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.
Update 5/28/13: My daughter made these today in a cupcake tin and topped them with a brown sugar glaze. Though they didn’t rise as high as cupcakes, they were delicious–and much easier to get out of the pan than mini donuts. The recipe made 9 regular-sized muffins. I suggest baking them at 375F until a toothpick comes out clean, at least 15 minutes.
Fat-Free Mini Donuts
Ingredients
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 or other non-dairy milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons soy yogurt or apple sauce yogurt can be 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
Instructions
- 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.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
SusanV
Here are the comments that were posted before the blog was moved:
VeggieGirl said…
Too cute!!
11:54 AM, April 10, 2009
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Carrie said…
These are adorable!
12:14 PM, April 10, 2009
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Fairly Odd Mother said…
Thank you! As the mama to an allergic-to-milk daughter, it’s great to find treats she can have every now and then—and ones that will be better for all of us than what is mass-produced.
12:15 PM, April 10, 2009
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jess (of Get Sconed!) said…
Well they’re pretty gosh darn adorable, Susan!
12:22 PM, April 10, 2009
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Aliona said…
These are so cute!
Susan, thanks for such a great fat-free recipe!
For sure I will try cupcake version.
12:26 PM, April 10, 2009
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Gina said…
They’re so cute!! 6 out of 5 crumbs?? That’s serious!!
12:45 PM, April 10, 2009
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OpenID jaxin said…
They may not be super healthy, but 73 calories and no fat for a fun sweet treat? I don’t think you can beat that. 🙂
12:48 PM, April 10, 2009
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shelby said…
Those are so adorable! I think I’ll make them as cupcakes…the texture sounds heavenly!
12:51 PM, April 10, 2009
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Jessie said…
These are really cute! They are healthy enough for me in terms of desserts, thanks for posting the recipe.
12:53 PM, April 10, 2009
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sheena said…
this is crazy! i literally got my mini donut pan in the mail today and am going to be bakin up some donuts this weekend for easter =)
12:54 PM, April 10, 2009
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OpenID shellyfish said…
Adorable and I love the springy-colours! Though, now I have yet another reason to long for a mini-donut pan that is unavailable here…probably for my own good!
1:47 PM, April 10, 2009
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Sarah said…
Awesome! I find adding a pinch of nutmeg heightens the “old fashioned” doughnutty-ness of my baked ones, I can’t wait to try these
2:23 PM, April 10, 2009
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julie hasson said…
They’re really cute Susan! I know my kids will love them, so I’ll have to try them soon.
Thanks!
2:32 PM, April 10, 2009
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nora said…
Adorable! I’m lovin the easter pastels 🙂 and they’re really not THAT unhealthy!
2:35 PM, April 10, 2009
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Anonymous said…
They look amazing!! As always!
BTW, I have suddenly gone crazy for korean food & found this wonderful site, I thought you might be interested…
http://www.maangchi.com/
3:19 PM, April 10, 2009
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Anonymous said…
I really look forward to the emails I receive from your site. You have a wonderful sense of fun. Thank you for the laugh and all the really good recipes you have posted in the past 😉 It is so nice that you listen to your daughter.
3:19 PM, April 10, 2009
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Anonymous said…
Aww, these are just too cute for words, even if I can’t eat them! I love E’s enthusiasm for them, too.
Happy Easter!
moonwatcher
4:34 PM, April 10, 2009
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Macie said…
Aww! How cute!
4:41 PM, April 10, 2009
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OpenID emmyster said…
Wouldn’t make ’em, but they look pretty!
-E
5:40 PM, April 10, 2009
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Anonymous Katharina said…
These just look incredible!
7:23 PM, April 10, 2009
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MamaDog said…
I just whipped these up tonight for my son’s 1/2 birthday treat. They took almost no time at all when making as 12 muffins.
I did make some augmentations: vanilla soymilk, vanilla soy yogurt, OJ instead of water, adding 1 heaping teaspoon of lemon zest, and xylitol (a natural, low-glycemic sweetener) instead of sugar. Oh, and my son doesn’t like icing so I left them plain but sprinkled some tiny candy sprinkles on top (yea, they fall off, but it does the trick).
