Two words: Dough-nuts (Donuts!!)

I rarely treat myself to a donut (or 2), but that doesn't mean the cravings go away. Armed with a new Non-Stick Mini Donut Pan, I figured I'd try my hand at a healthier baked donut (I know- sacrilege on top of sacrilege). The results were surprisingly positive. A snack of 3 mini donuts was only 210 calories (more nutritional info below)!

These are cake-style donuts, not yeast.

Not the prettiest picture, but that's what happens when you ice them too quickly (because you may want to tear into warm donuts) and it's taken with your phone:


I made several substitutions for a standard baked donut: I used stevia for the granulated sugar (about 1/8:1), used whole wheat pastry flour, added cinnamon to the batter (good for the blood sugar) and added ginger instead of nutmeg, then Earth Balance (stick, not spread) instead of shortening. I also added vinegar to the (skim) milk, for more of a buttermilk (the recipe called for plain ol' milk). EV coconut oil would also be a wonderful substitution for the shortning, but I don't have any on-hand at my bf's place.

The crowning jewel was Powdered Xylitol for confectioners sugar. Boy, oh boy! It sits on the tongue *exactly* the way the real thing does. How did I not know this stuff existed?? Sugar-free confectioners sugar?!! I welcome you to my life. For those new to sugar alcohols, they can be a little wacky on the digestive system if over-used, so definitely practice moderation.

I did 3 different glazes/toppings: Vanilla (which I put on when too warm, so immediately soaked into the donut), powdered sugar, and chocolate. They were actually all a little warm to glaze, but I couldn't resist the thought of eating them warm.

The final verdict: With the vanilla glaze, the whole wheat-ness came through a bit too much. I'd skip it next time. The chocolate was my second favorite (I added a little baker's chocolate to the vanilla). I barely noticed the whole wheat flour and it was seriously very good. The powdered sugar, however, was the winner, for both my boyfriend and me. The sugar hitting the tongue with that burst of sweetness, it tasted like a real powdered sugar donut.

Nutrition info (1 mini donut):

Calories: 70

Fat: 1.9 grams

Carbohydrates: 8 grams

Fiber: 1 gram

Sugars: 0 grams

Protein: .5 grams