Air Fryer Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes Recipe

Fall is in the air and all of a sudden I’m craving soup, squash, and pumpkin everything. There’s nothing that makes me happier right now than sitting down with a steamy cup of coffee and a few of these air fryer pumpkin spice donut holes.

It took me a few tries to get this recipe perfect, but it was well worth the effort (and even the rejects were still super tasty!). These air fryer donut holes hit all the right notes. They’re:

Crispy on the outside

Fluffy and cakey on the inside

Yeast-free

Ready in under 30 minutes

You can even make them with whole wheat flour! They do come out a little fluffier with white flour, but they’re 100% delicious either way. I love these donut holes rolled in cinnamon sugar, but you can also glaze them if you prefer them a little sweeter. 

Looking for something a little more unique? Give my chocolate pumpkin baked donut recipe a try! You’ll also love this pumpkin dump cake or keto pumpkin cheesecake.

Can you make donuts in an air fryer? 

Absolutely!

Most air fryer donut hole recipes use a yeast-based dough or biscuit dough since it’s sturdier and won’t lose its shape. But you can make cake donuts too as long as you use a thick dough.

No fussing with hot oil or yeast is definitely a win-win in my book!

If you want to try your hand at yeast-risen donuts, this recipe from Cooking Light is excellent. 

How to make air fryer donut holes:

Making these pumpkin spice donut holes is so easy! Start by mixing together flour, coconut suagr, baking powder, pumpkin puree, warm spices, eggs, and milk into a soft dough. 

The dough should be very soft, but still firm enough to easily roll into balls. If you need to, add more flour one tablespoon at a time until the dough is easy to work with. If your house is very warm, you can also pop the dough into the refrigerator for 15 minutes to help it firm up.

Next, roll tablespoon-sized pieces of dough into balls. They’ll look a little small, but they’ll puff up and rise when they cook so don’t make them too big now! I like to use a small cookie scoop to ensure the donuts are all the same size. 

If you want, roll the donuts in cinnamon sugar now. Unlike with traditionally fried donuts, you’ll need to do this before they cook – they sugar won’t stick to them after. 

Finally, spray your air fryer basket with cooking oil – I love using either coconut oil or ghee. Add a few donuts holes to the basket and cook at 370 degrees for 9 minutes. 

Be sure to let these pumpkin spice donut holes cool for a few minutes after you take them out of the air fryer – they’ll be very hot inside!

If you want to glaze the donuts, you’ll want them to cool completely first. 

Can I make my own pumpkin pie spice? 

You can buy premixed pumpkin pie spice at the store, but if you don’t want to commit to that quantity you can also make your own from spices you likely already have.

Just mix together 1.5 Tablespoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves.

Use what you need for this recipe, then keep the rest in an airtight container. I love sprinkling it over my morning cappuccino! 

Can I make these Gluten Free?

Yes! They come out great when made with measure for measure gluten-free flour blends. I personally love the ones from Kind Arthur and Trader Joe’s.

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Air Fryer Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes

Is there anything better than piping-hot pumpkin spice donut holes, fresh from the air fryer? Whether you roll them in cinnamon-sugar or drizzle them with glaze, this donut recipe will definitely put a smile on your face.

Recipe updated 8/2021 to make these donut holes even softer and fluffier!

Course Healthy Dessert Recipes

Cuisine American

Keyword air fryer donut holes, donut holes recipe, pumpkin spice donut holes

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 27 minutes minutes

Total Time 37 minutes minutes

Servings 24

Calories 46kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Equipment

• Misto Brushed Aluminum Oil Sprayer
• Prep Solutions by Progressive Quick Release Cookie Scoop – 1 Tbsp.
• Crux 2.6 Qt. Touchscreen Air Convection Fryer

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅓ cup packed coconut sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• ¼ cup almond milk or nondairy milk of your choice
• ⅔ cup pumpkin puree

Instructions

• In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, ie spice, and salt. Mix well. Stir in the coconut sugar and mix until combined.
• Stir in the egg, milk, and vanilla to form a batter, then mix in the pumpkin puree until fully combined.
• Divide the dough into 24 tablespoon-sized balls, adding in additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time if necessary until the dough is thick enough to hold together.
• Spray with olive oil. If desired, roll the balls in cinnamon-sugar.
• Add the donuts to your air fryer in a single layer, be careful not to crowd the basket or let the donuts touch. Bake at 370F for 9 minutes. Repeat with remaining donuts.
• If desired, let the donuts cool completely, then glaze with a combination of 1/2 cup powdered sugar or powdered sugar substitute, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 3 tablespoons nondairy milk.

