The holiday season is officially upon us. Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas are fast approaching and friends and family begin to gather round. Preparing to host these holiday visits, although they are a joy and a blessing, can be stressful and take a toll on even the most gracious of hosts. Save yourself from some of the holiday stress by preparing your morning meal ahead of time–breakfast is a meal that can be set out the night before in a self-serve, mini buffet-style for you and your guests’ leisurely consumption.
Stack plates, napkins, and cutlery at the head of the table, and coffee cups or mugs next to the coffee maker along with ground coffee and instructions.
Place baked goods–such as the delicious, vegan, pumpkin spice donuts featured in this recipe–on a cake dish with a cover, alongside a toaster with a great sliced artisanal bread on a cutting board next to it. Accompany your baked offerings with ramekins of gourmet peanut butter, homemade jams, butters, cream cheeses, and any other spreads.
Small cups of yogurt in a bowl with ice, or on a chilled tray, served alongside whole fruit in a basket, will satisfy those without a taste for baked goods. Complete the array with some homemade granola in jars with pretty ribbons and some local honey, and guests can make their own personal parfaits or enjoy the granola with milk.
A little blackboard that says “good morning and please help yourself to breakfast. Milk and juice in the fridge”, will allow you to make your guests feel welcome while allowing you to catch some extra sleep.
This menu covers everyone’s dietary needs–whether guests want to eat light, heavy, vegetarian, or vegan, this simple continental buffet does it all. Most importantly, it does it without having you slave in the kitchen after a long night of hosting a holiday dinner. Enjoy your morning!
Pumpkin Spice Latte Crullers
Makes 8 donuts or 6 crullers
Cruller ingredients:
1 cup gluten free flour, (Redmill brand can be found in most supermarkets)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tspn ground ginger
Pinch ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup homemade pumpkin puree
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
3 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Glaze ingredients:
2 tbsp unsweetened coconut milk, warmed
1 tsp instant espresso powder
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Nutmeg or cinnamon (to sprinkle on top)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray doughnut pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. In mixing bowl, mix together coconut milk and vinegar, stirring until curdled. Add pumpkin puree, brown sugar, maple syrup, oil and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.
Spoon batter into ziploc or piping bag, and cut tip. Pipe batter into prepared doughnut pan. (I used a cruller pan, and so decided to forgo the piping bag. If you’re using a traditional doughnut pan, you’ll want to use the bag!)
Bake donuts for 12-14 minutes, until golden brown. Turn out onto cooling rack.
To make coffee glaze, mix together coconut milk and espresso powder, until dissolved. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, and whisk until smooth. Spread glaze over each doughnut and sprinkle with either a touch of nutmeg or cinnamon.
Let glaze set for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
