I love to bake desserts to share with my kids and these Baked Mint Chocolate Donuts are a seasonal treat we’re loving right now! Plus: They’re so easy to make.
Baked Mint Chocolate Donuts
These baked donuts have protein from eggs and nut butter, sweetness from applesauce and maple syrup, and chocolatey goodness from cocoa powder and chocolate chips. They’re also naturally gluten-free and easy to make nut-free, so they’re great for kids with allergies too.
Ingredients You Need
To make these baked donuts you’ll need:
- Creamy unsweetened nut butter
- Unsweetened applesauce
- Eggs
- Maple syrup
- Cocoa powder
- Chocolate chips
- Ground flaxseed
- Baking powder
TIP: I like using peanut butter in this recipe, though you can make them nut-free by using sunflower seed butter.
Step-by-Step Instructions
The beauty of this recipe is that it’s so easy to stir together. Here’s a look at the process and scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe.
- Place all ingredients into a medium bowl and stir together.
- Divide among a donut pan.
- Bake!
- Let cool.
- Stir together the icing.
- Dip donuts and place on wire rack. Add crushed candy canes.
TIP: You can also bake these as mini muffins for the same amount of time.
Easy Mint Icing
I didn’t want to overdo it with the mint flavor, so adding just a sprinkle of crushed candy canes on top of each donut adds the perfect amount of holiday flavor! You’ll just need 3 simple ingredients to make the icing—and the crushed candy canes of course.
TIP: My kids had SO much fun crushing the candy canes for me. Put them, unwrapped, into a zip top storage bag and let them have at it with a measuring cup or play hammer.
Best Tips for Success
- Be sure to grease your donut pan well, including the centers.
- Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then use a paring knife to transfer to a wire rack.
- These donuts are a little delicate when warm, though they firm up when cooled to room temperature. Be gentle when transferring them to a wire rack.
- You can store the donuts for 3-5 days unfrosted in an airtight container in the fridge. (They are fine to store frosted, though the icing and candy canes are both more pronounced when done right before serving.)
- Know that if you use sunflower seed butter, there will be a hint of the flavor of sunflower seed butter.
- To bake as mini muffins, use a mini muffin pan and bake for the same amount of time.
- Crushing the candy canes is a great step for kids to help with. Place unwrapped candy canes into a zip top storage bag and let your kids have at it with the bottom of a measuring cup or jar.
Related Recipes
Desserts
Baked Chocolate Pumpkin Donuts
Breakfast
Easy Baked Apple Donuts
Muffins
Fluffy Chocolate Muffins
I’d love to hear what your kids think of this recipe if you try it, so please comment and rate it below!
Baked Mint Chocolate Donuts
Ingredients
Chocolate Donuts
- 1/2 cup unsweetened creamy peanut butter (or almond or sunflower seed butter)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed (or whole wheat flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Easy Icing
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 3 candy canes (crushed)
Instructions
Chocolate Donuts
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease a standard donut pan very well, including the centers of the donut pan.
- Add all donut ingredients to a medium bowl and stir until well combined.
- Divide batter evenly between 10 donut cups, filling each about three-quarters full, using a scant ¼ cup batter per donut. (Bake in two batches if you have one 6 donut donut pan.)
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of each donut comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Use a paring knife to loosen the edges of the donuts as needed and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Easy Icing
- Stir together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and milk in a small bowl until icing is smooth.
- Dip each cooled donut into the icing and top with crushed candy canes. Let sit for a few minutes (at least) before serving so the icing sets.
Notes
- You can store these donuts for 3-5 days unfrosted in an airtight container in the fridge. They are fine to store frosted for up to 2 days, though the icing and candy canes are both more pronounced when added right before serving.
- If you use sunflower seed butter, it will likely be noticeable in the flavor of the donuts. For a more neutral flavor, try almond butter.
- To bake as mini muffins, use a mini muffin pan and bake for the same amount of time.
- Crushing the candy canes is a great step for kids to help with. Place unwrapped candy canes into a zip top storage bag and let your kids have at it with the bottom of a measuring cup or jar.
Nutrition
This post was first published December 2019.
Do you think these would work with cashew butter? I always have it on hand because I generally find it has a more neutral flavour than almond butter or sunbutter and my daughter is allergic to peanuts. Thanks!
I haven’t tested that but I think it would work the same (and I agree that it has nice flavor!)
I am going to make these over the upcoming holidays! They look yummy!