Nutrition

Serving: 1donut hole | Calories: 46kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 63mg

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of OXO

What do you get when you cross one of my favorite cookbook authors (Dorie Greenspan), one of my favorite kitchen product companies (OXO), and one of the best places I’ve ever visited (Sweden)?

These delicious Swedish visiting cakes, topped with crispy almond meringue, in support of Cookies for Kids Cancer.

I’ve supported this fundraiser for the last few years, sharing everything from hazelnut spritz cookies to apple butter blondies.  This time around, OXO is partnering with chef-supporters to share recipes we hope will inspire people to host their own Cookies for Kids’ Cancer bake sales.

I’m sharing Dorie Greenspan’s Swedish Visiting Cakes. They’re a mash-up of two recipes: almond-meringue topping that you’d typically put on a fruit tart, and Swedish Visiting Cake, a subtle almond-flavored cake that’s usually pretty plain.

Together, they form a great sweet treat that would be perfect for your afternoon fika (a Swedish mid-afternoon coffee and cake break that’s just one of the many reasons I adore Sweden.)

These visiting cakes are a cross between a cake and a cookie, with a soft, tender layer of sweet cake topped with a layer of egg whites, powdered sugar, and almonds that bakes into a crisp, meringue-like finish. The result is elegant, but they’re shockingly simple to make!

I used measure for measure gluten-free flour in place of all-purpose flour and they came out perfectly!

OXO sent me a few products to use while I made these: their non-stick pro cake pan (I love how heavy it is!), 11-inch balloon whisk (the handle feels great in your hand), non-stick cooling and baking rack (I love these for baked goods and for making the crispiest baked chicken wings), and a 5 pound food scale with pull out display (the pull out design is great – you can move the display around so you can see it even when you’re using a giant mixing bowl.)

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Dorie Greenspan's Swedish Visiting Cake Bars

Course Gluten-Free

Servings 18

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• For the topping
• 1 cup 120 grams confectioners’ sugar
• 3 large egg whites
• 1½ cups 150 grams sliced almonds, blanched or unblanched
• For the bars
• ¾ cup 150 grams sugar
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 cup 136 grams all-purpose flour (I used a gluten-free blend)
• 1 stick 8 tablespoons; 4 ounces; 113 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)

Instructions

• Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
• To make the topping: Put the sugar in a medium bowl and pour over the egg whites. Using your fingers or a fork, mix until the sugar is moistened. If there are lumps, ignore them. Toss in the almonds and stir them around until they’re coated with the sugared whites. Set aside while you make the batter.
• To make the bars: Working in a large bowl, whisk the sugar, eggs and salt together until the mixture lightens in color and thickens a little, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla and almond extracts. Switch to a flexible spatula and gently stir in the flour. When the flour is fully incorporated, gradually fold in the melted butter. You’ll have a thick batter with a lovely sheen. Scrape it into the pan and use the spatula to work the batter into the corners. The layer will be very thin.
• Give the topping another stir, or a run-through with your fingers, and turn it out onto the batter. Use a spatula or your fingers to spread the almonds evenly over the mixture, making sure to get nuts into the corners too.
• Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with only a few crumbs stuck to it. The meringue topping will be pale golden brown. If you’d like a deeper color on the topping, run it under the broiler until you get the shade of gold you like best.
• Transfer the pan to a rack and let rest for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the cake and unmold it onto the rack. Very gently peel away the parchment and invert the cake onto another rack to cool to room temperature.
• Transfer the cake to a cutting board and, using a long, thin knife, slice it into nine 3-inch squares. For smaller portions, cut each square into two triangles. If you’d like, you can dust the bars with confectioners’ sugar just before you serve them.

Nothing reminds me more of carrot cake than Spring! It must have something to do with the Easter Bunny’s love of carrots. Although I don’t think I’ve ever actually had carrot cake on Easter, the two items are linked in my mind. which is fine because carrot cake is awesome and I honestly have a tendency to forget about it otherwise.

This year, winter seems never-ending, so I pulled together this collection of 20 healthy carrot cake recipes. Maybe it will entice the warmer weather to finally show up? If not, we can at least eat our feelings.

