Wholesome Cook
Birthday + Entertaining

Baked Beetroot Donuts for Valentine’s Day

Pink donuts that are naturally coloured and good for the heart? Yes M’am! These delicious baked beetroot donuts are a perfect treat for you and your Valentine if you’re on a bit of a health kick.

They are vegan – if you wish, and low in fat. Flavoured with some cinnamon to keep with tradition they are best eaten warm, straight out of the oven, well almost, they will be hot. But if you make a big batch like this, they will also taste great cold, almost like a sweet beetroot bagel or pretzel! Can’t beat that!

A little melted chocolate to dip them in might help with the Valentine’s Day theme too. Aaahhh…

Makes about 20

Baked beetroot donuts (vegan)

Beetroot adds a lovely colour to the donuts and sweetens them naturally, but I still added some sugar as special treat. Ratios of wholemeal and plain flours can be adjusted to what you prefer, but for a lighter consistency I would recommend not going over half half for wholemeal. For a vegan option, use non-dairy milk and margarine spread. Oh, and wear gloves when handling beets, otherwise your hands will be pink for the occasion too.

Wet ingredients:

  • 400g beetroot
  • 12 tbsp non-dairy milk
  • 6 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 4 tbsp melted coconut oil

Dry ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup unrefined demerara sugar or granulated Stevi
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups plain unbleached flour
  • 1 cup plain wholemeal flour

For dusting:

  • 1/4 cup unrefined golden caster sugar, coconut sugar on granulated Stevia
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • melted coconut oil, for brushing

Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan forced 350F, gas mark 4). Grease your donut trays or a small muffin tray if making donut holes. Set aside.

To prepare the beetroot: cook whole unpeeled beets in a pot of water for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Drain and allow to cool. Wearing gloves, peel the beets and cut into small chunks. Puree with a food processor or a stick blender in a large bowl, big enough to hold all the wet and dry ingredients combined.

To make the batter: add all wet ingredients to your pureed beetroot bowl. Mix all dry ingredients in another bowl. Pour in dry ingredients into the wet ones and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.

To pipe the donuts: transfer the batter into a large zip-lock bag. Close the zip lock, releasing all the air and squeeze batter toward one of the bottom corners. Twist the empty end of the bag a couple of times and secure with a rubber band – voila, you have a nifty piping bag! Cut off the corner at about 1cm wide. Pipe whatever shapes you like, in this case hearts, onto a cookie tray lined with some baking paper.

For oven baked: bake for 10-12 minutes or until they are just starting to turn golden around the edges and springing back to the touch. Remove from oven and cool in the tray for 5 minutes. Lift out of the tray and cool on a wire rack.

To dust with cinnamon sugar: brush each donut with oil spray. Wipe excess fat with a paper towel and rub the same towel over the dry side of the donut. That should allow sufficient greasing for the cinnamon sugar to stick to. Transfer to your sugar bowl and toss around to cover.

Donuts will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container.

19 comments

Steph February 13, 2012 at 1:55 pm

These look delicious Marty! You are so creative, seriously, when is a cookbook coming out? I want one!

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ChopinandMysaucepan February 13, 2012 at 2:26 pm

Dear Martyna,

These beetroot doughnuts really show the passion, love and spirit of Valentine’s Day with the blood red colour! Add some sugar sweetness and you’ve hit the mark on “sweet, sweet, love”!

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delicieux February 13, 2012 at 3:15 pm

Wow, this is such an interesting recipe. I would never have thought of beetroot donuts! You are so creative! The red from the beetroot works perfectly with the heart shape!

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Lizzy (Good Things) February 13, 2012 at 5:30 pm

How very sweet… beetroot is the flavour of the month and perfect for Valentine’s Day!

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Three-Cookies February 13, 2012 at 6:05 pm

Very creative, and this is an excellent recipe. I’ve never tried baked donut.
“The Quickest way to a Man’s Heart is through his Stomach”. This low fat version would be less effective in ‘getting’ to the heart, but delicious nevertheless:)

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johnbek February 13, 2012 at 9:50 pm

Ooh something tells me I’d really like these donuts! How appropriate!

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Raymund February 14, 2012 at 6:46 am

That donut looks so cool! Great idea of using beetroot instead of artificial colouring

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myfudo February 14, 2012 at 2:41 pm

The natural color of beets outshines everything this Valentine’s Day. I will have to try this.

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Nami | Just One Cookbook February 14, 2012 at 4:59 pm

Wow this is very creative! Beetroot in donuts?! And heart shape donuts? WOW – you make me feel like anything is possible to make and you can make it delicious! I need to be more creative in cooking and you continue to inspire me!

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K&B N. February 14, 2012 at 5:25 pm

Thats a great way to incorporate vegetables into dessert !

ratedkb.blogspot.com

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Anna @ the shady pine February 14, 2012 at 7:33 pm

These are so adorable and I love that hey are heart friendly to boot! The colour is divine too!!

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GourmetGetaways February 14, 2012 at 9:34 pm

Looks absolutely delicious. I used beetroot in a Red Velvet cake and found the texture amazing, I would love to try these :)

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Bam's Kitchen February 15, 2012 at 12:46 am

Adorable. Yummy, festive and with only have the guilt. Very creative Martyna. I will be over for a cuppa and donut soon. Get the kettle going. BAM

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Sissi February 15, 2012 at 2:31 am

These doughnuts look so cute they could convert all those who hate beetroots. Thank you for such a beautiful, creative St Valentine’s idea.

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AikoVenus February 16, 2012 at 3:33 am

These look so cute, simple and tasty! ^^ I wonder if I can use these beets to sneak some more healthy vegetables into the family’s diet.

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Purely.. Kay February 16, 2012 at 10:37 am

These look absolutely delicious and certainly a healthy option to eat anyday you want donuts. I’ve heard of beetroots used in baked goods before but never tried it. I can’t wait to try it out now

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Elzaan January 7, 2013 at 4:39 am

Hi

I just wanted to know if you do not have non-dairy milk and apple sauce, what can you use as a substitute/alternative?

Love your blog by the way ;-)

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook January 7, 2013 at 7:39 am

Thank you :-) If you’re not vegan, or allergic you could use cow’s milk and some mashed banana or 1 egg instead of apple sauce.

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Elzaan January 8, 2013 at 11:12 pm

Thank you! I will most certainly try this recipe when I get my hands on some beetroot.

Reply

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