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Mall-Style Jalapeño Pretzel Knots (dairy-free)

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This post is sponsored by Mezzetta and all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Sugared & Stirred possible!

Buttery, peppery Mall-Style Jalapeño Pretzel Knots elevated with Mezzetta Jalapeño Slices! These soft, little knots are Summer-ready and totally delicious! Dip them in your favorite sauce for a delightful appetizer or snack.

Mall-Style Jalapeño Pretzel Knots

I’m going to put it out there: who doesn’t love a mall pretzel?! They’re soft, ultra buttery, and when the smell of a fresh batch reaches your nostrils, you have to have one. I’ve been wanting to expand my repertoire to include more savory recipes, so when thinking about the kind of fun, kid-friendly recipe I wanted to bake up, it was a no-brainer to marry the mild Mezzetta Tamed™️ Jalapeño Slices with a homemade pretzel knot!

I took a recipe I’ve enjoyed making into classic pretzels and made it even easier! Yes! Pretzel knots are easier to shape, easier to transport pre-bake, and quicker to cook. Plus, you get to tuck Mezzetta Jalapeño Slices into the knots for even more of that pepper flavor we all love!

Now, if you’re intimidated, I totally get it! But I promise that homemade pretzels only have one more step than any other yeasted bread knot. Before baking the knots, you’ll let them soak in a hot baking soda bath for about 15 seconds. As long as you give yourself plenty of time to work through the steps of the recipe and get your tools and workspace ready, I know you’ve got this!

Things will definitely get fun when you’re ready to roll and shape your pretzel knots! This is when you can get creative with the shape of your pretzels and how you’d like to adorn them. Mezzetta has two kinds of jalapeño peppers to choose from – Hot Jalapeños or Tamed™️ Jalapeños. If you like your jalapeños spicy then definitely go for the Hot. If you’ve got kiddos who are more sensitive to heat (or you are yourself!) then you have to try their Tamed™️ Jalapeños. They’re a special hybrid of a jalapeño and a bell pepper, so you get all of the jalapeño flavor with a lot less heat! In other words, you won’t be reaching for your water after every bite (tell me it’s not just me!).

Key Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Active dry yeast gives these pretzel knots the lift they need. Make sure you use the regular, active dry yeast and NOT instant/rapid-rise yeast.
  • Brown sugar adds the tiniest bit of sweetness. Feel free to use light or dark brown sugar. You can also use coconut sugar in its place.
  • Bread flour has more protein in it than regular all-purpose flour, which makes the pretzels chewier. All-purpose flour will work for this recipe as well.
  • Mezzetta Sliced Jalapeño Peppers add flavor to these knots!
  • Baking soda mixes with water to create a bath for the un-baked pretzel knots. This will help give them that dark, pretzel color.
  • Egg (along with water) is brushed on the knots right before baking to further enhance the coloring. If you’re vegan or egg-free, you can leave the egg wash off or replace it with melted coconut oil.
Yield: 12 Pretzel Knots

Mall-Style Jalapeño Pretzel Knots

Mall-Style Jalapeño Pretzel Knots

Soft and chewy pretzel knots reminiscent of your favorite mall pretzel! These Summer-ready pretzels are made extra delicious with Mezzetta Jalapeños and flakey sea salt. Dip them in your favorite marinara, cheese sauce, or ranch for a pleasing snack or appetizer.

Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 12 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 12 minutes

Ingredients

Pretzels

  • 1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 1/4 cup warm water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 cups (or 360 grams) bread flour
  • 16oz Mezzetta Sliced Hot or Tamed™️ Jalapeño Peppers
  • 2 Tbsp plant-based butter, melted
  • Flakey sea salt (or pretzel salt) to sprinkle

Baking Soda Bath

  • 4 cups water
  • 6 Tbsp baking soda

Egg Wash

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 Tbsp water

Instructions

Prepare the Dough

  1. In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the active dry yeast and brown sugar. Add in the warm water, cover the bowl with a towel, and allow the yeast to activate for around 5 minutes - the surface of your water should look a bit foamy from the yeast.
  2. Add in the salt and turn your mixer to medium speed. Add the flour, bit by bit, and allow the mixer to bring the dough together. Once all of the flour is well incorporated and all the dough has accumulated around the hook, you're ready to take the dough out.
  3. Prepare a large bowl with non-stick spray. Sprinkle flour on a clean surface (such as your counter) and flour your hands. Scrape the dough out onto your floured surface and begin kneading the dough. It will be very sticky at first. Knead for 5-10 minutes, adding flour as needed until the dough is smooth, tacky not sticky, and bounces back when you lightly push your finger into it.
  4. Add the dough ball to your prepared bowl, spray the dough with non-stick spray, and cover the bowl with a towel. Allow the dough to rise in a warm spot (like a sunny window) for an hour or until it has doubled in size.

Shape + Bake the Pretzels

  1. In a medium saucepan, add the 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Preheat your oven to 425°F. While you wait for the water to boil, get started on shaping the pretzel knots.
  2. Get your Mezzetta Jalapeño Slices ready by placing them on a paper towel to drain. Place them near where you'll make the pretzels. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spray each with non-stick spray; set aside.
  3. Spray a small section of counter (or a plastic cutting board) with non-stick spray and turn the risen dough out onto it. Gently shape the dough into a rectangle and then use a pizza cutter to divide it into 12 equal strips.
  4. Take a strip of dough and move it to a clean counter space (you DON'T want to use non-stick spray for this part). Gently roll the dough until it resembles a rope about as thick as your finger. Make an upside down "U" and then cross the right leg over the left, making a ribbon shape. Then you'll take the new left leg and pull it under and through the eye of the ribbon, stuffing a jalapeño slice between the rope. Then you'll bring the leftover leg up and into the eye of the needle, stuffing a jalapeño slice between the rope and meeting the end of the other leg. Pinch the ends together.
  5. Place the completed knot on your prepared baking sheet and repeat until all 12 knots are made. At this time your water should be boiling. Move the two baking sheets near your stove. Next, you will add the baking soda to your boiling water 1 Tbsp at a time - DO NOT DUMP IT ALL IN. If you do this, the water/soda mixture will boil over and make a huge mess.
  6. Gently drop the pretzel knots into the boiling water mix (1 or 2 at a time) with a slotted spoon or spatula. Boil for 15 seconds and then gently move the knot to your other baking sheet. Repeat until all knots are boiled, placing 6 knots on each baking sheet.
  7. Make an egg wash by whisking together the egg and 1 Tbsp of water. Brush this egg wash over the pretzel knots. Top the knots with more Mezzetta Jalapeño Slices and sprinkle them with flakey sea salt or pretzel salt.
  8. Bake the knots at 425°F for 10-13 minutes or until they reach a dark golden brown color. Melt 2 Tbsp of butter and brush it over the warm pretzels.
  9. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce! Pretzels are best made and eaten the same day.

Notes

  • My biggest piece of advice for this recipe is to block out enough time that you don't need to rush yourself. Take time to set up your tools and workspace and have fun!
  • Add garlic to your melted butter for even more flavor!
  • For VEGAN pretzels, replace the traditional egg wash with melted coconut oil

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 146Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 2157mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 4g

calculated nutrition information may not always be accurate

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Breads

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Cinnamon Streusel Dessert Pizza (vegan)

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This Cinnamon Streusel Dessert Pizza is an ultra sweet, totally delicious pizza loaded with brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla icing! This simple vegan dessert makes for an excellent accompaniment to your weekend pizza night…or, you know, any night.