This collection of healthy carrot cake inspired recipes includes everything from breakfasts like pancakes and oatmeal, to snacks like energy bites and cookies, to cakes and muffins. With plenty of paleo, grain free, dairy free, and  low calorie options, you’re bound to find a new favorite carrot cake inspired recipe that fits into your lifestyle!

HEALTHY CARROT CAKE BREAKFASTS

Carrot Cake Granola (Gluten Free) by Healthy Delicious

Carrot Cake Oatmeal (Dairy Free) by Healthy Delicious

Carrot Cake Quinoa Flakes (Gluten Free) by Strength and Sunshine

Carrot Cake Overnight Oats (Vegan) by Vegan Heaven

Carrot Cake Pancakes (Whole Wheat) by Amy’s Healthy Baking

Carrot Cake Smoothie (Vegan + Paleo) by Wallflower Kitchen

HEALTHY CARROT CAKE BARS, BITES, COOKIES, SCONES

Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars (Vegan) by Sweet As Honey

Carrot Cake Energy Bites (Vegan) by Trial and Eater

Carrot Cake Quinoa Breakfast Cookies (Naturally Sweetened) by Simply Quinoa

Carrot Cake Scones (Naturally Sweetened) by Caroline’s Cooking

HEALTHY CARROT CAKES

Gluten-Free Vegan Tropical Carrot Cake (Gluten Free) by Rhian’s Recipes

Classic Grain Free Carrot Cake (Grain Free) by A Clean Bake

Healthier Carrot Cake Cheesecake (Whole Grain) by Texan Erin

Paleo Curry Carrot Cake (Paleo) by The Primal Desire

HEALTHY CARROT CAKE CUPCAKES AND MUFFINS

Gaps Friendly Carrot Cake Cupcakes With Yogurt Cheese Frosting (Gluten Free) by Health Home and Happiness

Sugar Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes (Low Carb) by Low Carb Maven

Carrot Cake Zucchini Muffins (Gluten Free) by Beauty and The Foodie

Healthy Inside Out Carrot Cake Muffins (Naturally Sweetened) by To Simply Inspire

Carrot Cake Weight Watchers Muffins by Drugstore Divas

Carrot Oatmeal Greek Yogurt Muffins (Naturally Sweetened) by Running With Spoons

A few years ago, I went on a pumpkin rampage. I made everything from homemade pumpkin ravioli to pumpkin chili. I must have overdone it, because I hardly used any pumpkin at all for the next few years. This year, I’m ready to tiptoe back into the world of pumpkin.

I’ve been in the mood to bake lately, and have spent the past few weekend in the kitchen perfecting some new pastry recipes. These pumpkin pie sticky buns were an immediate favorite – they’re perfect as an easy breakfast along with a cup of steaming hot coffee.

When I first started dreaming up this recipe, I thought I would use pumpkin in the sweet dough and fill them with a classic cinnamon roll filling. After giving it some more thought, though, I decided to keep the dough plain and make an easy pumpkin pie filling for the rolls instead. I couldn’t be happier with my choice! The custardy filling gives the buns loads of pumpkin flavor and eliminates the need for any butter in the filling.

I topped the pumpkin pie sticky buns with chopped hazelnuts and Amoretti Crema di Pumpkin Pie syrup. I love the way the sweet, buttery hazelnuts pair with the pumpkin-pie flavor but, if you prefer, you can also use pecans for a more traditional sticky bun. Whichever you choose, be sure to completely cover the bottom of your pan with chopped nuts – they’ll form a barrier between the syrup and the dough, ensuring you’ll get that nice, sticky topping that’s so important in a sticky bun.

Amoretti Crema di Pumpkin Pie Syrup made the perfect sticky topping without having to mess around with boiling sugar.It has a great pumpkin pie flavor – I can really taste the nutmeg in it – and I love that it’s made from all natural ingredients. It’s richer and more concentrated than other flavored syrups, without being as cloyingly sweet. You can buy it on Amazon here.

I’ve been enjoying the syrup in my coffee for the past few weeks (it’s delicious in hazelnut coffee, which is where I got the idea to use them instead of pecans on these buns) but since a little goes a long way, there’s plenty in the bottle to use in culinary experiments, too (call me crazy, but I really want to try it in baked beans. I think it would be fantastic!)

