Gluten free option, refined sugar free
It may seem strange to see chocolate donuts on a wellness and nutrition site, but I believe part of wellness is enjoying the sweetness of life as well. That’s why I love to share healthier options for traditionally sweet and unhealthy treats. These donuts are a wonderful treat for the family on a Saturday morning and you don’t have to feel guilty about serving them. They are also very simple and easy to make. I hope you enjoy them as much as my family did. They are officially Little Flower kid approved and we have a gluten free option as well. Enjoy!
Health(ier) Chocolate Donuts
Makes 6-8 large donuts
Ingredients
1 egg
½ cup unsweetened apple sauce (organic if possible)
½ cup milk (use your favorite dairy or dairy free milk)
2 Tbsp avocado oil, olive oil, or ghee
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp maple syrup
¾ cup whole wheat flour (see notes for gluten free option)
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
Topping
½ cup chocolate chips
1 tsp coconut oil
Sprinkles, coconut flakes, or nuts (optional)
Instructions
Mix all of the wet ingredients in one bowl and all of the dry ingredients in a second bowl. Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Pour into a greased donut pan. Bake at 400F for about 15 minutes.
For the topping combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments until melted and combined (mine took 1 minute). You can also melt these together on the stove.
Once the donuts are baked, cool slightly and dip into the chocolate topping. You can add sprinkles, coconut flakes, or chopped nuts for a bit of color and texture!
Notes
Apple Sauce: you can use banana or pumpkin puree in place of apple sauce. These replacements will change the flavor and texture slightly.
Gluten free option: replace ¾ cup of whole wheat flour with ¾ cup paleo all purpose flour blend (recipe here).
Chocolate chips: I recommend using a dark chocolate with a high cocoa content and no or little sugar added. Some easy to find brands that are pretty good are Lilly’s dark chocolate baking chips, Bake Believe dark chocolate baking chips, and HU chocolate chips.
Check out my article on added sugar to learn more about why I recommend avoiding it!