Donuts are a favorite snack to both young and old. But, are they vegan-friendly? In this guide, we take a look, and answer the question: “Are donuts vegan?”
What’s Inside?
Donuts are made by primarily mixing different ingredients together to make butter. After that, the butter is thickened into a dough. The dough is then rolled into little flat balls. After that, you use your thumb or a circular item to make the middle hole. Finally, heat some oil in a pan and once ready, gently lay the donuts into the oil.
Ingredients used in making donuts:
- Flour
- Sugar
- Yeast
- Milk
- Eggs or egg whites
- Salt
- Flavorings
- Shortening
- Oil for frying
At this point, you may be concluding that donuts are not vegan given the ingredients. But, is that really the case?
Are Donuts Vegan?
Yes and no.
While there are vegan donuts, majority of what’s readily available in-store is non-vegan. For a food product to be considered vegan, it has to be free from animal products.
Traditional donuts were mostly made using ingredients that contained animal products such as milk, eggs, and butter. This means they were not vegan.
Today, however, it’s easier to replace the non-vegan ingredients and still achieve a similar result. Moreover, vegan donuts have become immensely popular and are sold in most major stores.
That said, donuts can of course, be vegan. However, most donuts are not vegan.
As an alternative, vegans can use vegan-friendly ingredients to replace non-vegan ones. For instance, you can use plant-based milk such as soy milk, almond milk, or oat milk. Additionally, eggs can be replaced using ingredients such as:
- Applesauce
- Aquafaba (the liquid from a can of beans)
- Flaxseeds of chia seeds
- Mashed banana
- Store-bought vegan egg replacers
All the above egg alternatives work in a similar manner as eggs in any baking recipe. For instance, bananas can add some sweetness and moisture. Moreover, flaxseed acts as a great binding agent. This helps hold the flour together.
And just like other donuts, you can add a glaze on top such as lemon, vanilla, or chocolate. A disclaimer on the chocolate: ensure it doesn’t contain any milk. Alternatively, you can also use fruits such as raspberry or strawberry.
It’s really difficult to know if the donuts sold in various stores are vegan or not. In fact, most major stores sell non-vegan donuts. Before making a purchase, ensure you ask beforehand. If the nearby stores don’t have vegan donuts, there are hundreds of vegan donut recipes that you can find online and make your own vegans.
Homemade Vegan Donut Recipe
Here’s a vegan donut recipe you can try at home.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup vegan margarine (50 g)
- ½ cup soy milk (120 mL)
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil, plus extra for frying
- ½ cup caster sugar (100 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups plain flour (250 g)
How to make vegan donuts:
- Melt your butter and add two tablespoons of sunflower oil and milk and mix together
- Once mixed, remove it from the heat and set it aside
- Take a separate bowl and mix the half of the sugar, salt, and baking powder
- Make a well in the middle and pour in your butter mixture. Mix slowly until a thick dough forms
- Roll the dough using a rolling pin and using a donut cutter, cut your dough into smaller circles, and then a smaller circle at the center of the circle you just cut
- Heat oil in a pan and when ready, gently lay your donuts into the oil using a slotted spoon and let each side cook for about 3-5 minutes until golden brown
- Remove the donuts and place in a container covered in kitchen tissue to soak up any excess oil
- Use the remaining sugar to roll the donut
At this point, your donuts are ready to eat. You can have them as a snack with tea or with an accompaniment of your choice. Enjoy!