HEALTHY LITTLE VITTLES is a food blog created by certified health coach and published author, Gina Fontana, that focuses on gluten-free + vegan + plant-based recipes that anyone can make and everyone will enjoy! Here you'll find simple, flavorful meals, many made in 30 minutes or less. All eaters are welcome!
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These Grain-Free Churro Donut Holes are made with a blend of cassava, coconut, and almond flours rolled in a cinnamon coconut sugar and served with melted dark chocolate for extra churro vibes.
I could not be more excited about how these donut holes turned out!!! They are SO easy to make and are so soft made with the perfect combination of gluten-free, grain-free flours. They are flipping delicious people! I recently turned in the manuscript for my second published book all about gluten-free, vegan desserts! One of my favorite recipes among the 60 dessert recipes included in the book are my churro cupcakes. Since I made them, let’s just say I’ve been in a churro mood, so I decided to turn those cupcakes into donut holes and share them with you here today on the blog!
Just imagine, moist and delicious cupcakes rolled into donut holes, then coated in cinnamon coconut sugar and drizzled with (or dunked in) melted dark chocolate. Arguably these could be deemed a dessert, but I have no shame in enjoying a few, yes a few, for breakfast with my morning coffee.
Unlike churros, these churro donut holes are baked in the oven keeping the donut holes themselves oil and fried free, but still embody that cinnamon churro flavor we all love. You will start by creating a “buttermilk” by mixing plant-based milk, such as almond milk, and apple cider vinegar together and letting it curdle.
Then you’ll whisk together all of the dry ingredients, combine with the “buttermilk” and maple syrup and then roll a heaping tablespoon of batter between your hands to create the donut holes. If you have a donut hole baking pan you can use that, which is what I did, otherwise you can place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake them that way. You only need to bake these for 12-14 minutes!
Then you allow them to cool before you roll them in the cinnamon coconut sugar. Tip: I find that spraying them with a spray coconut oil before coating them with the cinnamon sugar helps it to stick onto the donut holes better. And then as mentioned above you can either drizzle melted dark chocolate over top or just go straight for the dunk-aroo 😉
And there you have it! Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Facebook if you make these Grain-Free Churro Donut Holes!
These Grain-Free Churro Donut Holes are made with a blend of cassava, coconut, and almond flours rolled in a cinnamon coconut sugar and served with melted dark chocolate for extra churro vibes.
Ingredients
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 cup cassava flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup maple syrup
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
Spray oil
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Chocolate Dipping Sauce
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the almond milk and apple cider vinegar in a bowl and set aside for about 5 minutes to create a "buttermilk".
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
Add the maple syrup and the "buttermilk" to the bowl with the flour mixture and stir to form a batter.
Scoop a heaping tablespoon of batter into your hands and roll into balls and then place into a greased donut hole baking pan (or you can use a parchment lined baking sheet if you don't have one). Repeat until all batter is gone and then bake in the oven for 13-14 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely. Next, make the cinnamon sugar coating by whisking together the coconut sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
Spray the donut holes all the way around with the spray oil and then roll them in the cinnamon sugar coating. Serve with melted chocolate if desired. Best enjoyed the same day, store leftovers in an airtight container on your counter for up to 2 days.
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What happened!? I followed the recipe exactly until I ended up with a completely liquid batter! So I ended up adding another half cup each of almond and cassava flour. It was still too liquidy to roll into balls like instructed, but I scooped into my mini muffin pans. They rose nicely but took almost 30 minutes to cook. The insides are a disgusting gelatinous goo that makes me feel like I’m eating chunks of glue. Perhaps when I added flour I should have added more baking powder but…why did I even have to add any dry ingredients at all? I followed the recipe exactly except exchanging almond milk for coconut milk (which, if anything, would’ve made it thicker).
Hi Lar, so there has been lots of issues with batter consistency depending on which brand of cassava flour you use. I suggest Bob’s Red Mill, Otto’s, or Let’s Do Organic from Edward and Sons. You can read more about how cassava flour can differ in this article: https://handhconnection.com/2019/05/29/all-cassava-flour-brands-not-equal/
Also, if you used the liquid from the can of coconut milk and not just the solid part, that could also contribute to a runnier batter. Hope this helps!
The Healthy Little Vittles blog provides general information and discussions about health, health foods, nutritional content and value, and related subjects from time to time. The information, recipes, or other content provided in this blog, or in any linked materials, are not intended to and should not be taken as medical advice, nor should it be a substitute for seeking the advice from a medical professional or replacement of treatment.
If you or any other person has a medical concern, please consult with your health care provider, and don’t disregard medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on this blog or in any linked materials. Always discuss the use of supplements, herbal ingredients, and those of the like, with your health care provider before incorporating into your diet.
The opinions and views expressed on the Healthy Little Vittles blog have no relation to those of any academic, hospital, health practice or other institution, and are simply provided on a health coaching basis.
What happened!? I followed the recipe exactly until I ended up with a completely liquid batter! So I ended up adding another half cup each of almond and cassava flour. It was still too liquidy to roll into balls like instructed, but I scooped into my mini muffin pans. They rose nicely but took almost 30 minutes to cook. The insides are a disgusting gelatinous goo that makes me feel like I’m eating chunks of glue. Perhaps when I added flour I should have added more baking powder but…why did I even have to add any dry ingredients at all? I followed the recipe exactly except exchanging almond milk for coconut milk (which, if anything, would’ve made it thicker).
Hi Lar, so there has been lots of issues with batter consistency depending on which brand of cassava flour you use. I suggest Bob’s Red Mill, Otto’s, or Let’s Do Organic from Edward and Sons. You can read more about how cassava flour can differ in this article: https://handhconnection.com/2019/05/29/all-cassava-flour-brands-not-equal/
Also, if you used the liquid from the can of coconut milk and not just the solid part, that could also contribute to a runnier batter. Hope this helps!