Warm and Spicy Baked Pumpkin Donuts

For Donuts:
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup milk
For Coating:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven 350 F.  Grease a donut pan and set aside.
2. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt and spices together and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together applesauce, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin, and milk until combined. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the mixture and stir until just combined, taking care to avoid overmixing.
4. Carefully spoon the batter evenly around the circles of the donut rings. Fill each nearly to the top. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until donuts spring back when gently pressed.  Turn donuts out onto a wire rack and allow to cool for a few minutes.
5. While the donuts are cooling, melt butter in one bowl and combine the sugar and cinnamon in another.  When donuts are still hot, use a pastry brush to spread a thin layer of butter onto each donut before dipping each into the cinnamon sugar, turning and swirling to coat. Use your fingers to sprinkle the sugar more evenly if necessary. Serve immediately.

Makes 12 donuts
Nutrition for 1 plain donut without topping: Calories: 119, Fat: 1g, Carb: 29g, Fiber: 1g, Sugars 14g, Protein: 3g
Nutrition for 1 donut with cinnamon sugar topping: Calories: 169, Fat: 5g, Carb: 33g, Fiber: 1g, Sugars: 18g, Protein: 3g