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Pumpkin Pie Sticky Buns

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk or unsweetened nondairy milk of your choice
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 packet 0.75 ounces instant yeast
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all purpose flour

For the filling:

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 Tablespoon milk or nondairy milk of your choice
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 Tablespoon sugar

For the topping:

• 12 pumps Amoretti® Crema di Pumpkin Pie syrup
• 2 tablespoon butters cut into 12 pats
• 1 cup hazelnuts roughly chopped

Instructions

• Add the milk and butter to a medium saucepan set over low heat. Cook until the butter is melted and the milk is very warm, but not hot (about 120ºF.)
• Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast into the warm milk; let sit 10 minutes. Stir in the sugar and salt. Add the flour little by little, stirring to form a thick dough. When the dough gets too thick to stir, turn it out onto the counter and knead it a few times to work in the lats of the flour. Shape the dough into a ball.
• Lightly grease your mixing bowl, then add the dough. Cover loosely and let rest in a warm place until doubled in size – about 40 minutes.
• Heat your oven to 350ºF.
• While the dough rests, prepare the filling by mixing together the pumpkin, milk, cinnamon, and sugar. Prepare two 6-cup cupcake tins by adding 1 pump of syrup and 1 pat of butter to each cup. Divide the hazelnuts among each cup.
• Roll the dough into a large rectangle (about 9x13 inches). Spread the dough with a thin, even layer of the pumpkin filling. Working from a long side, tightly roll the dough.
• Use a serrated knife to cut the dough into 12 rolls. Place 1 roll into each prepared cup.
• Bake 20-25 minutes, until the buns are puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes, then run a knife along the edge of each roll to help loosen it and invert onto a baking sheet. If any topping remains in the pan, spoon it back onto the sticky buns.

Notes

I've made these sticky buns with unsweetened coconut milk, since that's usually what I have in my fridge, and they're delicious. Please note, however, that the syrup itself does contain dairy so the recipe in it's entirety isn't dairy free.

This pie. is. everything.

Seriously, there are so many thins to tout about it that I don’t even know where to start. It’s no bake. Loaded with protein. Low in sugar. Dairy free. Vegan. And so incredibly rich and delicious that you won’t believe any of that unless you’re the one who made it. I’m obsessed – you should definitely give it a try!

The secret to the luxuriously creamy mousse-like filling in this pie? Silken tofu! I know – this is the second time this month that I’ve gotten a little adventurous with my dessert ingredients (hummus blondies, anyone?). I’m not sorry, because you would NEVER guess this chocolate cream pie was healthy if you didn’t know.

To make the filling, you combine the silken tofu with vanilla, warm spices, and melted chocolate chips (I used Lily’s baking chips, which are sweetened with stevia. I’m linking to them on Amazon, but they’re much cheaper if you can find them in the store.) Straight from the blender, the filling has the consistency of pudding, but when you chill it it takes on a texture closer to chocolate mousse. If you’e not in the mood for pie, it would be amazing as a pudding alternative (top it with coconut cream and fresh berries!) or in the middle of a layer cake.

The crust of this chocolate cream pie is equally as easy to make:  just pecans, maple sugar, coconut oil, and salt. Easy as… pie.

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Mexican Chocolate Cream Pie

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw pecans
• ¼ cup date sugar or maple sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoon coconut oil
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 ½ cups stevia-sweetened dark chocolate chips
• 2 packages organic firm silken tofu 500-600 grams total
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean scraped
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
• pinch of sea salt

Instructions

• In a food processor or high-speed blender (I used my Vitamix), pulse the pecans and sugar into a fine meal. Add the coconut oil and sea salt; pulse to combine well. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate.
• Melt the chocolate chips in a double-boiler. When the chocolate is melted, add it to your blender, along with the tofu, vanilla, and spices. Blend until smooth. Pour into the pie plate, smoothing with a rubber spatula as needed.
• Chill at least 20 minutes. Serve cold.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Rouxbe cooking school

Do you ever get a craving that you just can’t shake? I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ve been craving banana cake since December. It came out of nowhere and just would. not. go. away. Of course every recipe for banana cake that I could find was incredibly rich and full of buttermilk, sour cream, and calories.

Of course every recipe for banana cake that I could find was incredibly rich and full of buttermilk, sour cream, and calories. Luckily, this cold weather that we’ve been having practically necessitates having cake in the oven, so I’ve been working on a lighter version of banana cake! These banana cupcakes are perfectly portioned and definitely hit the spot.

