apple cider

Apple Cider Donuts (grain-dairy-refined sugar-free) /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

fall in LA is almost unrecognizable.  if it weren't for grocery stores carrying more pumpkins and winter squash than tomatoes, you would never know that it was autumn, and that thanksgiving is right around the corner.  while i'm certainly not complaining about 75 degree weather, and plentiful sunshine, it is a bit disorienting.  i've been trying to get into the groove of the holiday season sans chilly temps, and leaves changing color, and these donuts were just the thing to get it all going ;)

where i grew up in the hudson valley, new york, little family-run farms could be found in just a short drive.  my family would drive to to schultz's farm in the next town over.  there, they sold farm-grown apples, pumpkins, fruit, and vegetables.  as soon as fall hit they also opened up their small kitchen where they would make fresh, hot apple cider donuts right in front of you, to-order.  i remember munching on them piping hot, with a cup of warm apple cider in hand.

so when i came across melissa's baked apple cider donuts on her instagram feed, i was overcome with nostalgia and longing for a seasonal donut.  i adapted her recipe to be gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free (they also happen to grain-free as well - sorry that's a lot of free's), while also maintaining the integrity of a baked donut.  and that they sooo do, guys! they're the perfect amount of light cake-y-ness, with a good balance of spice and sweetness.  but the best part (if you don't eat refined sugar - or even if you do because i think you would be surprised) is the sugar coating.  i used monk fruit sweetener (this one), 1:1 for sugar giving it that vital sweet crunch when you bite your way through an apple cider donut. definitely nudging you guys to make these 😉

hope you're staying cozy out there, xo!

baked apple cider donuts | gf & df

i'm going to anticipate any questions about substitutions, and just tell you not to.  i know it's a lot if you don't have coconut flour in your pantry to go buy a package of it for 1 tablespoon, but it does make a difference in the way these donuts turn out.  while i urge you to try monk fruit sweetener, you can certainly use granulated sugar as well.

adapted from the fauxmartha

| makes 6 donuts |

  • 3/4 cup blanched almond flour
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
  • 1 tablespoon coconut flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (or ground nutmeg)
  • 1/3 cup apple cider, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 3 tablespoons liquid coconut oil
  • 2 large pasture-raised eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

topping:

  • 1/3 cup monk fruit sweetner
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

(3.4.18) **a note on how to make these into chocolate donuts:

  • 3/4 cup almond flour
  • 1/4 cacao powder
  • 1 tablespoon coconut flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk, at room temp
  • 1/3 cup coconut sugar
  • 3 tablespoons liquid coconut oil
  • 2 large pasture-raised eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

method

  1. preheat oven to 350°F and grease your donut pan.
  2. in a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, arrowroot powder, coconut flour, baking powder, salt, and spices.  in a separate bowl, whisk together the apple cider, sugar, coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla.  add the dry ingredients into the wet a little at a time until everything is combined.  
  3. add the batter to a piping bag (or a large ziploc with a bottom corner snipped) and fill the donut cavities 3/4 full.
  4. bake for 12-15 minutes, checking at 12 minutes for doneness, until a cake tester or toothpick come out clean and donuts are golden.
  5. in a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the monk fruit sweetener and cinnamon.
  6. once the donuts are completely cool, dunk them in the topping, gently turning them to cover sides, and tops.
  7. donuts are best when eaten the day of, but can be stored at room temperature under a piece of parchment paper for up to 2 days. 

similar recipes:

douple coffee pumpkin cake

douple coffee pumpkin cake

olive oil & dark chocolate chunk loaf w/ pears

olive oil & dark chocolate chunk loaf w/ pears

hemp-buckwheat blender waffles w/ spiced apples

hemp-buckwheat blender waffles w/ spiced apples

apple cider + honeycrisp puffed pancake /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

i never realized that so much of what i do each day and night relies on my ability to smell and taste.  i was forced to come to this realization last week when i down and out with a wicked cold.  perhaps i was (and still am) a big baby about it, but i haven't been sick in quite some time.  i suppose not being able to breath, the coughing, congestion, sneezing, and sleepless nights will do that to you, yeah?  it's been super frustrating to cook and want to get all experimental in the kitchen only to have an end product that is only distinguishable by the contents of it's sugar, salt, or acid (i.e. the only things halfway distinguishable).  i guess my point is that until one of these senses is temporarily not working, it's not entirely clear how important a purpose they serve. because of my limited ability to smell  and taste, i have commissioned my unofficial taste-tester: my husband.   he has been happily testing my puffy pancakes in my attempt to get them just right.  he doubted his palette and his ability to distinguish flavors, but i found his feedback quite helpful these past few days.  i have come to rely on him in yet another way i never imagined i would have to.  so, here's to my husband, who brings you these fun, puffy pancakes.   

i was gifted a bottle of boiled cider by my mother.  when i asked her what to do with it, she said something along the lines of "i don't know, play with it."  the teacher in me decided to go with an apple theme with this recipe and i took to replacing some of the pancake's liquid with cider.  the cider is not sweetened and therefore lends a tanginess to the pancake much similar to baked goods with sour cream or buttermilk - yes!  frank and i love honeycrisp apples, and they're at their absolute finest this time of year, so in they went.  (i hear honeycrisps are not so easy to come by outside new york state, i would say that gala apples or pink lady apples would make great substitutes.)  dutch baby pancakes or puffed pancakes seem to really be making the rounds on the interwebs since autumn has come to.  so, i wanted to make a version that i could enjoy and eat, and of course also share with you all.  i had had my eye on a beautiful recipe from a publication i received last year, and it took me awhile, but i managed to swap most of the flour and dairy products with ingredients that i normally bake with to make a light and puffy pancake that's crisp in all the right places!

apple cider + honeycrisp puffed pancake | GF + V

the flour and arrowroot powder can be substituted with any other flour with the same amount.  i use coconut palm sugar because of its low glycemic index, but it can similarly be replaced by any other sugar - i'm not sure how liquid sweetener would be since the batter is essentially liquid to begin with

adapted from Fig & Fauna for Pure Green Magazine, Volume 4

| serves 2-3 | 

ingredients  

  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons almond flour (i prefer Honeyville brand)
  • 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder/flour
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoon coconut palm sugar 
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (plus a pinch for the apples)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (plus a pinch for the apples)
  • 3 large organic eggs
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons boiled cider or unsweetened apple cider
  • 1/2 cup honeycrisp apples, sliced about an 1/8" thick
  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil
  • powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

directions

  • preheat the oven to 425°
  • heat your cast iron pan to medium-low on the stovetop.  when hot, add the coconut oil.  using a silicone pastry brush, brush up the sides and all around the pan to coat evenly with the oil (if you don't have a pastry brush, using a paper towel will work as well).  add the apples, stir in a 1/2 teaspoon of the coconut palm sugar and sprinkle with nutmeg and cinnamon to taste - stir.  cook the apples about 2-3 minutes on each side until they're lightly browned and soft.  arrange them to cover the bottom of the pan.  turn off the heat and set aside
  • in a blender or food processor, add the almond flour, arrowroot, salt, sugar and spices; pulse to combine.  then add the eggs, coconut milk, and cider.  blend for approximately 1 minute
  • pour the batter (it will be quite thin) into the pan to cover the apples.  very carefully, place the pan into the middle of the oven - bake for 15-20 minutes until pancake puffs up and lightly browned on top and around the edges 

dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately - enjoy!