healthy donuts usually has more to do with our emotional attitude toward splurging than with the donuts’ actual ingredients. However, these grain-free, coconut butter iced treats from Sweet Laurel Bakery are clean, relatively light, and packed with nutrition. No joke.
They’re also pink. And we think adorable-ness is definitely a factor in a dessert’s overall appeal. Gluten-free, grain free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free, it’s a wonder there’s anything left to bake with! Baking queen, Laurel Gallucci has this whole healthy baking situation down to an art and we’re hanging on her every recipe. Get her chocolate cake recipe, her lavender scone recipe, plus the donuts below and you’ll find our why we and half our Guest Editors are such big fans!
Healthy Hazelnut Flour Donuts
with Coconut Butter Icing
Ingredients:
For the donuts:
1¼ cup blanched almond or hazelnut flour
¼ tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp Himalayan pink salt
3 Tbsp 100% maple syrup
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 eggs, at room temperature, whites and yolks separated
For the coconut butter icing:
1 beet, greens removed and washed
1/4 cup coconut butter
2 tsp 100% maple syrup or honey
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup coconut milk
pomegranate seeds or topping of your choice
Directions:
For the donuts:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease your 6-mold donut pan with coconut oil.
Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl combine all of the wet ingredients except egg whites.
Mix the wet with dry and set aside. Beat the egg whites until firm peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
Equally distribute the batter between the 6 donut molds. Smooth out the tops of each donut. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden. Allow the donuts to cool, remove from pan and then chill in the fridge for half an hour.
For the coconut butter icing:
Place clean beet in a small saucepan. Cover with water and set over medium heat. Allow water to come to a bowl. Water will begin to turn deep red. Remove saucepan from heat and allow to cool.
Mix remaining ingredients over very low heat. Allow to cool. If too thick, add a bit more coconut milk. Color with beet juice from saucepan, one tablespoon at a time until desired color is achieved.
Dip donuts into icing. Once all donuts have been dipped, you may wish to re-dip donuts to achieve an even deeper pink color.
Top with pomegranate seeds or topping of your choice.
