pumpkin spice donuts
A world without breakfast would be absolutely tragic. No muffins, no oatmeal, no cereal, no donuts, no pancakes, no eggs, no diner specials. Breakfast is my favorite meal, but when I first went gluten free, it was the most challenging meal. Especially on crisp mornings when I craved something soft, sweet, and crusted in crumb-topping to accompany my coffee.
Thankfully, paleo and gluten free baking can be much simpler than I thought... Initially, I was overwhelmed. Where do I get these flours, why do I need different three flours for one recipe, why didn't this work... But, I began to gravitate toward recipes that use simple, easy-to-access ingredients. SCD and paleo books and blogs appealed to me because they turn to more natural ingredients. Almonds, dates, cashews are far easier to deal with than juggling three to five different flours for one batch of cookies. And, learning to use nut butters in quick breads was a real turning point for me. It replaced the oil and the flour, creating a moist, flavorful slice that actually had the same texture as a wheat quick bread.
These pumpkin spice donuts are perfect to pair with my coffee. Made with almond butter, they are a protein disguised as a carb. Warm cinnamon, honey, and pumpkin blend to pack fallish flavors into the soft, chewy cake donut. And, it's a nice treat to indulge in and it won't take a toll on my body.
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Pumpkin Spice Donuts
Ingredients:
1 cup creamy almond butter, unsalted
4 eggs
1/4 cup pureed pumpkin
1/4 cup raw honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Raw honey (To drizzle on top)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 12-15 minutes
Yields: 10 large donuts
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Place almond butter in a medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer until creamy. Add eggs, pumpkin, honey, and vanilla. Continue to beat until thoroughly blended.
2. Add salt, baking powder, and spices. Mix well.
3. Place batter into a well greased donut pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes, remove from pan. Just before eating, drizzle with honey .
Note: These donuts reheat well and can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to three days. If you don't have a donut pan, try a muffin pan or a 8X8 Pyrex baking dish.
Monday, September 17, 2012 at 12:00AM
Reader Comments (19)
How would unsalted peanut butter do as a replacement for the almond butter?
Thanks,
Dalia
I might be missing something, but how do they get into the donut shape? The recipe says after mixing, place batter into a well-greased pan, then bake. I am confused :)
Maribeth! I have a pumpkin baking pan, but you could probably bake these in any form, cake pans, muffin or cupcake tins- But for the donut shape, a donut pan would probably work best :)
I think she means to use one of those pans with circular depressions for baking donuts. Depending on how thick the batter is, you might be able to manage by spooning circles onto a cookie sheet.
These look and sound amazing! I love the ingredient list...nothing sketchy! The shot of the inside looks so moist...I just want to reach through the screen and eat one! :-)
These look great and I must try ~ but no almond flour in them to get the crumb?
Ohhh a donut pan! I think I was just so excited to find a Gluten Free donut that I totally spaced out about the pan LOL. Thanks and I can wait to try this recipe!
@Dalia -- If you used peanut butter, they wouldn't be paleo but you could certainly try it. Peanuts have a stronger flavor, so you might want to up the spices, pumpkin, and vanilla a little. And, spot on regarding the pans. ;)
@Marybeth -- YES! A donut pan. Thanks for pointing that out! I adjusted the post. :) But, you could use a muffin pan or a greased 8X8 Pyrex pan too.
@LinC -- The batter is actually very wet, so I would use a baking dish or muffin pan if you don't have a donut pan. A cookie sheet might be a disaster.
@Lauren -- Thanks so much! Hope you like them!!
@Marta -- Yes! No flours. The almond butter replaces the flour and gives the donuts a wonderfully moist texture. I was skeptical the first time I made a nut butter bread, but I was really happy with the result. :) But, there are tons of gf donut recipes with flours around the web. I'm sure you could find another one if you are worried about it.
Could you use almond meal instead of butter if you don't have any?
@Jody - You could try it... I'm not sure how it would change the texture or taste. You may have to add an oil as well since the almond butter replaces the flour and the oil. OR you could follow another recipe to be safer... I like this recipe by Roost and it is made with almond flour. I would just change the spices and add the pumpkin.
Beautiful!
I made these today! They made the house smell amazing. I made them as muffins and it took 12 minutes. I'm not even on the paleo diet and I will make these again! Delicious!
I've saved your ingredients for this delicious recipe! I felt it taste having above nice or delicious picture (lol). I hope my daughter will delighted after such delicious food.
Linda@ paleo diet recipes
Love this recipe. Do you happen to know the nutritional content? I need a certain amount of protein in the morning so it'd be helpful. Also, do you use a gluten-free baking powder? I'm curious because I want to make sure if I do it'll turn out similarly. Thanks!
@Cindy - Thank you!
@Sarah & Linda - Hope you enjoyed them!
@Bex - I don't calculate nutritional values cause when I do that I get a little obsessive, but I'm sure you could plug the ingredients into a website and divide it by the number of servings. I used a gf double-acting baking powder, but of you are strictly paleo just use baking soda. :)
Just made these, and they turned out perfect! I got to use my donut pan for the first time since my mom got it for me last fall! I did seem strange to make the recipe without any type of flour or nut flour, but they're surprisingly light and delicate. :) So excited!! Thanks :)
I'm just wondering if these could be frozen? I would like to make some in muffin tins, but as I live alone I wanted to freeze them for snacks at a later time. Thoughts?
We have nut allergies. Can someone suggest a substitute?
I've got a batch of these in the oven right now... they smell heavenly, and the batter tastes divine! Can't wait to eat them - thanks for the recipe!!
@Dana - you could try sun butter (ground sunflower seeds), if you're not allergic to them. They sub in well for ground nuts. Keep in mind though, that if the batter is at all acidic, the final product may turn out a bright green. It's safe to eat, just surprising :)