This Applesauce Donut Recipe is low in fat and big in flavor. Treat yourself to these easy doughnuts for breakfast!
Have you been to a wedding or party lately with one of those photo booths? They usually have costume pieces and props so you can take fun pictures to commemorate the occasion. Here’s an example from a wedding Matt and I attended a couple years ago:
Sometimes taking food photos for my blog reminds me of those photo booths. Instead of just taking a picture of the food I want to show you, I try to gussy it up with props and stuff to make it prettier. Do you think I really stack linens and use garnishes and have ingredients and kitchen tools lying around while I cook and eat? No way! I am very simple when it comes to food. I just want it to taste good, and I don’t care that much about how it looks on the plate. I try my best to make my dishes look good for you here, but it’s against my nature to get too fancy.
For these tasty applesauce donuts, I didn’t have time to even make my usual lame attempt at getting fancy. I made them on Sunday morning and glazed half of them for us to eat right away. By the time I got a chance to glaze and photograph the rest, it was 4:30 in the afternoon. I had to make a casserole to deliver and take pictures of these tasty donuts in a hurry, so that’s why there aren’t any cute napkins or carefully placed spoonfuls of cinnamon or anything else in these photos. Just donuts!
I hope these little O’s of sweet, cinnamon goodness speak for themselves and you try them soon! If you don’t already have a donut pan, visit Amazon to see the one I used. I need to buy another to make all 12 at once. (This is an affiliate link.)
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Glazed Applesauce Donuts
This Applesauce Donut Recipe is low in fat and big in flavor. Treat yourself to these easy doughnuts for breakfast!
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour (I used spelt)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Cinnamon Applesauce Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons unsweetened applesauce
- 4 teaspoons water (added one at a time as detailed in instructions)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray donut pan(s) with cooking spray.
- Whisk together egg, milk, applesauce, sugar, and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, 1 tsp. cinnamon, and salt. Whisk until smooth.
- Spoon batter into prepared baking pan. Each donut opening should be filled almost to the top. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. (If you only have one donut pan, you will need to repeat this step when the first six are done.)
- Allow donuts to cool in pan for a few minutes, and then transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment, wax paper, or a silicone mat. (This lining will help in the next step.)
- When donuts have cooled completely, whisk together powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, applesauce, and ONE teaspoon water. If mixture is too dry to mix in all the sugar, continue adding water ONE teaspoon at a time just until a thick glaze forms. (If you make the glaze too thin, it will just soak into the donuts.)
- Dip the top of each donut into the glaze, and twist back and forth a couple times to get a good coating. Lift the donut straight up and let the excess drip off, then place the donuts glaze-side up on the lined baking sheet. Allow to rest about 15 minutes to let the glaze set before serving. Best eaten within a few hours.
Notes
Adapted from Ina Garten’s Cinnamon Baked Doughnuts.
I know this recipe looks long, but it really is easy! I just wanted the instructions to be clear and detailed so they would be easy to follow.
- Prep Time: 10
- 10:
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Breakfast
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Deb says
These are delicious, easy to make, and not to sweet, yummy
★★★★★
Rosie says
Indeed they are yummy! Whenever my nieces visit me, they literally eat a donut per minute, haha. Share a image with us, I would love to see hoe they look.
Marilyn says
Recipe looks great and I can’t wait to try it. Do you think you could substitute pumpkin purée for the applesauce and some pumpkin pie spice to make them pumpkin donuts?
Andi Gleeson says
Hi, Marilyn! I do think this would work but can’t guarantee that the consistency will be right since I haven’t tested the recipe with pumpkin. I do have a recipe for pumpkin muffins with caramel glaze, so you might like to try that.
Dede says
Great recipe, thank you for sharing! I have been looking forward to making these, and also woke up with a chocolate craving. I added some chocolate chips to your recipe and they are delicious! Thanks again
Andi - The Weary Chef says
Chocolate could never be wrong in a donut. Thank you so much, Dede. I’m happy you enjoyed them!!
Jaymi says
Have you ever used coconut or almond milk with this recipe?
ariel says
how many calories is one donut?
Andi Gleeson says
Sorry for the delay, Ariel. I haven’t calculated the nutrition in these, but you can do that at myfitnesspal.com. Thank you!
Sarah says
Hi,
Do you put the sugar into the batter at the same time as the flour?
Also, when does the apple sauce go into the icing?
Thanks!
Andi Gleeson says
Sorry for that mistake, Sarah! You should add the sugar with the wet ingredients, and I corrected the recipe. Thanks so much for pointing that out!
Heather / girlichef says
I’ve never been to a party with a photo booth – I’ve always loved looking at the pics people take in them, though. Yours are fun! And a big ol YES to these donuts, they look amazing, and applesauce makes them kinda healthy, right? ;)
Andi says
The party photo booths are fun! Silly but fun. Yes, applesauce absolutely makes them healthy. (Let’s just ignore the fact that glaze is made out of sugar.) Thank you, Heather!
Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files says
So many times I wonder that same thing! Sometimes peoples photos look so natural. But when I do that, it just turns up awkward. But you keep doing your thing..it is working! And these donuts, I want right meow!
Andi says
I’m the opposite. When I try too hard to get fancy, I think it looks awkward! I’m clearly a hack when it comes to food photography, but maybe it fits with the weariness ;) Thank you, Meg!
Ashlyn @ Belle of the Kitchen says
Simple is always the best, Andi! I always appreciate a photo that is truly all about the FOOD! I have a donut pan, but it’s been awhile since I’ve used it. I’d love to make these applesauce donuts as a way to break it in again!
Andi says
Thanks so much, Ashlyn. This was my first time using the donut pan. I bought it a few weeks ago and was all excited, but then it took me a while to actually make the donuts for some reason. Once they popped out of the pan and looked like real, live donuts, I was sure I’d make them again soon :)
Kelley says
I feel ya Andi! I don’t have all those fancy napkins and place mats when I eat, but I use them for my photos. Its work, but at least its fun, right? haha! Great recipe friend! Pinned to my donut board so I can try it asap!
Andi says
True, I can’t complain about my job! I struggle with the staging though because it’s so not natural for me. Thank you, Kelley :)
Joanie @ ZagLeft says
These donuts look absolutely delicious and you certainly don’t need any fancy props to show them off. I know my family would go nuts over them.
Andi says
That is sweet of you to say, Joanie. Thank you!
Beth says
You know my love for donuts, these would disappear in my house!
Andi says
I thought of you several times when I made these, Beth. You are the donut queen! :)
Tonia says
I went into a photo booth at the mall with my son recently and we had a good laugh! The donuts look fabulous!
Andi says
I bet you guys got some cute pictures! Thanks, Tonia :)
Liz says
Thanks Andi. These look so good.
Andi says
Thank you, Liz!
Annie @Maebells says
I am such a child, I adore applesauce! I could eat it for every meal I think. I love that you used it in the donuts and the glaze! YUM!
Andi says
You are cute with your love of applesauce and apples and peanut butter. I think I made these just for you, Annie :)
Jen @ Yummy Healthy Easy says
These donuts look absolutely delicious, Andi! They don’t need fancy props or anything. That glaze looks to-die-for. I love using applesauce in baked goods, it makes it lower cal and moist! I bet these are so tasty, pinned! xo!
Andi says
Thank you so much, Jen! I love subbing applesauce for butter in baking too.