These doughnut muffins are adorable. I mean, how can anything this small not be cute? They’re also dangerously addictive. And since they’re so small, it’s really easy to eat a lot of them in a short amount of time. Thank goodness that these are a bit healthier than the traditional fried doughnut!

I think next time I might try stuffing these little bites with some raspberry preserves to recreate one of my guilty pleasures: jelly filled doughnuts.

Mini Vegan Apple Cinnamon Doughnut Muffins
makes 24 muffins

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

for the cinnamon sugar topping:
2 tablespoons vegan butter substitute (I used Smart Balance)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, allspice, and cinnamon.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together applesauce, oil, sugar, and almond milk until well combined. Pour mixture into dry ingredients and whisk until well combined.
4. Fill your prepared mini muffin tins 2/3 – 3/4 full with batter. Bake for about 18 – 20 minutes, or until a light golden color.
5. During the last couple minutes of baking, melt your butter in a small bowl in the microwave. Combine your sugar and cinnamon in a separate small bowl.
6. Once the muffins are done, dip the top of the muffin in the melted butter and then roll in the cinnamon sugar. Place on a wire rack and repeat with remaining muffins.

Tip: I used a toothpick to pick up the muffin, dunk it in the butter, and then roll it in the sugar. It saved my hands from getting burned and it was a little neater than using my fingers.

recipe slightly adapted from Milk Free Mom