Peppermint Mocha Coffee Donuts {Gluten & Top 8 Allergy Free} #Recipe

Coffee and donuts: An iconic breakfast combination. 
There's something so divine about the smell of fresh coffee grounds. Pair that with the sweet aroma of peppermint and it suddenly becomes a warm cup of comfort.
I admit it. I was once heavily addicted to those Peppermint Mochas from Starbucks. Coffee, Chocolate, & Peppermint together? Sold! It can, however, be hazardous to your waistline and wallet. That doesn't mean the flavors aren't still one of my favorites, but I have to keep my drinks and foods gluten & dairy free. 
Coming up with yummy gluten free & allergy friendly donut recipes is always a fun challenge, so why not combine my favorite drink right into them? Perfect. Glad you agree!

My donut pan was probably one of my favorite investments. I've had a lot of fun creating gluten and allergy friendly recipes for Little Miss since purchasing it. It's great to be able to make them for her as a treat, since she misses the fun circular sweets so much. 
If you don't own one, I highly recommend it! Until then, I've got you covered - You can actually bake this recipe in a cupcake tin! Creating delicious Peppermint Mocha Donut Muffins, instead. All you need to do is increase the baking time by 3-4 minutes. Do the toothpick test to verify, as all oven temps vary. 

If you're on a restricted diet, you know that finding an easy and delicious gluten and/or allergy friendly donut can be difficult. And the frozen specialty variety can be expensive. 
The recipe does utilize coconut oil. I do not consider coconut a tree nut. Neither does the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI). Coconuts are actually a fruit, not a botanical nut, even though the food and Drug Administration recognizes coconut as a tree nut. Most people who are allergic to tree nuts can safely eat coconut, but please consult with your allergist first, and make sure it does not contain cross contamination warnings.

The glaze completes the donut. That's where the added kick of chocolate and peppermint will come into play to enhance the flavors inside.
I will also tell you these babies are actually better the next day, if you can believe that. Or if they last that long. 
After glazing all my donuts, I placed them into the freezer for about 10 minutes to harden the glaze. This will make them easier to handle, store, and eat. The glaze makes a yummy shell around the donut, reminiscent of biting into a junior mint. Helloooo yumminess! 
Enjoy!

Ingredients for Donuts:

• 1 Cup of All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour, we use King Arthur GF Flour - it's made in a Top 8 Free Facility
• 1/4 Cup of Brewed Coffee, room temperature 
• 1/4 Cup of Non-Dairy Milk, we used rice milk
• 1/4 Cup of Sugar, we used organic cane sugar
• 1 Large Egg or Egg Replacer, we used a flax egg
• 3 Tablespoons Unsweetened Applesauce
• 4 teaspoons of Dark Cocoa Powder
• 2 teaspoons of Instant Coffee
• 1 Tablespoon of Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoons of Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon of coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract
• Ingredients for glaze listed separately below

Directions for Donuts: 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and spray donut pan with cooking spray. 
2. If using a flax egg, prepare by using 1 TB of ground flax + 3 TB of hot water. Mix and set aside for approximately 8-10 minutes until "gel like". 
3. In your food processor, with the dough/ mixing blade, combine all the above listed ingredients. Including your flax egg, once it reaches the correct consistency. 
4. Mix until smooth and there are no lumps.
5. Pour batter into your donut pan, filling each 1/2 way full. 
6. Bake for 9-10 minutes, until spring-like to touch and a toothpick comes out clean. If making donut muffins, see notes in post above regarding baking times.
7. Remove from oven. Remove donuts from pan and let cool on a wire cooling rack. 

Ingredients for Glaze:

• 3/4 cup of Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips, they are top 8 and gluten free
• 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil
• 3/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract

Directions for Glaze:

1. Make glaze for the donuts once they have completely cooled.
2. In a medium size bowl, melt chocolate chips in the microwave by heating for approximately two minutes.
3. Add coconut oil and peppermint extract to the bowl and stir until it reaches a smooth and glossy consistency.
4. Dip each donut into the bowl and repeat until all are finished.
5. See notes in post above: By freezing the donuts after glazing for approximately 10 minutes, this will allow the glaze to harden around the donut and created a nice iced coating.
6. Enjoy!

Yields: 10-12 Donuts