Thanks for the handy, quick and yummy recipe!
7:27 PM, April 10, 2009
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Laci said…
Unbelieveable- while I have too many vegan easter goodies, I will definatly try to create these- I even have a mini donut pan, couincidentally! 🙂
7:48 PM, April 10, 2009
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asha said…
ahhh so cute!!!
7:55 PM, April 10, 2009
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Pepper said…
Darn, I threw out my donut pan when i became vegan! But these look so cute. My 3 year old will eat anything that resembles dessert. I’m trying to kick the donut/munchkin habit, I’ll have to try these!
8:20 PM, April 10, 2009
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DJ Karma said…
Your daughter is too cute!
9:42 PM, April 10, 2009
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veggievixen said…
wow. fat free?? really?? what a feat.
they look adorable, especially the cute bright colors!
12:39 AM, April 11, 2009
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Anjali and Amman said…
These look delicious! Just in time for some vegan Easter treats.
2:01 AM, April 11, 2009
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jodye said…
It is Easter, after all.. and they look perfect!
8:55 AM, April 11, 2009
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just me said…
love them!!!
12:04 PM, April 11, 2009
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Michelle @ Find Your Balance Health said…
Well, they are cute! And if your daughter is involved in the kitchen I say who cares what the recipe is, what’s more important is that she’s into it, right?
12:07 PM, April 11, 2009
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Shannon said…
Fun!
http://www.livingwiththelowrys.blogspot.com
12:50 PM, April 11, 2009
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Siri said…
they look so cute Susan 🙂 and colorful too!
Cheers,
Siri
1:58 PM, April 11, 2009
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Ricki said…
Well, they certainly LOOK wonderful! I like the cupcake option, too, though.
6:47 PM, April 11, 2009
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Eating Consciously said…
mini donuts seem to be all the rage right now
10:07 PM, April 11, 2009
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Elyse said…
Despite all your warnings, I still think these look fabulous–and totally like something I would want to try. Yum!
11:15 PM, April 11, 2009
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A_and_N said…
you should SO patent this thing! The minute you said fat free I bookmarked it!
And guess what, I am a Simpsons fan so….
mmmmmm….donutsssssss 🙂
7:40 AM, April 13, 2009
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jennyfurlynn said…
these are *so* cute! this may justify me having to get a mini donut pan… >:)
12:50 PM, April 13, 2009
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I’m Philippa O said…
they are pretty cute though! i wouldn’t mind wearing them!
4:25 AM, April 14, 2009
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Lauren said…
Never thought I would live to see fat-free donuts! And 73 calories for two!! What a winning recipe!
8:30 AM, April 14, 2009
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SusanV said…
Lauren, they’re tiny and very “fluffy,” so it’s almost impossible just to stop at two. Just so you’re warned! 🙂
8:43 AM, April 14, 2009
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Steph (I am Bee) said…
these look so cute! annnnd yummy!
10:11 AM, April 14, 2009
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K.C.G.P. said…
do you have any other recipies for the mini doughnut pan?
10:16 AM, April 14, 2009
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jenny said…
Oh yum!!!!
12:52 PM, April 14, 2009
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Jennifer said…
these are great! i just made them tonight, but made a couple substitutions–
i used whole wheat flour instead of white.
i never keep yogurt on hand, so i used an equal amount of soymilk, and added a tablespoon of lime juice. (i ran out of lemon juice.)
the batter was fine in the mini donut pans, and they definitely needed a toothpick to come out (and i sprayed the heck out of my pans), but they were quite tasty. my husband gobbled them down by the handful 🙂
i think i’d like to play around with the flavors a bit more– maybe add some lime zest or lemon icing or something. maybe even orange donuts with chocolate glaze.
i love an excuse to take my mini donut pan out of the cupboard!
11:51 PM, April 14, 2009
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tuki said…
I love your blog! Thankyou!!
2:29 AM, April 15, 2009
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Cindy DG said…
These look great!
Cindy
http://vegetarianmamma.blogspot.com
12:56 PM, April 15, 2009
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Boba Tea said…
o i love them. must be very delicious.
1:29 PM, April 15, 2009
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Slim Vegan said…
Those look great! Can’t wait to try them.
