Donuts, Donuts, Donuts!

Let me lay this weekend out.  It all started with apple picking and a picnic.  Then there was a night of dancing to every dumb pop song that is currently being played over and over on the radio. For this very specific night out, I was told its okay to kiss a random boy, because "random boys are sort of like eating a cupcake. you feel guilty for like a minute, then you're just happy you let yourself go ahead and enjoy it.  Like "I'll work out later.  Right now I'm gonna eat every crumb of this cupcake and love it."" Thank you Meghan for these very true words; I did not however kiss said random boy.  But I did make donuts with my good friend Stephanie. 

Let me tell you this weekend was planned in advance, like 3 weeks ago.  There was strategizing involved, and a sleepover, so that these donuts could be made first thing Sunday morning.  Okay so there are three kinds, THREE!  In no special order... Plain Cake Donuts with Chocolate Glaze...Baked Apple Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar....Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze.  Yum!  Oh and P.S. Stephanie and I hand picked these apples, so be ready for more apple deliciousness in the next couple of weeks.  (Pics from our apple picking adventure)  All three kinds are baked, which makes them slightly healthier and they are delicious!  Oh and did I mention they are dairy free, but I have included recipes for dairy-free and with dairy!  FYI making donuts always seemed very intimidating, but these are so easy!  I promise, once you have the pan you will want to make all kinds of donuts. 

Its fall, so go apple picking, have a picnic, get outside, because soon, very soon, all you will want to do it curl up on a couch, preferably next to a fire, and drink hot cider...well and maybe make donuts. 

Fill plain donut batter about half full.

This was the first batch and let me tell you we were like small children.  OMG, so apparently Stephanie and I had the very same first cookbook!  

So pretty with yummy chocolaty glaze.

Fill donut pan with baked apple batter till mostly full.

Yum, baked apple donuts covered in cinnamon and sugar.  What doesn't taste better coated in cinnamon and sugar?

Fill donut pan with pumpkin batter till full, but not overflowing.

 

Thanks Stephanie for the beautiful glazing job!

These and the baked apple donuts will make your house smell amazing. Promise

Cake Donuts with Chocolate Glaze: (from Sur La Table)

*makes approximately 12 donuts

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup eggbeaters or 1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons earth balance or 1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup soy milk with 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar or 1/2 cup buttermilk

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Spray donut pan with non-stick cooking spray.

2.  In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt.

3.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together butter and egg until well combined.

4.  Add the flour and milk to the to the wet ingredients, alternating between flour and milk, mixing between the addition of each.  Begin and end with the flour mixture.

5.  Using a spoon, carefully spoon batter into prepared donut pan, filling cups approximately half full. 

6.  Bake for 4 to 6 minutes or until the top of donuts spring back when touched. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 4 to 5 minutes before removing from pan.  Prepare chocolate glaze while donuts are cooling in pan.

Chocolate Glaze:

1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon earth balance or unsalted butter

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1 teaspoon hot water

1.  In a medium microwave safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup on 50% power for one minute, stirring frequently until completely melted. 

2.  Stir in 1 teaspoon water until the glaze is thick and smooth.  If glaze is too thick add another teaspoon hot water.

3.  Dunk donuts in the glaze and sprinkle with sprinkles.  Enjoy!

Baked Apple Donuts with Cinnamon and Sugar: (adapted from Shutterbean.com)

*makes approximately 18 donuts

1 1/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup eggbeaters or 2 eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 medium apples, peeled and shredded

Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

1 1/2 teaspoon earth balance or unsalted butter

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons sugar

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray donut pan with non-stick cooking spray.

2.  In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

3.  In a large sized mixing bowl, whisk together canola oil and sugars until well combined.  Whisk in the eggbeaters and vanilla extract. 

4.  Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined.  Then gently whisk in apples with any juice.

5.  Using a spoon, carefully spoon batter in to prepared baking pan until almost full.  Bake for approximately 16 to 20 minutes or until golden and a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.

6.  Remove from pan and let cool for 3 to 5 minutes.  While cooling, in a microwave safe bowl, melt 1 1/2 teaspoon earth balance and in a seperate bowl, large enough to dunk the donuts in, combine cinnamon and sugar.

7.  Dunk each donut in the melted butter and then in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze: (adapted from Blue Eyed Bakers)

*makes approximately 10-12 donuts

1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup milk

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray donut pans with non-stick cooking spray.

2.  In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and salt. 

3.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil and brown sugar until well combined.  Whisk in eggbeaters and vanilla extract.

4.  Add the flour mixture and soy milk to the wet ingredients, alternating between flour and soy milk, mixing between the addition of each.  Begin and end with the flour mixture.  Whisk in the canned pumpkin just until combined. 

5.  Using a spoon, carefully spoon batter in to prepared baking pan until full, but not overflowing.  Bake for approximately 8 to 9 minutes or until golden and a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.  Remove from pan and let cool.  While donuts are cooling prepare maple glaze.

Maple Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon water

1.  In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all three ingredients until well combined.  If glaze appears too thick, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time until desired consistency. 

2.  Either dunk donuts in glaze or using a fork drizzle donuts with glaze.  Enjoy!