These delicious vegan strawberry donuts are topped with a creamy, sweet, strawberry icing. These are nut free, dairy free, and perfect for a springtime treat.
Strawberries are in season! Yippee!
Well, not in season in Michigan, just yet, but in season in our warmer states, and that means that the strawberries at the store are looking nice and red and not sad and pale like they do in the winter. And you know how I love berries. They’re my favorite in recipes like popsicles, muffins, and now these donuts.
They were so good! The donut itself is super yummy plain, (that’s the way my younger son prefers them), but with the frosting and the fresh berries -these are soooo good. Try them this weekend! They are perfect for either a fancy breakfast or dessert.
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Ingredient Notes
- Flour – I like to use white spelt flour for donuts. It works the same way that all-purpose flour does, so you could easily use that if you prefer. I don’t recommend grain free flours for this recipe. The texture will be heavy and dense rather than light and fluffy if you try that.
- Strawberry Powder – The secret to the delicious and beautiful strawberry frosting is powdered freeze dried strawberries. I like Karen’s Naturals dried strawberries. It’s easy to give them a quick whirl in the food processor to create powder.
- Vegan Buttery Spread – We like Earth Balance Soy Free Vegan Buttery Spread for baking. You can use a different spread if you prefer, it will probably work well.
- Powdered Sugar – I like Wholesome Sweeteners Powdered Sugar, which is corn free and vegan.
Special Equipment
A donut pan is a good tool to have if you’re going to make baked donuts. If you don’t have a donut pan, you can try this recipe using a muffin tin! Just watch the baking time. – it may take a little bit longer. But I think frosted strawberry muffins would be a wonderful variation!
Step by Step Instructions
- Place the melted vegan buttery spread, sugar, and applesauce in a bowl. Stir together.
- Add the dry ingredients, water, vanilla, and vinegar to the bowl and stir well.
- Spoon the batter into a donut pan that has been greased and floured.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-14 minutes. Let the donuts cool for a few minutes, then turn the pan over and tap it to release the donuts.
- Beat the vegan buttery spread in a bowl, and then add the powdered sugar and strawberry powder. Slowly mix in the non-dairy milk or water.
- Frost the cooled donuts with the strawberry frosting.
- Top the frosted donuts with chopped strawberries. Enjoy!
Storage
I don’t know what kind of crazy willpower you would have to have to make these and then NOT scarf them down immediately, but in case you are that kind of person, you can store these in the refrigerator overnight.
If you’d like to store them for longer than that, I don’t recommend topping them with strawberries. Just frost them, and keep the berries off of them.
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Recipe
The Best Vegan Strawberry Donuts.
Ingredients
For the donuts:
- ¼ cup vegan buttery spread melted
- ½ cup organic cane sugar
- 2 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup white spelt flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons freeze dried strawberry powder see note
- ½ cup non-dairy milk or water
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar
For the frosting:
- 1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar sifted
- 2 teaspoons freeze dried strawberry powder
- 2 Tablespoons vegan buttery spread
- 2 teaspoons non-dairy milk or water
- 6 strawberries finely chopped
Instructions
Make the Donuts:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the donut pan with vegan buttery spread and dust it with a little flour.
- Place the melted buttery spread, sugar, and applesauce in a bowl and mix together.
- Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and strawberry powder to the bowl.
- Add the non-dairy milk or water, vanilla, and vinegar, and mix together.
- Spoon the batter into the donut pan. Smooth out the top of each donut.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-14 minutes.
- Let cool for a few minutes, then turn the pan over to let the donuts fall out onto a cookie sheet or parchment paper. Tap on the bottom of the pan to get them to pop out.
- Let the donuts cool completely before frosting.
Make the Frosting:
- Beat the buttery spread to soften, then add half of the powdered sugar a little at a time, as well as the strawberry powder. Drizzle in the non-dairy milk, continue beating. Add the rest of the powdered sugar, and continue to beat until smooth and creamy.
- Frost the cooled donuts, then top with chopped strawberries.
Notes
Nutrition
Donut batter recipe adapted from here.
Tania
Of all your donut recipes, I sadly still have tried making any. For some-reason frying, anything kinda scares me, but these might be tipping the scale to “worth-it”! They look SO good! I may have to make these on my day off this week!
Amy Castillo
Has anyone tried these without spelt? We can’t do spelt.
Amy Castillo
Just curious if anyone has tried a certain GF flour with these?
Darryl
Insanely good!
Annie @Maebells
I just got a donut pan, like the ups guy just dropped it off, I am so pumped to make these! I am trying a gluten free version today!
theprettybee
Oh good! I hope you love them! Let me know if your GF version works!
Abbie
Fresh red strawberries are the best! I can’t wait for berries to be back in season here in VT. If I wasn’t traveling this weekend, I’d totally be trying these doughnuts out! (Oh well, it sounds like a lovely treat for Tuesday, too.) I love that they’re made with Spelt flour — one of my favorites!
Pinning!
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely
So happy strawberries are back in season! This donut sounds delicious! And these pictures are particularly extra beautiful Kelly!
huntfortheverybest
they look sooo good!
Katie @ Produce on Parade
These are brilliant! Who would of thought?? :)
Kathi @ Deliciously Yum!
These look amazing, Kelly! I am such a donut freak and have yet to try a strawberry shortcake one :). Plus, I always love your healthy spin on decadent treats – I like your style, lady!
Also, I just followed you on Pinterest :)
Allison
I just pinned these as I have every intention to make them when my strawberries are out! What a gorgeous recipe! Seriously mouthwatering!!! I think we probably experience the same “food seasons” as I live in Southern Ontario. It’s killing me seeing all of the strawberry recipes all over the blogosphere! I love how you captured the icing drip in the last photo -omg! So delicious. I could just go on about how much I love this recipe, Kelly! You go girl!
And I’ve never made strawberry shortcake, but I think I will now! This is such a great take on the classic.
Sarah@WholeAndHeavenlyOven
Strawberry shortcake is definitely my favorite summer dessert. I LOVE how you put it in a donut! I could eat these gorgeous donuts every day and never get sick of them! That thickly-drizzled glaze and those luscious strawberries are literally drawing me in. Can’t wait to try these this summer, Kelly! Pinned.