Cinnamon Streusel Dessert Pizza

Does anyone else remember that bomb dessert pizza from Godfather’s Pizza? I honestly don’t even know if that pizza joint still exists, but I do have fond memories of devouring slices of a sugary, buttery pizza topped with white icing. This Cinnamon Streusel Dessert Pizza is my attempt at recreating that pizza!

It’s an easy pizza dough topped with a 5-ingredient streusel topping (with lots of brown sugar!), all drizzled with the easiest icing ever. And it’s delicious. A completely indulgent, sugary treat that will disappear in no time. Seriously, it’s way too easy to eat at least two slices of this stuff.

How to make Dessert Pizza

For this pizza, you’ll start out by making a simple dough. If you’ve never made pizza dough before, don’t fret. I promise, it’s easy (even for a yeasted bread beginner!). I followed along a recipe from Martha Stewart, tweaking it a bit, and my toddler did most of the work (i.e. mixing)!

You’ll allow the yeast to come alive in a little warm water and sugar, mix that with a bit of oil, salt, and flour, and with a few stirs, you have a dough! Then you’ll let that little ball of dough rise in a greased bowl – I like to put mine in a warm oven that’s been preheated to 200°F and then turned off before putting the bowl in there – until it doubles in size, 45 minutes to an hour.

After kneading the dough a few times, you’ll grease your pizza pan (or baking sheet) and work the dough evenly across the surface. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the pizza dough and bake! Once the pizza is out of the oven, whip up the 3-ingredient icing and drizzle it on while the pizza is warm. Then the only thing left to do is try not to eat the whole pizza. Or don’t. It’s your life, and I don’t judge.

Some of the ingredients for this recipe + substitutions:

Bread flour makes sure your pizza crust comes out like, well, pizza crust! There will be a slight crispiness to the outside of the crust, while the inside will be chewy. All-purpose flour will work fine as a substitute.

Vegetable oil helps bring the dough together. I like to use olive oil in most of my baking (including this pizza dough), but you can use avocado oil or regular vegetable oil.

Sugar makes this a dessert pizza! I used raw cane sugar for the crust and streusel topping. You can use regular granulated sugar, more brown sugar, or coconut sugar – if using coconut sugar, watch that the streusel doesn’t burn while baking.

Brown sugar adds a delicious molasses flavor to the streusel topping. I love brown sugar! You can even find a raw version, if that’s your thing. Of course, you can also use regular granulated sugar or coconut sugar in its place (see note directly above).

Cinnamon is one of my favorite spices in baking. I love using Saigon cinnamon for its more complex, distinct flavor. Not a fan of cinnamon? You can leave it out!

Plant-based butter is necessary for the proper streusel texture. I only recommend using the stick kind of butter (the tub plant butter didn’t crumble properly for me). You can also use regular butter if you’re not vegan or dairy-free.

Plant-based milk brings the icing together. Feel free to use whatever milk you have on hand. If you have no milk, you can use water in its place.

Yield: 8 Slices

Cinnamon Streusel Dessert Pizza

Cinnamon Streusel Dessert Pizza

A chewy, homemade pizza crust topped with a delicious cinnamon sugar streusel and easy vanilla icing! This sweet, comforting, vegan-friendly pizza will fly off the cutting board!

Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

Pizza Dough

  • 3/4 cup warm water
  • 1 packet active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 3/4 cups bread flour

Streusel Topping

  • 1/4 cup plant-based stick butter, melted
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup raw cane sugar (or regular granulated sugar)
  • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Icing

  • 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 Tbsp plant-based milk

Instructions

Prepare the Pizza Dough

  1. In a medium bowl, add the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Stir and then allow the yeast to activate for around 5 minutes. The mixture should look a bit foamy/thick on the top (that's how you know your yeast has been activated).
  2. Add in the oil, salt, and flour, mixing until a dough forms. Use your hands to shape the dough into a ball, and then add the dough to a greased bowl (I used the same bowl, spraying olive oil over the dough remnants). Oil the top of the dough ball.
  3. Cover the bowl with a thin hand towel and place in a warm spot for 45 minutes to an hour or until the dough has doubled in size. I like to preheat my oven to 200°F, turn it off, and then place my covered bowl in the oven with the door slightly open.
  4. Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times until you have a smooth ball.

