Sweet Potato Pineapple Donut Rings Recipe (No-Fail)
Baked sweet potato pineapple donut rings with a bright pineapple glaze — tender in the center because the pineapple is pressed dry before it goes into the batter.
Servings: 12 donuts
Calories: 195kcal
Ingredients
For the donuts:
- 1 cup mashed roasted sweet potato
- 3/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained and pressed dry (juice reserved)
- 11/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/4 cup (60ml) whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 –3 tbsp reserved pineapple juice
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup toasted coconut flakes, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 6-cavity donut pan well.
- Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Press the crushed pineapple through a fine mesh sieve, reserving the drained liquid for the glaze.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, melted butter, milk, and vanilla, then whisk in the mashed sweet potato until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold until just combined. Fold in the pressed pineapple last.
- Spoon or pipe the batter into the donut cavities, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 14–16 minutes, until the edges are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Whisk the powdered sugar, reserved pineapple juice, and a pinch of salt into a smooth glaze.
- Dip the top of each cooled donut into the glaze and top with toasted coconut, if using.
Notes
- Pressing the pineapple until only 2–3 tablespoons of liquid remain is the most important step — skipping it leads to a sunken or gummy center.
- Weigh the sweet potato if you can; 225g is more consistent than measuring by volume.
- Only one donut pan? Bake in two batches — the batter holds fine for 10–15 minutes at room temperature.
- Store glazed donuts at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerate for up to 5 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
- Freeze unglazed donuts in a single layer for up to 2 months; glaze after thawing.
- Reheat briefly in the microwave or a 300°F oven for 5 minutes to refresh texture.
- For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend.
- For a dairy-free version, use melted coconut oil and canned coconut milk in place of butter and milk.
- No donut pan? Bake the same batter as muffins for 18–20 minutes.