Baked Snickerdoodle Donuts (Eggless) ~ Day 59

These soft, delicious, cinnamon-sugar coated Snickerdoodle donuts are so easy to make and are incredibly addictive.  This is way healthier than the fried donuts.  My fussy tween gave a thumps up after trying it and that's a good thing.  You can get the donut pan from amazon or at a local Home Goods, TJ Maxx or Ross for Less Stores.  I got mine from TJ Maxx for $7.99.  

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 Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serves: 12 donuts

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Recipe adopted and modified from: Bromabakery

Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour - 1 and 1/2 cups
• Light brown sugar - 1/3 cup
• Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
• Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - 3/4 tsp
• Corn Starch - 2 tbsp plus 1 tbsp water mixed thoroughly (to replace 1 egg)
• or 
• Egg - 1
• Plain yogurt - 1/3 cup
• Vegetable oil - 1/4 cup
• Whole milk - 1/4 cup (I used 2% milk)
• Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
• Donut pan
• Ziplock bag

For the cinnamon sugar:

• Granulated sugar - 1/2 cup
• Ground cinnamon - 1/2 tbsp
• Butter - 1/4 cup, melted

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease the donut pan and set it aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a another mixing bowl, whisk together the corn starch mixture or egg (if using), yogurt, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla extract.
4. Pour the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  The mixture will be thick.
5. Spoon the batter into a large ziplock bag and cut a 1/2 inch hole in the corner.  Pipe the batter into the donut molds, filling 3/4 of the mold.  Or simply spoon the batter directly into the mold.
6. Bake for 10 minutes.  Allow it cool in the pan for 5 minutes before dusting with cinnamon sugar.
7. To make the cinnamon sugar:
8. Combine sugar and ground cinnamon in a bowl.  Using a small brush, brush each donut with the melted butter on both sides.  Dip each side into the sugar mixture.
9. Enjoy!

Soft Pretzels (Jalapeno & Cinnamon Sugar) Day - 1

Hello friends,

Wish you all a very happy new year - 2016

After a long hiatus, I am back to blogging.  I missed all of you and my new year resolution is to update this blog with regular posts.  For the first time, I am going to attempt to post every day.  Wish me luck.  Thanks to Niv Mani of Panfusine for the motivation.  Here is my first recipe of the year.
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Recipe source:  King Arthur

Ingredients:
All purpose flour - 2 1/2 cups
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Instant yeast - 2 1/4 tsp
Warm water - 7/8 to 1 cup*

*Use the greater amount in the winter, the lesser amount in the summer, and somewhere in between in the spring and fall.  Your goal is a soft dough.

Topping:
Boiling water - 1 cup
Baking soda - 2 TBSP
Jalapeno - 1. roughly chopped
Coarse, Kosher or pretzel salt, optional
Unsalted butter, melted - 3 TBSP
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Powdered cinnamon - 2 TBSP

Method:

• To make dough with a food processor:  Place the flour, salt, sugar and yeast in the bowl of a food processor equipped with the steel blade.  Process for 5 seconds.  Add the water, and process for 7 to 10 seconds, until the dough starts to clear the sides of the bowl.  Process for another 45 seconds. 
• At this point, you can divide the dough in half. Add chopped jalapenos to one half, mix until combined. Place both the dough into a floured bowls and turn to coat. Cover and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
• While the dough is resting, prepare the topping. Combine the boiling water and baking soda, stirring until the soda is totally dissolved.  Pour the mixer into a pan and set aside to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 475 degree F.  Prepare a baking sheet by spraying it with vegetable spray of lining it with parchment paper.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, and divide it into eight equal pieces. If you halved the dough for two different flavors, divide each half into 4 equal pieces.  Allow the pieces to rest. uncovered, for 5 minutes.
• Roll each piece of dough into a long, thin rope (about 28" to 30" long), and twist each rope into a pretzel. Working with 4 pretzels at a time, place them in the pan with the baking soda/water, spooning the water over their tops.  Leave them in the water for 2 minutes before placing them on the baking sheet.  This baking soda "bath" will give the pretzels a nice, golden-brown color.

• Transfer the pretzels to the prepared baking sheet.  Sprinkle some salt to the jalapeno flavored pretzels.  Allow them to rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
• Bake the pretzels for 8 to 9 minutes, or until they are golden brown.  Remove the pretzels from the oven, and brush them thoroughly with melted butter.  
• Mix 1/4 cup sugar and 2 TBSP powdered cinnamon and sprinkle over the plain buttered pretzel to coat.
• Eat the pretzel warm, or reheat them in an oven or microwave.

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel