I teased this Vegan Meyer Lemon Donut recipe on my Instagram feed last week, but what you didn’t know is that it pairs even more beautifully with a fresh blackberry jam. This donut was 300% inspired by an incredible donut I had while I was in Arizona (see photos on the Arizona Travel Guide), and when I got home, I knew I needed to try my hand at making a batch. The lovely ladies who served me my donuts hinted that the flour blend was gluten-free, but also nut free. They mentioned chickpea flour, rice flour and arrowroot, all ingredients that I love and love to bake with and I’ve used in this recipe.
These Vegan Meyer Lemon Donuts are baked, so inevitably they will be different in texture compared to your traditional deep-fried, glutinous doughnut, but they make for a perfect sweet treat with a great fluffy texture. In addition to being free of gluten, this recipe is also free of nuts, refined sugar, and oil! To bake them oil-free, I recommend using a silicone baking mold, donut-shaped of course. This is the mold that I used, which made popping the donuts out after baking much easier, sans oil.
The thing about Meyer Lemons is that they’re much sweeter than conventional lemons, as opposed to sour. It makes it perfect for baking and desserts because Meyer Lemons actually lend a nice sweet flavour, and don’t require as much additional sweetness just to balance out the sourness of a standard lemon. It is citrus season right now too, so I thought, why not try! And if you can’t find Meyer Lemons, give this Raspberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffin (using regular lemons) a try. My friend Minna, who was with me at the time of enjoyment of said excellent Arizonian donuts, was actually my taste tester and mentioned they were… dare I say it? Even better than the original.
I admit we experienced a little bit of a sugar crash after finishing our donuts, but this homemade version is sweetened with maple syrup, and is just sweet enough. You can watch us taste test the donuts AND sugar crash in the Arizona Vlog here.
I admit we experienced a little bit of a sugar crash after finishing our donuts, but this homemade version is sweetened with maple syrup, and is just sweet enough. You can watch us taste test the donuts AND sugar crash in the Arizona Vlog here.
Finally, the blackberry jam is completely optional but it adds a really lovely texture and brightness to the donut (in other words, I’d H I G H L Y recommend it unless blackberries aren’t your jam, ha). I did use organic powdered sugar to create an easy icing, however, this is also optional, and can be subbed for coconut butter, vegan yogurt, or substituted with just the blackberry jam! If you do choose to use powdered sugar though, I recommend making sure you’re using an organic powdered sugar, that way you know it’s vegan. Most conventional sugars are processed and filtered through bone char.
Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Yield: 8-10 donuts
ingredients
Donut:
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- 1/2 cup brown rice flour
- 2 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- pinch salt
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 3 heaping tbsp meyer lemon juice
- 1 tsp raw apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Icing:
- 1/2 cup organic powdered sugar
- 8 tsp lemon juice
Blackberry Chia Jam (based on the original Cranberry Chia Jam):
- 1/2 cup frozen or fresh blackberries
- 1/4 cup filtered water
- 1-2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F while you prepare your batter.
- In a large bowl, whisk together maple syrup, apple sauce, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Sift in chickpea flour, rice flour, arrowroot powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use a spatula to combine mixture until smooth. Mixture may poof up a little bit–this is ok!
- Transfer your mixture into donut mold. I recommend using a piping bag, to pipe into the mold, or spoon in but then remove any air bubbles using a toothpick. This will allow for even baking and no craters in your donuts!
- Bake in the oven for 15-17 minutes and use a toothpick to check they are cooked through. Toothpick should come out clean! I baked for approx 16 minutes exactly, but this was my first time using a silicone baking mold too. Trust the toothpick!
- While the donuts are baking, prepare icing by combining all ingredients in a small bowl and mixing until smooth.
- Next, prep chia jam (if using), by adding blackberries, water, and maple syrup to a small covered saucepan on low heat. Allow the blackberries to burst, and using a spatula or other utensil, smush them down to break down. Add chia seeds and stir, remove from heat and allow to thicken.
- When donuts are ready, remove from pan and allow to cool completely. Dip each one into icing, and let excess icing drip off of a cooling rack.
- Spoon chia jam into the center of each donut if desired. I recommend adding jam when you intend to eat, so it doesn’t cause the donut to go soggy otherwise.