These banana cupcakes are definitely still a treat – they clock in at just under 300 calories a piece – but they’re a significant improvement over other banana cake recipes out there. To lighten them up (and make them dairy free!) I swapped the butter for coconut oil and the buttermilk for Silk cashew milk! Whipped egg whites add volume to the batter and keep it tender, so there’s no need for sour cream.

Then came the difficult decision of that to frost them with? I couldn’t decide between brown sugar buttercream, whipped mocha ganache, or peanut butter frosting. The crowd on facebook was just as indecisive as I was: the vote was just about tied between brown sugar and peanut butter. I ended up opting for a dairy-free version of the brown sugar buttercream that I originally used on my baked chocolate pumpkin donuts and I was very happy with my decision. They frosting is delicious, but doesn’t distract from the cake itself.

Enjoy your cupcake with a cold glass of Silk cashew milk! It’s a lot easier to find now than it was back when I first used it in my cashew-chai French toast casserole and I’ve been keeping it around because it’s awesome in coffee. It’s rich and creamy in a way that most other non-dairy milks aren’t. The creaminess reminds me of 2% milk, but the unsweetened version only has 25 calories per serving. it also makes a great swap for dairy milk in recipes like these cupcakes, raspberry oatmeal pancakes, or smoothies.

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Dairy Free Banana Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Buttercream

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 290kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 egg separated
• ⅓ cup coconut oil
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 cup mashed banana about 2 bananas
• ½ cup Silk unsweetened cashew milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt

For the brown sugar buttercream

• 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons Silk unsweetened cashew milk optionla

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350ºF. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
• In a large mixing bowl, use an electric beater to beat the egg white until soft peaks form. Set aside.
• In a second mixing bowl, cream together the coconut oil and sugar until it resembles fine, wet sand. Beat in the egg yolk. Stir in the bananas, cashew milk, and vanilla.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients to make a thick batter; gently fold in the whipped egg white.
• Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes are gently domed and light golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
• While the cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting: Use an electric mixer to beat the shortening until it's light and creamy. Add the sugars and vanilla and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. If desired, beat in up to two teaspoons of cashew milk to thin out the frosting.
• Frost cupcakes after they've completely cooled.

Nutrition

Calories: 290kcal | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Fiber: 1g

This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

There used to be a bakery on the main street of the town I grew up in that made the best cakes and pastries. Every time we had out of town guests, we’d order a few of their coffee cakes to have for breakfast (and afternoon snack, and dessert.) My favorite was the apple version.

Unfortunately the bakery has been closed for a few years and my memories of their apple cake (they called it apple edelweiss) are fuzzy. I’ve spent hours scouring the internet for anything that looks even remotely similar, but I always come up empty.

This coffee cake isn’t the one I grew up eating, but it’s a pretty amazing substitute. The flavors and texture are so perfect that I have a hard time believing it came out of my own kitchen!

Like the cake I remember, this one is thin with the perfect ratio of tender cake to crunchy topping. Tiny pieces of apple practically melt into the cake batter, giving every bite subtle apple flavor. The topping is sweet and faintly scented with cinnamon and nutmeg – not enough to be overpowering, just enough so that you know it’s there.

I used two special ingredients to help give this cake it’s “fresh from the bakery” taste: Red Star Platinum Yeast and LorAnn Buttery Sweet Dough Baking Emulsion.

I don’t bake yeasted recipes very often, but I do like making fresh baguettes when I have the time. I’ve been using Red Star Platinum Yeast for the past year, and I love it. It makes baking pretty much fool proof. It also helps your dough raise very quickly. I can be pretty impatient in the kitchen, so I love that about it. From start to finish, this cake takes an hour as long as I use platinum yeast (instant yeast takes an additional 20 minutes or so).

The Buttery Sweet Dough Emulsion is something I’ve been eying for a long time, but only just got around to trying.  I first noticed it on the King Arthur site, which described it as being the vanilla/butter/citrus flavor that gives store bought danishes their distinct flavor. I received a sample recently, and I’m obsessed. You know the amazing smell you’re greeted with when you walk into a great bakery? This is that smell, in a bottle. I’ve been putting it in all of my baked goods (I made an awesome pumpkin monkey bread last weekend) and it definitely takes them to the next level.

