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Sweet baked Zucchini Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Glaze. Made with shredded zucchini, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, and just a pinch of ginger. Then baked and dipped in a sweet brown butter glaze flavored with coffee and cinnamon. There’s really nothing not to love about these cute summery spiced doughnuts. The perfect way to use that summer zucchini!
Happy Friday, and happy weekend! And oh my gosh, happy summer. It’s Father’s Day weekend, which is just crazy, but with summer here and fun celebrations ahead, I can’t help but be excited!
Summer baking is something I’m especially excited for this year. My goal is to use all the fresh summer produce and share plenty of new ice cream recipes!
And I feel we’re kicking things off on a very positive note with these fun baked doughnuts.
I actually had the idea for this recipe come to mind just a few days ago. I loved the idea so much that I tested the recipe and am now sharing it only days later. I’m so excited about these doughnuts!!
I’ve been wanting to make doughnuts for a long while now. I knew I wanted them to be baked, and fun for summer. I had many ideas, but when a zucchini doughnut came to mind, I was sold. What a fun twist on zucchini bread. And trust me, these are much more delicious!
The details
Step 1: shred the zucchini
You can use zucchini or yellow summer squash. Both work great, I actually like summer squash a little more!
The key to baking with zucchini is to make sure to squeeze out the extra moisture. Just lay the shredded zucchini on a kitchen towel and ring it out the best you can.
Step 2: make the batter
This is pretty standard, first mix together the wet ingredients: melted coconut oil, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla. Then mix in the shredded zucchini.
Now the dry, I love to use whole wheat pastry flour, then some baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Mix, mix!
Once the batter is ready to go, bake it in a doughnut pan. If you don’t have a doughnut pan, make doughnut holes using either a regular muffin pan or a mini muffin pan. Either option works just the same.
Step 3: make the cinnamon maple glaze
I took inspiration from my Cinnamon Spiced Sugar Cookies and apple fritters, and decided on a buttery maple glaze with cinnamon and a touch of coffee throughout. It’s just some browned butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, instant coffee, and cinnamon.
Not too strong, not too sweet, but just right. Especially when spread on top of a warm doughnut.
Delicious! Bake these up this weekend for Dad!
I promise these doughnuts are so good – such a great treat all the way through fall!
Looking for other summer desserts? Here are my favorites:
Creamy Strawberry Mango Popsicles
Double Strawberry Sugar Cookies
Giant Double Blueberry Muffin Cookies
Cream Cheese Swirled Cinnamon Carrot Cake Muffins
Lastly, if you make these Zucchini Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Glaze, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Zucchini Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Glaze
Servings: 12 doughnuts
Calories Per Serving: 244 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini, grated (about 1 1/2 cups grated before squeezing out water)
- 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Cinnamon Brown Butter Glaze
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 3/4-1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 6-cup doughnut pan or 12-cup muffin pan with melted butter2. Lay a clean towel on the counter with the shredded zucchini in the center, then squeeze out any excess water. 3. In a bowl, stir together the coconut oil, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla until combined. Mix in the squeezed-out zucchini. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Mix until just combined. 4. Divide the batter evenly among the molds, filling 1/2-2/3 of the way full. Bake for 12 minutes, until just set. Remove and let cool 5 minutes. Then run a knife around the edges to release, and invert the pan.5. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Add the butter to a small pot set over medium heat. Allow the butter to brown slightly until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the maple syrup, powdered sugar, instant coffee, and cinnamon. Dip or drizzle the doughnuts into the glaze. Highly recommend eating a few of these warm!
I can’t wait to try these! You are an incredible chef, and your recipes are always amazing!! Thank you for sharing. Just curious.. have you tried experimenting with donuts that have less saturated fat in the batter? Wondering if applesauce or yogurt could still yield the yummy donut consistency (vs oil or butter) and be even healthier…? Thought I’d ask a professional. 🙂
Hi Harmony,
Thanks for your kind message! Sorry, I have never tested that with the doughnut recipes, but you could certainly give it a try! Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xT
These are SPECTACULAR!! I made them in a 24 count mini muffin pan, filling to the top. Baked for 10min. Used all purpose flour. I made the glaze but left out the coffee as we don’t have any. These were incredibly flavorful and tbe glaze alone is amazing! The donuts themselves were light, delicate, and had good spicing…We have 4 kids, all had 2-4 immediately haha. Highly recommend!
Thanks so much Charlene! I’m so glad you enjoyed these doughnuts! xT
These tasted good! Looks very nice. I wish I would have chopped the zuchinni smaller (less noticeable for my kiddos).
The next day, however, all the glaze seemed to run off. Did it melt because it was made of butter and it was hot? Thoughts on what might have happened?
Hi there! Hmm maybe the glaze just soaked into the doughnut? xT
Absolutely delicious and faster to make than a trip to the bakery! And OMG this glaze.
Aw thank you Steph! So glad you enjoyed these doughnuts! xT
Wow! These are so delicious!! The whole family enjoyed this recipe! Will be making again
Hey! So happy to hear this recipe was enjoyed! Thanks for giving it a try! xT
Made these last night and they’re almost gone just between me and my husband! Didn’t have a donut pan so just used a mini Bundt cake pan – I also did 1 zucchini and 1 yellow squash – turned out delicious! Even my husband who claims he isnt a big sweets guy has already eaten 3 today!
Hey Bekah! So glad you and your husband enjoyed these yummy little doughnuts!! xT
OMG!!! I don’t have a sweet tooth and rarely bake, but had company coming so I made these. They are so damn delicious!!! The brown butter glaze is perfect! Seriously, I can’t make these too often because I will eat them all!
Lol thank you so much Sharlene!! I am so glad to hear that these doughnuts were enjoyed and appreciate you making them! xT
Delicious! I was looking for an alternative to zucchini bread to use up all of our garden zucchini. I’m so glad to have found this recipe and the glaze is SO good.
Love to hear this Amanda!! Thanks so much for trying these doughnuts and sharing your feedback! xT
What do you have sprinkled on top?
Hi Samantha,
I used some dried edible flowers, totally not necessary:) Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Can you share what kind of edible flowers you used. I love that extra special touch. PS – I’ve made the maple glaze and can’t wait to try this with the coffee added. 😊
Thanks so much Kris!! I used dried edible roses, I like to order from Gourmet Sweet Botanicals, they have great options! xT