Baked Homemade Blueberry Jam Donuts with Lemon Vanilla Bean Glaze

There's no disputing the fact that Donuts are one of America's favorite breakfast treats. They're sweet, delicious and portable, but can leave you feeling a little guilty for eating them. Now you can enjoy a healthier version that's baked, not fried thanks to the donut pan! If you're a fan of donuts but are looking for a healthier alternative, I encourage you to get one (or two!).

 

Since I received my donut pan for my birthday last year, I've been putting it to good use. This recipe is one of my favorites. It combines two of my favorite ingredients - fresh blueberries and lemons. Since both the jam and the glaze have sugar in them, I cut out a lot of the sugar in the base recipe. I've even made it without any sugar in the batter and the results, in my opinion, were just as good.

 

This is also a great base recipe that can be customized however you want. Use a different type of fruit for the jam, change the flavor of the yogurt or subsitute sour cream, use orange juice and zest instead of the lemon or even meyer lemons when they're in season. The possibilities are as endless as your imagination!

 

(yeah, I totally took a few bites out of the one in the back...)

 

Baked Homemade Blueberry Jam Donuts with Lemon Vanilla Bean Glaze
Makes 14-16 donuts
Adapted from: Country Cleaver

Ingredients:
2 cups Cake Flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs at room, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk (I used whole)
1/2 cup blueberry greek yogurt (I used Chobani)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Jam:
8 oz (1 cup) fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (Zest the lemon before juicing, save the zest for the glaze)
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon cold water

Glaze Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
4 tablespoons milk
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Directions:

Make the Jam

Combine the cornstarch and cold water in a small ramekin.

Place the blueberries in a small saucepan, add sugar and lemon juice and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until most of the blueberries have broken down but some remain chunky (approximately 2 minutes)

Stir the cornstarch/water mixture to recombine and add gradually to the jam while stirring. Allow mixture to come to a boil, stirring frequently.

Place the jam in a small bowl to cool.

Make the Glaze

Place the powdered sugar, milk, lemon zest and vanilla bean and lemon zest in a medium size bowl. Whisk to combine. If glaze is too thick, add a little more lemon juice until you reach your desired consistency. Set aside while you make the donuts.


Make the Donut Batter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees f

Generously spray donut pan with non-stick spray

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, melted butter, milk and yogurt. Whisk until well combined.

Pour about 1/4 - 1/3 cup of batter into each of the cavity of the prepared donut pan. Make sure the batter is in an even layer.

Dollop about 1 1/2 teaspoons of jam on top of the batter in each cavity.

Using a small, sharp knife, swirl the jam into the batter.

Bake for 5-6 minutes or until done (donut should spring back when lightly pressed). These donuts bake up pretty fast so be sure to check early.

Remove from oven. Cool in pan for 1 minute, then loosen and remove from pan. Place on a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet.

Since most donut pans only have 6 cavities, you'll need dto repeat the baking process until all of the batter is used, respraying the pan as needed.

Glaze while still warm.

Serve immediately or at room temperature. These donuts are best enjoyed the day they are made but can be stored tightly covered at room temperature of up to 1 day.