I scored a fantastic job one college summer in the research & development department of Rich Products Corporation, based in my home ‘hood of Buffalo, NY. In my list of duties, I was required to taste-test donuts EVERY DAY. And some days, I also taste-tested non-dairy coffee creamers and low-fat cookies. A total dream job for a college kid. Get paid to test donuts and junk? Yes please!

Well, after 2 months of heaven, a wider and squishier tush, and a newly greased nose, I finally maxed out on donuts. I didn’t think it was possible either, but I haven’t had a donut since last millennium!

Now, years later, I decided to take on a donut project: Healthy homemade donuts that look and taste like they should, but leave your tush looking like it used to. Eat donuts, but stay hot and sexy!

Inspired by and based on these mini-donuts, here’s the result:

Donut Pop-Ems for Hot Bodies
Makes 22 donut pop-ems

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Wet Ingredients:

1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used original flavor almond milk)
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp flaxseed meal, soaked in 3 Tbsp warm water for 5 minutes (egg substitute)
1/4 cup Earth Balance margarine

Preheat oven to 350º F.

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients with a whisk to mix thoroughly.

Combine wet ingredients in a small sauce pan over low heat and mix until margarine is just melted. Don’t let the mixture get too hot (you should be able to stick your finger in it without getting burned). If you burn your finger, it’s too hot for the dough.

Pour wet ingredients into the dry and stir to combine. Dough should be gooey and airy.

Scoop spoonfuls into a nonstick mini-cupcake pan (or mini-donut pan if you have it), filling cups almost completely full.

Bake for 12 minutes without letting tops get brown.

Invert hot pan upside down over a cookie sheet or cutting board and pop-ems should fall out. Allow to cool completely before glazing.

Sugar Glaze with Sprinkles

1 Tbsp non-dairy milk (I used original almond milk)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/8 tsp almond extract (optional)
1/4 cup sprinkles, poured into a bowl

In a small bowl, whisk, powdered sugar, and almond extract (if using) with a fork to remove all lumps. Drop donuts into the glaze and then dip half the donut into sprinkles. Place on parchment paper until glaze dries (chill in fridge for faster solidification).

Chocolate Glaze 

3 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 1/4 of a standard bag of chocolate chips)
3 Tbsp non-dairy milk

Heat in small saucepan over low heat–stirring constantly–until chips are melted. Dip and roll donuts in chocolate glaze and place on parchment paper to dry. Sprinkle with sprinkles if desired.

Nutrition info per donut pop-em (without glaze): 59 calories, 2 g fat,0 mg cholesterol, 9 g carbohydrates, 5 g sugar, 0.5 g fiber, 1 g protein.   

And the taste? INCREDIBLE! Not a complaint in the house!