brioche dough

Hello Friends!

So at the risk of sounding rather donut-obsessed (this is not the first or even the second donut recipe I’ve posted here on my little blog!), I’m going to share a recipe with you for delicious donut holes that are really low on the guilt-meter (if you have one, ha!).

Once upon a time a few years ago, I started experimenting with brioche dough recipes (I stumbled upon the Artisan in 5 bread method and still really want to buy the recipe book!), but because I always need to come up with my own unique version of everything, I started playing around with different methods of creating a perfect brioche dough for making healthier donuts. Now, I LOVE using the combination of spelt and white flours for these donut holes and it definitely ups the nutrition factor, but I’ve also made it with just white flour and it’s just as delicious.

One of the cool things about this recipe is that I found a way to make it all vegan, but you’d never guess! Instead of eggs (which at one point weren’t easy to come by during quarantine) I used aquafaba. Have you tried it? It’s just the liquid from a store-bought can of chickpeas. It works as a binder and I promise you can’t taste it AT ALL in the final recipe. Second I use refined coconut oil instead of butter. You can use unrefined, but I prefer the very neutral taste of the refined since it doesn’t taste like coconut at all.

The dough comes together in just minutes, but the trick is to wait for the rise. That beautiful pillowy rise is the key to perfect springy melt-in-your-mouth soft donut holes – which by the way you could also shape into classic little donut shapes as well if you wish. But the key is to keep them mini so they bake quickly and evenly.

The second rise (after letting the dough firm up in the fridge and shaping into donut holes) is always helpful for the final texture, BUT it’s not the end of the world if you skip the second rise. They’ll still be delicious. 😉 Okay on to the recipe! I’m warning you though, there is a downside to these – when I’ve made them here they barely last a morning (and yes they taste exactly like donuts but without the oily after-taste!) to the point that if I don’t double the recipe, mama doesn’t get any. 😀 So proceed with caution! <3

Baked Yeasted Spelt Brioche Donut Holes (Vegan!)

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons very warm water (hot tap water will do!)
• 1/2 Tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1/2 Cup brown sugar

• 6 Tablespoons aquafaba (liquid from can of chickpeas, whisked) or 2 large eggs – beaten
• 1/4 Cup melted refined coconut oil
• Generous heaping 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Cups spelt flour (or more all-purpose flour)
• 1/2 Tablespoon kosher salt

Rough Ingredients for simple glaze:

• Sifted powdered sugar (about 1 Cup)
• Almond milk or milk of choice
• Small drizzle of vanilla
• *optional* TBSP of refined coconut oil

1. In a stand mixing bowl, quickly whisk the hot tap water and brown sugar to dissolve, then add yeast while still very warm.
2. “Proof” for 10 minutes (let sit and don’t touch – until frothy and you can smell the sweet bread-y smell of the yeast).
3. Mix the rest of the wet ingredients (the whisked aquafaba, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract) in a separate bowl, and then add to the proofed yeast mixture.
4. Whisk the dry ingredients together (all-purpose flour, spelt flour, and salt) in a separate bowl and then slowly add to the stand mixing bowl on slow-medium power with a hook attachment if you have one.
5. Mixture will form a sticky ball of dough. Let the dough sit in a vegetable-oil-greased bowl and cover with a warm wet rag in a warm environment for 2 hours, then refrigerate until mixture is firm enough to work with. You can also just put the freshly-mixed dough directly in a plastic ziplock and let rise slowly in the fridge overnight.
6. Once the dough has risen double its size and is firm enough to handle, form into small balls (see pictures for reference. Not too giant or they’ll be a little raw inside, but somewhat bigger than a Tablespoon.) and let sit on a foiled and greased cookie sheet. At this point you can let sit for another hour to get the maximum rise, or you can forego this step and place in an oven preheated to 400 degrees.
7. Bake for 5 and 1/2 to 6 minutes (or 7 minutes depending on how cool or hot your oven runs. Make sure to watch for a little browning and a springy top).
8. Let donut holes cool completely, then make your favorite simple glaze (I like making one with the ingredients I listed, but play it by ear on the levels/consistency – you want drizzly but still stiff to give a nice crackly shell on your donut holes.)
9. Dip the donuts tops in the glaze – again make sure your donuts are completely cool or the glaze will just melt right off.
10. Let donuts sit so glaze can solidify, then pour yourself some coffee and enjoy!