• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to privacy navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Fit Mitten Kitchen

balanced baking and real food recipes

Subscribe to receive my FREE Healthy Nut Butter eBook!
Free eBook!
  • Recipes
    • Course
      • Breakfast
        • Egg Dishes
        • Oatmeal & Granola
        • Pancakes & Waffles
        • Scones
        • Smoothies
      • Desserts
        • Bars & Brownies
        • Cakes & Cupcakes
        • Candy
        • Cookies
        • Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts
        • PIes, Tarts & Crisps
        • Cinnamon Rolls
      • Healthy Drinks
      • Lunch & Dinner
        • Appetizers
        • Bowls
        • Salads
        • Sandwiches & Wraps
        • Sides
        • Soups & Chili
      • Snacks
        • Bars & Balls
        • Muffins & Breads
        • Nut & Seed Butters
    • Dietary
      • Dairy Free
      • Gluten-Free
      • No Added Sugar
      • Nut-Free
      • Oil-Free
      • Paleo
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
      • Whole30
    • Method
      • Food Processor & Blender
      • Freezer
      • Grill
      • Instant Pot
      • No-Bake
      • Oven
      • Slow Cooker
      • Stovetop
    • Protein
      • Chicken
      • Plant Based
      • Pork
      • Seafood
      • Turkey
    • Recipe Videos
  • About
    • Meet Ashley
    • Work with Me
      • Partnerships
    • Contact
  • Lifestyle
    • Real Talk
    • Travel
    • Workouts
  • Shop
Home Recipes Course Breakfast Baked Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts
DF Dairy Free VG Vegetarian

Baked Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts

Jump to Recipe Rate Recipe
Posted:3/6/17
Updated:11/22/19

These Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts are soooo delicious. They’re baked, use whole grain flour, dairy-free AND light and fluffy. Oh, don’t forget the lemon glaze though…

Lemon poppyseed donuts with glaze in stack on white plate with lemon slices this recipe

This post is sponsored in partnership with NOW Foods. Thank you for supporting the brands I trust and having the pleasure of working with, helping make Fit Mitten Kitchen possible!

Guys… Spring is two weeks away. TWO WEEKS. And even though I can’t really count on Michigan weather to be “spring-like” anytime soon, I CAN pretend warmer weather is coming with some lemon poppy seed things… and by things I obviously mean DONUTS.

Why has it been so long since I’ve made donuts?! I’m trying to think… It must have been when I actually made this lemon poppy seed muffin recipe into donuts last year. I brought them in for my coworkers and I remember them being so impressed. “You made DONUTS?” I would get with that incredulous look. Of course I felt the need to explain to them, “Well it’s basically just a muffin recipe and I baked them in a donut pan… and they’re not fried…”

I don’t know why but I always feel like I have to explain myself when making “healthier” alternatives. Either way though, my work friends didn’t seem to mind 🙂 I mean, can you really go wrong with the word “donut”? Baked, fried, glazed, powdered… they’re all pretty great.

Baked Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts

Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts on drying rack

I won’t lie… these donuts are pretty freaking good, my friends. I’m a sucker for anything lemon poppy seed. But lemon poppy seed DONUTS?! *swoon*

what you need

  • non-dairy milk + lemon juice
  • whole wheat pastry flour
  • poppy seeds
  • baking powder
  • baking soda
  • salt
  • lemons
  • oil
  • granulated sugar
  • egg
  • vanilla
step by step ingredients for lemon poppy seed muffins with beet sugar and lemon zest

We’re using granulated beet sugar from my friends over at NOW Foods. It is a great sugar substitute to bake with, especially if you have an intolerance to cane sugar. That is not to say I think it is “healthier”. Sugar is sugar. Just trying to share options!

NOW Foods actually has TONS of products I use every day. Their cooking oils (also used in this recipe) are great quality and reasonably priced. And their vanilla extract is organic and non-gmo. NOW is committed to making sure ALL of their food line brands are non-GMO. I truly value partnering with brands that are committed to not only making sure they’re producing quality products, but also practice being transparent.

But back to the lemon poppy seed donuts…

Easy baked donuts! Lemon poppy seed, dairy-free.

You’ll notice from the above pictures you will fill the donut pan *almost* full. Make sure to grease/oil the pan fairly well to ensure the donuts come out in one piece. Then gently remove them and allow the donuts to cool on a wire rack.

Then it’s on to THE GLAZE. You kind of can’t do donuts without a glaze, right? This glaze is really simple: powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest.

And if you don’t have powdered sugar at home, you can actually just process the beet sugar with tapioca starch or corn starch until it reaches a super fine texture. It will mix up just like store-bought powdered sugar!

