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Hey guys!

Thank you so much for the sweet comments on yesterday’s Christmas inspired pancakes. It’s good to know that I’m not the only one ready for the season a bit early this year…now to get to work on my Christmas list! 😉

But first, what’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about a hot steamy cup of perfectly roasted coffee?

Coffee haters remain silent…you’ll kill the mood.

How about chocolate cherry cake doughnuts coated in a mix of cocoa and powdered sugar?

Yes? No? Maybe?

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program, I was sent two free bags of Peet’s Coffee to taste and asked to pair it with a breakfast, brunch, or dessert dish.

I had never tried Peet’s coffee before and honestly, I was a bit skeptical at first after I discovered that both the Cafe’ Solano and the Cafe’ Domingo were medium roasted coffees.

I like my coffee like I like my men…

Hot, smooth, and STRONG!

Luckily neither blend disappointed. They both have such a depth of flavor that I’ve never tasted with other brands. I may have just found my new favorite coffee! 😉

After trying my first cup, I knew exactly what I wanted to pair it with, but without any clue as to how to make my own doughnuts…I may be the “Queen of Pancakes”, but a baker, I am not….I took a little help from a pair of twins who know their way around a doughnut pan.

As soon as I saw the Baked Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnuts on The Healthy Diaries, the gears in my head started turning and it wasn’t long before I made the recipe my own!

Chocolate Cherry Cake Doughnuts

by Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes, plus cooling

Keywords: bake breakfast snack dessert cocoa whole wheat pastry flour

Ingredients (7 doughnuts)

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 egg, whisked
3/4 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon cocoa bean extract (or vanilla extract)
1 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup jarred maraschino cherries, chopped
4 tablespoons cherry juice from jar
1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a doughnut pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk well to break up any cocoa clumps (not to be confused with “lady lumps”).
3. In a separate bowl, add whisked egg, yogurt, extract, oil, milk, and cherry juice and whisk together until combined.
4. Carefully stir in the chopped cherries.
5. Transfer batter to a large zip top bag, cut one of the corners off and squeeze batter into doughnut pan.*
6. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the thickest doughnut comes out clean.
7. While doughnuts are baking, whisk together the cocoa and sugar in a large bowl (the larger the bowl, the less chance for a cocoa-sugar coated kitchen).
8. When done, immediately turn doughnuts out onto a cooling rack. One at a time, coat them with the cocoa/sugar mix and then allow to cool…or devour one right away like I did! 😉

*My batter was actually enough to make 7 doughnuts so I poured the batter into a mini muffin pan and made makeshift “doughnut holes.”