Donut Holes Recipe - Apple & Spice

do yourself a favor…grind your nutmeg

Fresh nutmeg is an important ingredient in this Doughnut Holes Recipe.

Fresh nutmeg is more flavorful and aromatic than the ground nutmeg you would purchase in the grocery store. Nutmeg gets its flavor and aroma from volatile oils that evaporate quickly after grinding. Because the oils evaporate quickly, it is best that you use ground nutmeg right away to ensure that you get as much of the flavor as possible. Ground nutmeg is likely to have lost much of its oil content and, therefore, much of its flavor.

I’m telling you, once you try fresh nutmeg, you will be hooked. I have the nutmeg grater that belonged to my Grandma and exclusively grate my nutmeg now. With 10-12 nutmeg pods costing less than $5.00 and a nutmeg grater costing less than $4.00, you owe it to yourself to buy yourself an early, pre-baking Christmas present. You will thank me!

make these baked donut holes in a mini-muffin tin or a donut hole pan

I used this Wilton Donut Hole pan from Michael’s for this donut holes recipe, but it is also available through Walmart.

If you’d prefer, you can make the donut holes in a mini-muffin tin, but just know that they will have a flat side.

Or, you can bake these as donuts using a donut pan. To make this as a baked donut recipe, follow the recipe and bake at 350° for 18 minutes.

the temperature change when baking is important

This donut holes recipe has the oven at 375° for 6 minutes and then reduces the heat to 350° for another 6-7 minutes. Starting them at the higher temp is one way to help them form the round dome we are looking for.

no yeast necessary

This easy donut recipe uses a quick bread recipe, so no yeast is necessary.

serving, storing, and reheating donut holes

These apple donut holes are flat out at their very best right out of the oven, having just been tossed in butter and then sugar. Making the apple donut holes recipe the night before is the best way to serve these donuts fresh and warm.

That being said, if life just doesn’t allow for that that you can still serve fresh donuts to your family and guests if you need to bake them earlier. After you’ve baked the donut holes, let them completely cool, but don’t toss them in the butter or sugar. Store the donuts in a fridge or freezer in an airtight container. The day you want to serve the doughnuts, let them thaw (if frozen). Cover them snugly with aluminum foil and heat them for 5 minutes in a preheated 350° oven. While they are heating, melt the butter, mix the sugar and nutmeg, and then toss the warm donut holes in both as instructed in the recipe.

make the donut hole recipe the night before

Make your mornings easier by making the batter the night before. Cover it well and store the donut hole batter in the refrigerator. In the morning, scoop it into the donut hole pan or mini-muffin pan per the recipe, but add 1 minute to the time the donuts are baked at 375°.