Apple Donuts a Healthy Foodie Party Treat

I am so excited to share a new obsession. APPLE DONUTS! You may or may not know that I am a healthy foodie. You may be asking yourself what on earth that means because it certainly does seem like a contradiction. But I'm in love with REAL food that tastes SO GOOD and is also fueling my body. The biggest problem area for me are sweet treats. Especially party treats. I stay away from dessert buffets but will indulge in sweetness for the right occasion. After the holidays this year I'm on a sugar detox and my 8 year old daughter accepted a no sweets challenge. I thought it would be fun to surprise her with an tasty after school treat that wouldn't blow either of our resolutions.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Apple donuts are a delicious way to keep your no sweets resolution!” quote=”Apple donuts are a delicious way to keep your no sweets resolution!”]

Pinterest Challenge

I've wanted to try apple donuts for years actually after coming across this post from Hello Wonderful and thought it the perfect recipe for our January Pinterest challenge. The idea behind the Pinterest Challenge is to stop merely pinning great ideas but to actually DO them. It's been a wonderful way to stay creative and try new things. Join me next time for our monthly Pinterest Challenge hosted by Erlene at My Pinterventures.

Apple Donut Ingredients

It doesn't take a lot to make these pretties.

• Apples of choice, I prefer Honeycrisp
• Whipped cream cheese, or softened boxed cream cheese
• Food coloring, I prefer gel
• Toothpicks {if using gel food color}
• Apple corer, I used this cupcake plunger
• Sprinkles, No Sugar Stevia sprinkles available at Whole Foods
• Cutting Board
• Knife

Step 1: Select Perfect Apples

Now this may seem silly but I promise it'll make things go more smoothly if you look for a round apple that sits straight. If the core is crooked your donut “hole” won't be in the center of the apple ring. It's little things like that can make a difference between a fun project and frustration.

Step 2: Prepare the “Frosting”

Now you might want to dive right in and start cutting apples but you'll want to have your frosting ready to go because the apple slices start to brown as soon as they are cut. So have your frosting ready to go first.

I started with whipped cream cheese so it was already soft and fluffy but only to save time. I usually prefer to use the block cream cheese and whip it after it softens myself. “Frosting” is in quotation marks because there isn't anything else you to add. If you're looking for a sweeter treat you could add some honey or agave nectar. You can even add powdered Swerve or monk fruit extract for a little sweetness but still stay true to a no or low sugar lifestyle.

Step 3: Add Food Coloring

I'm not the biggest fan of artificial coloring but there are times like this when it is absolutely necessary! ? My favorite kind BY FAR are gel colorants. A little goes a long way so be cautious. I use a toothpick to scoop up just a tiny bit and then roll the toothpick in the frosting until the toothpick is pretty clean. 

Then stir it up til the the color is completely incorporated. Having the different “lines” of color is easier to mix in for me than a huge puddle of drops. But that's a personal preference. I did use more pink than I wanted and instead of a powder pink I got a hot pink. Like I said, a little gel goes a LONG way. Start out smaller than you think. You can always add more with a new toothpick. {I don't recommend using the old gooey one again!}

Step 4: Slice Apples

Now we get to slice the apples! Using a sharp serrated knife {I LOVE my Cutco set! No affiliation….} carefully cut the apple horizontally into 1/4″ slices. Try to keep them as consistent as you can but it's fine if they vary a bit. Mine sure did! I also love this cutting board. Obviously! It's not very pretty. Don't judge. ?

* If you're not serving these right away you can soak the apples in a lemon water solution to help prevent browning.

Step 5: Core Apples 

This one may take some creativity. I have this handy dandy little cupcake plunger we use to add yummy things to the center of cupcakes. I realized it would work perfectly to core my apple slices. But if you don't happen to own a cupcake plunger, Hello Wonderful recommended using a metal frosting tip, or you could just use a knife to make the circle but it won't be as clean. Anywhere you cut will start to brown faster.

Step 6: Frost Donuts

Next you'll be spreading the cream cheese frosting. I suggest you dry tops of each slice dry before attempting to spread or you'll leave is a trail of pink and blue slime. The frosting won't stick to the apple when it's damp but a simple paper towel dabbing solves the problem.

Step 7: Decorate!

Our final step is the most fun. You can make them look like donuts with simple sprinkles as we tried here. Or you can get fancy with other toppings. Our goal was to keep these as healthy as possible. These sprinkles are regular jimmies made with sugar so it did add a nominal amount of sugar. Which for my kids was the perfect balance. I also discovered sprinkles made with stevia at Whole Foods. If I find them anywhere else, I'll let you know!

Critics Agree….

My little critics {and even a big one} agree…these are a make again! Our tray of apple donuts didn't last long. The crunchy yet creamy, sweet and tart combination is a delight to the senses. Who would have thought something so simple, and HEALTHY would make such a fun treat!?

Pretty Enough for a Party

And I can't lie that I'm pretty excited at how cute they are too! While I made this recipe as a surprise treat for my kiddos I was testing the ability to be a true party treat. One that people would actually enjoy at a Donut Party or a Baby Sprinkle. And you know what? We did it. Follow along as I discover more low sugar party treats in my quest as a healthy hostess!

These apple donuts are beautiful, tasty, and so easy to make. It fits all three requirements for a recipe worth saving in my book! You can save this simple recipe in Yummly or print it out below:

Yum

Ingredients

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2019 Pinterest Challenge Posts

• January: Apple Donuts, Healthy Foodie Party Treat
• February: Dollar Store Succulent Wreath Tutorial

Until next time my friend,

To join next month's #pinterestchallenge, click here to sign-up ⇒ February Pinterest Challenge.

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Now let's see what other things Pinterest inspired! Head over and visit the other hosts to see what they crafted, cooked, built, or tried!

Erlene – My Pinterventures • Jenny – Cookies Coffee and Crafts
Debbee – Debbee's Buzz • Laurie – My Husband Has Too Many Hobbies
Bri – Halfpint Design • Kelli – K's Olympic Nest
Michelle – Our Crafty Mom •  Cherryl – Farm Girl Reformed
Beverly – Across the Boulevard • Debra – Shoppe No. 5
Roseann – This Autoimmune Life • Terri – Our Good Life
T'onna – Sew Crafty Crochet • Joanne – Our Unschooling Journey
Habiba – Craftify My Love • Gail – Purple Hues and Me
Kristie – Teadoddles • Lydia – Lydia's Flexitarian Kitchen
Kristie – Love My Little Cottage 
Alexandra – Eye Love Knots • Marci – Stone Cottage Adventures
Ali – Home Crafts by Ali • Lauren – Mom Home Guide
Susan – Suzerspace • Audra – Renewed Projects

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