2-Ingredient Banana Donut Holes That Taste Like You Actually Tried (30 Minutes)

The problem with most 2-ingredient recipes is they taste exactly like what they are: a compromise you made sound cute. These donut holes? They taste like you pulled out a stand mixer and a pastry bag. I know that’s a bold claim for something that starts with a boxed cake mix and a browning banana, but I’m standing by it. The texture is tender, the tops dome perfectly in the oven, and the whole thing comes together in the time it takes to make your coffee.

The short version: One bowl, a mini muffin tin, and the kind of banana you were this close to tossing. Twenty-five minutes later, you have 24 donut holes. Good luck making them last longer than the rest of the morning.

I’ve made these roughly 30 times at this point. The first batch was born out of genuine desperation — I had a guest coming over and had accidentally bought the wrong apples for a tart. Now I make them on purpose. They’re the breakfast-for-breakfast version of a dessert you didn’t have to plan, and there is real peace in that.

(Photo above: overhead shot of golden donut holes piled on a simple white cake stand, some dusted with powdered sugar, two pulled apart to show the tender, cakey crumb, soft morning light coming from a kitchen window.)

The 2-Ingredient Trick That Actually Works (It’s Not Just Bananas + Mix)

Most “easy” donut hole recipes are dense and sad. The cake mix is doing the heavy lifting here — it’s formulated with exactly the right balance of flour, sugar, and leavening to create a soft crumb. The banana replaces both eggs and oil in one go, adding moisture and natural sweetness without making the batter too thin. The result is a donut hole that’s light on the inside and has a golden, slightly crisp edge from the muffin tin.

The non-negotiable part: the banana needs to be aggressively ripe. I’m talking brown spots, soft texture, the kind you’re normally annoyed to see in your fruit bowl. That is where the sweetness lives. If your bananas aren’t there yet, toss them in a 300°F oven for 15 minutes to concentrate the sugars. I learned this the hard way after my first batch turned out dense and gluey because I used a barely-ripe banana. It was a sad, sad morning.

What this produces is a donut hole that looks intentional — domed, golden, and begging for a quick roll in cinnamon sugar. No one at your table will guess it started with a box.

What Goes In (It’s a Short List, I Promise)

• 2 large very ripe bananas (about 1 cup mashed): The riper, the better. If they’re not spotty, pop them in the oven for a few minutes to kickstart the sweetness. My sister uses frozen thawed bananas and swears they’re even sweeter — I’ve tested it and she’s right.
• 1 1/2 cups yellow cake mix (half a standard 15-oz box): Yellow, vanilla, or even funfetti work beautifully. The rest of the mix keeps in the freezer for the next time a banana goes rogue on your counter. Pro tip: if you’re using a mix with pudding in it, the texture gets even softer.
• Splash of milk or water (optional): If your bananas are on the smaller side and the batter looks impossibly thick — like cookie dough — add a tablespoon of milk or water. I won’t tell anyone it’s a third ingredient.

The Setup (Minimal, As Promised)

• A 24-count mini muffin tin (nonstick is ideal, but any will work with good greasing)
• A mixing bowl
• A small cookie scoop (or two spoons, but the scoop makes it so much faster)

That is genuinely the full list. If you don’t have a mini muffin tin, you can drop spoonfuls on a parchment-lined baking sheet like drop cookies — just reduce the bake time by a couple of minutes.

Making Banana Donut Holes (Start to Finish in 30 Minutes)

This is one of those recipes where the instructions are almost insultingly simple, but I’m spelling them out so there’s no guessing. Read through once before you start — it takes 90 seconds and saves you from the one mistake that ruins them (overmixing).

Preheat + Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 24-count mini muffin tin very well. These have no added fat, so they will stick if you skimp on the spray. I use baking spray with flour and have never had an issue.

1. Mash the bananas: In a medium bowl, mash the bananas until completely smooth. You want a wet, almost liquid paste — no lumps. (📸 Photo tip: Your mashed bananas should look like a thick puree, not chunky. This is important for the texture.)
2. Mix the dough: Add the cake mix and stir with a spatula until just combined. The batter will be very thick — almost like a soft cookie dough. Do not keep stirring once the flour streaks disappear. Overmixing develops gluten, and tough donut holes are not the goal. (📸 Photo tip: A few small lumps are fine. They bake out.)
3. Scoop and fill: Use a small cookie scoop to drop rounded tablespoons of batter into the prepared tin. Fill each cavity to the brim — they won’t overflow drastically, and you want that domed top that makes them look like bakery donut holes.
4. Bake: Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The tops should spring back when you gently press them.
5. Cool and finish: Let them cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then run a small spatula around the edges and transfer them to a wire rack. While they are still warm, roll them in powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, or dip them in a simple glaze. The warmth helps the coating stick.

