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4.91 from 11 votes

2 Ingredient Apple Donuts

Fluffy apple flavored donuts that don't require any yeast, butter or eggs. This donut dough is just 2 ingredients and comes together in minutes.
Servings: 16 donuts
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cup (162.5 g) self-rising flour, see note before starting
  • 2/3 cup (167 g) applesauce
  • canola or vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions
 

  • If you are frying the donuts: Add 1 inch of oil to a medium saucepan. Bring to medium heat (about 350°F).
  • Combine flour and applesauce into a large bowl. Mix with a spoon until applesauce is completely incorporated into the flour and a sticky dough forms.
  • Use a 2 tsp cookie scoop to scoop dough. Gently release the dough ball directly into the heated oil. (This is usually the small size cookie scoop. If you don't own a 2 tsp cookie scoop, you can also use measure out a heaping 1/2 tbsp of dough with a measuring spoon and use another spoon to help you form a ball and release it into the oil. ) Add in half of the dough balls or however many your saucepan has room for. I fried my donuts in two batches. Fry the donuts until the bottoms are golden brown, then flip them 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 a paper towel (to soak up excess oil) to cool.
  • To air fry the donuts, set your air fryer to 375°F, no preheat. Cook donuts for about 6 minutes or until cooked through. Cooking time can vary depending on the size of your donuts and your air fryer, so I recommend testing one out before adding the remaining. To bake the donuts (not recommended as the donuts come out bready), preheat oven to 375°F. Bake for about 9-12 minutes or until done.
  • When donuts are no longer too hot to touch, coat them with your favorite topping. I mixed 2 tbsp sugar + 1/2 tsp cinnamon and put it into a ziploc bag. I then put the donut holes in the bag and shook them until they were coated in cinnamon sugar. Donuts are best enjoyed soon after they are cooked.

Notes

  • 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 most store/generic brands 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 (3 grams per 1/4 cup) you will need less flour for this recipe or more pumpkin. I recommend starting with 1 cup and then adding more as needed.
  • Homemade self-rising flour: Whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 3 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt to a bowl. Do not use the full amount. Start with 1 cup and add more as needed. Make sure your all purpose flour has 3 grams of protein per 1/4 cup. There are some brands of all purpose flour with high protein (4 grams per 1/4 cup), such as King Arthur and Bob's Red Mill, and that will make your donut dough too dry and your donuts dense. You don't want to use a high protein flour for these donuts.
  • Fried donuts are best enjoyed the same day they are made. They do not store well. Air fried donuts taste best while warm and soon after they are cooked.
  • You can use sweetened or unsweetened applesauce. I used unsweetened.
  • The donuts have a mild apple flavor. If you wish to add more apple flavor, you can fold in finely chopped apples into the donut dough. 
  • If you don't plan on adding toppings, you can add cinnamon or other spices to the dough to add more flavor to the dough.
  • These donuts come out the same size as regular donut holes. A smaller cookie scoop is used because the dough will puff up during cooking.
  • 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 is for the dough only and does not include toppings or oil absorbed if the donuts are fried. Nutrition estimate is calculated using unsweetened applesauce.
Serving: 1donut, Calories: 35kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 1g, Sodium: 109mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, NET CARBS: 7
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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