Spicy Hot Chocolate Donuts

The very first recipe I ever posted on this blog was a hot chocolate recipe with a spicy kick (find it here). To create this recipe, I got the inspiration from two of my favorite things: chocolate and Mexican food. There’s just something about the combination of sweetness from the chocolate and spice from the cinnamon and the cayenne pepper that does it for me. I especially love that the spicy kick only hits at the end of the bite, leaving you wanting more.

I couple of months later, I posted one of my favorite recipes I ever created: spicy hot chocolate cookies. It was a spin-off from my previous hot chocolate recipe, and I have to say it turned out even better than the original.

I am back at it again with the spicy chocolate, but this time I am combining not two, but three of my favorite things; chocolate, Mexican flavors and donuts. I bought a donut pan recently and I am so excited to create donut recipes to share with you guys. I chose to do mini donuts because I think they are more fun and easy to share, but know that the exact same recipe works for regular-sized donuts as well. Just be aware that the baking time may vary (bigger donuts will take more time to cook).

---

Spicy Hot Chocolate Donuts

Melt-in-your-mouth mini donuts with a spicy kick and a sugary exterior.

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 ½ tbs melted butter
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 3 tbs granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2/3 cup buttermilk

For the sugar coating

• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbs cinnamon
  

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F and grease a donut pan.
2. Toss together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, cayenne pepper and salt. Set aside.
3. Cream the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Whisk in the egg, followed by the vanilla and the buttermilk.
4. Add the dry ingredients and blend well.
5. Spoon the batter into a piping bag and fill each cavity of the prepared donut pan.
6. Bake for about 8 minutes.
7. While the donuts are cooking, in a bowl, mix the sugar and the cinnamon for the sugar coating.
8. As soon as the donuts are baked, flip the pan over to release the donuts. While they’re still warm, roll each donut in the sugar coating. Set in a single layer on a cooling rack.
9. Enjoy with friends at your end of summer party.
   

*Gives about 48 mini donuts.

---

Extra tips:

• If you don’t have buttermilk, simply mix 1 tbs of white vinegar with the required 2/3 cup of regular milk.
• I highly recommend using a non-stick donut pan, especially if you’re doing mini donuts. I did about 4 batches and only greased the pan once, at the very beginning.
• If you don’t have a piping bag, simply pour the batter into a small Ziploc bag, and cut a tiny piece off the corner of the bag. Make sure the bag is zipped shut and has no air bubbles inside.
• To remove the donuts from the pan, I first wedged a knife between each donut and the pan, then lifted up to make sure the donut wasn’t stuck to the pan. After doing that, you only have to flip the pan over and all the donuts fall off.
• Since these are covered in sugar, make sure you allow them to cool in a single layer on the cooling rack. If you stack them up, the warmth of the other donuts will melt the sugar coating.
  

When I made these, I was super excited because they are truly delicious. I like that they’re airy and chocolatey, and they’re easy to bring somewhere or to share with friends. Or you can always, you know, eat them all by yourself while binge watching your favortie show. Whatever floats your boat! Either way, I hope that you enjoy this recipe, and as always, if you end up recreating it, post a picture using the hashtag #teaandmascara.

Happy baking!

Much love,