before continuing to glaze.
Notes
Nutrition
Once these glorious Banana Donuts with Salted Caramel Glaze are cooled and the glaze has set, they are ready to be savored. They make for an exquisite breakfast pastry, a delightful afternoon snack, or a surprisingly elegant dessert. Serve them with a hot cup of coffee, a glass of cold milk, or even alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra special treat. The combination of the tender, fruit-filled donut and the chewy, sweet-and-salty caramel is pure culinary magic that will undoubtedly impress anyone lucky enough to try them. Don’t be shy – dive into the joyful world of homemade baked donuts and let this recipe become a cherished favorite in your baking rotation. Happy baking!