These easy donuts are soft and fluffy and the donut dough is just 2 ingredients. The donuts taste like banana bread in donut form. The donuts don’t require any yeast, eggs, butter or milk. The dough is ready in about five minutes.
a bowl of donut holes.

I love homemade donuts but I don’t usually have the time to make traditional donuts with a yeast dough. Which is why I am excited to share this easy shortcut dough. It only takes a few minutes to prepare and then you can start frying your donuts.

Ingredients

  • Pureed Bananas
  • Self-Rising Flour (you can also make your own with flour, baking powder and salt)

Pureed Bananas: You want to use very ripe bananas because they are easier to puree, have more liquid and have more sweetness. The easiest way to puree the bananas is using a food processor or blender. You can do it by hand but it will take more effort. If you are doing it by hand, I recommend mashing with a fork and then using a whisk to remove any remaining lumps.

Self-Rising Flour: Self-rising flour is used here because self-rising flour contains baking powder and salt. Instead of yeast, this recipe uses the baking powder from the self-rising flour as the leavening agent. If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can make your own easily with all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. I share the exact measurements in the notes section in the recipe card at the end of the post.
close-up shot of a bowl with banana bread donuts.

Donut Dough

The donut dough will be quite sticky. The best way to cook the donuts is by using a cookie scoop to scoop the dough and then use the release mechanism to gently release the dough directly into the oil. If you try to hold the dough, it will stick to your hands and make your donut holes less round. If you do not own a cookie scooper, you can measure out the dough using a measuring spoon and use a spatula to help you release the dough. Your donut holes won’t be as round but they will still taste fine.

Donut Toppings

I rolled my donuts in granulated sugar. The sugar also adds sweetness to the donuts since the donuts don’t have any added sugar in the donut dough.

Other ideas:

overhead shot of a bowl of donuts.

More Donut Recipes

4.89 from 18 votes

2 Ingredient Banana Bread Donuts

These easy donuts don't require any yeast, eggs, butter or milk. The donut dough is just 2 ingredients and the donuts taste like banana bread in donut form.
Servings: 10 donuts
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Total Time: 11 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup (88 g) pureed ripe bananas, about 1 large banana
  • 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp (71.5 g) self-rising flour, see note regarding amount of flour needed
  • vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions
 

  • Add 1 inch of oil to your frying pot (I used a medium saucepan). Bring to medium heat (about 350°F). While the oil is heating up, make your donut dough.
  • Add pureed bananas and flour into a large mixing bowl. Mix with a spatula until flour is just incorporated into the bananas. Do not overmix as it will make your dough too wet. Your dough should be a little sticky.
  • Use a 2 tsp cookie scoop to scoop dough ball. Gently release the dough ball directly into the heated oil. Repeat with remaining dough balls. You can do this in two batches if your saucepan is not big enough. The donuts need to come to the surface so only put in as many donuts as can fit on the surface. Fry the donuts until the bottoms are golden brown, then flip them with tongs and fry a few more minutes until the other side is also golden brown. Remove donuts from oil and place onto a plate lined with paper towel (to soak up excess oil) to cool.
  • After donuts are cool enough to touch, add donut topping of your choice. I added granulated sugar to a ziploc bag and placed the donut holes inside, sealed the bag, and shook the bag until the donuts were covered in sugar. Donuts are best enjoyed within a few hours after they are fried.

Notes

  • Donuts are best enjoyed right away so this recipe only makes a small batch (10 donut holes). You can double or triple the recipe if needed.
  • Self-rising flour amount needed: There are 2 main kinds of self-rising flour sold in the US. One that is a lower protein (2 grams per 1/4 cup serving) flour and one that has a regular amount of protein (3 grams per 1/4 cup). Brands like King Arthur Flour and White Lily make the low protein flour. Brands like Gold Medal and Amazon Fresh contain a regular protein amount. The amount of protein affects how much liquid is absorbed. For this recipe, I tested it with White Lily self-rising flour (lower amount of protein). 
  • If you are using a self-rising flour with a regular amount of protein you will need less flour or more bananas. I recommend starting with 1/3 cup of flour and then adding 1 tbsp more at a time as needed until you have a sticky dough.
  • To make your own self-rising flour, add 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt to a bowl. Whisk to combine. Do not use full amount. Start with 1/3 cup and add 1 tbsp more at a time as needed. Make sure your all purpose flour has a regular amount of protein (3 grams per 1/4 cup). 
  • If you do not have a 2 tsp cookie scoop, you can use a larger or smaller one, just know your donuts will be bigger or smaller. A 2 tsp cookie scoop will yield donuts that are about the size of regular donut holes. Make sure your cookie scoop has a release mechanism because the dough is sticky and it is the easiest way to release the dough balls into the hot oil.
  • If you don't own any cookie scoop, you can use a measuring spoon and a spatula and carefully push the dough ball into the hot oil, but your dough balls may not be as round.
  • I share other donut topping recipes under the "Donut Toppings" section of the post above.
  • I used this 2 tsp cookie scoop.*
  • *This product link is an affiliate link. This means I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
  • Nutrition estimate does not include oil absorbed during frying. It is only for the donut dough before it is cooked as it is difficult to determine the amount of oil that is absorbed by the donuts.
Serving: 1donut, Calories: 30kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 78mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, NET CARBS: 6
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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