Didn’t plan on baking anything. Was just staring at a couple of leftover blueberries, wondering what to do with them. The coffee was going cold. Kids were already asking what we could eat. I reached for the muffin tray, and there it was—the old donut pan I’d bought months ago and never used. One of the kids spotted it too: “Ooh, can we make donuts?”

No yeast, no fuss. Just a tub of Greek yogurt, the last egg in the fridge, and a pack of Nodo Baked, Not Fried Donut Mix from the pantry. The kit even came with native cinnamon sugar, which was good news because we were out of regular sugar. We threw everything in a bowl, gave it a stir, filled the tray, and hoped for the best.

They came out golden. Soft. A little bit crispy on the edges. We dipped the tops in melted butter and the sugar blend, and honestly, they didn’t last long enough to cool down properly.

What You’ll Need

No exotic ingredients. If you’ve got our donut making kit, you’ve got most of it covered.

• 225g Nodo Baked, Not Fried Donut Mix
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons oil (we used coconut oil)
• ½ cup Greek yogurt
• 1 cup blueberries (frozen works too)
• 100g butter or any kind of spread that melts
• And the native cinnamon sugar included in the kit for that final dip.

The mix itself is gluten free, dairy free, nut free, soy free, and vegan friendly—so it's got nearly everyone covered, no substitutions needed.

Want to get fancy? Stir up a quick glaze with a bit of powdered sugar and almond milk. Or drizzle with maple syrup. Totally optional though—these don’t need much.

Baked Donut Recipe: Let’s Go

Set the oven to 180ºC fan-forced. Grease the donut pan, especially those centre bits that love to stick.

Mix the egg, yogurt, and oil in a bowl. Don’t bother with a mixer—just use a fork or whisk. Add the donut mix and fold it through. The batter will look thick. That’s what you want.

Spoon the batter into each donut ring—only fill them halfway or so. Push a few blueberries into each one. Not too deep, just enough so they don’t slide off.

Let the donuts bake for around 15 minutes. They should puff up a little and bounce back when touched. Leave them in the pan for a few minutes in the pan before trying to pop them out. They’ll firm up while they cool.

Melt the butter, dip each donut, and press one side into the cinnamon sugar topping. Done.

Healthy Donut Recipe That Actually Works

You’ve probably tried a “healthier” donut recipe before. And chances are it was dry, dense, or just... disappointing. These aren’t that.

They’ve got structure without heaviness. Sweetness without overload. No refined sugar in the mix, no yeast, no drama.

They’re soft inside, golden outside, and full of actual donut flavor. And since they’re baked, not fried, they won’t leave your fingers greasy. Just sticky from the sugar, which honestly is how healthy baked donuts should be.

And yes—they’re gluten free too.

Not Dessert—But Sweet Enough

Where I come from, dessert was reserved for after dinner. Usually ice cream or custard. But donuts? That was morning tea. Or an after-school thing. These sit somewhere in the middle. Not a full-on dessert, but definitely a treat.

You can eat them warm. Cold. Reheated. Doesn’t matter. The sugar and cinnamon mix makes them feel special without much effort. They’re sweet, but you’re not going to need a lie-down after eating one.

You’re also not juggling weird substitutions. No guesswork around whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, or whether you should’ve used almond flour instead. The mix is solid. Just add the wet stuff and bake.

Popular Recipes Start with a Solid Base

It’s one of those popular recipes that feels like a shortcut—but delivers like the long way. It’s flexible, fast, and doesn’t ask for perfection.

Swap the blueberries for grated apple and a pinch of cinnamon—boom, baked apple donuts. Or stir in a bit of cocoa and some chopped chocolate to get chocolate baked donuts. They’re never going to look like something from a patisserie, but they taste like the real deal.

If you want to go the extra step, dip the top of each donut in a simple glaze, or try a swirl of classic powdered sugar. You could also sprinkle with granulated sugar just before baking to get that crunchy crust.

Chocolate Donuts, Banana Donuts, Anything Donuts

Tried a version with mashed banana the other day—just half a ripe one. Turned out like a cross between banana bread and a cake donut. My youngest said it tasted like breakfast.

You can mess around with the batter. Add vanilla. Throw in some almond flour. One time we mixed in coconut sugar just to see what would happen. It made the outside a little darker, but the inside stayed soft.

These are what I call donut muffins—they’re never going to be uniform, but that’s half the charm. Real baking. Real results. I wouldn’t say we strictly followed the recipe, but that’s the beauty of it.

Without Yeast, Still Fluffy

No yeast here. No proofing. No waiting by a warm window for the dough to rise. Just mix and go.

And they still rise. They’re soft in the middle with a good bounce. You won’t get that deep-fried chew, but that’s not the point. These are donuts without yeast, and that’s what makes them easy enough for a weekday morning.

Make Baked Donuts Together

These are great to share with the kids. They’re simple. No scary steps. Let them press the batter into the pan, sprinkle the sugar mixture, and definitely do the final dip. You’ll get some sugar on the bench, maybe on the floor—but that’s what the broom’s for.

They’re easy enough that my ten-year-old could probably make a batch without help. (Not that I’d trust him with the oven, but still.)

Store Them—Or Don’t

If by some miracle you’ve got leftovers, keep the donuts in an airtight container on the bench. They’ll stay good for a day or two. Or freeze them without the sugar on top and coat them fresh after reheating.

We’ve even done it the next day—dip the donuts into the melted butter again, roll in cinnamon sugar, and they’re back to magic.

Make Healthy: Start New Recipes That Stick

This is one of those new recipes that actually stays in your rotation. It’s not just for special occasions or when you’re bored. You make it once, and it’s easy to come back to.

The mix is made with whole ingredients, not filler or fluff. No weird thickeners. No hard-to-pronounce extras. You don’t need to swap flour instead of something else—it just works as-is.

And even when you tweak it? It still holds up. That’s the kind of healthy donut you’ll want to make again.

Final Thoughts (and Fewer Rules)

They won’t win prizes. But they’re the kind of donuts that actually get eaten. Quick enough to throw together before the kettle boils. Soft enough to feel like a treat.

You can make healthy donuts without turning it into a project. No weird substitutions. No need to weigh out six types of flour instead of just baking.

And if you want to skip the guesswork? Our Donut Making Kit has everything—donut mix, native cinnamon sugar, even the silicone donut pan.

Just pull it out next time someone says they’re hungry, and there’s “nothing good” in the house.