Time to make the doughnuts!

Peppermint Candy Cane Doughnuts are a quick, festive treat perfect for a morning school party. I made these last minute for my son’s class celebration; for morning events we usually bring muffins or doughnuts because they feel more fitting than cakes or cookies at that hour. The food isn’t the main focus at these gatherings — a few sweet treats and some healthy options, then the kids move on to games and activities.

Previously I made Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut Muffins for a fall party — a denser cake doughnut that was rich and delicious. This peppermint recipe uses a lighter, spongier batter that’s easy to mix and stays moist longer than many baked doughnuts, so you can make them the day before if needed.

This version is adapted from a baked vanilla doughnut recipe by Averie Cooks. I kept her base and adjusted the glaze and toppings to add peppermint flavor. The doughnuts are vanilla-based, and the glaze has a hint of peppermint extract for a bright holiday note.

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A simple tip: spoon batter into a large zip-top plastic bag, snip a corner, and pipe into the pan. It’s fast and neat. I used a candy cane–shaped doughnut pan I had on hand, but any doughnut pan or even a muffin pan will work. If you use a larger pan the baking time may increase slightly and your yield will be smaller.

For topping, I prefer finely chopped Andes white chocolate peppermint chips. They are creamy rather than hard and add a festive look plus a gentle peppermint finish — enough to convey the flavor without making the doughnuts taste like a breath mint.

These doughnuts are a practical option when time is limited. Years ago I spent an enormous amount of time making intricate cake pops for a school event, only to have one child call them “Munchkins” and undercut the effort. These doughnuts, by contrast, are easy, quick, and the kids are always delighted — after all, they’re at a holiday party, not doing math.

They’ll be thrilled to enjoy a festive treat with their classmates.

Peppermint Candy Cane Doughnuts

Yield:
26 candy cane doughnuts (about 2 1/2 inches long)

Ingredients

For the doughnuts:

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter, melted (salted or unsalted)

For the glaze:

1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 or more tablespoons water or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (not mint)
1/4 cup Andes white chocolate peppermint chips, finely chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease or spray your doughnut pan or muffin tin.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
In a liquid measuring cup, whisk buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla, then stir into the flour mixture.
When the batter is almost combined and you still see a few floury streaks, add the melted butter and stir until incorporated.
Spoon the batter into a large zip-top plastic bag (freezer bags work well).
Snip a corner of the bag and pipe the batter into the pan cavities about two-thirds full. You can also spoon the batter in if preferred.
Bake 8–11 minutes, until the doughnuts are firm and spring back when touched. They won’t be deeply golden on top; the underside will be lightly golden. Smaller pans will bake faster.
Cool doughnuts in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.
Make the glaze by mixing confectioner’s sugar with water or milk, vanilla, and peppermint extract. Adjust liquid to reach a drizzling consistency.
Dip each doughnut top into the glaze, scraping off excess with a spoon.
Sprinkle with the finely chopped white chocolate peppermint chips. Allow the glaze to set before storing.

Notes

*The candy cane pan I used has smaller cavities than a standard doughnut or muffin pan, so baking time may increase if you use larger pans. A regular doughnut or muffin pan will yield fewer pieces — roughly a dozen or so.

*You can also use a mini muffin pan; that will increase yield and likely reduce bake time. Check at about 5 minutes for doneness.

*Store doughnuts at room temperature in an airtight container.

Recipe slightly adapted from Averie Cooks’ baked vanilla doughnuts with vanilla glaze.