Her Modern Kitchen

Eating & Living in Austin, Texas

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Autumn Morning Maple Frosted Chai Pumpkin Donuts

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Maple Frosted Chai Pumpkin Donuts wrap all your favorite fall flavors into a breakfast appropriate treat perfect for cozy autumn mornings.

Maple Frosted Chai Pumpkin Donuts frosted

Sometimes my baking adventures are inspired by something I eat.  Other times, they’re inspired by a tool or a new piece of bakeware. And in the case of these baked chai pumpkin donuts with maple glaze, it was a little bit of both.

These donuts were inspired by a recent cake from Half Baked Harvest that I made for dinner with friends.  Eating the cake, all I could think about was how tasty the flavor combination would be as a breakfast treat.

Maple Frosted Chai Pumpkin Donuts baked

I was obsessively thinking about the spicey chai and fall pumpkin flavors being dipped into a steamy, creamy cup of coffee when I happened across the most precious donut pan while wandering around Target.  In this serendipitous moment, I made the impulse purchase and went straight home to whip up these cute little chai pumpkin donuts.  Along with the impulse donut pan purchase, I also scooped up this #squashgoals spatula for a little orange flair in my kitchen.

Squash Goals Spatula

While this donut recipe was 100% inspired by Half Baked Harvest, I revised the spice flavorings some and modified the structure of the batter to make the donuts a little sturdier and less cake-like by swapping full eggs for egg whites.  After all, these donuts need to withstand the necessary coffee dunk! 

Maple Frosted Chai Pumpkin Donuts Detailed view

Maple Frosted Chai Pumpkin Donuts mid-frosting

While I was 100% delighted with the end result of the chai pumpkin donuts I was slightly disappointed with my donut mold.  The donuts released cleanly from the mold after cooling a bit on the counter.  However, the mold has intricate details that were lost during the baking process and further covered by the maple frosting.

Maple Frosted Chai Pumpkin Donuts close up

Enjoy these donuts! They’d make a great fall breakfast or brunch treat. And if you’re looking for other pumpkin treats, check out my salted caramel apple pavlova or pumpkin spice scones.

Maple Frosted Chai Pumpkin Donuts
 
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Serves: 18 donuts
Ingredients
  • For the donuts:
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ cup coconut oil
  • ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 cup 100% pure pumpkin puree

  • For the frosting:
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoons half & half
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • ½ teaspoon maple extract, optional (but it adds extra maple flavor)
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350F and lightly grease your donut mold with a baking spray then set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices.
  3. In a separate bowl whisk together the coconut oil, brown sugar, vanilla extract, eggs and pumpkin puree. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir together until fully combined.
  4. Place the mixture into a large piping bag and use it to fill the donut molds to about two-thirds full.
  5. Bake the donuts for 15-17 minutes, until a cake pin inserted into the donut comes out clean.
  6. Allow the donuts to cool for 5-10 minutes then remove them from the pan, placing them in a wire cooling rack.
  7. Repeat the process, filling the mold again with the remaining batter (don't forget to clean & grease your mold in between bakes).
  8. While the donuts are baking, make the maple glaze, you're looking for it to be the consistency of hair gel, which makes it the perfect thickness for dipping.
  9. While the donuts are slightly warm, dip the top of them into the glaze and place them back onto the rack. Wait a 2-3 minutes and dip them a second time for an extra-thick glaze.
  10. Donuts can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

 

Autumn Pavlova with Apples, Maple Cream, and Salted Caramel

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Every bite of this Autumn Pavlova will remind you of Fall.  Filled with roasted apples, maple cream, and salted caramel, it’s sure to get you ready for the season of pumpkins, cozy sweaters, and family.

Autumn Pavlova Finished

It’s Fall! Well, maybe not officially until this Saturday, September 22nd but you can celebrate a little early, I won’t tell. And my Autumn Pavlova is the perfect way to welcome in this new season.  It’s filled with a maple whipped cream, apples roasted in brown sugar and spices, then finished with salted caramel and toasted pecans.

It’s delicious. In fact, one of my colleague taste testers was heard saying ‘It’s like Fall in my mouth!’ while digging into a piece.

What is a Pavlova?

A pavlova is really quite simple.  It’s a large meringue tart that’s filled with whipped cream and fruit which means there’s endless flavor combinations.  The dessert is actually named after the Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, and is said to have been born in New Zealand after the ballerina’s world tour stopped in the country.

Autumn Pavlova

Autumn Pavlova prior to baking

The meringue based tart is baked until the outside forms a crust. The inside, however, remains delicately light and has a slight chew to it.  I personally love the contrasting textures of pavlovas — the crispy outer crust, to the chewy center, the light whipped cream, and sweet, juicy fruit on top. It’s a flavor and texture journey with every bite.

