Sweet Debbie’s Organic Cupcakes started up their allergen-free, gluten-free bake shop in response to the alarmingly high rate of children being born with severe food allergies and autism and people being diagnosed with celiac disease.

Since the moment those bakery doors opened, Debbie’s delectable cupcakes like Upside Down Apple Muffins with pomegranate juice and coconut nectar and South of the Border Cupcakes with cinnamon and cayenne and fig puree have been flying out the door. Celebrity moms like Gwyneth Paltrow became fast and loyal patrons as did Hollywood studios and people just plain hungry for a healthy treat. We asked Debbie to share a few of her secret tips for baking such delicious goodies without the allergens, gluten and with extra nutrition!

• In order to make the baked goods more heart-healthy and with higher protein, try adding seed butters such as sunflower or pumpkin and use them to replace some of the oil.
• For a low-glycemic, high-enzyme sweetener use coconut nectar instead of sugar.
• For added fiber you can substitute ground chia or flax seed for some of the flour in a recipe.
• Lessen the sodium in a recipe by using a low-sodium baking powder.
• Use parchment paper for easy removal of cookies and brownies from pans to avoid the extra fat and calories from greasing.

• LUSCIOUS LEMON DONUT HOLES

• Ingredients:

  Donut Holes

  ½ cup sorghum flour
  ½ cup light buckwheat flour
  ¼ cup millet flour
  ½ cup tapioca flour
  ¼ teaspoon sodium-free baking powder
  ¼ teaspoon guar gum
  ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  ¼ cup unsweetened plain rice milk
  3 tablespoons coconut nectar
  2 tablespoons sunflower seed butter
  2 tablespoons lemon juice
  ¼ teaspoon stevia powder

  Lemon Glaze
  1 tablespoon coconut nectar
  1 tablespoon coconut oil
  1 cup powdered erythritol
  3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

• Instructions:
  • Preheat oven to 325° F. Line a 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
  • Whisk together the four flours, baking powder, guar gum and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle.
  • Add the rice milk, coconut nectar, sunflower seed butter, lemon juice and stevia and stir to combine.
  • Form golf balls, about ½ tablespoon in size, and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared pan.
  • Bake the donut holes until they are a light golden brown and bounce back slightly to the touch, 12 – 13 minutes. Rotate the pan from front to back after about 9 minutes.
  • Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let sit for 10 minutes before removing donut holes to cool completely.
  • For the glaze, microwave the coconut nectar and coconut oil in a measuring glass for 20 seconds. Add the powdered erythritol and lemon juice and stir to combine.
  • Frost each donut hole with the glaze and place back on the rack to set.