Who needs a super simple activity to do with their kiddos that’s also a fun and healthy-ish snack? Are you raising your hand ✋ ? Let me introduce you to donut apples. The apple, that’s a donut, decorated by your kids! Art and snack time in one!
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Why you should make these now!
Reminiscent of the classic ants on a log, where parents tricked their kids into eating celery by hiding it under peanut butter and raisins (or chocolate chips in my mom’s case), these donut apples do the same thing. Sliced apple rings become the base of the “donut” and then you can top it with healthy (or not so healthy toppings 😉 ). This recipe is super simple to prep and makes a great afternoon activity and snack in one.
Kids of all ages love DIY snacks and this recipe is no exception. As I was testing these, my 2 ½ year got in on the fun as did my seventy-something year old parents. Apples and peanut butter and chocolate and fun always work around here.
Ingredients
A few notes on the ingredients:
- You can use peanut butter or any nut butter of your choosing. If you need to make these completely nut free, you could use SunButter or even whipped cream cheese instead.
Simple step by step instructions
While I would love to give you really detailed instructions on how to make these, it’s really more about the preparation in this recipe then the recipe.
First, you’ll want to gather all the items you are willing to let your kiddos decorate the apple donuts with. I like to portion those out into a muffin tin or silicone muffin holders so that they know what they have to work with.
Then slice the apple into round slices and cut out the core out of each one.
Now the fun begins. Schmear the peanut butter or other sticky topping on the apple slice and then add the toppings. For a real treat, let them drizzle melted chocolate over the top. Then enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
You’ll want to choose a topping that works with the allergy you need to substitute for. If you are accommodating a nut allergy, you can use SunButter or whipped cream cheese as a topping (or even frosting).
If you are accommodating a dairy allergy, then stick with nut butters for the topping. If you have to adapt for both, try a parve (non-dairy) chocolate spread that isn’t nut based or even chocolate hummus! You can get creative and these apple donuts will still be fun and delicious!
Any apple variety will work, but I like to look for bigger apples. You want to have enough surface area for the toppings so small lunchbox sized apples won’t work as well as a full sized apple. Honeycrisp and Rome apples tend to be a bit bigger, but we always just use what we have on hand.
Absolutely, see above for substitutions for allergies. Any of the ingredients I’ve talked about have a non-dairy equivalent available. That means that diy apple donuts make a great treat after a summer bbq, shabbat dinner or any other meat meal in addition to a snack anytime.
One more tip:
- To melt chocolate (or frosting if you want to use that instead) for drizzling over the top of your donut apples, simply put a bunch of chocolate chips into a zip top bag. Then put that bag in a cup of hot water until they are melted. Snip off the corner of the bag and drizzle away. No double boiler or microwave needed here.
Looking for more kid friendly recipes? Try these:
When you try this recipe and love it 😍 let me know by leaving a comment below or 5 ⭐ rating!
Healthy Apple Donuts
Equipment
- Muffin Tin or Silicone Cups
Ingredients
- 1 large apple sliced into even rounds
- ¼ cup peanut butter or other topping or more or less depending on your taste
- Toppings of all sorts we like to use nuts, pretzels, crushed cereal and of course, sprinkles
- ½ cup chocolate chips optional, for drizzling over the top
Instructions
- Slice the apple horizontally to get ½" slices. Then use a small pairing knife to cut out the core of each one leaving the hole of the donut in the middle.
- Lay the slices out on a work surface. I like to use a baking sheet covered in parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Put out the toppings and get to work decorating. It's easier to start with the peanut butter or other spread, but there are no real rules here 😊.
Notes
- rice krispies
- pretzels
- nuts of all sorts
- coconut
- mini chips
- crushed potato chips
Nutrition
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