Today, I have the ultimate breakfast treat that’s still healthy and will sneak some veggies into your day! These apple cider breakfast doughnuts are the most delicious Fall treat, super easy to make and packed with hidden nutrients from the butternut squash. I promise nobody will notice they’re eating vegetable doughnuts!
Apple cider is one of the best flavours of fall and I really wanted to turn it into a scrumptious but healthier breakfast option, so here it is! My kids and the kids at dayhome absolutely love these doughnuts! They are packed with apple cider flavour and taste like Fall. They’re a baked doughnut so they come together quickly and are super easy to make!
I love creating healthy dessert options for breakfast as some days you just need a good treat to get you going, even if it is 7am. These breakfast doughnuts are perfect for that! They’re also an easy thing that the kids can help with and likely make a mess rolling the doughnuts in the sugar.
How To Prepare the Butternut Squash
So I like to buy the bags of frozen cubed butternut squash for recipes like this or to cook with. You can easily prep these by tossing them in a microwave saef dish. Add water so they are submerged and cook in 1 minute increments in the microwave until soft. This only takes about 2 minutes for me. You can also boil or bake fresh butternut squash until soft.
Once it’s soft, remove the skin and mash or puree. I prefer pureeing the squash with my food processor as it helps it blend into the batter better. If you do mash it, you may be able to see little pieces, which for anyone with kids you know that could be game over.
Butternut Squash Replacements
I haven’t tried using anything else but, mashed sweet potato or mashed banana should work well.
How Long Do The Doughnuts Keep?
The doughnuts should keep for 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature. However, they will be best served the same day.
If you want to prepare these the day before, I recommend coating in butter and cinnamon sugar the day you serve them. This way, they won’t start to get soggy and they will have a nicer coating.
Butter vs. Oil for the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
I initially tested this recipe coating the doughnuts in oil, and then tossing them in cinnamon sugar. This worked perfectly fine but the next day, they did tend to get soggy on the outside. So I do prefer using butter for the coating if you can as butter is a solid at room temperature. This helps the doughnuts stay fresh longer and helps keep them from being soggy the next day.
Obviously, if you coat them in butter instead of oil, they will be a little less healthy but it is a very minimal amount of butter. I typically don’t even use the full 1 1/2 tbsp I’ve called for in the recipe.
How to Properly Measure Flour
When it comes to measuring flour, the most accurate and easiest way is to use a kitchen scale. I always use a scale and could never go back to measuring in cups. It’s such a hassle and way more dishes!
If you don’t own a scale, there are a couple steps to properly measure flour as it becomes compacted just sitting in the bag or container. I highly recommend you follow these as just scooping flour out of the bag can potentially lead to at least an additional 1/4 cup of flour. This equals dry and dense baked goods which is not what anybody is going for.
1. Fluff the flour by giving it a mix with a whisk or fork.
2. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup.
3. Level the excess flour off using a butter knife. (With the back of the knife level to the top of the measuring cup, run it over top, pushing the excess flour back into it’s container.)
4. Repeat until you’ve measured the amount the recipe calls for.
Baking Tips
- I prefer to use butter rather then oil for the coating as it gets less soggy the next day. However, oil also works and won’t make much of a difference if serving day of.
- If prepping these the day before, I recommend coating them in sugar the day you’re serving so the coating is nice and fresh.
- For a smoother batter, puree the squash instead of mashing it.
- Don’t overmix your batter! Overmixing leads to a denser doughnut as you’ll start developing the gluten.
- I create my recipes based off weights so I recommend measuring by weights if you own a scale. It’s actually so much easier and makes for much less cleanup. I wish I had baked by weight from the beginning, I could never go back now.
More Fall Baking
Bakery Style Apple Butter Muffins
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
Nutella Filled Turkey Puff Pastries
Gingersnap Pumpkin Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting
Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin Flax Muffins
Today’s song is by one of my all time favourite singers, whether he be on his own, in The Raconteurs or in The White Stripes. Here’s Lazaretto by Jack White. Happy baking!! **Disclaimer: Liv’s Little Muffins owns no rights to this song.
Don’t forget to leave a STAR REVIEW if you try my recipe! Follow me on Facebook or tag me on instagram @livslittlemuffins. Find more ideas on my Pinterest or Whisk.
Apple Cider Breakfast Doughnuts
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups apple cider
- 2 cups (240g) whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup (60g) light brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 cup (190g) mashed butternut squash
- 2 tbsp (22g) canola oil
- 1/4 cup (55g) unsweetened oat milk (or milk of choice)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1 1/2 tbsp (21g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Add the apple cider to a medium saucepan and reduce over medium low to medium heat, stirring often. Reduce until you have 3/4 cup left, this will take 25-35 minutes. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. If using a metal doughnut pan, spray or coat it with butter. If you're using silicone pans, you don't need to spray them.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix together and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg and brown sugar. Add in the mashed or pureed butternut squash, canola oil, milk and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and using a spatula, fold together until just combined. Add the batter to a piping bag or ziploc bag. If using a ziploc bag, cut the end off and then pipe evenly into the 12 donuts in your pan. They will be almost completely full.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes or until they don't sink when pushed on. While they bake, add the granulated sugar and 1 tsp ground cinnamon to a small mixing bowl. Melt you butter in a microwave safe dish.
- Allow the doughnuts to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Then using a pastry brush or your fingers, paint melted butter or oil (*see notes) over the whole doughnut and then toss in the cinnamon sugar. Repeat this for all the doughnuts and enjoy! Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
