Baked Pumpkin Spice Doughnut Holes

Doughnuts are yummy. They just are. I don' t make them often though for three reasons: I don't like frying things, they can be pretty unhealthy for you, and I would probably eat all of them. These doughnut holes however, defied typical doughnuts. They are baked, which of course is healthier for you, yet they are still delicious. We had these for an afternoon snack, but they would be wonderful for breakfast or brunch as well.

















Baked Pumpkin Spice Doughnut Holes
from The Craving Chronicles

For the donuts:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoons ground cloves
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup low-fat milk
For the Coating:
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin with nonstick spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. In a separate large bowl, combine the oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk until smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, about 1 tablespoon in each cup. (You will have batter left over for about another dozen.) Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until passes the toothpick test.

Remove the muffins from the oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes, or until just cool enough to handle. With the melted butter in one bowl and the sugar and cinnamon combined in another, dip each muffin into the butter then roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Serve immediately.