I strive to feed my little bebe well.

Mostly organic.

Mostly clean food.

Mostly homemade with love.

This happens about 80% of the time. I don’t get too crazy about it. I don’t freak out if she has white flour, processed snacks or sugar. I like to live with a balance approach to food. Mostly healthy with a side of fun. I let her explore all foods, even the not so healthy ones.

These donuts are perfect for that eating style – 80% healthy, the rest pure yum.

My new found love for baked donuts happened when I bought, on a whim, a full size donut pan that was on sale for a family trip to the mountains. We woke up and enjoyed fresh baked pumpkin donuts as we watched the first snow of the season fall. So romantic. When the little one was ripping apart her donut and shoving huge hunks into her mouth at once, making a gigantic mess, I realized that mini donuts would be perfect for her. Small and portable. Big enough for her to grab onto, but small enough not to make [as big of] a mess.

So, I bought the mini donut pan and was so excited to try them, I whipped up not one but four batches of donuts. Somethings never change.

I decided that since I had way too many donuts for one family to have at one time, I would serve them at a party that included 6 toddlers. It was a good thing I went crazy making them because before I even knew it, they were all gone. Seriously, the kiddos were scarfing down multiple donuts at a time. Fistful after fistful.

80% healthy + 20% yum = 100% FunFunFun

Baked Mini Donuts – 4 Ways

Basic Donut Recipe

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup unbleached flour (or 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour mix)
1/4 cup raw sugar. agave nectar or honey
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup organic 2%, almond or buttermilk
1 organic brown egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 350. Spray mini donut pan with non-stick cooking spray or olive oil.

In large bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Add milk, egg and yogurt until just combined.

Add any other ingredients from below or just leave plain.

Fill each donut cup 1/2 way full.  Bake 8-10 minutes or until donuts spring back up when touched. Let cool in pan for a couple of minutes before you move to wire rack to finish cooling.

Glaze and devour.

Makes 24 mini donuts.

Fun Additions

Spinach + Orange + Poppy Seeds

1 big handful spinach, finely chopped
1 tsp poppy seeds
Juice of 1/2 orange

Cut milk back to 1/2 cup. Add all ingredients to donut recipe for final mixing

For Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
Juice and zest of 1/2 orange 
1 tbsp poppy seeds for sprinkles

Mix together powdered sugar, vanilla and zest, adding juice a little at a time until you get a thick glaze. I used 2 tbsp of juice. Dunk donuts into glaze and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Apple Puree + Walnuts + Cinnamon

1/2 cup apple puree or applesauce
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Add all ingredients to donut recipe for final mixing.

For Glaze

1/4 cup raw sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix sugar and cinnamon together in bowl. While donuts are still hot, roll donuts into sugar mixture. Let cool on wire rack.

Peanut Butter + Nutella

2 tbsp organic peanut butter or almond butter

Add all ingredients to donut recipe for final mixing.   

For Glaze

1/4 cup nutella
1-2 tbsp organic milk

Heat nutella in microwave for 30 seconds. Add milk and stir until you have a rich creamy icing. Dunk donuts into bowl, face down and let cool on wire rack.

Pumpkin + Pumpkin Seeds + Cloves

1/2 cup organic pumpkin puree
1/4 cup chopped pumpkin seeds
1/4 tsp cloves

Add all ingredients to donut recipe for final mixing.

For Glaze

1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp organic cream cheese
1-2 tbsp organic milk
dash of cinnamon and cloves

Mix powdered sugar, cream cheese and spices together adding milk until you have a thick icing. Place donuts on parchment paper and using a knife, sweep glaze over donuts in an chunky and uneven manner. You can also put icing in a ziplock baggie, cut off one tip and decorate.