Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Homemade Chocolate Sauce and Fall Sprinkles

I've mentioned making baked donuts before on the blog. 

I'm a bit in love with the idea. 

Here's a few reasons why:

Their baked and not fried=healthier

Their sort of like an old fashioned donut

I love my baked donut pans 

The possibilities are endless

Their very kid and company friendly

So, I've baked yummy Pumpkin Donuts and added my spin on a pumpkin glaze. 

Then one day I made more than we could eat or than I could give away when they were fresh the day of with the glaze on them. 

I sought a way to redeem the donuts, I would tell my neighbor!

So I did. 

One night, with the baked donuts in the fridge and homemade chocolate sauce in a mason jar also in the fridge, I decided to get crazy, much to Addy's delight. 

What ensued was simple amazing and I must say, extremely redemptive after a very crazy terrific two's week (read terrible two's). 

BEHOLD: 

Pretty redemptive, huh? 

Here's the recipes for what I did: 

Baked Pumpkin Donuts: 

1 3/4 c. white-whole wheat flour (all-purpose is fine too)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/3 c. coconut oil

1/2 c. coconut sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 c. pumpkin puree

1/2 c. milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or butter a donut pan and set aside. 

Combine the wet ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. 

Combine the dry ingredients in another bowl. 

Combine the wet ingredients into the dry. 

Place the batter in a large Ziplock bag and roll all of the air out before sealing. 

In a corner of the bag, cut a small slit. 

Pipe the batter into the donut pans. 

Bake for about 11-13 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean. 

Let the donuts cool slightly in the pan before transferring to a drying rack to cool completely. 

Homemade Chocolate Sauce (for donuts or ice cream or by the spoonful, not that I know...)

1 c. Baking Cocoa Powder

1 c. Sugar (you can use organic sugar or coconut sugar as well)

1/2-3/4 c. hot water

2 tsp. vanilla extract

dash of salt

Mix all the cocoa, sugar, vanilla and salt in a medium sauce pan. Add 1/2 cup of the hot water and whisk together over medium high heat. Add more water depending on how thick you like it as it cooks. You can add cinnamon if you'd like a more "Mexican Chocolate" taste to it as well. 

When the donuts have cooled, dip the top of the donuts in the chocolate sauce and place back on the wire rack. Before the chocolate sets, add your choice of toppings, sprinkles, nuts, etc. or just leave them plain and indulge in a few moments of redemption for whatever sort of day you've had. 

The End...or The Beginning...depending on your eternal perspective.