Assemble the Pizza

  1. Preheat your oven to 425°F and spray your round pizza pan with non-stick spray (I used olive oil). If you don't have a pizza pan, you can use a regular non-stick baking sheet (you'll just need to shape your dough into a circle).
  2. Take your dough ball and use your hands to shape it into a small pizza/disc. Place the dough on the middle of your prepared pizza pan and use your hands to stretch the dough to the edge of your pan. This process will take a few minutes as you continually stretch and push/pull the dough until it stays at the edge without pulling back into the center. Your dough will stay stretched out with enough handling, so be patient.
  3. Prick your pizza dough all over with a fork, leaving about 3/4" of a rim around the edge.
  4. Make the streusel topping by using a fork to combine the melted butter, vanilla, flour, sugars, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. The mixture should be crumbly with a few bigger crumbs. Sprinkle the streusel all over the pizza dough, avoiding the outer crust area.
  5. Bake the pizza at 425°F for 10-12 minutes, checking the pizza at 10 minutes. The crust should be golden in color and slightly pulled away from the edges of your pan. If your pizza over-bakes, you risk burning the streusel.
  6. Allow the baked pizza to cool for 5-10 minutes before drizzling with the icing.

Make the Icing

  1. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk, mixing until no sugar lumps remain. If your icing is a bit thick, add more milk, 1 tsp at a time, until it reaches a consistency that can be drizzled. Alternatively, you can pop the icing into the microwave for 30 seconds to thin it out.
  2. Use a spoon or small bowl to pour the icing in a spiral shape over the warm pizza. Slice and enjoy your pizza warm!
  3. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator, reheating when ready to eat.
© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Breads

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Lemon Cake Donuts with Lemon Icing (dairy-free)

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Sweet and tangy lemon cake in donut form! These Lemon Cake Donuts are topped with a simple (and equally tangy!) Lemon Icing. They’re quick and easy to make, and they’re a perfect treat any day of the week. Donuts on a Wednesday, anyone?

Lemon Cake Donuts with Lemon Icing

These lemon donuts are everything you want in a lemon dessert: tangy, light, and perfectly sweetened, and I love them. You all know how much I love chocolate (see here), but these donuts are irresistible – even for a chocolate lover like me! If you like lemon, then I have a feeling you will love these and also find them hard to resist!

These donuts come together by mixing the dry and wet ingredients separately and then combining them. If you’ve made baked donuts before, then you may be used to a thick, pipe-able batter. This batter, however, is thin enough to easily pour into your greased donut pan. I promise these donuts couldn’t get easier! And if you’re wondering, yes, these donuts are basically cake, which makes them totally delicious (and more fun to eat!).

Some of the ingredients + substitutes to make Lemon Cake Donuts:

All-purpose flour is the only flour I’ve tried for these donuts. If you’re wondering how to make them gluten-free then I recommend a GF all-purpose flour blend.

Cornstarch creates a more tender, cake-like donut. Instead of looking or feeling like a muffin, these donuts really are like cake!

Eggs bring fluffiness to these donuts. I haven’t tried any egg alternatives in this recipe, but I recommend using flax eggs if you’re looking for a vegan/egg-less recipe. 2 flax eggs = 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsp water; mix and allow to thicken for five minutes.

Oil adds much needed moisture. I’ve tested this recipe with melted coconut oil and olive oil. Feel free to use your favorite vegetable oil. If you decide to use melted coconut oil, it’s important that the rest of your ingredients be room temperature, including the eggs and milk.

Agave adds both moisture and sweetness. It’s sweeter than cane sugar and has a low GI. It’s better for you than honey or maple syrup, though either of those liquid sweeteners would be a fine replacement.

