Vegan Baked Peanutbutter-Bacon Chocolate Donuts (low-fat).....recipe included!

Like peanutbutter? Like chocolate? Like bacon? Then this is the recipe for you! 

The Inspiration: A good friend of mine told me about a donut place in San Francisco called Dynamo Donuts that is famous for their maple-bacon donut. I immediately thought I could recreate a vegan, healthier version of that donut that still tastes delicious. I personally don't like maple glazes as they are too sweet, but I had a feeling a slightly sweet peanutbutter glaze would go great with the bacon. I got to researching donut recipes, and came up with one that in theory should have worked out deliciously (and it did).

The Nutrition Rundown: It is free of added fats, the only fat sources are the peanut butter in the frosting (naturally occurring and part of a whole food) and the fat from the cocoa in the vegan chocolate chips which is not very significant and is also naturally occurring. I would say the unhealthiest part of this recipe is the sugar content, but hey, it's a donut for a reason. This recipe is significantly healthier than conventionally made donuts that use animal products, lots of fat, and are deep-fried.

The Results: Pure Deliciousness!! My brother and his best friend, neither of whom are vegan, and both of whom love old-fashioned fried donuts were OBSESSED! Success!

Vegan Baked Peanutbutter-Bacon Chocolate Donuts

Ingredients for Donut dough:
Dry: 
- 1 cup all purpose white flour
- 1/2 cup raw turbinado sugar (regular granulated sugar should work just fine)
- 2 tbs cocoa powder
- 2 tbs fine instant coffee
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 heaping tbs unsweetened applesauce

Wet:
- 2/3 cup vegan chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup soymilk
- 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar (any light/white vinegar should work fine)
- 1 egg equivalent (I used the Vegg but you should be fine using a flax egg or Energ-G egg replacer)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla

Ingredients for frosting and topping:
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter

Dough after everything has been mixed in.

- 3 tbs soy milk (any non-dairy milk should work fine)
- vegan Bacon bits (or you can bake tempeh bacon if you want to be extra legit)

Directions for Donuts:
1) Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
2) In a large bowl mix together all the "Dry" ingredients, EXCEPT for the applesauce. Reserve this for later
3) In a small pot over low to medium heat, mix up all of the "Wet" ingredients just until all of the chocolate chips are melted and the mixture looks even.
4) Slowly add in the liquid mixture to the "dry" bowl. Mix for about 20 seconds and then add in the applesauce.
5) Stir just until incorporated. Avoid stirring for too long as this will make the dough too tough. The dough should be sticky.

Ready to go in the oven

6) Using a small spoon if using a mini donut pan (If you have a regular sized donut pan, use a large spoon) plop down a dollop of the dough into the molds. This part may get messy but it's okay. Spread the dough into the mold until the mold is filled and the little "whole" in the center of the mold is exposed (aka there is a whole in the dough......this is how the doughnut will get it's whole)
7) Bake in the oven for 13 minutes; the donuts should bounce back when pressed gently.
8) Remove the donuts and let them cool in the trays for a few minutes.
9) In order to remove the donuts, gently spin them around individually while they are still in their molds to ensure that they are free/not stuck. Then remove them (they should come our pretty easily)
10) Let them cool on a cooling rack while preparing the glaze.



Directions for Glaze & topping:

Cooled donuts in the back. Glaze on the left,
and bacon bits on the right. Ready to begin assembling!

1) In a medium bowl pour out the bacon bits and set aside.
2) In a small bowl mix together the peanutbutter, sugar, and soymilk until even and smooth.
3) Pop this in the microwave for about 45 seconds so that it loosens up and is easier to pour.
4) Using a small spoon, gently pour this over the donuts like a glaze/frosting
5) After letting the glaze set for a minute or two (it should not be runny, but should not be completely set) dip the glazed portion of the donuts into the bowl of bacon bits. Set aside and let it set.
6) EAT YOUR DONUTS!!

Finished Donuts! Ready to be eaten! (mostly by me)