These Lemon Sugar Baked Donuts are a perfect healthy sweet treat for breakfast or dessert! They are light, fluffy and super citrusy! Not only that, these lemon sugar donuts are actually sugar free, and are baked rather than fried.
Why you will love these Lemon Sugar Baked Donuts
These Lemon Sugar Baked Donuts are baked not fried, and have a super fluffy, light texture. They are also sugar free and are super easy to make. They are only 75 calories and 1g sugar per donut.
They are also egg free and can be made vegan.
For those lemon lovers, these donuts are also bursting with lemon flavour, inside and out.
They make the perfect, light summery treat and are super easy and quick to whip up and bake. Once you make these baked donuts, you won’t go back.
Macros for Lemon Sugar Baked Donuts
Per donut (8):
75 Calories
10.4 Carbs
1.8 Protein
2.5 Fat
1.1 Sugar
More Healthy Dessert Recipes to try
If you love easy + healthy dessert recipes, you’ll love these:
- The Best Healthy Cinnamon Rolls (Low calorie, high protein & super fluffy)
- The Best Healthy Mini Basque Cheesecake – Low Calorie, High Protein
- 1 Minute Microwave Cookies & Cream Cheesecake- High Protein, Low calorie
- 100 Calorie Caramilk Protein Slice
- Lemon White Chocolate Protein Slice Recipe
- Oreo Cinnamon Rolls- Low Calorie, high Protein
- Salted Caramel Mini Basque Cheesecake- Low Calorie, High Protein
- Mini Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecakes – Low Calorie, High Protein
- 100 Calorie Matcha White Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients & Substitutions for Lemon Sugar Baked Donuts
All purpose flour – This is the main dry ingredient, you could sub for spelt flour, oat flour, gluten free flour or even buckwheat flour. However the texture may change depending on the flour used.
Sugar free granulated sweetener- Like stevia or natvia. This is optional, you can replace with equal parts normal sugar, honey or maple syrup. If replacing with a wet sweetener, use less liquid in the batter.
Cornstarch- This is added to lighten up the donuts and get a more cakey/fluffy texture, this can be omitted completely.
Baking Powder- Essential for rising and texture
Baking Soda- Essential for rising and texture
Yogurt- Essential to provide moisture and thickness. I use a high protein vanilla flavoured greek yogurt however plain greek yogurt will work super well. I use Yopro High Protein Vanilla Greek yogurt. This can be replaced for applesauce or vice-versa
Applesauce– I find a mix of applesauce and yogurt to provide a better texture however feel free to replace with yogurt (or vice-versa). Using only one will also yield a great textured baked donut.
Light butter- A little bit of fat goes a long way with flavour and texture in the donut (seeing as they are baked) but this can be replaced with equal parts yogurt or applesauce to keep it oil and butter free.
Almond milk- Can use any milk or liquid
Lemon juice- essential for the lemon flavour, use freshly squeezed lemon juice for best results
Lemon Zest- essential for the lemon flavour and for the lemon sugar coating
Tips
Substitute 30g of the flour with vegan or whey protein to make it higher protein– My favourite protein powder brand to use is MacroMike, use my code amb-eliyaeats to save 10% (I am a proud MacroMike Ambassador!). I have found that these vegan proteins provide the best texture.
Use a silicone donut pan for best results– This allows less oil to be used as it doesn’t require oil spray and it’s super easy to pop the donuts out once they’ve cooled. These are the silicone donut pans I use
Bang the donut pan on the countertop before adding into the oven to pop any air bubbles and smooth out the batter
Leave to cool for 5-10 minutes in the donut pan before dusting in the sugar coating. This will allow the donuts to finish cooking and will prevent the donuts from falling apart
How to store Lemon Sugar Baked Donuts
Room Temperature- Store in a airtight container for 1-2 days.
Refrigerator- The Lemon Sugar Baked Donuts will last 1 week when properly stored in an airtight container or ziplock bag.
Freezer- Individually wrap each donut in foil or baking paper and add into a ziplock bag or airtight container. They will stay good 3-4 months.
Lemon Sugar Baked Donuts
Ingredients
Donuts
- 20 g light butter Can sub for yogurt or applesauce
- 40 g applesauce
- 40 g yogurt plain or vanilla
- 100 ml almond milk
- 100 g flour
- 40 g zero calorie granulated sweetener Can use normal sugar, honey or maple syrup
- 5 g cornstarch 1 heaped tsp
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 lemon, zest
Lemon Sugar Coating
- 12 g light butter Can sub for apple sauce
- 1 lemon, zest
- 20 g zero calorie granulated sweetener or white granulated sweetener
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 180c or 350F
- Melt light butter in the microwave for 30 seconds
- Add applesauce, yogurt, lemon juice & zest, almond milk and whisk until well combined
- Add the sugar, salt baking powder and baking soda, and sift through the flour and cornstarch. Mix with a spatula until well combined
- Equally divide the donut batter into the donut mold or pan using either a piping bag or cookie dough scoop (makes 8 donuts)
- Bake for 15 minutes
- Let cool in the donut pan or moulds for 5 minutes and pop out onto a cooling rack
- Blend the granulated sweetener and lemon zest, then melt the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds
- Dip or brush each donut into the melted butter, then dip into the lemon sugar mixture