Sugar adds necessary sweetness. Feel free to use your favorite granulated sugar – raw cane, refined white cane, coconut, etc.

Lemon juice + zest add lots of natural lemon flavor! I recommend buying 5 or 6 lemons to juice and zest for this recipe. Zesting involves using a microplane or fine grater to grate/zest the yellow lemon peel, avoiding the bitter white underneath. Feel free to add as little or much as you’d like – you can even add it to the icing.

Yield: 12 Regular Donuts

Lemon Cake Donuts with Lemon Icing

Lemon Cake Donuts with Lemon Icing

Sweet and tangy baked donuts flavored with fresh lemon juice and zest! These irresistible lemon cake donuts are topped with a simple lemon icing and couldn't be more delicious!

Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Lemon Donuts

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 Tbsp corn starch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs, room temp
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup plant-based milk
  • 6 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup agave
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Zest from 2-3 lemons

Lemon Icing

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 3-4 Tbsp lemon juice (2-3 lemons)

Instructions

  1. Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F and spray your donut pan(s) with nonstick spray (I used olive oil spray).
  2. In a large bowl (I like to use a large glass bowl with a pour spout for easy transfer of the batter to the donut pan), sift the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix together with a large whisk and then set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar. Whisk in the milk, oil, agave, lemon juice, and vanilla until well combined. Add liquid ingredients to the dry and gently mix with a large spoon or spatula until no flour pockets remain; stir in the lemon zest.
  4. Pour the batter into the donut pan wells, filling them nearly to the top. Bake donuts at 350°F for 8-9 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out with a few crumbs.
  5. Let donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then turn the pan over onto a cooling rack, banging the pan lightly on the rack (or in the air) until all of the donuts release. Turn donuts right side up and allow them to cool. If you have more batter, bake the rest of the donuts now.
  6. Once your donuts are totally cool, you can make the icing. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar with 2 Tbsp of lemon juice. Mix until no sugar lumps remain, adding more lemon juice 1/2 tsp at a time until you have a thick but pourable icing. When you lift your spoon up, the icing "ribbons" should take around 3 full seconds to disappear.
  7. Dip the top of each donut into the icing, submerging it until the icing fills the hole. Lift up, shake the excess icing off, and then flip the donut right side up to set on the cooling rack. Alternatively, you can spoon the icing over the tops of each donut (this method is definitely easier!).
  8. Top your donuts with lemon zest (I used dried lemon zest that had been zested the day before), sprinkles, or coconut flakes and enjoy!
  9. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

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© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Cake

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Chocolate Coffee Donuts with Coffee Icing (DF + vegan option)

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There’s something about a sprinkled donut that will always lighten my mood. It’s a tense time in the world right now, and we’re avoiding leaving our house as much as we can. This means we’re definitely not going out of our way to stop by the local donut shop. These Chocolate Coffee Donuts totally hit the spot, though, and they’re better for you than what’s traditionally found at a shop. A bit of work? Yes. But I promise you that homemade baked donuts are actually so easy!

Since these donuts are baked in a donut pan, they really could not get easier. The directions are like other quick bread recipes where you’ll mix the wet and dry ingredients separately and then combine them. Once the donuts cool, it’s time to dip those babies in some coffee flavored icing!

It’s easiest to mix the icing in a cereal bowl – you want the bowl to be deep enough to dip the donuts. Then go slow, dipping the top of each donut until the glaze fills the hole. Lift the donut up and let the extra glaze drip off, shaking the donut a little to help. As long as your icing is thick enough, it shouldn’t drip or run down the side of your donuts. You’ll want to sprinkle the donuts after each donut dip to ensure the icing doesn’t set before you can get your sprinkles on. 

