apple cider doughnuts.

apple cider doughnuts.

Fall is here, I think.  Despite the fact that it was 80 degrees for a while yesterday, I am still completely ready to eat pumpkin- and apple-flavored everything right now, and I am always completely ready to eat doughnuts.   Aside from few incredible establishments that I have been fortunate enough to experience (see: a variety of vegan options at Fritz Pastry in Chicago, a whole vegan shelf at VooDoo Doughnuts in Portland, Oregon, and the truly amazing, all-vegan Dunwell Doughnuts in New York City), the vegan doughnut remains a rarity when eating out.

This thoroughly confuses me, because they are quite simple to bake at home.  Often when I bake something vegan to share, people first say, “This tastes like a real [insert baked good here]!”  Shocking, I know.  That, my friends, is because vegans eat…*gasp*… real food!  Let’s get something straight.  That [cookie/cake/doughnut] I baked tastes like a real [cookie/cake/doughnut] because it is a real [cookie/cake/doughnut]. Okay, moving on.

Next, they’ll ask me, “But what replaces the eggs/milk/dairy product?”  The answer is usually: nothing, really.  The truth is that all of the ingredients used for vegan baking are regular.

My Darling Vegan’s recipe for these Apple Cider Doughnuts is no exception.  Here is the ingredient breakdown: flour, baking powder, baking soda, maple syrup, apple cider, apple sauce, canola oil, vanilla extract,  salt, and then some spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice).  For my version, I also added cinnamon, sugar, and pecans to the top before baking.  See…totally regular. Also, totally delicious. And free from animal excretions!

From the vegan lens: If you could bake absolutely delicious food without supporting the abhorrent egg and dairy industries, why wouldn’t you? It’s really actually super easy. Plus you can always eat the batter.

But until all restaurants recognize and appreciate the mouthwatering world of cruelty-free baked goods, you’ll probably need to invest in a doughnut pan. Or two.