Cinnamon Donut Holes

These baked donut holes are soft, doughy and creamy in the center from the eggplants with crispy exterior from the sugar and cinnamon coating. They make delicious and healthy dessert or guilt-free snack throughout your day!
This recipe yields: 48

Ingredients
1 medium eggplant
olive oil, for brushing
butter, for greasing pan
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for coating pan
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
special equipment: mini muffin pans

Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
2. Halve the eggplant lengthwise, score diagonally and generously brush with olive oil to coat the flesh. On a foil-lined baking pan, put the eggplant, cut-side up, and roast for about 45 minutes or until soft. Then set aside.
3. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Coat the mini muffin pans with pan spray.
4. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, vegetable oil, brown sugar and egg until smooth.
5. Remove the skin from the roasted eggplant then smash into a paste. For better results, you can puree in a food processor until smooth. Mix the eggplant into the wet mixture. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
6. Fill each donut hole mold three-quarters full. Bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 12 to 20 minutes.
7. To make the cinnamon-sugar coating, melt the butter in a bowl. In another bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon then set aside.
8. Remove the donuts from the pan and dip each donut in the melted butter. The immediate roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat.