I have been wanting to try these for a long time. So yesterday I took the plunge and they came out great.
Most red velvet cakes, muffins, cookies etc, have red food coloring in them. For me, artificial dyes are a deal breaker. I run in the other direction. did you know that a traditional red velvet baked good does not call for food coloring at all? It really is all about using the coco powder and the vinegar together.
Maybe it was all about my handy prep cooks I had helping me. I bought Meadow and I matching aprons and she is too stinking cute wearing hers.
Even Olive wanted to help out. Well, kind of.
She was really just fascinated with the spoon. It’s funny, you buy your kids all these toys, but really, they want to play with stuff you have lying around your house. Every parent knows exactly what I am talking about. Give kids a cardboard box and they will play for hours!
Red Velvet Donuts
1 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
2 T coco powder
1 egg (I used flax)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup yogurt (I used coconut)
1/3 cup milk (I used hemp)
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp vinegar
1 T coconut oil
1/4 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350. Mix all the wet ingredients in one bowl. Mix dry ingredients in another bowl. Add dry to wet. Spoon batter into greased donut pans and bake for about 10 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from the pans. I got about 7 donuts out of my batch so you may want to double it for more. Not a red velvet lover? Try my Banana Chocolate Chip Donuts. 
What is coconut sugar?
It is sugar made from the sap of a coconut palm. It is mostly processed in nature. You can find it in most health food stores. It has a milder sweetness kind of like turbinado sugar. It is also low on the glycemic index meaning it won’t spike your blood sugar up fast.
In your ingredient list there are a couple of items that after you put in parentheses (I used …). What do you mean? Thank you.
I was just letting you know the type of egg, milk and yogurt I used. Some people are curious. A flax egg is 1 T flax + 3 T warm water. Whisk it together and place in the fridge for a minute. It will become gummy, like a real egg. If you eat eggs, feel free to use one in place of the flax. I used hemp milk and coconut yogurt since my daughter is allergic to dairy. Hope that helps clear up some things!
I have been wondering what a flax egg is! Thanks for clearing that up! Love all your recipes!
Thank you!
Going to make these now. ExceptI need to sub the spelt flour. Don’t have any, but will try soon. Whole wheat flour going to be ok, you think?
You can try it, but it may come out a bit denser and have a bit of a bitter taste. If you have whole wheat pastry flour, that will work great.
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What donut pan do you use? Tia
I got my donut pans at Bed Bath and Beyond. I think they cost around $7 each. It looks like a muffin pan with donut shapes.
I had read a recipe a while ago that uses beet juice for the red coloring. What could you substitute beet juice for in this recipe and/or could it be added here in some amount (?) and not ruin the mixture?
You can try to add a small amount of beet juice. I am guessing a little goes a long way. I am not sure how it would work though. If you try it, I would love to know the results. Cherry juice might work too.
I love that this is a healthy version! Can this be made with regular flour and a muffin pan?
Sure!
I bought beet powder yesterday. Have never used it before. The shop keeper said some people use it for red velvet cake, so apparently could work & perhaps add a bit of extra nutrition. I don’t use food coloring, but thought this might be fun to experiment with.
I would love to know if it works in this recipe. Please report the results. I have not used it.
I tsp soda, as in baking soda?
Yes, sorry about the typo. :/
you have such adorable helpers.
these donuts look fantastic! i love a healthy donut!
The banana in the background is misleading. I thought this was a banana recipe!
No, sorry it’s just a prop. You can probably sub the yogurt for banana if you want.
Melissa, Curious about the cocoa powder? What brand do you use? Do you know if all cocoa powder is dairy free?
Thanks!
Pure cocoa powder contains no dairy. Milk chocolate cocoa powder does. I get pure baking cocoa from Serious Food Silly Prices. The only ingredient is cocoa powder. It is vegan.
I was going to try these as muffins/cupcakes with some healthy frosting (if it exists). Do you have a good frosting substitute?
Not sure of a good store bought substitute. Honestly, making your own is the best bet. Even if you use white sugar, at least it will be chemical free. http://www.chocolatecoveredkatie.com has some decent frosting recipes. I think most of hers are made from coconut.