2:00 PM, April 15, 2009
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Chocolate Shavings said…
Those are adorable! And healthy too? I’m in!
10:21 AM, April 16, 2009
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Jennifer said…
Those are SO cute and Healthy!!!!!!!!!!
11:01 AM, April 16, 2009
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stephchows said…
Well at least they look pretty 😀 Adorable story!
11:09 AM, April 16, 2009
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Theresa Roach said…
These look awesome. I already posted a link on my blog. I hope I have some time to try out the recipe soon. 🙂
2:42 PM, April 16, 2009
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Xtreme English said…
Six out of five crumbs! that girl will go far!!
6:19 PM, April 16, 2009
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CCC (Crazy Cooking Camper) said…
These donuts look SO yummy! I will share the link with the readers of PassiFlora magazine (www.passifloramag.com) tomorrow. Hope you do not mind.
Can’t wait to make these over the weekend!
10:00 PM, April 16, 2009
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john does Amsterdam said…
i LOVE your blog.
i, somehow, managed to stop eating meat over the past year (without a conscious effort as well) – it just happened.
i think europe did it to me.
kudos 🙂
8:58 AM, April 17, 2009
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Ksenia said…
That donuts look delicious! Even I try to eat as healthy as it’s possible, sometimes I can’t resist and I indulge myself with some kind of sweet tread (90% chocolate is the best!)
I think than a couple of vegan dounuts won’t hurt anybody 😉
10:58 AM, April 19, 2009
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Kristen’s Raw said…
That is funny and so sweet. Love the pic!!! They look totally yummy 🙂
Cheers,
Kristen
4:18 PM, April 20, 2009
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The Veg Next Door said…
Made these into muffins. I blogged about the recipe on my blog. I love how easy it came together. They’re precious!
2:29 PM, July 24, 2009
Amelia I.
Ok, I need some advice. I want to go vegan but I am afraid that might not work. Only my aunt is vegan and the rest of my family is not. I don't want to make it difficult for anybody. What is your advice?
Stephanie
I made these today with the mini donut pan I got for Xmas (which I asked for specifically so I could try this recipe).
I made mine with applesauce instead of yogurt, added some nutmeg and ground cloves to the batter, and subbed honey for the sugar. I also added some maple syrup to the icing to make a maple glaze.
SO GOOD!
Anastasia
These look amazing!! I can't wait to make them…However, as a health concious person, I was wondering if you could provide the nutritional information. This would be much appreciated!!
Countess of Anal Crisco
Is there anything that you can substitute for the soy yogurt? I live in South Korea and can't find that in stores here. Thanks!
SusanV
You can use apple sauce or mashed banana instead of the soy yogurt.
Kenna
These were the most amazing things ever. There are not enough adjectives to describe how delicious these were. I have almost eaten all of them and I made them four hours ago. So so so so good.
Alex
These look so good!
Hannah
I made these today; they are so quick and delicious! As I didn’t have any powdered sugar for the icing I rolled them in cinnamon sugar- so good.
Thanks for all your great recipes!
Gloria Huerta
You’re too funny! The Donuts do look cute. There’s also a good recipe on Vegan Yum Yum’s site. My daughter likes to make those and they turn out pretty good.
I love your site.
anginindra
Cant hardly wait to try it at home,cause Im a baker my self
looks promising
Vicki
Question about making them as cupcakes. I made these tonight in my cupcake pan and made 9 as the recipe says you all did later. After the 12 minutes they were still really undone looking when I stuck a knife in one. So I let them cook a while, but now they are I think over done. Sort of rubbery. The taste is great and I don’t mind the texture, but want to make them the right way next time. When making them as cupcakes instead of mini donuts how long do you suggest baking them at 325? Also I love love love your recipes! I have made so many recipes and they always are great. I direct people to your site when they ask about vegan cooking.
Susan Voisin
Thanks for your kind words. I think next time I would cook them as muffins at 375F. The timing will vary, so use the toothpick test after 15 minutes and they’re done when it comes out clean.
Nick C
I made these with non fat dairy products and they came out great. No need to buy special soy milk or whatever. Just use fat free milk and yogurt and enjoy!