Yield: 12 Donuts

Chocolate Coffee Donuts with Coffee Icing

Chocolate Coffee Donuts with Coffee Icing

Baked chocolate donuts flavored with plenty of cocoa and strong black coffee. A sweet, coffee-flavored icing (and chocolate sprinkles!) tops the donuts to balance the deep coffee flavor.

Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 25 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes

Ingredients

Donuts

  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar (or cane sugar)
  • 1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup)
  • 1/4 cup plant-based milk
  • 1 Tbsp instant coffee granules
  • 1/2 cup dairy-free yogurt
  • 2 large eggs (or flax eggs)
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup natural cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Coffee Icing

  • 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • ~3 Tbsp plant-based milk
  • 1-2 tsp instant coffee granules (to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Bake the Donuts

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray a regular donut pan with non-stick spray - I like to use olive oil spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut sugar and honey. Whisk in the milk, instant coffee, yogurt, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Finally, stir in the applesauce and set the wet ingredients aside.
  3. In a large bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder. Whisk in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the liquid ingredients and use a large spoon or silicone spatula to gently mix the batter until no flour pockets remain.
  4. Spoon or pipe the batter into the greased donut wells - I like to add my batter to a piping bag (no piping tip necessary) for clean and easy filling - and fill each well to the top.
  5. Bake donuts at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out clean. Allow donuts to cool in the pan for five minutes and then turn the pan over to release the donuts onto a cooling rack.
  6. Allow your donut pan to cool completely and then repeat steps 4-5 for the remaining donuts.

Ice the Donuts

  1. Once all of your donuts are baked and totally cooled, you can begin making your icing. In a small, microwaveable bowl, combine 3 Tbsp warm milk with 1-2 tsp instant coffee granules; set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and stir. Add the milk/coffee 1 tsp at a time until your icing reaches a thick yet pourable consistency - it's important that the icing isn't too thin since we want a decent layer of icing and not a thin glaze.
  3. Carefully dip the top of each donut in the icing, allowing the excess icing to drip off. Turn each donut right side up and immediately sprinkle with the topping of your choice. I like to do this one donut at a time so the icing doesn't set before I can get my sprinkles on! If your icing starts to get too thick, pop it in the microwave for 5 seconds to thin it out.
  4. Enjoy the iced donuts immediately. I don't recommend icing these in advance. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

  • These donuts are best to eat the day you bake them. If you live in a warm climate (or your home is on the warmer side) you'll want to store the iced donuts in the refrigerator.
  • For vegan donuts, use 2 flax eggs: mix 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsp warm water, allow to thicken for five minutes

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© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Breads

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @sugaredandstirred on Instagram and hashtag #sugaredandstirred

Orange Loaf with Almond Buttercream (DF)

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It’s citrus season – yay! – and I have been on an orange kick. Pregnancy related? Perhaps. Nonetheless, give me ALL the orange juice and orange desserts, please! I was craving my Orange Almond Muffins but also wanted cake (because frosting), so I re-created my muffin recipe in a loaf pan and then topped it off with a delicious, simple buttercream flavored with almond extract. Talk about good.

I’ve been really into almond extract frosting since eating an almond cupcake at a local bakery. And creating my own, dairy-free almond frosting was a no-brainer since I only needed to swap out the standard vanilla extract for almond. So easy. And such a perfect pairing with the orange loaf.

For this quick bread, you’ll mix the liquid and dry ingredients separately, combine them, and bake them all up in a loaf pan. Once cooled, you’ll whip up a simple vegan buttercream (of course you can use regular butter, too!) to spread over the top. It’s like cake, but less sweet. And you can control how much frosting you use, so feel free to add as little as you like. Or, if you’re like me, slather the whole batch onto that loaf and don’t look back.

Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe + how you can substitute some of them:

Coconut sugar is my go-to sweetener for most baked goods. It’s unrefined, low GI, and doesn’t taste like coconut. If you prefer, you can use granulated white sugar or brown sugar in its place.

