These simple to make sourdough buns can be air fried in about 15 minutes, and you don't need to let them rise. The snack cakes are full of good things--food, not artificial sweeteners--and, in moderation (i.e. one), the cakes are acceptable if you're on a diabetic diet. In addition to whole-grain flour and oats, the little buns are sweetened with nutrient-dense and fiber-rich fruits. They also include a decent amount of protein. Even better, the snack cakes taste good. They have a bit of sourdough tang and are topped with a sweet apple mixture and crunchy walnuts. I make the buns in the air fryer, and you also can bake them in a regular oven at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes. The little snack cakes are great for a breakfast treat or with a cup of coffee or tea later in the day. I like the cakes with a bit of cheese alongside for a nice snack. Enjoy!
Sourdough Apple Pie Snack Cakes (Diabetic Friendly) -- Makes 10
1/2 cup of sourdough starter/discard
2 tablespoons of canola oil
1 large egg
1/4 cup of plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup of white whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup of quick oats
1 teaspoon of apple pie spice
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of baking powder
In a large bowl combine the sourdough starter/discard, the oil, the egg, the yogurt, and the applesauce and mix them together well. Add the flour, oats, apple pie spice, salt, and baking powder and stir them in until a rough dough comes together. Cut small pieces of baking parchment to fit your air fryer basket. Drop small mounds of dough onto the parchment (about 1/3 cup), leaving a couple of inches between the mounds. With your fingers (moisten them a little first) flatten out the mounds to about 1/2-inch thick. Divide the topping among the dough mounds. If you'd like, you can dust on a bit more cinnamon. Spritz the tops of the mounds with non-stick cooking spray (it helps keep things in place). Air fry the buns at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until the snack cakes are golden brown.
Topping
1 medium Granny Smith (or other) apple, peeled (or not), cored, and chopped
1/3 cup of chopped walnuts
2 - 3 tablespoons of raisins (I use golden raisins)
1/4 cup of date puree (cover pitted dates with hot water and mash well with a fork)
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, plus extra to dust (optional)
1 - 2 teaspoons of orange juice, optional
In a small bowl combine the chopped apple, walnuts, and raisins. Stir in the date puree and cinnamon. If the mixture seems too thick, you can stir in the orange juice a little at a time (it will depend on how thick a date puree you have). Use the mixture to top the flattened dough mounds.
