Thank goodness it's October… it's finally the season when the pumpkin doughnuts I make all year are "appropriate." Moist, melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin doughnuts. So light and airy you could eat three or four in one sitting… so it's a good thing they're healthy(ish). These doughnuts contain no refined flour or sugar (unless you sprinkle them with powdered sugar for a photo… my bad) and are packed with greek yogurt and pumpkin, which is rich in vitamin A, iron, potassium, and fiber. They also make a great finger food for Baby Led Weaning and believe me, pumpkin doughnuts are a bit hit with the babies. A big thank you to my brother - the same one who brought you overnight cocoa oatmeal - for creating this recipe and allowing me to share it. Keep 'em coming big bro!

pumpkin cake doughnuts

makes 18-24 doughnuts

special equipment required: doughnut pan, freezer size ziplock bag or pastry bag

ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter (softened)

3/4 cup maple syrup

2 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt or sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease doughnut pan.

2. Cream together butter and maple syrup with an electric mixer. Add eggs.

3. Sift dry ingredients together. Combine with butter and maple syrup mixture and beat together slowly.

4. Mix together pumpkin, yogurt, and vanilla. Stir into batter.

5. Fold the top of a freezer size ziplock bag down halfway and use a rubber spatula to fill the bag with batter. Cut off about 1/2 an inch of the corner, twist and hold the top of the bag, and squeeze batter into pan (see below).

6. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 11 minutes. Turn pan over onto cooling rack and tap bottom of pan with knife to release doughnuts. Let cool on rack for a few minutes.

These are perfect on their own but are also delicious with any sort of frosting. This recipe also translates well into muffins, just increase the baking time.