I’m no baker. While I love experimenting with dinner, when it comes to sweet desserts I usually stick to my comfy classics. Like my no fail fruit crumble (get the recipe HERE) and my moms best yellow cake (get the recipe HERE) and her easy chocolate cake (recipe found HERE) While I will hesitantly alter those recipes to come up with new treats (like this recipe for Smores Cupcakes and this one for Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Cookie Dough Frosting) I don’t really venture into territories unknown when it comes to baking. (my mind draws a blank when numbers are involved!) Since it’s Hanukkah and everyone wants to celebrate by biting into a freshly powdered jelly donut (what, that’s not on your to do list this holiday? Because it’s totally #2 on mine. Right after eat latkes!) I have decided to search the web for you and select my fav donut recipes! (and by favorite I don’t mean I have tested them out. They just all made my mouth water and I almost licked my screen) Enjoy this collection of best donut recipes and if you try any, leave a comment below letting me know if they taste as good as they look!
Best Donut Recipes:
Peanut Butter and Jelly Donuts
These peanut butter jelly donuts by Heather Christo look decadent and easy enough to make at home. Her step by step photos show you exactly what to do and the final product looks incredibly delicious.
Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes
These pumpkin donut holes by Georgia Johnson of, “The Comfort of Cooking” are baked not fried which means you can indulge with no (ok less!) guilt. Also, there is pumpkin in there which means A. it’s healthy(ish) and B. nothing screams it’s holiday season let’s celebrate like pumpkin.
Chocolate Donut Holes
These chocolate donut holes by “Teenage Taste” are the perfect party treat! The recipe is quick and easy and claim to taste like good ol munchkin donuts from Dunkin Donuts. These would be ridiculously cute served up with some shots of milk.
Smores Donuts
These smores donuts found on “More Stomach” are what chocolate dreams are made of. They are dairy free and beg to be devoured, one smore bite at a time!
Strawberry Shortcake Donuts
These strawberry shortcake donuts by “Food for the Soul” use fresh fruit and whipped cream to create a sweet and tasty new donut!
Baked Carrot Cake Donuts
These baked carrot cake donuts by “Krissy’s Creations” are right up on my list of must try recipes. I am a huge fan of carrot cake and since these are baked, there is no fuss frying them!
The graham crackers are enough for the base of 50 cupcakes! I used it for one batch of chocolate cupcakes, which makes about 15-17 cupcakes and then saved the remaining crumbs in a ziplock bag for future use. (it’s great for making cheesecake!) I also had leftover marshmallow fluff and chocolate topping which can be used to make actual s’mores or to frost and fill a cake with! If you don’t like leftovers, feel free to half the marshmallow cream filling recipe but note that I myself have not done that so I can’t be sure how it will come out! If you try it, let me know!
Graham Crackers Crumbs:
16 graham crackers crushed
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup earth balance (or butter or margarine, melted)
Chocolate Cupcake Batter:
1/2 cup of cocoa
1 cup of water (or soy milk)
1 and 1/2 cup of flour
3/4 tsp. of salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup of oil
1 and 1/4 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1 and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Chocolate Topping:
8 oz. rich whip, defrosted
4 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate
Directions:
Pulse graham crackers in a blender until crumbs form. Combine with sugar and melted earth balance. Line cupcake pans with liners. Fill liners with 1 tablespoon graham cracker crumb mixture. Top with 1/4 cup chocolate cake batter. Bake in oven on 350′ for about 20 minutes until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool off then insert marshmallow filling into the center of the cupcake. (you can do this by scooping out the top of the cupcakes with a mini apple corer or using a plastic decorative bag (or ziplock bag with the edge cut off) and a frosting tip. Insert the tip in the center of the cupcake and squeeze the filling inside. Once cupcakes are filled they are ready for the chocolate topping! Melt chocolate in a small saucepan over a low flame. Continuously stir so it does not burn or stick to the pot. Once the chocolate has melted, add the defrosted rich whip and mix together until well blended. At first it will look white but once it’s mixed together will turn to a nice dark smooth chocolate. To top the cupcakes with the chocolate topping, hold each cupcake upside down into the chocolate topping and allow the excess to drip off then right away add mini marshmallow and graham cracker crumbs to the chocolate before it hardens. (You can also add the chocolate topping by using a spoon to drizzle it on the cupcake.)
This recipe makes about 16 regular sized cupcakes.
Ingredients:
2 cups of flour
1 and 1/3 cup of sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup of oil
1 cup of almond milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup of chocolate chips
Directions:
Combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Place in cupcake holders and bake in oven on 350′ for 20-25 minutes.
Once cooled off, top with cookie dough frosting.
Cookie Dough Frosting:
Ingredients:
1 stick of margarine, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup of dark brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups of confectioners powder sugar
2 tablespoons soy milk
1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips
1 cup of flour
Directions:
Cream margarine in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the brown sugar and blend until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. If it’s too thick or lumpy add milk to make it creamy. If it’s too loose add confectioners powder to make it thicker.
These cupcakes are light and fluffy with just a hint of lemon (which in my opinion, is just the right amount!) The tart lemon, and the sweet buttercream frosting make for an addicting combination! I whipped up a batch of these this weekend, to test out the recipe and not a single cupcake is left.
Ingredients:
2 cups of flour
1 and 1/3 cup of sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup of oil
1 cup of almond milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
lemon zest from two lemons
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
Directions:
Combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Using an ice cream scooper, fill up 16 regular sized cupcake holders with batter. (each cupcake holder should be about 3/4 full) Bake on 350 for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool off then frost with buttercream frosting. You can top the cupcakes with fresh lemon zest or candied lemons!
Buttercream Frosting:
Ingredients:
1 box powdered sugar
1/4 cup almond milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 stick butter or margarine
Directions:
Cream together ingredients. Add water or milk to thin frosting, add more powdered sugar to create a thicker frosting.
Ingredients:
1 stick of margarine, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup of dark brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups of confectioners powder sugar
2 tablespoons soy milk
1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips
1 cup of flour
Directions:
Cream margarine in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the brown sugar and blend until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. If it’s too thick or lumpy add milk to make it creamy. If it’s too loose add confectioners powder to make it thicker.
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 TBS baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup superfine sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup milk (or non dairy milk)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup jelly of choice
