Homer Simpson, the Pilgrims and the ancient Romans all have one thing in common: They ate doughnuts.

Doughnuts evolved from being created with dough fried in fish sauce by the Romans to a recipe brought to America by the Pilgrims. Now doughnuts are a common sweet, frosted breakfast staple enjoyed by many.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts originated in Kentucky and has been providing the public with the popular yeast-raised treat since 1933.

Store-bought doughnuts tend to be made with animal products – like butter and eggs – in order to acquire a doughy, moist consistency; meaning many vegans, like myself, must make our own.

Vegan Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

Servings: About 24

1 ½ tablespoon dry yeast

¼ cup water

1 ½ cup vanilla almond milk

1 tablespoon sugar

½ cup applesauce

½ cup Earth Balance (or vegetable shortening)

5 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup canola oil

2 cups powdered sugar

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water for about 10 minutes. After the yeast develops bubbles and a foamy consistency, add the almond milk, sugar, applesauce and Earth Balance butter, as well as two cups of flour. Stir and scrape the sides of the bowl as you are mixing the ingredients for about two minutes.

Empty three cups of flour into the mix and stir to combine. After you are done mixing the flour in and a dough has been formed, cover the bowl with a towel and allow the dough to rise for about 50 minutes.

The dough is ready to be cut and fried once it has risen and increased significantly in size.

Using a circular cutter, cut and form dough into round shapes. After cutting doughnuts, allow them to rise for about 40 minutes until they double ins size.

While doughnuts are rising, prepare to fry the doughnuts in a deep pot. Heat the oil to 350 F. until the canola oil begins to boil. Fry the doughnuts one at a time and flip over with tongs. Fry each donut for about one minute on each side.

After frying doughnuts, place them on a cooling rack lined with paper towels to soak up some of the oil and cool off.

After doughnuts have cooled, you can glaze them using a pastry brush with chocolate, icing, peanut butter or whatever topping you would like. Since I dislike glazes, I simply sprinkled my doughnuts with powdered sugar.

This recipe can be modified to be gluten-free by using almond or rice flour in place of whole wheat flour, or altered to mimic the original Krispy Kreme Doughnuts by using milk products in place of the almond milk and Earth Balance.

Hope Roberts can be reached at [email protected]