Baked Autumn Pavlova tart

Baked Autumn Pavlova tart

Layering the Autumn Pavlova

A pavlova has three main components: the meringue tart, a whipped cream center and a fruit topping.

For my pavlova, I stuck to the traditional tart recipe of whipped egg whites but was inspired by the pending Fall season when making the whipped cream and fruit filling.  Being from upstate New York where both maple and apples are prominent, I chose to incorporate both into this dessert — they also pair well together making it a delicious combination.

Autumn Pavlova with Maple Cream

Topped with maple whipped cream

For the Autumn Pavolova, I created a maple whipped cream which is so simple to make .  Simply whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form then drizzle in a quarter cup of pure maple syrup (none of that fake imitation syrup for this recipe, please). Volia! Maple cream is born.

Rather than placing raw fruit on top of the pavlova, which is traditional, I chose to roast the fruit for my Autumn Pavlova.  I left the peels on the apples and sliced them into wedges — I recommend a honeycrisp or fuji apple for this recipe.  I then tossed the apples with melted butter, pumpkin pie spice (because it’s the perfect ratio of Fall spices), and brown sugar.  After baking the apples in the oven for 30 minutes, you have tender apple slices and a sweet, sticky sauce forms from the butter and brown sugar. I left the apples to cool completely which also allowed the sauce to form more into a syrup.

Autumn Pavlova with roasted apples

Topped with roasted apples

After layering each component into the meringue tart, I you top the Autumn Pavlova’s maple cream and roasted apple with a drizzle of salted caramel sauce and roasted pecans for added crunch.  Since the meringue tart will turn soft with the cream on top, a pavlova should be served immediately — though, don’t fret, if you have leftovers they’ll still be delicious the next day!

Autumn Pavlova

I hope you enjoy my Autumn Pavlova and share it with your friends and family throughout the Fall at your Friendsgiving or family Thanksgiving gathering.

How do you plan to welcome the Fall season? Do you have any seasonal recipes you plan to make?

Autumn Pavlova

5.0 from 4 reviews
Autumn Pavlova with Apples, Maple Cream, and Salted Caramel
 
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Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 3 medium honeycrisp or fuji apples, core removed and cut into slices
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • 4 large egg whites
  • 1 cup confectioner's sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 12 ounces heavy cream
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoon salted caramel sauce
  • 2 tablespoons chopped pecans
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F
  2. Line a large roasting pan with foil and set aside
  3. In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, pie spice, and brown sugar
  4. Add the sliced apples to the bowl and toss to coat
  5. Transfer the apples to the prepared roasting pan and roast the apples for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through
  6. Once the apples have cooked, remove the pan from oven and allow the apples to cool to room temperature
  7. While the apples are baking, prepare to bake the pavlova tart by lining a large baking tray with parchment paper
  8. Using a 6-inch cake pan, trace a circle onto the parchment paper and set aside, you'll use this to create a round pavlova with the meringue
  9. Once the apples have cooked, lower the oven temperature to 280°F to bake the pavlova
  10. To make the tart, place the egg whites in a stand mixer and beat on high with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form
  11. Sift in half of the confectioner's sugar and mix on low to combine
  12. Add in the vanilla, corn starch, and remaining sugar, mix again on low to combine
  13. Spread the egg whites onto the circle traced on the parchment paper. When spreading out the egg whites, ensure the outside edges are a big thicker and there's a slight dip in the center, as if you're making a bowl
  14. Bake the pavlova at 280°F for 75-90 minutes until the center and edges are firm to the touch
  15. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely
  16. To make the maple cream, place the heavy cream into a clean bowl of a stand mixer and using the whisk attachment, whisk on high until peaks form. Drizzle in the maple syrup and a pinch of salt.
  17. To make the pavlova, spread the maple cream on top of the baked meringue tart
  18. Gently spoon the completely cooled apples and syrup that forms onto the cream
  19. Drizzle with the salted caramel sauce and top with chopped pecans
  20. Serve immediately

 

Harvest Hash with Sweet Potatoes & Sprouts: A Breakfast Inspired by Picnik Austin

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This Harvest Hash is inspired by the hash served at Picnik in Austin. It’s a meal full of cozy Autumn flavors and seasonal produce like apples, maple, sweet potatoes and sprouts! It’s perfect for a hearty breakfast.

Harvest Hash 4

Are you ready for Fall yet? Because I sure am! I’m not quite tired of the heat just yet l but I am ready for cozier clothes, the slower season of life, pumpkins, and all the seasonal Fall food.  To kick-start the Fall foodie season, I recreated the Harvest Hash from Picnik that’s full of cozy Autumn flavors and seasonal produce like apples, maple, sweet potatoes and Brussel sprouts!

