In celebration for fall and Michaelmas yesterday I felt like making a fall recipe with the girls. We have been making a lot of fall recipes these days actually. I am craving all things comfort, especially since I am sick, so soup and chili have been great with garlic bread!

Last night we wanted something dessert-like and I have been wanting to use the can of pumpkin that I bought a while back. I wanted to make pumpkin pie with it, but knew that yesterday I didn’t have the energy for that, so pumpkin doughnut holes it was! It seemed like a fun recipe for the kids and I love the fact that they are so easy to just pop into your mouth when you feel like a sweet treat. With little oil and maple syrup to sweeten them and the fiber and goodness of pumpkin, they make a healthy fall-inspired dessert treat.

After baking them, I decided on three ways to finish them off: rolled in cinnamon and sugar, powdered with icing sugar, and glazed in cinnamon spice frosting.

All ways are delicious, but my favorite are the powdered ones, which give a real doughnut feel. Kesa and Autumn love the cinnamon sugar ones. Everyone gives this recipe five out of five stars.

Baked Pumpkin Doughnut Holes

A perfect healthy sweet treat for fall!

Makes 24 doughnut holes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 cup sunflower oil
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
3. Add the oil, syrup, almond milk, and pumpkin puree and stir until combined.
4. Spoon by heaping tablespoons into a lightly greased or non-stick mini muffin pan.*
5. Bake for 11-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
6. Allow to cool completely before rolling in cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, or cinnamon spice glaze.

*I used a 24-capacity mini muffin pan. You could also use two 12-capacity mini muffin pans, or if you only have one 12-capacity mini muffin pan you can bake each bath one at a time.

Cinnamon Sugar

• 1/3 cup Earth Balance margarine
• 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Melt the margarine in a small bowl.
2. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a separate small bowl.
3. Roll each doughnut hole in the melted margarine to coat.
4. Roll the margarine coated doughnut hole into the sugar and cinnamon mixture to coat.
5. Store in a container. Best within 3-5 days.

Powdered Sugar

• 1/2 cup organic icing sugar

Directions

1. Roll each doughnut hole in the icing sugar to coat.
2. Store in a container. Best within 3-5 days.

Cinnamon Spice Frosting

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons Earth Balance margarine
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Directions

1. Place the icing sugar, margarine, almond milk, ground cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together in a small mixing bowl and stir to combine.
2. Dip each doughnut hole in the frosting to coat and set on a plate to allow the glaze to dry.
3. Store in a container. Best within 3-5 days.

Last year for Michaelmas, we made a dragon bread together, brushed with oil, garlic, salt and oregano.

Autumn also made a drawing of Michael and the dragon and we came up with a poem together, as well as a fall cinquain poem.