Apple Cider Donuts (grain-dairy-refined sugar-free) | dolly and oatmeal

fall in LA is almost unrecognizable. if it weren't for grocery stores carrying more pumpkins and winter squash than tomatoes, you would never know that it was autumn, and that thanksgiving is right around the corner. while i'm certainly not complaining about 75 degree weather, and plentiful sunshine, it is a bit disorienting. i've been trying to get into the groove of the holiday season sans chilly temps, and leaves changing color, and these donuts were just the thing to get it all going ;)

where i grew up in the hudson valley, new york, little family-run farms could be found in just a short drive. my family would drive to to schultz's farm in the next town over. there, they sold farm-grown apples, pumpkins, fruit, and vegetables. as soon as fall hit they also opened up their small kitchen where they would make fresh, hot apple cider donuts right in front of you, to-order. i remember munching on them piping hot, with a cup of warm apple cider in hand.

so when i came across melissa's baked apple cider donuts on her instagram feed, i was overcome with nostalgia and longing for a seasonal donut. i adapted her recipe to be gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free (they also happen to grain-free as well - sorry that's a lot of free's), while also maintaining the integrity of a baked donut. and that they sooo do, guys! they're the perfect amount of light cake-y-ness, with a good balance of spice and sweetness. but the best part (if you don't eat refined sugar - or even if you do because i think you would be surprised) is the sugar coating. i used monk fruit sweetener (this one), 1:1 for sugar giving it that vital sweet crunch when you bite your way through an apple cider donut. definitely nudging you guys to make these 😉

hope you're staying cozy out there, xo!

baked apple cider donuts | gf & df

i'm going to anticipate any questions about substitutions, and just tell you not to. i know it's a lot if you don't have coconut flour in your pantry to go buy a package of it for 1 tablespoon, but it does make a difference in the way these donuts turn out. while i urge you to try monk fruit sweetener, you can certainly use granulated sugar as well.

adapted from the fauxmartha

| makes 6 donuts |

3/4 cup blanched almond flour
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1 tablespoon coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (or ground nutmeg)
1/3 cup apple cider, at room temperature
1/4 cup coconut sugar
3 tablespoons liquid coconut oil
2 large pasture-raised eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

topping:

1/3 cup monk fruit sweetner
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

(3.4.18) **a note on how to make these into chocolate donuts:

3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cacao powder
1 tablespoon coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk, at room temp
1/3 cup coconut sugar
3 tablespoons liquid coconut oil
2 large pasture-raised eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

method

preheat oven to 350°F and grease your donut pan.
in a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, arrowroot powder, coconut flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. in a separate bowl, whisk together the apple cider, sugar, coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla. add the dry ingredients into the wet a little at a time until everything is combined.
add the batter to a piping bag (or a large ziploc with a bottom corner snipped) and fill the donut cavities 3/4 full.
bake for 12-15 minutes, checking at 12 minutes for doneness, until a cake tester or toothpick come out clean and donuts are golden.
in a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the monk fruit sweetener and cinnamon.
once the donuts are completely cool, dunk them in the topping, gently turning them to cover sides, and tops.
donuts are best when eaten the day of, but can be stored at room temperature under a piece of parchment paper for up to 2 days.