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Apple Coffee Cake

Apple Coffee Cake is delicious warm from the oven but, in my opinion, it's even better the next morning. This recipe makes two cakes - wrap the second one in plastic and foil and freeze for up to 3 months if you don't plan to eat it right away.

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 16

Calories 151kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 packet 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (I use Red Star Platinum)
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup coconut or almond milk warmed
• ⅓ cup water warmed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• 1 teaspoon buttery sweet dough emulsion or vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 apple peeled and cut into 1/8-inch pieces

For the crumb topping:

• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• ¼ cup walnut pieces
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Instructions

• Butter two 9-inch round cake pans; set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix in the milk, water, butter and baking emulsion. Beat in the egg and apple. Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic (it will still be very wet).
• Divide the dough between the prepared cake pans.
• Prepare the crumb topping by combining the flour, walnuts, and spices. Mix in the melted butter until the topping resembles wet sand. Sprinkle the crumb topping in an even layer over both cakes. Cover and let rest in a warm place until doubles in size – about 20 minutes if using Platinum yeast or 45 minutes if using instant yeast.
• Bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Notes

Adapted from Red Star Yeast

Nutrition

Calories: 151kcal | Protein: 2.9g | Fat: 5.1g | Fiber: 1.2g

It’s been almost a full week since I shared a recipe here… I can’t even remember the last time I went that long! As delicious as that potato salad with crispy ham was, I’m kind of tired of looking at it so I decided it was time to get off the couch and post something new. (This is apparently what happens when you start watching Friday Night Lights on Netflix… you spend way  too much time sitting on the couch and not doing anything even remotely productive.)

Hopefully this pie will make of for my absence?

A few weeks ago, I got a copy of Teeny’s Tour of Pie in the mail. The author, Teeny Lamothe, spent a year traveling to the best pie shops and bakeries in the country in an effort to master the art of pie. The book is packed full of awesome pie ideas and gorgeous photos. Teeny’s personality really comes through in her writing; she basically seems like the most adorable person ever.

I had a really hard time deciding which pie I wanted to make first, but I was really drawn to her cream pie recipes. Chai Cream Pie? Yum. Earl Grey Cream Pie? Oh my. I ended up settling on her classic Banana Cream Pie. It’s my Dad’s favorite pie, so I brought it with me to Easter dinner.

From the first bite, it’s obvious that this pie is something special. The banana cream is made from scratch, and it’s lightyears away from pies made with boxed pudding mix. I was a little worried that it wouldn’t be banana-y enough, since I opted out of the optional banana extract, but it ended up being perfect. Honestly, I think the extract would have ruined it.

I also really loved the crust, which is made from crushed vanilla wafers. I haven’t had a vanilla wafer in ages, and I had completely forgotten how delicious they are. The crust gives the pie a banana pudding vibe and, now that I’ve tried it this way, I don’t think I can go back to banana cream pie made in a standard pastry crust.

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Homemade Banana Cream Pie

Prep Time 4 hours hours

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups vanilla wafer crumbs about 45 cookies
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups whole milk
• 4 medium egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 bananas
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Heat your oven to 350ºF.
• In a large bowl, combine the cookie crumbs and melted butter; stir to combine. Transfer 3/4 of the crumb mixture to a 9-inch pie pan. Form the sides of the pie crust by pressing the crumbs up the sides of the plate (it should be about 1/4 inch thick). Spoon the rest of the crumb mixture into the bottom of the plate; press it to form the bottom of the crust.
• Bake 5-7 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool.
• In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the milk and egg yolks; whisk until there are no lumps.
• Turn the burner on to medium. Cook the pudding whisking constantly and scraping the bottom of the pot so it doesn't burn, until it begins to thicken and come to a boil – about 10 minutes. Let the pudding boil 1 minute; remove from heat.
• Add the butter; whisk until the pudding is smooth. Thinly slice the bananas into the pudding; stir gently to incorporate.
• Pour the banana cream into the cooled crust. Immediately cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until set (at least 4 hours).
• Prepare the whipped cream by combining the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high speed until thick and doubled in size – about 3 minutes.
• Before serving, remove the plastic wrap and top the pie with whipped cream.

Want to win a copy of Teeny’s Tour of Pie for yourself? Enter using the form below!

Disclosure: I was given two copies of Teeny’s Tour of Pies – one for myself and one to give away – as well as a small assortment of baking supplies from Food Lion.

