Peppermint Mocha Doughnuts

It’s that time of year folks! The stores are getting in their Christmas merchandise and eggnog, Starbucks is beginning to serve peppermint mochas, and we’ve passed the 6 week unofficial mark to start posting Christmas stuff on our blogs. Yay! I find myself again lamenting the fact that we don’t live anywhere near a Starbucks so that I can join in the festive drink drinking this time of year. Not that I’m usually that big of a Starbucks fan, but there’s just something that makes it feel like winter when you have a pepperminty, chocolaty drink in your hand. I may not be able to get my little mitts on one of those drinks, but I can (and will) bake up a tasty breakfast substitute! Bring on the peppermint mocha doughnuts, it’s Christmas time!

Baked Peppermint Mocha Doughnuts
Makes 6-8 doughnuts

For the peppermint mocha doughnut:
2 tbsp. (30 grams) butter, melted
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp. baking cocoa
2 tsp. espresso powder
1 cup all purpose flour

For the glaze:
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar + 2-3 tbsp.
1/4 cup milk
Peppermint chips or crushed peppermint candies

Start by preheating your oven to 350*F (175*C) and greasing your doughnut pan. In a small bowl, whisk together your wet ingredients (melted butter, egg, milk, and peppermint extract). In a large bowl, stir together all the dry ingredients (baking soda, baking powder, granulated sugar, baking cocoa, espresso powder, and flour), and then whisk in the mixture of wet ingredients. Whisk until there are no longer any lumps, and then pour (or pipe) your batter into your doughnut pans. Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the doughnuts comes out clean. While the doughnuts are still warm (but not hot), gently turn them out onto a wire cooling rack (if you wait until they’re completely cooled, they’re harder to get out of the pan).

While your doughnuts finish cooling, you can whip up your glaze! In a small pan, warm the powdered sugar and milk. As the mixture warms, it’ll start to thin, so I like to add a few extra tablespoons to thicken it back up. Once the mixture is hot (not boiling), you can remove the pan from the heat, and start dipping your doughnuts. Because cooking the glaze helps it dry faster and form a hard finish, you’ll want to be sure to sprinkle your doughnuts with the peppermint pieces as you go (read: don’t wait until the end to sprinkle them all like I did the first time!).

Be sure to let the glaze harden completely before packaging. Baked doughnuts are best if eaten the day they are made, but can be kept for a day or two in a paper bag or box (plastic will make them get soggy).

Happy baking!