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Chocolate-Hazelnut Stuffed Donut Churro Holes

Zoe

Growing up, my brother was the donut-lover in my family. Whenever we passed Dunkin' Donuts or Krispy Kreme, we had to stop there. Although my brother was an avid lover of the fried treats, and even though I would always accept the offer of one (because who wouldn't?), they were not my favorite dessert.

However, since becoming vegan, the tables have turned. After being introduced to the Cinnamon Snail, I fell in love with donuts and the interesting flavor combinations they can have. I decided to buy a donut pan to make baked donuts, and then eventually came up with these bad boys!

These chocolate-hazelnut stuffed donut churro holes are the perfect size, sugary, and have a hint of chocolate-hazelnut goodness.They are made with a mini cupcake tin, and although they seem intricate, they are actually easy to create. Because traditional store-bought Nutella contains whey, milk fat, and/or other dairy products which are not vegan, I created my own version of the delectable spread.

 

INGREDIENTS (Yields 24 mini donuts)

Donut Batter

  • 1 Cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp. White sugar
  • A small pinch of salt
  • 1 Tsp. Baking powder
  • 1/2 Tsp. Baking soda
  • 2 Tsp. Canola oil 
  • 1 Chia egg 
  • 1 1/2 Tsp. Pure vanilla extract
  • ½ Cup original or vanilla almond milk

Chocolate-Hazelnut Filling

Sugar Coating for Donuts:

  • 1/4 Cup Earth Balance butter, melted
  • ⅓ Cup sugar, (I did half white sugar, half coconut sugar)
  • 2 Tsp. Ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 Tsp. Nutmeg

INSTRUCTIONS

  1.  Preheat the oven to 350F, and spray a mini muffin tray with cooking oil.
  2. In a small bowl, make the chia egg and let sit for five minutes. (It should become a thick gel.)
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk all of the dry ingredients together.
  4. Once fully mixed, add in the chia egg, canola oil, almond milk, and pure vanilla extract, and whisk the everything together until it is smooth and contains no lumps.
  5. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins, filling each hole about ¾ of the way full.
  6. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the donuts are golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center of a donut comes out clean.
  7. Let the donut holes cool off a little, and then transfer them onto a wire rack to reach room temperature.
  8. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.
  9. To coat the donuts, brush each donut with a light coat of the melted vegan butter, and then toss each donut hole into the cinnamon-sugar mixture until evenly coated.
  10. Fill a piping bag containing a narrow piping bag tip with the chocolate hazelnut spread.
  11.  Pierce the donut holes with the narrow piping bag tip and then fill with the chocolate hazelnut spread until the donuts become greater in volume, showing that they are clearly filled with the chocolaty goodness. (Not too much or the donuts will overflow.)
  12. Serve immediately, or store in an air-tight container for up to a week.