Do you ever just have an insane donut craving?
This recipe is a delicious treat for anyone looking to quench their sweet tooth cravings while also keeping gluten, dairy and refined sugar free.
When you are trying to balance hormones it is important to be mindful of reducing inflammation, balancing sugar and promoting optimal gut health, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a sweet treat every once in a while. I LOVE finding recipes that are gluten free (for those who are sensitive), dairy free (because so many desserts leave my poor dairy-free patients out), and refined sugar free while ALSO being easy to make. Anyone who knows me, knows I am NOT a professional baker, and anything with too many ingredients is an immediate no for me. I want something that has simple ingredients, is time efficient AND delicious.
Here is a little bit of additional information on why I choose specific ingredients fo this recipe.
Coconut sugar
Coconut sugar is a type of sugar made from coconut palm sap. The sap is collected, boiled and dehydrated, causing water to evaporate and leaving behind small, brown granules. Overall, coconut sugar contains the same amount of sugar as table sugar, BUT is considered a better choice since it contains trace elements such as iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, short chain fatty acids, antioxidants and fibre.
The fact that coconut sugar contains fibre (inulin) actually helps to slightly reduce the absorption of the sugar in the blood stream, which can reduce its impact on your blood sugar balance overall. To put it into perspective though, the glycemic index of table sugar is 65 vs coconut sugar which is around 50-54 (some sources cite this as lower). If you have diabetes, this would not be a great substitute, as your blood sugar will likely be impacted the same.
Inulin is a great source of fibre, but has also been shown to be beneficial for digestive health. Insulin has been shown to stimulate the growth of intestinal bifidobacteria which is healthy bacteria our digestive system needs to properly function.
Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is produced by boiling down sap collected from the sugar maple tree. I love using maple syrup as a sweetener substitute because it contains up to 24 different antioxidants, which can help reduce free radical damage and help your body deal with environmental stressors. Research in rats has also found that maple syrup has a lower glycemic index than regular table sugar, which means it is better for your overall blood sugar balance. Studies have also shown maple syrup to have neuroprotective effects, helping to reduce the risk of conditions such as alzheimers disease.
Gluten free Flour
This ingredient choice came purely out of preference in this recipe. I have baked with many gluten free flours including coconut, rice, and almond, but for this recipe I used Bob’s Red Mill all purpose baking flour because it created a consistency to my donuts making them more “cakey”. I find when I bake with almond flour, things turn out a lot more dense.
Recipe
Donuts
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 Cup bobs red mill gluten free all purpose baking flour
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup almond milk (unsweetened)
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F
- Add all dry ingredients together in a bowl and mix well
- Add wet ingredients into the same bowl, mix together until everything is well combined
- Add coconut oil to your fingers (or a paper towel) and evenly coat your silicone donut pan to avoid the batter from sticking
- Pour batter evenly into the donut molds
- Bake for 10-13 minutes (closer to 10 min for convection ovens)
- Once donuts are completely cooked, take out and leave to cool before adding maple glaze
Maple Glaze
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon gluten free flour
- 3 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened almond milk
Add all ingredients to a separate bowl and whisk together until well combined
Enjoy with some tea or coffee !
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