Dipped in sweet cinnamon sugar for a festive holiday treat.
While serving jury duty in April, another lady and I exchanged pleasantries in the spacious courthouse break room during our 15-minute Afternoon Recess. Eventually, the topic turned to food (it always does, with me!), and she revealed how her family created multiple bread recipes from scratch and exclusively purchased Penzeys cinnamon for its superior spice quality. I opened up about my baking obsession and blog. Conversation continued to develop and, well…
Eight months later, I always give her, her husband, and her two kids first dibs on anything I make!
After offering them my recent Cranberry Apple Crumble, she and her son stopped by to pick it up last week. I mentioned the Dreyer’s ice cream deal I spotted at Safeway—because you know how well vanilla ice cream goes with fruit crisps!—and sheepishly admitted that I caved and purchased the Slow-Churned Eggnog holiday flavor too.
Her son piped up. “I love eggnog! It’s really good with nutmeg on top.”
Wait… WHAT? Her 8-year-old son had tried and liked eggnog before me??
(Yes, it’s true. I’d never drank eggnog before, and I sampled the ice cream to determine whether I’d actually enjoy the beverage.)
The next day, I headed back to the store to purchase a quart of real eggnog, mulling over what recipes I could create with it as I walked home. Cookies? Muffins? French toast?
My answer appeared in the form of a big cardboard box. The mailman delivered the purple cake pop maker I ordered from Kohl’s—perfect for donut holes!
After my apple fritter episode last spring, I stopped frequenting donut shops. My self-control shot straight out the window with every one of their treats—bars, twists, old-fashioneds, and especially chocolate sprinkle donuts—which really annoyed my waistline and skinny jeans. With their small size and innocent glaze, donut holes were also deadly. I’d stick my hand into the white paper to-go bag and nibble on one… two… three… until the entire dozen disappeared down my throat.
But I don’t experience an ounce of guilt with these skinny Eggnog Donut Holes. Each cute sphere tastes like the festive holiday drink, complete with that hint of nutmeg, and is doused in a sweet shower of cinnamon sugar. Plus they’re baked—not fried—and only 41 calories each!
The batter recipe is really basic: mix the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another, and stir to combine just until moist. Do not over-mix the batter! If you do, the donut holes will turn out tough and chewy instead of soft and airy. To prevent over-mixing, stir the batter with a fork instead of beating with an electric mixer. (Fewer dishes to wash too!) Some small lumps of flour may persist; that’s perfectly fine.
I turned to light eggnog to keep the donut holes low in fat and calories. Regular eggnog will work too, although the Nutrition Information will change. If following a vegan diet, substitute Coconut Nog for the eggnog; I sampled the So Delicious brand, which actually tastes like the real deal!
I created these healthy eggnog donut holes with an electric cake pop maker, found at Kohl’s, Target, Walmart, and other stores. Many of these establishments (and Amazon too) also sell cake pop pans for baking in a regular oven. If you’d rather not splurge on either of these items, a mini muffin pan will work too. Although not perfectly spherical, the muffin “donut holes” still taste exactly the same!
Once cool, I dipped the donut holes in milk—just enough to make the coating stick—before rolling in cinnamon sugar. Don’t be shy; they should be completely covered. The more cinnamon sugar, the better! It creates a sweet crunchy exterior, similar to churros, and melts on your tongue as you bite into the donut holes. Pure bliss!
If cinnamon sugar isn’t your thing, try rolling the donut holes in nutmeg-sugar instead to boost that subtle nutty flavor. Or to increase the eggnog taste, dip in a simple glaze made from light eggnog and powdered sugar. (I’m definitely trying that next time!)
These skinny Eggnog Donut Holes are light and airy with a crisp sugar coating. Creamy eggnog flavor infuses every bite, revealing its distinctive eggy custard taste. While baking, they filled my house with a festive holiday aroma, tempting me to turn on Christmas carols and sing along. Before I ran out of tunes, all of the donut holes disappeared…
Time to bake more!
And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your baked eggnog donut holes!
| Eggnog Donut Holes | Print |
- ¾ cup (90g) all-purpose flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup (80mL) light eggnog
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (96g) granulated sugar, divided
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp (45mL) nonfat milk
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg. Mix in the eggnog, vanilla, and ¼ cup of granulated sugar. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Place the batter into a 1-gallon Ziploc bag.
- Preheat an electric cake pop maker. While it preheats, mix together the remaining ¼ cup of granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Pour the milk into a separate small bowl. Set both aside.
- Once the cake pop maker is hot, lightly mist with nonstick cooking spray. Snip the corner off of the Ziploc bag, and pipe the batter into the cavities, filling almost all the way. Close the lid and bake for 4-6 minutes. Remove onto a wire rack to cool, and repeat with the remaining batter.
- Working with one donut hole at a time, dip into the milk with one hand, shaking off any excess drips. Place in the cinnamon sugar, and roll around with your other hand until coated. Place back on the wire rack, and repeat with the remaining donut holes.
For a gluten-free version, use the following: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) tapioca flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) brown rice flour, and ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends (like this one!) will also work, if measured like this.
The nutmeg flavor is very subtle. If you prefer a more pronounced spice flavor, increase the nutmeg to ¼ teaspoon. Or instead of cinnamon sugar, roll the donut holes in nutmeg-sugar!
For a vegan version, substitute ½ tablespoon Ener-G + 2 tablespoons warm water + ½ tablespoon oil for the egg, and substitute vegan “nog” (soy, almond milk, or coconut based!) for the light eggnog.
{gluten-free, vegan option}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
I was really sad to see that, at the top, you called these ‘healthy’ donut holes! these ARE NOT HEALTHY! no wonder our country is full of obese people when people are posting false options for a healthy option. you didn’t even select a flour that has some nutrient content! all-purpose flour usually consists of what’s left of a ground wheat berry after it’s been stripped of it’s nutritious parts (germ and bran). if you’re gonna claim ‘healthy’, please at least suggest using sprouted flour (ideally spelt, over wheat)…. but that’s not even healthy. healthy, would be to not eat donuts! ‘lower fat’ may be more fitting!?
I am gonna try this recipe b/c it sounds interesting (though, who really has a cake pop maker?!? I’ve never even heard of that)… but just wanted to make the point that it is NOT healthy. anything that has a cake-like texture is absolutely not healthy. not to mention… do you know how toxic most sugar is?
sorry for harshness… I just wish people would stop misleading people into thinking super fatty, carby things are healthy. you could have even substituted the egg for apple sauce. that would be healthier, but still not healthy!
Bring on the holiday eggnog! These donuts look festive and bright and perfect for celebrating. Great idea to bake them rather than fry them.
Thanks so much! I’d love to hear what you think if you try these donut holes! 🙂
I would like to try these forChristmas. If using the mini muffin pan, what oven temp should I use and for how long to bake. Look forward to hearing from you soon.
I’m honored that you’d consider making these for Christmas, Alyce! If using a mini muffin pan, I’d recommend 350°F. The amount of time will depend on how full you fill each mini muffin cavity, but I’d start checking around 10 minutes. They’ll be done when the centers feel firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of your donut holes if you do end up making this recipe!