Vegan double chocolate cherry donuts. Half the calories, double the fun!

Okay, so I don't know if these donuts really have half the calories, but it sure makes for a catchy title. They may not be health food, but they are made with quality ingredients, healthy fats, and no cholesterol! After picking up a box of Paczki's the other day I was so excited to take that first bite only to find that it tasted like just a fried ball of chemicals, darn you elitist taste buds! Anywho, I saw this recipe on post punk kitchen the other day for chocolate cherry mini loaves and realizing I have no mini loaf pan, decided to turn it into some delish donuts! I adapted this chocolate donut recipe to make these deliciously natural treats. Here is the recipe!

Vegan Double Chocolate Cherry Donuts

Ingredients:

Donuts -

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup coconut milk

1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 1/2 tsp egg replacer mixed with 5 tsp of reserved cherry juice (see below)

1/2 cup frozen cherries, chopped into quarters

2 Tbsp dairy free mini chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life brand)

Glaze -

1 teaspoon reserved cherry juice

2 Tbsp coconut oil

1 Tbsp coconut milk

1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract

2 Tbsp dairy free mini chocolate chips

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees F, grease a donut pan with coconut oil and dust with flour, shaking out the excess.

In a small saucepan, heat chopped cherries with a few pinches of sugar and a teaspoon water until thawed and juices release, pour out cherry juice to use in dough and glaze. Whisk 5 tsp of the cherry juice into the egg replacer. Mix coconut milk with apple cider vinegar and set aside. Heat 1/4 cup coconut oil by placing in a cup in a bowl of warm water until melted.

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Whisk in sugar. Stir milk mixture into bowl, then stir in melted coconut oil and egg replacer mixed with cherry juice. Fold in chopped cherries (drained) and chocolate chips. Spoon batter into donut pans until they are 3/4 full, it should make 8 donuts total. Bake at 375 degrees F for 16 minutes, rotating halfway through cooking time. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.

To make the glaze:

I modified Alton Brown's chocolate donut glaze recipe (love him!). Combine coconut oil, milk, teaspoon reserved cherry juice, and extract in a saucepan until oil is melted. Reduce heat, whisk in chocolate chips until melted, then add powdered sugar. Remove from heat and dip donuts in the glaze so that the tops are covered (you may have to roll them around a bit). Place glaze side up on parchment paper to cool. Enjoy with a nice cold glass of coconut or almond milk, now this is what a donut should taste like!

I didn't take too many pictures of these, I was way too excited to inhale them!