Baked Applesauce Donuts with Brown Butter Caramel Maple Glaze

Ingredients

• 2 cups all pupose flour
• ¼ cup light brown cane sugar, or coconut palm sugar
• ¼ cup natural cane sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• ½ cup buttermilk
• ⅓ cup neutral oil*, (can use melted butter)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¾ cup applesauce, see my recipe for homemade

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 donut pans (for 12 donuts) with neutral oil using a pastry brush. (Cavities, 3  1/2" large) In large bowl mix DRY INGREDIENTS: flour, sugars, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and sea salt.
2. In a small bowl combine WET INGREDIENTS : egg, buttermilk, oil, vanilla and applesauce.
3. Add wet ingredients to the large bow. Mix until combined with a rubber spatula, do not over mix.
4. Fill donut pans almost to the top using all the batter - easy method: dollop batter in two large additions in each cavity, then smooth with your finger.
5. Bake at 350 for 18 - 20 minutes until golden and cooked through.
6. Let cool 10 minutes, then remove donuts to a cooling rack.
7. Cinnamon Sugar Topping: FOR 6 DONUTS (double if topping 12) 1 tablespoon melted butter 1/4 cup pure cane sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon
8. Add sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, mix to combine. Brush one donut all over with melted butter. Dip in the sugar and swirl to coat all over. Repeat.
9. Brown Butter Caramel Maple Glaze For 6 DONUTS (double if topping 12)
   • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
   • 1 ½ tablespoons coconut palm sugar, or light brown sugar
   • 1 ½ tablespoons pure maple syrup
   • 5 tablespoons half and half
   • 5 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
   • 1 pinch himalayan pink salt
10. Brown Butter: In a small skillet add 2 T. butter, melt over low-medium heat. Leave to cook - white solids will turn light brown in a minute or two (wonderful nutty flavor.) Remove from heat, add sugar and maple syrup. Use a wire whisk and combine well. Add back to heat, add half and half and a big pinch of sea salt. Cook over low- medium heat and cook, whisking until slightly thickened and reduced - 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool 5 minutes. Add confectioner's sugar to the skillet. Whisk well to dissolve the sugar.
11. Dip donuts when they are cool. Drop in smooth side of the donut and swirl to coat top and some of the sides. The glaze will thicken as it cools. Best to dip as it thickens... not too hot. If it gets too thick, simple heat for a moment. Double the recipe if dipping 12 donuts.
12. Store in an airtight container. These freeze quite well.

* with concerns about gmo’s and processing of oils, use a vegetable oil which has not been chemically treated, this is called “expeller pressed”.

This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.