These Eggless Gingerbread Donuts are fluffy, soft, perfectly spiced, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious! They come together quickly and easily– a convenient recipe for crisp fall mornings or any time at all.
Eggless Gingerbread Donuts Recipe Highlights
My kids adore donuts, but I don’t buy them often since most have egg in it. So, homemade is the answer! We are a sucker for classic home-baked treats like eggless blueberry muffins or chocolate banana bread, and these Eggless Gingerbread Donuts do not disappoint!
They are fluffy, soft, perfectly spiced, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious! Since they are baked, not fried, they’ve got all the same great flavors without the grease.
Coat them in cinnamon sugar, dip them in a sugar glaze and add colorful sprinkles to fit your occasion, and you’ll have a treat that both kids and adults will enjoy.
A fun and easy treat that’s perfect for any breakfast or brunch gathering!
Ingredients You’ll Need, Substitutions & Notes
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
You’ll need:
- Flour: Standard all-purpose flour works best here; skip the cake flour, bread flour, and wheat flour. Make sure to measure accurately. A kitchen scale is the best way to measure your ingredients, in my opinion.
- Baking powder & Baking soda: Make sure they’re not expired or too old. To avoid a chemical aftertaste, use baking powder that is labeled aluminum free. I usually use the Clabber Girl brand, and though the ingredients state aluminum, I’ve never noticed an aluminum aftertaste.
- Salt: I prefer kosher or sea salt. If you only have table salt handy, I recommend reducing the amount to half.
- Spices: You’ll need ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Feel free to use any spice combination you like, you can also add ground cloves, cardamon, etc…
- Milk: Skim, 1%, 2%, whole, almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, or coconut milk is OK. Room temperature is best for this recipe. I like to use whole milk.
- Apple cider vinegar: This can be substituted for regular distilled vinegar (white vinegar) or fresh lemon juice.
- Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter, but if you only have salted butter handy, you can use it. In this case, skip the salt called in the recipe.
- Brown sugar: Either light or dark brown sugar will work fine.
- Molasses: There is no substitute for molasses in this recipe that produces the same flavor and texture.
- Vanilla extract: For optimal flavor, reach for pure vanilla instead of imitation. Even better, try homemade vanilla extract! If you are looking for non-alcoholic vanilla flavoring, I recommend Simply Organic Vanilla Flavoring.
Eggless Gingerbread Donuts Recipe Step-by-Step Photo Tutorial
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
Step 1 – Mix milk and vinegar together
Step 2 – Mix dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside.
Step 3 – Cream butter and sugar
Beat with an electric mixer the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until creamy. Add molasses and vanilla, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed; mix to incorporate.
Step 4 – Add dry ingredients and milk mixture
Add the milk mixture and dry ingredients alternately until just combined.
Step 5 – Spoon or pipe the batter into donut cavities.
Step 6 – Bake
Coating Variations for Eggless Baked Donuts
- Cinnamon Sugar: Brush your donuts with melted butter and then generously coat them in cinnamon sugar.
- Sugar Glaze: Let the donuts cool completely and then dip the top of the donut into the glaze and place it back on the wire rack.
- Confectioners’ sugar: If you don’t prefer the little “crunch” with the granulated sugar coating, use confectioners’ sugar instead.
Storing & Freezing Instructions
Store: Leftovers keep well covered tightly at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Not-coated donuts can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm it up to your liking in the microwave for a couple of seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use a piping bag to fill your pan. It is tricky to spoon batter evenly into a donut pan – and nearly impossible with a mini donut pan. Piping the batter in with a pastry bag or a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off will save you a lot of time and frustration.
You can substitute apple cider vinegar for an equal amount of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice.
In some cases, it may be possible to switch between oil and butter in recipes, but it is not something I recommend. Butter adds a surprising amount of flavor. Most of my recipes are made by the creaming method – beating butter and sugar together – which helps to incorporate air into the batter to make it fluffy; if you use oil, the donuts will be flatter and denser.
Yes, you can! To make your own donut pan, you will need foil paper, baking spray, and a muffin pan. First, cut a 5″×5″ (13 cm x 13 cm) foil square piece. Then, place the square piece of foil over one of your fingers. Fold the foil around your finger, gently folding the sides up, to create a mold. Place into the cavity of your muffin pan and press into place. Repeat for remaining cups.
More Egg-Free Donut Recipes You’ll Love!
- Eggless Chocolate Donuts
- Easy Eggless Baked Donuts
- Eggless Sugar Donut Muffins
- Eggless Apple Cider Donuts
- Best Easy Eggless Yeast Donuts
- Easy Eggless Red Velvet Donuts
- Browse more recipes…
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Recipe Card 📖
Eggless Gingerbread Donuts
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup (140 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/3 cup + 2 teaspoons (90 ml) milk (I used whole milk)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon (7.5 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup (58 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup (50 g) brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (80 g) molasses
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
Topping (optional)
Cinnamon Sugar:
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, melted
Sugar Glaze:
- 2 cups (240 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3 – 4 tablespoon (45 – 60 ml) milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F(180°C). Spray donut pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together milk and vinegar. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 5 to 8 minutes. When it is ready, the milk will be slightly thickened, and you will see small curdled bits. Set aside.
- Beat with an electric mixer the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until creamy.
- Add molasses and vanilla, scraping down the bowl's sides and bottom as needed; mix to incorporate. The mixture could be piecey and not fully combined. That’s ok.
- Reduce mixer’s speed to low. Add half of the flour mixture; mix to incorporate. With the mixer running slowly, pour the milk mixture, then add the remaining flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Spoon the batter into donut cavities, filling half of the way full. Note: For ease, I highly recommend using a large zipped-top bag. Cut a corner off the bottom of the bag and pipe the batter into each donut cup.
- Bake for about 10 – 11 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool donuts for 2 – 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Re-grease the pan and bake the remaining donut batter.
Coat the donuts (optional):
Sugar Cinnamon:
- Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Brush both sides of each donut with melted butter, then generously coat in the sugar-cinnamon mixture.
Sugar Glaze:
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the glaze ingredients together until completely smooth. Note: You can add a bit more milk to thin the glaze or more confectioners’ sugar to thicken it, if desired. Dip each donut into the glaze, then place it back on the rack. Top with sprinkles.
Nutrition
Eggless Baking Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve asked, and I’ve answered! Read on for a handful of answers to the most frequently asked questions about eggless baking.
Post content edited to add more helpful information, no change to the recipe in December 2022.