Fat-Free Mini Donuts

If it weren't for my daughter, I probably wouldn't post this recipe. Cute though they are, mini donuts, even if they're fat-free and made with whole wheat flour, really aren't the healthy kind of food that I want to advocate.

But my daughter couldn't get enough of them and insisted: "I rate them 6 out of 5 crumbs, Mom! You have to post them!" Never mind that A] they were fiendishly hard to get out of the donut pan (she dipped them in glaze while I handled that frustrating task) B] they taste more like tiny sponge cakes than donuts (the better to soak up the sugar glaze, she says) and C]...well, I don't really have a C. If the fact that they're loaded with sugar, stick to the pan, and don't taste like real donuts doesn't turn you off, then who am I to keep the recipe from you?

Just don't say I didn't warn you.



Fat-Free Mini Donuts
(printer-friendly version)

I sprayed the pan with pure canola oil, but perhaps a commercial non-stick spray would work better. If I make them again, though, I'll skip the donut pan and cook them as cupcakes.

Dry:
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup unbleached flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet:
1/2 cup low-fat soymilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons soy yogurt (plain or flavor of your choice)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon water

Glaze:
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon hot water
food coloring, optional

Preheat oven to 325. Spray a mini-donut or muffin pan with canola oil or non-stick spray.

Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Combine the wet ingredients in a measuring cup. Pour the wet into the dry and mix well.

Transfer the batter to a pastry bag (or ziplock storage bag) and cut off the tip (or corner). Carefully pipe the batter into each donut mold until it's no more than 2/3 full. (Err on the side of less rather than more, or your donuts will come out shaped funny and lacking a hole on one side!) Bake for 8-12 minutes, until tops are done.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before attempting to remove the donuts from the pan. If necessary, carefully run a toothpick around the edges and centers of the molds to unstick the donuts.

Wash the pan and repeat with the remaining batter.

Once the donuts are cool, prepare the glaze by mixing the confectioner's sugar well with hot water and adding a drop or two of food coloring if desired. (If the glaze seems too thin, add more sugar; if too thick, add more water.) Dip or drizzle the top side of the donut with the glaze. (The bottoms are very spongy and shouldn't be dipped.) Be careful to dip the donut very briefly or it will absorb too much of the glaze. Allow to dry before serving.

Makes 24 mini donuts. Per two donuts: 73 Calories (kcal); trace Total Fat; (1% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 17g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 122mg Sodium; 1g Fiber. Weight Watchers: 1 point.