I first enjoyed Picnik’s Harvest Hash a few weeks ago when dining with my friend Vanessa. She actually ordered the hash (because I’m obsessed with Picnik’s cassava flour blueberry pancakes and make that my go-to order).  Vanessa raved about the hash and while eating it, asked if I thought it would be difficult to recreate it at home. 

I instantly took this as a challenge and told her, ‘I’ll figure it out for you and send you the recipe!’

Harvest Hash Close Up

I took a couple bites of her hash to decompose the flavors and texture then glanced at Picnik’s menu to assess the Harvest Hash description.  That weekend I set about recreating the Harvest Hash at home.

My objective was to recreate the flavors of the hash but make it something a little leaner that could be consumed regularly without it feeling as indulgent. 

I wanted my hash to be everyday-accessible and a dish that could be made in large portions to reheat over the course of the week.

  • Picnik’s Harvest Hash was on the sweeter side and a bit saucy.  I knew that for my Harvest Hash, I wanted it to have some sauce but would like the flavors to have more of a heat to it with a subtle note of sweetness.  To achieve this, I made a sauce with pure maple syrup and balsamic vinegar as its base and added a heavy pinch of red pepper flakes and dijon mustard to thicken it and add spice.
  • The sprouts in Picnik’s hash were blackened and had crispy leaves which led me to believe that they may have been pan-fried or at least cooked with more oil than I’d prefer.  To counter this, I tossed my sprouts in a light drizzle of olive oil and cooked them over low heat in a cast-iron pan to achieve the blackened flavor with a bit less fat.
  • Lastly, Picnik’s Harvest Hash used beef breakfast sausage which I chose to replace with a lean turkey breakfast sausage.  Since the breakfast sausage was pre-seasoned, I also left out the sage which was listed on Picnik’s ingredient list.

Harvest Hash 3

Harvest Hash 1

So how’d it turn out? DELICIOUS!

The Harvest Hash sauce had the perfect balance of sweet and spice.  I chose to pour it over the hash right before serving that way the hash was more personalized to my liking and would coat the veggies without soaking in too much. I also served mine with a runny egg which helped add a ‘sauce’ to the hash without a lot of sweetness.

The flavors are definitely fall-centric with apples, maple, and pecans. I’m also positive sweet potatoes and Brussel sprouts are destined to be best friends because their combined flavor is pure gold.  I also loved how hearty the hash turned out.  <3M and I chose to eat this for dinner one night and we had leftovers for a few more breakfasts later in the week.

If you try my Harevest Hash recipe, I’d love to know your thoughts and how it compares to the hash at Picnik (if you’ve had it!). Leave your thoughts in the comments.

What flavors do you associate with Fall? Do you have a cozy Fall breakfast you’re looking forward to?

Harvest Hash Picnik Pinterest

Harvest Hash: A Breakfast Inspired by Picnik Austin
 
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Serves: 4-5
Ingredients
  • For the Hash:
  • 2 small sweet potatoes
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 12 ounces (1 bag) Brussel sprouts, washed & thoroughly dried
  • 1 fuji apple
  • 8 ounces lean breakfast sausage (turkey, pork or beef)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4 teaspoons olive oil, separated
  • ¼ cup roughly chopped pecans
  • ¼ cup currants, optional
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • olive oil spray
  • 4 eggs, cooked to your liking

  • For the Sauce:
  • 3 tablespoons real maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons spicy brown or dijon mustard
  • ½-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
  1. First prep all your ingredients: peel the sweet potatoes and cut into ½ inch cubes, cut the yellow onion into quarter inch slices, mince the garlic cloves, peel the apple and cut into ¼ inch dice, remove the stem of the Brussel sprouts and cut into quarters, if you have small sprouts simply cut in half. Be sure to keep the spare leaves that fall off of the sprouts when cutting.
  2. Prepare the dressing by whisking together the maple syrup, vinegar, mustard and as mush red pepper flake as you desire in a small bowl and set aside.
  3. Preheat the oven to 375*F. In a medium sized bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with 2 teaspoons of olive oil plus a pinch of salt and pepper. Spread the potatoes evenly onto a large baking sheet and roast for 30-35 minutes until just tender.
  4. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the rest of the dish. Spray a large skillet with olive oil and cook the breakfast sausage breaking it up into tiny pieces. Cook until lightly browned. Remove the breakfast sausage from the skillet and set a side. Do not clean the skillet.
  5. Spray the same skillet used to cook the breakfast sausage with olive oil and add in the onions and minced garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes. While the onions are cooking, toss the Brussel sprouts with the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
  6. Once the onions have softened add the sprouts to the skillet and cook over medium for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until sprouts are tender but not fully cooked through. Add in the diced apple and cook 3-4 minutes more until apples are soft and sprouts are cooked through. Turn the heat to low and add the breakfast sausage back to the skillet and stir to combine. Pour a ¼ cup of the dressing over the mixture and toss to combine. Remove from heat.
  7. When the sweet potatoes are done, add them to the skillet along with the chopped pecans, currants and stir. Season with salt and pepper or additional dressing, if desired. Serve immediately with a cooked egg on top and remaining dressing on the side if you’d like more of a sauce on the hash.

