Peppermint Mocha Donuts
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Peppermint mocha donuts are chocolaty with a hit of mint — just like your favorite holiday drink! They’re perfect for Christmas morning.
My husband loves mochas. Every time we hit a coffee shop that’s what he orders, even as I roll my eyes at the amount of sugar he’s drinking.
I love the flavor of mochas — in college they were my “gateway” coffee drink, with the somewhat ridiculous addition of raspberry syrup — but these days I stick to lattes.
That doesn’t mean I don’t take the opportunity to combine chocolate and coffee while baking, whenever I can.
I mean, this espresso streusel coffee cake is over the top in coffee flavor, in a good way. I even figured out how to get that chocolate-coffee flavor combo in granola, with my Mocha Java Granola.
And since I made these peppermint mocha cupcakes a few years ago, I’ve been thinking about making peppermint mocha donuts.
baked peppermint mocha donuts
Donuts feel festive no matter what, even the baked variety. For one thing, my kids get excited about peppermint mocha donuts in a way they just wouldn’t about peppermint mocha muffins.
They don’t need to know that baked donuts are practically the same thing, and are just as simple to make, right?
While I’ve experienced the joys of frying donuts with these pecan coffee donut holes, baking donuts means breakfast is on the table in a flash.
Since these peppermint mocha donuts are family-friendly, the coffee flavor isn’t too strong. It’s more there to help bring out the natural flavor of the cocoa, giving it a deeper chocolate taste.
You could always bump up the coffee by adding espresso powder in addition to the coffee, but be careful to not let it overpower. You still want the chocolate flavor to shine through.
how to glaze peppermint mocha donuts
The glaze on top of these peppermint mocha donuts is where they go from your average mocha to a perfectly seasonal peppermint mocha.
To bring in that hit of peppermint flavor, I used peppermint extract in the glaze itself.
I recommend only using a pure peppermint extract to get the best flavor. Do not use peppermint oil!
Crushed candy canes on top add blasts of peppermint to each bite. For the pickier people in the house, you can skip them in favor of sprinkles, or just let the peppermint in the glaze stand on its own.
When making the glaze, be sure to mix it after the donuts are baked, because it will start to harden as it sits, making it difficult to coat all of your donuts.
To glaze the donuts, I like to dip the smooth side of the them directly into the glaze, and then place them on a baking rack.
tip
Make sure to place a baking sheet or piece of parchment paper under the baking rack to catch any glaze drips!
A fork or a spoon will also help greatly in moving the donuts out of the glaze, and you can use a toothpick to pop any bubbles if you’re picky.
Just make sure to adorn with crushed peppermint candies or sprinkles before the glaze hardens!
These peppermint mocha donuts are perfectly soft, sweet, and minty — the ideal antidote to any winter blues and a delightful option for Christmas morning breakfast.
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Peppermint Mocha Donuts
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the Topping
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candy cane pieces
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until combined. Whisk in sugar.
- Stir in egg, milk, coffee, and oil and mix until combined, but do not overmix. As with muffins, a few lumps are fine.
- Fill donut pan wells about 3/4 full. Bake for 12 minutes, or until lightly springy to touch. Remove from pan (a spoon helps here) and let cool on a rack set over a baking sheet. Clean off any stuck bits, re-grease, and repeat with remaining batter.
- In a bowl with a bottom wide enough for the donut, whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, and peppermint extract until completely smooth.
- Dip donuts into glaze and return to rack. Before the glaze hardens, sprinkle on candy cane bits.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.
These are beautiful! And I think I just found my Christmas gift to my co-workers, thanks for sharing!
Ha! I used to be a raspberry mocha fan, too! Oh man, to think of drinking all that sugar now. I’m not sure I could handle it. On the other hand, these look fantastic! I could make a few disappear, no problem!
@Lori I know! It’s a good thing I walked everywhere back then, because YIKES.