The Make-Ahead Move (For Mornings When You Need a Win)

I make a double batch on Sundays and stash them in the fridge. They reheat beautifully, and my picky nine-year-old nephew will eat them cold straight from the container, so I consider them a universal win.

• Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave for 15 seconds or in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes.
• Freezer: Yes. Freeze unglazed on a sheet pan, then transfer to a zip-top bag. They keep for up to 3 months. Reheat straight from frozen in the air fryer at 350°F for 3 minutes.
• Reheat: The air fryer brings back that slight edge on the outside. The microwave works in a pinch, but they’ll be soft (still delicious, just different).

Things I Wish I’d Known the First Time (Learned the Hard Way)

1. Don’t overmix the batter: I know I said this, but I mean it. Stir just until the flour disappears. Trust the lumps — they bake out. Overmixed batter = dense, tough donut holes. I ruined my first batch learning this lesson.
2. Grease the pan like you mean it: These have no oil or butter, so they stick like crazy if you skimp on the spray. I use baking spray with flour. If you use regular cooking spray, dust the tin with a little flour after spraying.
3. Size matters here: A mini muffin tin is non-negotiable. Regular muffins will be flat and sad — the batter is too dense to rise high in a larger well. If you don’t have a mini tin, drop them on a baking sheet like cookies and reduce the bake time by 2 minutes.
4. Customize the finish: Powdered sugar is classic, but a 30-second glaze (1 cup powdered sugar + 2 tbsp milk) makes them look like a bakery case. Honestly, the visual upgrade from a quick dip is worth the extra minute.
5. Even if you mess up the size or overmix slightly, they’ll still taste good: I’ve done it. They’re not as pretty, but the flavor is forgiving. Do not toss a batch unless they are literally burnt.

4 Ways to Make These Your Own

• Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend or a GF yellow cake mix. I’ve tested this with King Arthur Measure for Measure, and it works perfectly. The texture is slightly more delicate, so let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes instead of 2.
• Vegan: The base recipe is already egg-free, which is half the battle. Use a vegan cake mix (most boxed yellow cake mixes are naturally vegan, but check the label). That’s it — the banana handles the binding.
• Chocolate Version: Use a chocolate cake mix instead of yellow. Add a half teaspoon of instant espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor — it doesn’t make them taste like coffee, it just makes the chocolate taste more like chocolate. My nephew asks for these specifically.
• The Higher-Protein Option: Use a 1:1 ratio of mashed banana to Kodiak Cake mix. The texture is a little less tender and a little more hearty, but it works. My sister makes these for her kids and calls them “donut muffins” to avoid the sugar conversation.

Questions I Get About This Recipe All the Time

Q: Why did my donut holes turn out dense and gluey?
A: Ugh, I’ve been there. The two most common reasons are (1) your bananas weren’t ripe enough — they need to be brown and spotty to provide enough moisture and sweetness — or (2) you overmixed the batter. Stir just until the flour disappears. A few lumps are fine. You’ve got this next time.

Q: Can I use pancake mix instead of cake mix?
A: Yes! Pancake mix works beautifully. Reduce the amount slightly to about 1 1/4 cups, since pancake mix has more leavening and you don’t want them to rise too fast and then collapse. The texture will be slightly more muffin-like, but still delicious.

Q: How long do these last? Can I freeze them?
A: They keep for 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Yes, freeze them unglazed for up to 3 months. I freeze them on a sheet pan first, then transfer to a zip-top bag so they don’t stick together. To reheat, pop them in the air fryer at 350°F for 3 minutes straight from frozen.

Q: What do you serve with these?
A: A strong cup of coffee is my go-to. For a more complete breakfast, I serve them with a side of Greek yogurt and some fresh berries — the tart yogurt cuts the sweetness perfectly. My nephew likes them with a glass of milk and a handful of grapes, which I consider a balanced meal.

More Recipes My Family Makes on Repeat

If this one clicked for you, here are a few others that get the same reaction at our table:

• [INTERNAL LINK PLACEHOLDER: 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bars] — The weekday breakfast that actually keeps my kid full until lunch.
• [INTERNAL LINK PLACEHOLDER: Single-Serving Microwave Banana Mug Cake] — For the nights when I refuse to share my dessert.
• [INTERNAL LINK PLACEHOLDER: Banana Peel Cake (Don’t Scroll Past This One)] — I was skeptical too, but it’s genuinely the moistest cake I’ve ever made.

These are the kind of donut holes that disappear fast — from the pan, from the fridge, from the lunchbox. I won’t judge if you hide a few for after the kids go to bed. They’re banana-based, which is practically a serving of fruit where I’m standing.

If you make them, drop a comment below or tag me on Pinterest — I genuinely love hearing which variation your family picks. The chocolate version always wins at my house, but I’m partial to the cinnamon sugar.

📌 2-ingredient banana donut holes that taste like bakery treats — save this 30-minute recipe for the next time your kids ask for something sweet for breakfast.