Do you ever consciously take a deep breathe?
I actually try to do it at least three times a day where I stop everything I’m doing and focus on getting the best breathe I can get. There are two times when I love to do this most: when I’m standing on top of a mountain after hours of hiking and when I know it’s fall.
In the midwest, fall has a certain earthy smell to it thanks to the chill in the air and the leaves falling to the ground. I can never seem to get enough of it. I seem to be at my happiest (and my calmest) when I’m hiking on a chilly fall morning.
I think that’s why I love pumpkin spiced things so much. The combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves brings this warm and earthy smell that can fill an entire house and pairs so well with the smell of fall.
I seriously think that there is nothing better standing outside on a chilly fall morning with a large cup of coffee in one hand and one of these doughnuts in the other.
Plus, these doughnuts are super easy and not too terribly unhealthy for you!
- 1¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ⅛ teaspoons ground cloves
- ⅓ cup sunflower oil
- ½ cup sucanat (or brown sugar)
- 2 egg whites
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup milk
- Coating:
- ½ cup butter (this is on the low end, you may want to use more)
- ½ cup sugar
- 2+ tablespoons cinnamon
- Preheat the oven to 350˚and either butter or oil a doughnut pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients, except for the brown sugar, together and set aside. In a different bowl, whisk together the oil, egg whites, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin, and milk. Pour into the dry mixture and stir until the mixture is just combined.
- Pour mixture into a piping bag (or a gallon bag with the tip cut off) and pipe an even circle so that each doughnut fairly full.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the doughnut spring backs. Remove from oven and turn out onto a wire rack.
- Let the doughnuts cool slightly. Melt butter in one bowl and combine cinnamon/sugar in another. When doughnuts are have cooled so that they are warm, dip in the butter and shake in the cinnamon/sugar. If you are not going to serve the doughnuts right away, do not do this last step. Place the doughnuts in an airtight container and coat right before serving!
