Baked Mini- Donuts

Why are things that are terrible for us so appealing? Staying up too late, having that extra glass of wine, prime rib, sugar, scooting around in wheelie chairs, amongst so many other things. 

One of my weaknesses (besides perhaps some of the above from time to time.....) is donuts. After I left working as a baker I was sure to lose a few pounds from just not having things to taste every day, and I did. Then, every day in the therapy room all kinds of bad stuff started showing up, cookies, cakes, bars left over from OT kitchen tasks. Then donuts started rolling in pretty consistently, and I was broken. I would cut one in half and flee the room, usually a jelly roll, or a long john. Then I would consume it, all the while thinking about it's lonely other half just begging to be eaten, and maybe I could resist a while, then I'd eventually cave and go guiltily get it.

I started looking for healthier donut recipes, and I came across this one, and it's pretty dang good for a baked donut, it doesn't really beat the hydrogenated 600 calorie deep-fried delicious death of a long john, but it tastes pretty dang good with a cup of coffee.

Mini-Donuts

1/3 cup canola oil, plus more for brushing the trays

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup white or brown rice flour

1/3 cup garbanzo and fava bean flour

1/2 cup potato starch

1/4 cup arrowroot

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

6 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup vanilla extract

1/2 cup hot water

Directions: In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flours, potato starch, arrowroot, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, and baking soda. Add the canola oil, applesauce, vanilla, and hot water and continue mixing with a rubber spatula just until the ingredients are combined. Using a melon-baller or tablespoon, drop 2 1/2 tablespoons of batter onto greased cookie sheet .

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and bake for 8 minutes, rotate, and continue to bake until the donuts are golden brown, about 7 minutes more. Let cool  for 5 minutes if sprinkling with toppings such as cinnamon sugar, or 15 minutes if using glaze or icing. Coat warm balls in cinnamon and sugar.

In the immortal words of Homer Simpson: "MMMMMMMMMMMMMM, donuts!"

It took a few attempts to get them to look this good, and the first few tries were a little misshapen, but they still tasted great, and my guests were beyond impressed. You can find Xantham Gum in the baking section of most grocery stores, and it's a little spendy, but it's an awesome addition to so many recipes I think it's worth it to try out.

Moist, cake-y, you'll want to fit them in your mouth whole. (I mis-typed this "into your mouth hole" and that's fitting as well.) And so much better for you than a store-bought donut. So you can eat them more than once a month and not worry about needing spandex waist pants. Enjoy!