Doughnuts you don’t need to feel guilty about. Doughnuts you can feel good about!
Five or so years ago, my brother and I launched a little kitchen experiment with healthy doughnuts. Our goal was to produce a doughnut that was nutritious, but still tasty. We added terrible protein powder and thus failed, miserably. 
Making these mini chocolate doughnuts has restored my visions of healthy doughnuts, though!
While I was home in New York over the holidays, my mom bought a mini doughnut pan for me to play with. If you’re not familiar with doughnut pans, they are great and you should probably go purchase one immediately. Since you bake the doughnuts (instead of frying), they’re automatically healthier, and so easy to bake.
Using whole wheat pastry flour in the recipe instead of regular all-purpose flour means these cute little doughnuts are full of fiber and nutrients, and because of the rich chocolate flavor of the doughnut, you’ll won’t even be able to tell!
Greek yogurt steps in to give moisture to the doughnuts without weighing them down like oil or butter might have. I used plain Chobani yogurt here, but you could also use a flavored Chobani, like vanilla or the new banana flavor (if you use a flavored yogurt, though, decrease the sugar by about a tablespoon)!
The icing on these doughnuts couldn’t be simpler, nor tastier. 
I thought peanut butter would be the perfect pair to the rich chocolate flavor of the doughnut. The best part is that you can easily adjust the amount of milk and sugar used in the icing to your liking!
So long, heavy doughnuts… hello, slender doughnuts!
Rich chocolate miniature doughnuts made with whole wheat flour and Greek yogurt for added nutrition. If you’d like, substitute a flavored Greek yogurt for added dimension to the doughnuts.
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen mini doughnuts
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup nonfat milk
Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a mini doughnut pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, stir the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the bowl; add the remaining ingredients to the middle of the bowl and stir until mixed. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just mixed.
Spread the batter into the prepared doughnut pan, filling each cavity about 2/3 full (the batter will be thick). Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until the doughnuts are firm to touch. Allow the doughnuts to cool 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Cool 20 minutes before icing.
Peanut Butter Icing
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: Less than 1 minute
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the peanut butter on high, about 30 seconds, or until melted. Stir in the remaining ingredients, mixing until smooth. Dip the doughnuts into the icing, using a knife to spread if necessary.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
i love this photography Liz!! Did you get a new camera? The photos are gorgeous! and i’m obviously obsessed with these. I mean, do I really need to tell you how much I love peanut butter and chocolate and mini cute little things???
I must make donuts again soon! it’s been months.
Hi Sally, thank you!! No, didn’t get a new camera, just was able to take photos at the most opportune time of day for once, ha! I know you can relate… silly work/life getting in the way of when the sun is in the best place for food photography.
YUM!!
I also like the new layout
Thanks, Aly! I figured it was time for a change of the ‘ol blog.
Oh. I’m so making these. Now I want to dust off my doughnut pan!
Dust away… they’re worth it!
Gosh those look terribly delish. Thanks for making doughnuts that don’t make me gain a million pounds.
Doughnuts that don’t cause weight gain. That’s what the world needs more of, right?
Thanks! 7 February in Poland celebrate “Fat Thursday”. According to tradition, you have to eat a donut. Thanks to you, I can eat a donut without remorse
xx
Wow, what a fun tradition! I’m 25% Polish, so I suppose that means I get to enjoy at least 1/4 of a doughnut on February 7.
Hahaha
Really? Ofc, so you have to eat some donut on February 7!
Liz I love the mini donuts, and that the choc + PB combo is in force.
Love your new site layout, too!
Thanks, Averie! I figured a new year was as good of an excuse as any to freshen things up on the blog.
These look delicious… I’ve never had a doughnut that involved peanut butter!
What recipe plugin/app do you use?
There’s a doughnut place where I live that frosts doughnuts with peanut butter frosting — SO good. The at-home version is much healthier, I’m sure.
I don’t have a plugin specific for recipes, it’s just a printing one called “WordPress Print This Section” which allows you to make certain sections of your post printable. Hope that helps! Let me know if you have more questions about it.