Then we dip the donuts… and eat.

lemon poppy seed donuts with bite taken out on drying rack

Print

Baked Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts

Lemon Poppy Seed Glazed Donuts! Baked, whole grain flour and dairy-free!
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

★★★★★

4.5 from 2 reviews

These Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts are soooo delicious. They’re baked, use whole grain flour, dairy-free AND light and fluffy. Oh, don’t forget the lemon glaze though…

  • Author: Ashley
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 20 mins
  • Yield: 12 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: bake
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk* + 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemons
  • 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour** (or whole wheat white)
  • 2 1/2 TBS poppy seeds
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • zest of 3 medium lemons (about 1 TBS)
  • 1/4 cup oil (avocado, macadamia nut, melted/cooled coconut oil*)
  • 1/2 cup beet sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp lemon flavor (optional but adds a lemony boost)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease donut pan cavities with oil, set aside.
  2. In medium bowl add milk with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir and let sit for 2 minutes.
  3. In a large mixing bowl combine whole wheat pastry flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon zest. Set aside.
  4. In the medium bowl with milk + lemon juice mixture, add in oil, beet sugar, egg and vanilla extract. Whisk together until combined, then gently add to large bowl of dry ingredients. Use large spatula to mix until just combined.
  5. Gently spoon batter into greased donut cavities until 3/4 full (see pictures in post), about 3 tablespoons of batter. Bake for 8-10 minutes (see pictures in post) then allow to cool in pan for 3-5 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter, you should have about 12 donuts.
  6. While donuts are cooling, make your glaze: combine 3/4 cup powdered sugar with 2 TBS freshly squeezed lemon juice, more zest if you wish. Gently dip donuts into bowl of glaze and place back on cooling rack–place parchment paper or pan underneath to catch drippings.
  7. Allow glaze to set, about 5 minutes, and enjoy your donuts!

Notes

*Can sub regular dairy (cow) milk as well.

**Can sub a gluten-free all purpose flour.

Donuts are best enjoyed fresh but will last in container at room temperature up to 3 days.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 donut
  • Calories: 165
  • Sugar: 13g
  • Sodium: 238mg
  • Fat: 6g
  • Saturated Fat: 1g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 5g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 26g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 3g
  • Cholesterol: 16mg

Keywords: baked donuts, lemon poppy seed, healthy donuts

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @fitmittenkitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #fitmittenkitchen


Lemon Poppy Seed Glazed Donuts! Baked, whole grain flour and dairy-free!

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

About Ashley

"Ashley Walterhouse is the founder of Fit Mitten Kitchen, based in the Greater Lansing Area of Michigan, AKA “the Mitten.” Ashley grew up as a picky eater but later discovered that eating healthy was actually easy and fun. She started FMK in 2015 as a way to share her newfound love of developing healthier recipes for all to enjoy."

GOLDEN MILK CASHEW BUTTER CUPS. You must try these gems. Paleo and vegan-friendly, these cashew butter cups are a quick and healthy dark chocolate treat!
Previous Post
Dark Chocolate “Golden Milk” Cashew Butter Cups
Tons of Budget-Frienly Kitchen Updates for Every Home. || Fit Mitten Kitchen
Next Post
Budget-Friendly Kitchen Updates for Every Home

Reader Interactions

Rate this Recipe Cancel reply

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Jenn Buxton says

    8/5/2022 at 5:10 pm

    This recipe turned out great! So delicious! I did not even use lemon extract and the lemon flavor really comes through! I also used chia seeds because I did not have poppy seeds and that worked well too.

    Reply
Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

More...

31 Holiday Cookies for Your Cookie Exchange

baked gingerbread bundt cake

Gingerbread Bundt Cake

bowl of pear salad with fresh pomegranates and candied pecans and orange poppyseed dressing jar

Pomegranate Pear Salad

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

overhead view of honey glazed carrots on rectangle baking dish with fresh thyme

Honey Glazed Carrots

stacked gingerbread truffles on green plate next to red gingerbread cookie cutter and red towel in background

Easy Gingerbread Truffles

pieces of cranberry orange baked oatmeal on oval plate

Cranberry Orange Baked Oatmeal

mocha mini cheesecake with whipped topping on black plate and dessert forks

Mini Mocha Cheesecakes

Free recipe ebook!

Subscribe and get a FREE healthy nut butter ebook!

Thank you for subscribing!
Trending Now
butternut squash, feta and kale salad in bowl Lunch & Dinner
chai latte in mug with cinnamon and star anise Cozy Drinks
banana peanut butter cinnamon rolls on small white plates with banana slices Cinnamon Rolls
As Featured On
  • Browse by Diet
  • Gluten-Free
  • Dairy Free
  • Vegan
  • Paleo
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
Exclusive Member of Mediavine· © 2023 · All Rights Reserved · Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled Back to Top

Subscribe & receive a free nut butter ebook!

Thank you for subscribing!