Delicious Holiday Donut Recipe (Cake Pop Style)

I’ve had my Babycakes machine for years.

Before my children. Before my engagement. I have cooked and baked so many recipes in it: cake pops, French toast bites, cornbread, and my favourite – donuts!  

Since I had my second baby five months ago, I’ve tried to pay special attention to my toddler. I know he’s missing out on one on one time with me, so I try to do as much with him as possible.

With the weather getting colder, we don’t go on our nightly walks as much. However, whether it’s baking or doing crafts, Joey loves to roll up his sleeves and have fun!

Children love to be given tasks to carry out. We try to give Joey some tasks around the house and he really enjoys it. He offers to help me fold the laundry, feed the dog, and help set the table every night.

Now that he has a baby brother, it’s also a huge help when he offers to hand me the odd diaper here and there too!

When it comes to baking, especially anything Holiday related, he’s always ready to help!

Involve your little ones with baking as much as possible. Think back to when you were a child.

I have so many wonderful memories of baking traditional Italian cookies with my mom, especially during the Holidays. Something as simple as a lemon cookie brings me back to what seems a lifetime ago.

Now, although Joey wasn’t allowed to help with the piping of the donut batter into the machine (even as he pleaded, “Mommy I promise I won’t burn my fingers off!!”), he helped me mix all of the ingredients together and cracked the eggs too!

Children develop some great fine and gross motor skills this way. For example: scooping the baking soda with the teaspoon measurement, the pouring of the milk, whisking the batter together, etc.

Let’s Get To It!

Although we were out of jam, we were still able to make some beautiful Holiday Donuts together!

Making jam is easy too. All you need is fresh or frozen fruit, half of its amount in water, and a little bit of sugar and lemon juice. Throw all of these ingredients into a saucepan. Cook on low-medium heat until the fruit has been cooked through! Wait for it to cool before stuffing your donuts!

This recipe is a healthier alternative to donuts made with butter (and lots of sugar). I know around the Holidays we try to limit our children’s sugar intake with so many cakes, cookies, and pies! So I substituted the butter in my normal recipe with cinnamon applesauce. Yum!

Recipe:

*1 1/2 Cups Flour
*1 tsp Baking Soda
*1/2 Cup Applesauce
*2 Eggs
*1/2 Cup Sugar (the donuts won’t be very sweet, but we like them this way! If you want, you can add up to 3/4 cup of sugar)
*1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
*1/2 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk (or regular)

Optional:
*Cinnamon & Sugar mixed together in a bowl
OR
*Powdered Sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. Whisk your sugar and applesauce (or butter) in a large bowl until combined.

2. Add in eggs and keep whisking.

3. Add vanilla and milk. Mix.

4. Gently fold in your flour and baking soda for a minute or two until fully combined.

5. I like to pour my batter into a ziplock bag and cut off one corner tip. Squeeze your mixture into the holes of your Babycakes machine. Close and cook accordingly (about 3-5 minutes).

6. If you’re using cinnamon/sugar coating, roll your donuts in the mixture immediately.

AND/OR

Dust some icing sugar on to those bad boys once they’ve cooled slightly.

7. If you want to fill these delicious morsels, wait for them to cool before piping in some jam. I use a squeeze bottle (which I will link down below) filled with homemade or store bought jam!

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

TKM

xo