Vegan Buckwheat Raspberry Donuts
What is it about donuts that bring so much joy?
And is it ‘donuts’ or ‘doughnuts’?!
Whilst I’ve never been a fan of the Dunkin Donuts, or Krispy Kreme varieties, I have VERY fond memories of the deep fried kind…you know, the ones usually dusted in sugar with jam or chocolate inside! My parents never really fed us donuts so my first heavenly experience was at uni of all places haha.
The donut truck would be waiting for us every Thursday on uni grounds and we’d race over to get our hands on a freshly made, hot ball of deliciousness! Something my friends and I came to love on a cold Melbourne day…mmm. There is something so grounding about freshly baked goods isn’t there?
Obviously I’ve come a LONG way since then.
I believe we can do so much better than opting for poor quality, ultra processed flour, sugar and eggs…Particularly these days as “exotic” ingredients are now more mainstream. Not to mention the plethora of science to back up the benefits of eating more plant based foods.
This recipe was inspired by a mix of different muffin recipes I’ve made over the years that I thought I’d test out…and after some tweaking they work! I also think that has worked in their favour as the texture helps them keep well too…I store mine in the fridge for as long as they last (which isn’t long let’s be honest!)
With a friend’s #iso birthday on the horizon I decided to dust off my donut pan (circa 2015 for this donut recipe) to try them out in. You should be able to find these molds at most homewares stores. I wanted to make something fun for her knowing she appreciates a good wholesome treat. Plus I just love making and gifting treats as much as I love eating them! I joke a lot that it has to be a love language of mine. It’s definitely become a creative outlet for me.
I showcased this on instagram last week and ya’ll went crazy for them, so I wanted to get the recipe up asap. I’ll be posting a better photo of them soon. Need to show these babies off ;)
Clean ingredients
These donuts are baked not fried and seriously a cinch to make (I’m all about quick and easy)! They are also dairy and egg free, perfect for vegans and those with related allergies. If you want to make it nut free you could try subbing the almond meal for buckwheat, chickpea or quinoa flours. These are all naturally free of any gluten. Just make sure not to skimp on the baking powder required for them to get nice and fluffy.
As with all treats I make or consume, I take into consideration digestibility, that they are naturally free of gluten (and other associated gluten containing proteins that can aggravate the gut), don’t contain industrial seed or veggie oils like peanut or canola, have minimal sugar and are as nutrient dense as possible. If you’ve been following me for a while you’ll know I love to pimp my food with all.the.superfoods. #hempaddict (the healthy kind obvs!)
Side note; be wary of “gluten free” flours and other such products on the shelves which are highly refined carboydrates and modified starches which actually strip these products of necessary fibre (important for gut function) and generally void of essential micronutrients. They can also mess with blood glucose levels which can promote cravings and are not great for anyone trying to lose weight.
We want to be able to enjoy treats but not have them result in metabolic issues. It’s important to me to ensure that even the treats I’m eating aren’t a missed opportunity to get more good stuff in!
If you have kiddies, get them involved with this no fuss baking. My preschooler, Aurora, can basically manage the entire recipe with minimal help. She particularly loves the decorating part like her mama ;)
All that said, just remember these are still a treat!
Let me know how you go making them and don’t forget to tag me in your creations on social media I would love to see them @sarahsanders.co #sarahsandersco
Makes 12 mini donuts
Ingredients
2 Tbs chia and 6 Tbs water (chia egg)
1 cup organic coconut milk (I love Pure Harvest Coco Quench)
2/3 cup rapadura or coconut sugar
1/2 cup melted coconut oil (stand jar in just-boiled water on stove - stove off)
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
1 cup buckwheat flour
3/4 cup almond meal
3 Tbs coconut flour
1.5 tsp baking powder (aluminium free)
1 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
big pinch of himalayan or pink salt (mineral rich)
3/4 cup frozen raspberries
Toppings
Melted raw vegan dark chocolate (or dark chocolate of choice)
Salted caramel: mix 2 Tbs tahini, 1-2 Tbs maple (to taste) and 1 Tbs coconut milk
Sliced fresh raspberries, or any fresh fruit you like
Chia seeds
Shredded coconut
Hemp seeds
Cinnamon and coconut sugar
Rose petals
Gluten free 100s and 1000s (per my insta stories)
Coyo (coconut yogurt)
The list goes on!!
Method
Preheat oven to 180C.
Mix chia and water well, and set aside. This is the chia egg which acts as a binder.
Whisk milk, sugar, melted coconut oil, vanilla and chia egg in a large bowl to combine.
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix together.
Fold in the frozen raspberries.
Spoon into donut tray.
Bake for 15-20mins depending on your oven. Remove as they start to turn golden.
Allow to cool completely before adding toppings.
Dip the donuts into the melted chocolate, tahini caramel sauce and/or yogurt and sprinkle with toppings of choice!
Enjoy!!
Sarah x