Olive oil is a staple in my pantry, and I love the fact that it’s always in liquid form, making it quicker and easier to use than coconut oil or vegan butter. It adds moisture to this recipe, so feel free to swap it out with your favorite oil. Be aware that if you melt down coconut oil as as substitute, your other ingredients must be room temperature.

Unsweetened applesauce adds additional sweetness and moisture to this loaf. It’s another of my go-to ingredients for my quick breads and cakes because I love the moist texture it helps me achieve. Plus, it’s not loaded with extra sugar, nor does it create any apple taste in the final product.

Whole wheat pastry flour is my absolute favorite flour for muffins. I promise it makes a huge difference in the fluffiness of this recipe. I’ve made my quick breads with both WWPF and regular all-purpose flour, and I’m always disappointed in the texture the AP flour creates since it’s simply not as light or fluffy. However, you can use regular all-purpose flour if you’d like (or if it’s more convenient) – your loaf just won’t be as fluffy.

Orange juice + orange zest are both necessary for the wonderful orange flavor of this bread. The fresh orange zest is where it’s at, and I’m really not sure you can add too much!

Vegan butter (in stick form!) helps create the best, like-the-real-deal vegan buttercream. Along with a little bit of vegetable shortening, you’ll get a spreadable but firm buttercream perfect for swirling. If you’d prefer to not use shortening, you can use more vegan butter instead, but your frosting will not be as stable.

Almond extract is another necessary ingredient! I love how it tastes in both the bread and the frosting in this recipe. If you know you’re not the biggest fan of almond extract, you can easily turn this into an orange vanilla loaf by swapping the almond extract with vanilla extract in both the loaf and the frosting.

Yield: 8 Slices

Orange Loaf with Almond Buttercream

Orange Loaf with Almond Buttercream

Orange almond quick bread flavored with fresh squeezed OJ, orange rind and almond extract! An easy and delicious loaf paired perfectly with a fluffy vegan almond buttercream - a mouth-watering twist on standard vanilla frosting.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

Orange Loaf

  • 2 large eggs, room temp (or 2 flax eggs*)
  • 1/3 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup plant-based milk
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour**)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp fresh orange zest (3-4 medium oranges)

Almond Buttercream

  • 1/4 cup vegan butter stick, room temp
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable shortening (or more vegan butter***)
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp almond extract, to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-4 tsp plant-based milk

Instructions

Make the Quick Bread

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and generously spray an 8x4" loaf pan with non-stick spray (I used olive oil spray). Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes. Now is also a good time to set your vegan butter out on the counter to soften.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs (or flax eggs), coconut sugar, olive oil, "milk", orange juice, almond extract, and applesauce; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and gently mix until nearly combined. Add in the orange zest and mix until no four pockets remain.
  4. Pour batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out with a few crumbs.
  5. Allow loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then turn it over onto a cooling rack, flipping the loaf right side up once it pops out. If your loaf seems stuck, use a butter knife to loosen the edges before turning the pan over. Allow your loaf to totally cool before making your frosting.

Make the Frosting

  1. In a medium bowl, beat together the softened vegan butter and shortening until smooth. Beat in 1/4 tsp of the almond extract, and then the powdered sugar. Taste the frosting to see if you'd like to add the extra 1/4 tsp of almond extract (I did), and then beat it in. Finally, beat in the plant-based milk 1 tsp at a time until you reach a thick but spreadable consistency.
  2. Top the cooled loaf with the frosting as much as you'd like!) and use a small icing spatula to evenly spread it over the top, swirling as desired. Top with more orange zest or sprinkles. If your frosting seems at all melty, pop the entire loaf in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Slice and enjoy!
  3. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator if your home is warm.

Notes

  • *2 Flax Eggs = 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsp warm water. Mix and allow to thicken for 5 minutes
  • **All-purpose flour will yield a less fluffy bread
  • ***Using all vegan butter will result in a softer, less firm buttercream

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© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Breads

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