Fluffy white cupcakes filled with tart lemon curd and topped with marshmallow frosting and toasted graham cracker crumbs. 

I’m not going to lie – these cupcakes take a little more effort than most of my recipes. They’re worth every last dish they’ll dirty though. They’re my new gold standard for cupcakes.

The white cake is light, fluffy, and has the most delicate crumb I’ve ever experienced in something homemade. The cake is mild and sweet – similar to angel food cake – making it the perfect backdrop for the shocking tartness of lemon curd hidden inside. Each cupcake gets topped off with a dollop of sticky-sweet marshmallow frosting and a sprinkle of graham crackers before it gets toasted to perfection under the broiler, giving them a subtle campfire taste.

If you haven’t already planned your Easter dessert, these cupcakes will be perfect. (Plus, if you’re like me and forgot to buy white eggs to dye instead of instinctively grabbing an extra carton of brown ones, you’re in luck because this recipe uses about a million egg whites. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can use the yolks to make your own homemade lemon curd for the filling.)

These cupcakes were inspired by a recipe for lemon s’mores that I found on Pinterest. I’m obsessed with lemon (have you checked out my lemon love board yet?), so lemon curd and toasted marshmallow sandwiches between graham crackers seemed even more amazing to me than the traditional chocolate. And as smitten as I was with the original concept, it seemed to be screaming to be made into a cupcake.

The ingredients are simple: flour, sugar, milk, egg whites, butter, vanilla, and cream of tarter. The cream of tarter helps stabilize the eggs whites to make the cake extra light and fluffy. It also gives the cake that elusive “birthday cake” flavor that always seems to be missing in cakes made from scratch.

Since I’ve been making an effort to use more whole wheat and whole white wheat flour in my savory recipes lately, I’ve been really into buying these little 2-pound bags of Gold Medal all purpose flour to use for baking. Whole wheat flour just won’t work in a recipe like this and I love that the small bags last a while but don’t take up too much room in my cabinet.

Once the cupcakes are cooled, they get filled with lemon curd. This is my favorite part of the recipe! I used a sharp paring knife to cut out a cone shape from the center of each cupcake, then spoon in a little curd before replacing it. Don’t worry if it doesn’t look perfect – it’ll get hidden under the frosting anyway.

For these cupcakes, you’ll have to whip egg whites twice – once for the cake and then again for the frosting. If you plan ahead, you can use the same bowl both times and save yourself from having another dish to wash. Just make sure to grab a heat proof bowl when you’re whipping the eggs whites for the cake!

This frosting is so good. It tastes like marshmallow fluff, but it’s way easier to make than marshmallows (plus you don’t need gelatin, just egg whites and sugar). It’s pretty sweet, but like the cake it goes really well with the lemon curd. Plus once it gets toasted, it’s just about the best thing ever!

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Lemon S'mores Cupcakes

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 24

Calories 357kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• 2 ⅓ cup Gold Medal® all purpose flour
• 2 ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup reduced fat milk
• 5 egg whites
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tarter
• ½ cup lemon curd

For the frosting

• 6 egg whites
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ½ teaspoon cream of tarter
• pinch salt
• 3 whole graham crackers crushed

Instructions

To make the cupcakes:

• Heat oven to 350ºF. Line 2 cupcake pans with 24 liners.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer or a medium mixing bowl, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and 1/2 cup of milk until just blended. Add half the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Add the remaining milk; mix until combined. Add the remaining flour and mix until just combined.
• In a second bowl, add the egg whites and cream of tarter. Beat with an electric mixer on high until the egg whites are glossy and form stiff peak when the mixer is lifted. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter, one quarter at a time.
• Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake pans. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

To make the Icing:

• Fill a pot with 1inch of water; bring to a simmer. Combine the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture reaches 160ºF, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and whisk on high for 7-10 minutes, or until the frosting holds stiff peaks.

To Assemble:

• Heat broiler on high.
• Use a paring knife to cut a cone out of the center of each cupcake. Spoon 1 teaspoon of lemon curd into the hole, then replace the cake that you removed.
• Spoon or pipe 1 tablespoon of frosting onto the top of each cupcake. Sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs and place on a baking sheet.
• Broil for 1-2 minutes, or until graham cracker crumbs and marshmallow frosting are golden and toasted, but not burned (keep a close eye on them!)

Nutrition

Calories: 357kcal | Protein: 3.7g | Fat: 8.2g