Peppermint mocha donuts turn a coffeehouse favorite into the perfect holiday treat! This easy baked donut recipe is sure to be a hit with family and friends during the holiday season.
This small batch baked donut recipe is full of rich chocolate, just enough coffee to shine through without being overpowering, and a bright pop of peppermint with every bite.
If you love all the specialty holiday coffee drinks, chocolate frosted donuts, and seasonal flavors – this is the donut for you!
If you love this holiday chocolate baked donut recipe, you’d also love these Maple Baked Donuts and these Lemon Blueberry Baked Donuts!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Super easy to make. Homemade baked donuts are easy to pull off.
Ready in 30 minutes! You’ll need about 30 minutes to make these chocolate coffee donuts with peppermint. This includes prep, cooking, cooling, and decoration time!
Bold and Delicious Holiday Flavor. A peppermint mocha meets your favorite chocolate donut.. what could be merrier than that?!
So cute! I mean, who could resist reaching for one of these chocolate frosted donuts that are decorated with crushed candy canes? These chocolate coffee donuts are sure to be a hit at your next holiday breakfast or brunch.
Ingredients Needed
TIP: Using room temperature eggs is often suggested for baking because the eggs will incorporate into the softened butter easier. This results in a smooth, uniform batter. If you’re setting your eggs out on the counter to bring them up to room temperature, the standard rule of thumb is to set them out for at least 30 minutes prior to using them.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Make a white peppermint glaze instead of a chocolate peppermint glaze. A white glaze on your chocolate coffee donuts is another eye-catching option! Instead of mixing up the chocolate ganache with peppermint as noted on the recipe card, whisk together 1 cup of powdered sugar, 1-2 Tablespoons of milk, and ¼-1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract. Thicken with a little more powdered sugar, or thin with a little more milk, until your preferred consistency has been reached. Dip and decorate the donuts as noted in the recipe card.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar). Set aside.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (egg, peppermint extract, whole milk, sour cream, and melted butter) and instant coffee.
Step 3: Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. DO NOT overmix (this will create tough donuts).
Step 4: Once the batter is ready, transfer it to a piping bag (or large ziplock bag) to pipe into the donut pans.
Step 5: Pipe the batter into a greased donut pan. If preferred, you can also spoon the batter into the donut pans.
Step 6: Bake for 10-12 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Step 7: Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then flip out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
Step 8: Make the glaze by placing the chocolate, peppermint extract, and neutral oil into a microwave safe bowl and heat in 20-second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth (about 1 minute).
Step 9: Dip each donut into the glaze.
Step 10: Decorate with a sprinkle of crushed candy canes if desired. Allow to set and enjoy!
Possible Dietary Restrictions?
This recipe is vegetarian as written. One small modification is needed to turn this into a gluten free baked donut recipe:
- To make these into gluten free baked donuts, replace the all-purpose flour with a 1-to-1 gluten free flour blend. Please note: I have not done this myself for this recipe, but have had good luck using this 1-to-1 gluten free flour in other baking recipes.
Serving Suggestions
These peppermint mocha chocolate baked donuts are perfect paired with a warm cup or coffee or a cool glass of milk. You can go all-in and get really festive by enjoying them with a peppermint mocha too!
Expert Tips
Do not overmix your batter. Doing so can create tough baked donuts (and you don’t want that!). Gently fold your wet and dry ingredients together until just combined.
Is the dough supposed to be this thick? Yes, baked donut batter is much thicker than you might expect! If you are having issues getting all of your dry ingredients incorporated into your wet ingredients, you could add a little more milk, a dab of sour cream, or even a little water. Do so in 1 teaspoon increments so you don’t make your dough too moist or runny.
If you do not have sour cream, you can use yogurt! You can replace sour cream with plain or vanilla Greek yogurt if you would like to.
Storage
Baked donuts are generally best eaten the same day. However, if you have leftovers, store the remaining donuts in an air-tight container in the fridge for one to two days.
Equipment Needed To Make Baked Donuts
A Donut Pan. Homemade baked donuts are one of those treats that do need a special piece of equipment to get that classic donut shape: a donut pan. You can either get metal donut pans or silicone donut pans (selection is based on personal preference).
- I love and use this 2-Pack of Non-Stick Metal Donut Pans
- I have friends who love and use this 2-Pack of Silicone Donut Pans
Recipe FAQs
Even if you have a non-stick donut pan, using a light coat of non-stick cooking spray will help ensure your donuts will flip right out after baking.
You can store baked donuts in the refrigerator or at room temperature (assuming they do not have a cream filling). If you are leaving leftover baked donuts at room-temperature, keep them out of direct sunlight.
Donuts that are glazed or filled generally will not stay fresh as long as donuts that are plain. While best day-of, baked donuts can be kept at room temperature for one to two days. If refrigerated, they can technically be enjoyed for up to a week. However, it has been my experience that baked donuts do not taste as good as fresh after a day or two.
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Baked Peppermint Mocha Donuts
Ingredients
- 1 C all-purpose flour
- ¼ C cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ C granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 teaspoon instant coffee
- ⅓ C whole milk
- ¼ C sour cream
- 2 tablespoon salted butter, melted and cooled slightly
Glaze
- 1 C semi-sweet or dark chocolate
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 teaspoon neutral oil
Decoration
- 2 small candy canes, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a donut pan with non-stick spray and set aside
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar
- In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, peppermint extract, instant coffee, whole milk, sour cream, and melted butter
- Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined
- Pipe or spoon the batter into the prepared donut pan
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean
- Remove from the oven and allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then flip out onto a cooling rack and cool completely
- Make the glaze by placing the chocolate, peppermint extract, and neutral oil into a microwave safe bowl and heat in 20-second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth (about 1 minute)
- Dip each donut into the chocolate glaze and decorate with a sprinkle of crushed candy canes if desired. Allow to set and enjoy!
- Store leftovers: baked donuts are generally best eaten the same day, however, if you have leftovers, store remaining donuts in an air-tight container in the fridge for 1-2 days
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