Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes

Original Poster: Sarah Bakes Gluten Free

So this weekend here in Pennsylvania we got snowed in! We got about two feet of snow and while we were stuck indoors, I figured why not bake?! I was randomly very hungry for donuts. I usually don't crave them at all. Maybe once or twice a year I'll whip up a batch of some sort but that's it. Even before I went vegan - donuts were a rare thing for me to eat. Anyway, I also wanted them to be quick and easy. I wasn't feeling the greatest the day I made them so I didn't want something that took a lot of time or a lot of clean up. I did a quick search on Pinterest and this was one of the first recipes that came up.

A quick disclaimer, I didn't make these gluten free because as far as I know, my body has no problem with gluten. However, if you need it to be gluten free, just follow along with the original recipe and make the gluten free substitutions! Also, in the original recipe they were cinnamon sugar donuts. I was out of cinnamon so I just used pumpkin spice instead! Tasted amazing.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 almond milk
2 Tbsp. shortening, melted (I use Crisco since it's vegan friendly)
oil for frying

For the donut coating:
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin spice

Directions:
1. In a pan (or saucepan if you're like me and are a little afraid of frying things), heat up approximately two inches of oil.
2. Mix together your sugar and pumpkin spice in a paper bag and set aside.
3. While your oil is heating up, prepare your donut mixture! In a bowl mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add in your almond milk and melted shortening. Stir until all ingredients are well blended.
4. Using a spoon, make balls of dough and gently drop them into the oil. I'd recommend doing 3 or 4 at a time. Cook on each side for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Remove donut holes from pan/pot and place on a towel lined plate to soak up some of the excess oil.
6. After about 10 seconds, pop the donut holes in your paper bag with the sugar and pumpkin spice. Fold over the top of the bag and give it a good (but gentle) shake.
7. Repeat the frying, drying and paper bag steps until all your dough is gone.

They have a nice, fluffy consistency to them. I had a small glass of almond milk with mine!