Apples and cinnamon sugar — what could you possibly make this pair better? Oh, I know, combine them in doughnut recipe that is both vegan and delicious!

I always thought doughnuts were one of those things I would have to give up if I wanted to maintain a vegan diet. This doughnut recipe makes quite a compelling case as to why my assumption is oh so very false — it contains no butter, eggs, milk, or cream. Meanwhile, these doughnuts are also free of refined white sugar and flour and, get this, oil-free. So, how do they taste so good? They are sweetened with lower-glycemic coconut palm sugar, thickened with coconut milk and applesauce, and flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and apple cider vinegar. You do the math.

Admittedly, these vegan apple cider doughnuts don’t exactly compare to traditional doughnuts. Sure, they look the part and are so soft and moist that you’ll quickly forget all the doughnuts you enjoyed in the past, but their nutritional breakdown is far more redeeming.

The Benefits

Instead of white flour, this recipe uses spelt flour, an ancient cereal grain in the wheat family. Although spelt flour is not gluten-free, it contains less gluten than whole wheat or white flour. It is also rich in vitamin B2, manganese, niacin, thiamin, and copper. White flour is often so over processed that it loses nearly all of its nutritional integrity.

This recipe also calls for coconut sugar as the sweetening agent. Coconut sugar contains far less fructose than white table sugar. And while it will raise your blood sugar levels, it won’t do as much damage — its glycemic index is half that of white sugar. Coconut sugar is relatively expensive, but it’s worth the buck!

When eggs, milk, and butter aren’t part of a baked recipe, it’s tempting to fill in for their (often obvious) absence with vegetable oils and, popularly, coconut oil. Relying too heavily on a fat, even a plant-based one, can transform any well-intentioned vegan baked good into a just-as-dangerous-as-the-original-version indulgence. In this doughnut recipe, the only significant fat added to the mix is coconut milk. Coconut oil is also sprayed on the doughnut pan to prevent sticking, but that’s it!

What You’ll Need

Once the doughnut batter is all mixed and ready for baking, it’s important to have a doughnut pan on hand, so you can uniformly shape your apple cider doughnuts.

Vegan Apple Cider Doughnut Recipe

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the doughnuts

• 1 cup spelt flour
• 1/3 cup coconut sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup 100% apple juice
• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

For the sugar topping

• ¼ cup coconut sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 6-cavity doughnut pan with coconut oil.

In a large bowl, mix together the spelt flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients and then pour them into the dry ingredients. Use a spatula to fold the mixture together until just combined.

Fill each doughnut hole in the pan with an equal amount of the batter. Bake the doughnuts for 12 minutes. Allow the doughnuts to cool on a wire rack. While still warm, dip them into a mixture of the sugar topping of coconut sugar and ground cinnamon. Enjoy them warm, when they are most tender and aromatic.

Related on EcoSalon
The Original L.A. ‘Fauxnut’ Doughnuts Recipe
Strawberry and Cream Doughnuts Recipe
Fōnuts are Better Than Donuts

The post Feast on Fall With Vegan Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts appeared first on EcoSalon.

Cupcakes are out, donuts are so in. And this vegan donut recipe is a game-changer.

Donuts are one of those treats many of us think we have to swear off in order to keep our health in check. Well, that assumption is now false. The following homemade vegan apple cider donut recipe holds the sweet comfort offered by regular donuts, only in a vegan and gluten-free package.

Gluten-Free and Vegan Apple Cider Donut Recipe

Makes 6 donuts

Ingredients

For the donut

• 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup apple sauce
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract

For the glaze

• 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
• 2 tablespoons apple cider
• 1 cup coconut milk

For the sugar topping

• ½ cup coconut palm sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a donut pan with coconut oil and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, cream of tartar, cornstarch, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, applesauce, coconut oil, and extracts. Add the wet ingredient to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.

Pour the batter into the donut pan and pop the pan into the oven for eight to ten minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. In a food processor or high-speed blender, blend together the coconut milk, dates, and apple cider until thick and creamy in consistency.

In a small bowl, mix together the sugar topping.

Once the donuts have finished cooking and cool at room temperature, dip the tops of each into the glaze and then into the cinnamon sugar. Serve and enjoy!

Related on EcoSalon
The Original L.A. ‘Fauxnut’ Doughnuts
Strawberry and Cream Doughnuts Recipe
Vegan This: Nutella Donut Muffins

The post Gluten-Free Vegan Apple Cider Donut Recipe appeared first on EcoSalon.

We aren’t in the depths of the winter yet, so enjoy cool seasonal drinks while you still can. If you are feeling particularly in the holiday spirit, spike each with a splash of liquor and cool down and warm up all at the same time. Enjoy!

The idea of a slushie brings back childhood memories of artificially-colored and flavored snow cones. It is also reminiscent of 7-Eleven supersized slushies on tap that are equally as artificial.

However, a healthier, more sophisticated slushies, like this apple cider slushie recipe, fits the bill without the junk. With apple season in full force, I’m all about using the fruit to its limit. The combination of apple, autumn spices, and an icy chill make for a delightful beverage to enjoy on a cool afternoon. The recipe is also perfect to make for entertaining guests at holiday parties as well as children.

I generally like to put together a homemade version of apple cider, but you could very well just pick some up at the grocery store to make your life a whole lot easier. Be cautious of the sugar content of any apple cider you snatch off the shelves. There are plenty of sugar-free varieties out there. With that said, if you want the slushie recipe to taste a tad sweeter, add in the desired amount of stevia or maple syrup.

Apple Cider Slushie Recipe

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

• 2 cups apple cider
• 3 cups ice
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground clove
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Dash of salt
• Cinnamon stick for garnish

Directions

Blend all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender until the ice turns to slush. You may have to stop the blender to stir the mixture with a spatula and rearrange the ice for better blending.

Serve in glasses with a cinnamon stick as garnish. Enjoy!

Related on EcoSalon
Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar (and a DIY Recipe)
Apple Cider Vinegar: Drink to Your Health
Apples for Cider in the Heart of Normandy

The post Apple Cider Slushie Recipe: a Cool Treat to Match the Season appeared first on EcoSalon.

10 liquid ways to beat the winter chill.

Baby, it’s starting to get cold outside – the perfect excuse to warm up with a little holiday cheer. And by “holiday cheer,” we mean a stiff drink.

Whether your poison is cider, champagne, coffee, or cranberry, this week’s Foodspotting Friday offers plenty of inspiration for imbibing this holiday season.

Champagne Cocktail @ Per Se

Egg Nog @ Saul’s Restaurant & Deli

Mulled Wine @ Christopher Columbus Restaurant & Pub

Absinthe @ Absinthe Brasserie & Bar

Irish Coffee @ Buena Vista Café

Spiced Apple Cider @ Michigan Brewing Co

A Winter’s Holiday @ Frankies Spuntino Restaurant

Spiced Cider Martini @ Douzo Japanese Restaurant

Egg Nog @ Saul’s Restaurant & Deli

Bourbon and Bacon @ The Girl and the Fig

In Foodspotting Friday we highlight one of Foodspotting’s – or our own – top picks from our Foodspotting guides. Be sure to check them out and tip us off to your own favorites in our Readers’ Picks guide. Want to start spotting food on your own? Join Foodspotting and take part in the food spotting revolution. It’s visual, it’s positive, it’s global and we are in love with it.

The post Foodspotting Friday: Holiday Cheer on the Rocks appeared first on EcoSalon.