Vegan Baked Gingerbread Donuts Recipe for Holiday Mornings

While tidying my kitchen recently I rediscovered a mini donut tin tucked away in the back of a cupboard. I hadn’t used it in ages — the last time was to remake an older blog recipe, Mini Pumpkin & Cinnamon Sugar Donuts — but this time I wanted something more festive, so gingerbread donuts it was.

I made a batch of vegan baked gingerbread donuts and was really pleased with the result. They sit somewhere between an iced gingerbread cookie and a soft, fluffy muffin: tender, warmly spiced and lightly sweetened with golden syrup.

I’ll admit the photos came out a bit blurry — I almost re-shot them but decided to embrace the imperfect and get the recipe live. The taste is still spot-on, so enjoy the slightly fuzzy visuals along with the donuts.

To replace eggs I use applesauce (apple puree), which also adds a subtle, Christmassy fruitiness. In the UK it isn’t always easy to find ready-made applesauce in standard grocery aisles, so a handy workaround is to check the baby food section for apple puree. You can also make your own applesauce or substitute a plain soy yogurt if you prefer.

📖 Recipe

Vegan Baked Gingerbread Donuts

Yield:
12 donuts

Prep Time:
15 minutes

Cook Time:
15 minutes

Total Time:
30 minutes

These mini baked gingerbread donuts are quick to make, vegan, and finished with a simple icing for a festive treat. They’re egg- and dairy-free and ideal for holiday baking when you want something small, spiced and shareable.

Ingredients

• 200 g / 1 ¼ cups self-raising flour (or plain flour + 1 ½ tsp baking powder)
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp mixed ground spice (or pumpkin pie spice)
• 55 g / ⅓ cup applesauce (apple puree)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 100 ml / ⅓ cup + 2 tbsp dairy-free milk
• 80 ml / ⅓ cup golden syrup (or maple syrup)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

For the icing

• 175 g / 1 ½ cups icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp dairy-free milk (add more if needed)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F and grease a mini donut tin with a little oil.
2. Whisk all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl or jug, combine the wet ingredients: applesauce, oil, dairy-free milk, golden syrup, vanilla and apple cider vinegar.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until smooth and evenly combined.
5. For neat donuts, transfer the batter to an icing bag with a large round nozzle and pipe into the tin. Alternatively, spoon the batter into each cavity and smooth the top with a finger.
6. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a skewer comes out clean.
7. Remove carefully from the tin and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

To glaze

1. Mix the icing sugar, ground ginger, vanilla and dairy-free milk in a small bowl. Adjust the milk or icing sugar until you reach a drizzleable consistency.
2. Use a teaspoon to drizzle the icing over each cooled donut and leave to set on parchment paper.
3. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Nutrition Information

Yield 12
Serving Size 1

Amount Per Serving
Calories 154
Total Fat 3g
Saturated Fat 0g
Trans Fat 0g
Unsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 164mg
Carbohydrates 32g
Fiber 1g
Sugar 19g
Protein 2g