 

Gingerbread Donut Holes

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Gingerbread Donut Holes are bite-sized morsels of fluffy baked donuts glazed with a delicate vanilla-maple frosting. They’re so good, I bet you can’t eat just one!

Gingerbread_Donut_Holes Drying

When I was home in New York for Thanksgiving, we visited an upstate staple, Tim Horton’s which is a Northern donut and coffee shop. My go-to order at Tim Horton’s is a simple french vanilla coffee with a single Timbit on the side (aka a donut hole) on the side. In November, the seasonal TimBits are Gingerbread Donut Holes! Gingerbread is a seasonal flavor that I absolutely adore which made these donut holes my perfect match!

The Timbits were so delicious, I could have eaten a whole box of Gingerbread donut holes — luckily for me, Timbits come pre-portioned — so as long as I only order ONE.  Also, lucky for me, I went to Tim Hortons 3 times during the week I was home so I was able to enjoy the Gingerbread Timbits a few times before heading back to Austin.

Gingerbread_Donut_Holes-7

Gingerbread_Donut_Holes-Bite

 

But, even though I had my fair share of Timbits while I was in New York, I still craved the gingerbread donut holes when I returned home to Austin. This craving inspired me to create a healthier version of the Gingerbread TimBits so I didn’t feel guilty eating 2 or 3 with my coffee in the morning.

Gingerbread_Donut_Holes_Bite

My Gingerbread Donut Holes are made with half whole wheat flour for a boost of whole grains.  I also incorporated Greek yogurt into the batter to sub out some of the butter for an extra boost of protein and a fluffy lift!  Unlike traditional donut holes which are fried, I baked mine in a mini muffin pan!

To pay homage to New York, I frosted my gingerbread donut holes with a vanilla-maple glaze which has just a slight hint of maple syrup! The maple plays so nicely with the gingerbread flavor, adding just a touch of sweetness to the baked donut holes!

Gingerbread_Donut_Holes-Bite

I loved cozying up next to the fireplace in the morning with a steamy cup of coffee and a few of these gingerbread donut holes, and I hope you do too! They’d also be perfect as a Christmas morning snack while you watch the family open gifts!

Enjoy!

Gingerbread Donut Holes Pinterest

5.0 from 4 reviews
Gingerbread Donut Holes
 
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Serves: 40
Ingredients
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1½ teaspoons ginger
  • 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¾ cup milk
  • ¼ cup greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract, separated
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 3½ cups confectioner's sugar
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • ½ cup half and half or heavy cream***
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350*F
  2. Lightly grease a mini muffin pan with shortening or butter and set aside
  3. In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, yogurt, molasses and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  5. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter while whisking to incorporate. Do this slowly as not to cook the eggs
  6. Once combined, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until combined
  7. Fill the muffin tins two-thirds of the way full with batter*
  8. Bake in the oven for 9-10 minutes
  9. Remove from oven and allow the donuts to cool for 5-10 minutes before removing them the pan*
  10. While the donuts cool, make the glaze
  11. In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioner's sugar, maple syrup, remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and half and half (or cream, if using)
  12. Once donut holes have cooled slightly, dip the tops of the donuts into the glaze, let excess drip off then place the donut holes on a wire rack**
  13. Allow the glaze to set for about 5-minutes before dipping a second time
  14. Store in a cool dry place for 2-3 days
Notes
*You'll need to bake these donut holes in 2 sets if you have only 1 mini muffin pan as this recipe makes close to 40 donut holes. Be sure to wash the muffin pan and grease it again for your second set
** I dip my donut holes twice because it creates a thicker glaze which is more reminiscent of what you'd find on a bakery-style donut hole.
***You need to use cream or half & half. If you use milk, the glaze won't result in a thick frosting which is needed in order for the frosting to stay put on top of your donut holes. When making the frosting, add the liquid slowly until the glaze reaches the consistency of a shampoo or shower gel. That's when you'll know it's perfect for dipping.