Baked Banana Doughnuts with a Browned Butter Rum Glaze are a tasty treat with rich banana flavor and a soft, cake-like texture. Each bite is topped with a decadent, nutty glaze that has a touch of rum, making them perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet snack.

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If you’ve got some overripe bananas on the counter that are too mushy for your liking, these Baked Banana Doughnuts are calling your name! Imagine a fluffy, moist banana-flavored doughnut topped with a buttery, rich rum glaze—perfect for breakfast, brunch, or just a mid-day treat. They’ve got all the banana bread vibes you love but in a fun, doughnut-shaped twist.

A single baked banana doughnut on a blue plate topped with butter rum icing.

Baked doughnuts are a fun way to have a healthier treat without the added fat from deep frying. From plain vanilla cake donuts to deep dark rich mocha donuts, baking is a great way to enjoy super moist and fluffy treats!

Why You'll Love Baked Banana Doughnuts

Perfect Use for Overripe Bananas: You don’t have to throw out those spotty bananas! This is a great way to transform them into something delicious.

Browned Butter Rum Glaze: The star of the show! It’s rich, nutty, and just a little boozy flavor in the icing.

Great for Anytime: Whether you want them for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or just a snack, these doughnuts fit any occasion.

Ingredients

All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Salt
Ground cinnamon
Brown sugar
Large eggs
Banana
Buttermilk
Coconut extract
Confectioners sugar
Butter
Dark rum

Hint: if you don't have buttermilk, use 1 tablespoon vinegar in place of 1 tablespoon of the milk.

Baked banana doughnuts on a cooling rack.

How to Make Baked Banana Doughnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray non-stick 6 count doughnut baking pan with cooking spray.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, and set aside.
In a small bowl, mash together the brown sugar, banana, sugar, buttermilk, egg, and coconut extract.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined.
Fill pan donut pan three quarters of the way full in each well.
Bake for 12 minutes or until golden and doughnut bounces back when slightly pressed.
Let cool on cooling rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely before frosting.
To make the glaze, melt butter on stove top over low heat. Continue to cook (watch this carefully or it will burn) until butter just begins to form brown specks. Remove from heat.
Add ½ cup of powdered sugar to the butter. Stir, mixture will be dry and crumbly. Add rum, 1 tablespoon at a time. Add remaining sugar until it becomes of easily spreading and/or dipping consistency - whatever your preference.

Equipment

Donut baking pan
Mixing bowls
Wooden spoon
Piping bags
Scissors
Cooling rack

Baked donut broken in half on a blue plate.

Substitutions

Rum swap: For a booze free version, you can use a teaspoon of rum extract and substitute milk for the rum in the icing.

All-Purpose Flour: You can swap it out for whole wheat flour for a slightly nuttier taste and a bit more fiber. Just note they might be a tad denser.

Flavoring: substitute vanilla extract for the coconut extract in the doughnut batter.

Variations

Chocolate Chip Banana Doughnuts: Stir in a handful of mini chocolate chips to the batter for pockets of melty chocolate in each bite.

Nutty Banana Doughnuts: Add chopped walnuts or pecans for a bit of crunch.

Banana-Nut Doughnut Sandwiches: Slice the doughnuts in half and fill with a smear of nut butter and sliced bananas for a decadent brunch treat.

Top Tips

Use Overripe Bananas: The spottier, the better! They’ll be sweeter and give the doughnuts more flavor.

Don’t Overmix: Overmixing can make the doughnuts tough. Mix until everything is just combined.

Use a Piping Bag: Spoon the batter into a piping bag (or a ziplock with the corner cut off) to easily fill the doughnut pan without a mess.

Brown Your Butter Properly: For the glaze, take your time browning the butter until it’s golden and smells nutty. This step makes all the difference!

Glaze While Warm: Let the doughnuts cool a bit, but not completely, before glazing. This helps the glaze stick and set perfectly.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. Can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.

When you make this recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch or #grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!

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