From Jar to Donut: Chocolate Maple Zucchini Treats

Prep time: 20 minutes · Cook time: 10 minutes · Total time: 30 minutes · Yield: 18 donuts

Store-bought donuts are easy, but they're loaded with stuff you probably don't want as a daily habit. These chocolate maple zucchini donuts solve that; rich, moist, and secretly packed with veggies, you'll only taste the chocolate and a touch of maple syrup. Recipe adapted from Mighty Mrs. Super Easy Recipes.

Why this recipe works: Moist and chocolatey, naturally sweetened with maple syrup, kid-approved (they won't notice the veggies at first), and made with simple ingredients and an easy process.

The secret ingredient: Zucchini! It adds moisture without overpowering the flavor, so you get soft, cake-like donuts without extra oil or processed ingredients: basically chocolate zucchini bread in donut form.

What you'll need:

• A donut baking pan
• A mixer
• A cooling rack
• A piping bag

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour (or all-purpose)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp salt (sea salt adds extra flavor)
• 6 tbsp special dark cocoa powder
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (or any neutral cooking oil)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 cups shredded zucchini (skin on)

For the topping:

• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips or melting wafers
• 2 tbsp maple syrup

How to make it:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. In a larger bowl, use a mixer to beat together the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, coconut oil, maple syrup, and shredded zucchini.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until a batter forms, then fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Spoon or pipe the batter into a greased and floured donut pan, filling just below the top of each cavity.
6. Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out clean.
7. Remove from the oven and flip the donuts onto a wire rack to cool completely.
8. For the icing, melt the white chocolate chips in a glass measuring cup in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between each, until fully melted (about 1 minute total). Stir in the maple syrup.
9. Pipe or drizzle the icing over the cooled donuts, then top with sprinkles if desired.

Pro tips: Squeeze excess moisture from the zucchini if it seems watery, use real maple syrup for the best flavor in both the batter and icing, and let the donuts cool completely before icing or it'll melt right off.

A sprinkle tip worth stealing: Store your decorating sprinkles in a Mason jar fitted with a reCAP FLIP lid: it doubles as a handy sifter for flour, sugar, or homemade breadcrumbs too.

Store extras the reCAP way: Keep leftover donuts fresh in a Mason jar sealed with a reCAP FLIP lid.