These maple donuts are made of fluffy pastry flour and buttery almond flour held together with maple syrup and almond milk, among other things, to really bring home this almond and maple flavor combination. This is a healthful, baked version of a commonly fried treat sporting a slathering of maple glaze and crunchy almonds on top. Serve a plateful of these as a sweet treat for a weekend brunch or whenever your next donut craving hits.
Maple Almond Vegan Baked Donuts
makes 12 donuts
For the donuts:
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 2 tablespoons water*
3/4 cup almond milk*
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar*
1 cup almond flour
1 cup pastry flour
*For a non-vegan version, you can swap the ground flaxseed and water mixture for 1 egg and the almond milk for cow’s milk.
For the glaze:
Maple syrup, starting with 1/2 cup
Cornstarch, starting with 2 tablespoons*
Powdered sugar, starting with 2 tablespoons*
Shaved almonds, for topping
*Equal parts cornstarch and powdered sugar helps thicken this maple glaze without making it too sweet to account for the sweetness of the maple syrup, however, you can use just powdered sugar if you like.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease two 6 count donut pans.
Mix the ground flaxseed and the water in a small bowl and allow to thicken for a few minutes. Combine the almond milk with the thickened flaxseed mixture and vanilla. Add the salt, baking powder, baking soda, and apple cider vinegar and mix until combined. Fold in the almond flour and pastry flour until it’s just combined.
Spoon the batter into a pastry bag or a ziplock bag if you don’t have one (if using a ziplock bag, snip off a corner of the bag once it’s filled). Pipe the batter into the greased donut pans. Bake the donuts for 25 minutes and allow to cool a bit before removing from the pans with the help of a butter knife. Allow to cool completely before adding the glaze.
To make the glaze, begin with 1/2 cup maple syrup and equal parts cornstarch and powdered sugar, starting with 2 tablespoons of each. Whisk until combined, adding more syrup if you prefer a thinner consistency or more equal parts cornstarch to powdered sugar for a thicker consistency. Double these amounts if you desire more glaze. Dip the top of the donuts into the glaze mixture, then set on a wire cooling rack and immediately sprinkle with the shaved almonds. The glaze will set in a minute or two.
These can be served immediately or made the night before and stored in the refrigerator for the next day. Bring to room temperature before serving.