Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts

Warning: Extremely salacious doughnut photos ahead…

…that’s right, a lustful, even slightly gratuitous display of fall-themed vegan treats is threatening to bestow their scrumptious images upon you, & in the most delightful way…

I am in the midst of a MAJOR transition. My mood, my energy, my appetite, etc. have been up & down. Therefore the ebb & flow of inspiration has waned more than waxed lately. But still, inspiration strikes me at the oddest of times/places - like the inspiration behind these doughnuts, that came in the shape of an email from Trader Joe’s with a pumpkin donut recipe I wanted to veganize. I must admit, even though it was MY idea, I had just a small hand in the baking process! My extremely talented chef/baker/mother did most of the work…but “I” did take the photos, & of course indulged my taste buds with a few of these (as well as my omnivore brother who nearly finished the batch).

The pumpkin-puree-based doughnut batter is sweetened with pure maple syrup & spiced up with the fall’s quintessential - flavors of nutmeg & cinnamon. Just pipe or pour into a lightly greased donut pan, & in a brief 12 minutes, these springy, light, spongy beauties are ready to come out of the oven & into your life. No deep-frying is required (which means you guiltlessly eat them all)! A word on the icing…add the almond (or non-dairy milk of choice) sparingly. As you can see, our icing was just a bit too watery, causing us to add more sugar, & therefore ensuing in a more “powdery” flavor. The icing will “set” in a matter of time, but the ooey-gooey goodness remains. And as we are all pistachio-lovers, & there was ample supply on hand, we opted to embellish half the batch with chopped pistachios, which proved to be a delightfully welcome nutty addition.

Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts

Author: Melissa, Honey Bee Vegan

Recipe Type: Breakfast, Baked Good

Cuisine: Vegan

INGREDIENTS

Donuts:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 Tsp pumpkin spice

• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup almond milk

• 2/3 cup sugar

• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree

• 1/2 cup melted vegan butter

• 2 Tbsp maple syrup

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1 Tsp apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Maple Glaze:

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• 2-3 Tbsp almond milk

• 2 Tbsp maple syrup

• 1/2 Tsp vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and oil a donut pan.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the sugar, plant milk, vanilla, butter, pumpkin, syrup, & vinegar until smooth.

3. Add the flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, & salt and mix just until combined.

4. Scoop batter into a piping bag, twist the top to close, & cut about 3/4 inch or so off the bottom.

5. Pipe batter into the donut pan about 3/4 full

6. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the donut comes out clean.

7. While the donuts bake, whisk together all glaze ingredients and set aside.

8. Once baked, let donuts cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

9. Dip the donuts in the glaze, or drizzle over, & let excess drip off, then place back on the rack to set.

10. Top with chopped pistachios, if desired.

Scrumptious. These beg to be baked & dunked into coffee (or a pumpkin spice soy latte if you really want to get festive!). Put on a scarf & some boots, kick around the golden leaves & eat pumpkin spice doughnuts all season long.

Enjoy!