Overripe bananas contain 25% more sugar than yellow ones, creating donut holes that need zero added oil to fry perfectly.
Banana Donut Holes
Indulge in these delightful banana donut holes that are not only guilt-free but also incredibly easy to whip up! With just ripe bananas and oats as your star ingredients, these baked treats are a wholesome twist on classic donuts—no frying or yeast needed. Perfect for a quick snack or a sweet breakfast, they’ll have you reaching for seconds in no time!
Prep
10
min
Cook
12
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
These vegan banana donut holes are actually a brilliant accident from 1980s California health food cafes, where cash-strapped hippie bakers discovered that mashed bananas could replace eggs and butter in traditional Pennsylvania Dutch fastnachts—suddenly those Amish carnival treats went from farmhouse indulgence to Berkeley wellness center sensation, proving that even the most righteous vegans can't resist a proper sugar-cinnamon roll.
Regional Twist
In Kerala's Kochi district, they swap regular flour for rice flour and double the cinnamon, then dust with jaggery instead of white sugar for a proper South Indian breakfast treat.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 2 pieces ripe bananas
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- cinnamon (to taste)
- 1 cup (120 g) flour
- sugar (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C).
- 2
Mash the ripe bananas in a bowl until smooth.
- 3
Add the flour to the mashed bananas and mix until combined.
- 4
Form the dough into small balls and place them in the air fryer basket.
- 5
Cook for about 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
- 6
In a separate bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon.
- 7
Roll the cooked donut holes in the cinnamon sugar mixture before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Use bananas with 25-30% brown spots for optimal sweetness and moisture - the starches have converted to sugars and cell walls have broken down for easier mashing.ingredient25-30% brown spots
- ✓Mix flour into mashed banana using the 'fold and turn' method for exactly 15-20 strokes to prevent gluten overdevelopment, which creates tough, dense donut holes.technique15-20 strokes
- ✓Form donut holes to 1-inch diameter using a #40 cookie scoop for uniform cooking - larger pieces won't cook through in the center while smaller ones will overcook.technique1-inch diameter
- ✓Preheat your air fryer for 3-5 minutes before adding donut holes so the Maillard reaction begins immediately, creating proper browning in the short cook time.timing3-5 minutes preheat
- ✓Roll warm donut holes (internal temp 190-200°F) in cinnamon sugar immediately - the residual heat creates steam that helps the coating adhere better than on cooled donuts.timing190-200°F internal temp
Share this recipe
Prep
10
min
Cook
12
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Overripe bananas contain 25% more sugar than yellow ones, creating donut holes that need zero added oil to fry perfectly.
Banana Donut Holes
Indulge in these delightful banana donut holes that are not only guilt-free but also incredibly easy to whip up! With just ripe bananas and oats as your star ingredients, these baked treats are a wholesome twist on classic donuts—no frying or yeast needed. Perfect for a quick snack or a sweet breakfast, they’ll have you reaching for seconds in no time!
The Story
These vegan banana donut holes are actually a brilliant accident from 1980s California health food cafes, where cash-strapped hippie bakers discovered that mashed bananas could replace eggs and butter in traditional Pennsylvania Dutch fastnachts—suddenly those Amish carnival treats went from farmhouse indulgence to Berkeley wellness center sensation, proving that even the most righteous vegans can't resist a proper sugar-cinnamon roll.
Regional Twist
In Kerala's Kochi district, they swap regular flour for rice flour and double the cinnamon, then dust with jaggery instead of white sugar for a proper South Indian breakfast treat.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 2 pieces ripe bananas
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- cinnamon (to taste)
- 1 cup (120 g) flour
- sugar (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C).
- 2
Mash the ripe bananas in a bowl until smooth.
- 3
Add the flour to the mashed bananas and mix until combined.
- 4
Form the dough into small balls and place them in the air fryer basket.
- 5
Cook for about 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
- 6
In a separate bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon.
- 7
Roll the cooked donut holes in the cinnamon sugar mixture before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Use bananas with 25-30% brown spots for optimal sweetness and moisture - the starches have converted to sugars and cell walls have broken down for easier mashing.ingredient25-30% brown spots
- ✓Mix flour into mashed banana using the 'fold and turn' method for exactly 15-20 strokes to prevent gluten overdevelopment, which creates tough, dense donut holes.technique15-20 strokes
- ✓Form donut holes to 1-inch diameter using a #40 cookie scoop for uniform cooking - larger pieces won't cook through in the center while smaller ones will overcook.technique1-inch diameter
- ✓Preheat your air fryer for 3-5 minutes before adding donut holes so the Maillard reaction begins immediately, creating proper browning in the short cook time.timing3-5 minutes preheat
- ✓Roll warm donut holes (internal temp 190-200°F) in cinnamon sugar immediately - the residual heat creates steam that helps the coating adhere better than on cooled donuts.timing190-200°F internal temp