Yes, technically I have already made peanut butter donuts.

Remember? They were covered with toasted marshmallows?

Well, the reasoning behind this is because Chris doesn’t like dessert too much. Insane, I know. Occasionally he’s in the mood for a cookie or ice cream, but not often.

One sweet treat, he has always loved though, are peanut butter cups. He has also really been enjoying the donuts when I make them. So why not make a peanut butter cup donut?

I knew he would enjoy this much more than cake. This whole donut craze has really gotten the best of me, if you couldn’t tell. Maybe it’s because they are insanely delicious? Maybe because the flour combination I threw together, makes the perfect cakey-donut texture? Maybe because they are fun to eat? Maybe because they are prepped + baked in no time and take 1/8th of the time to decorate than cake or cupcakes?

Maybe it’s all of those reasons combined!

I took my peanut butter cake donut recipe + kept it pretty much the same, besides adding a pinch of cinnamon to the mix. For the topping, I wanted a chocolate coating that would give you a nice crunch, like biting into a peanut butter cup.

Peanut butter was mixed in with the dark chocolate.

Then, the donuts were sprinkled + refrigerated, so the coating would set and give it that nice crunch.

Want an extra pnut-buttery donut?

Just add peanut butter chips, or sprinkle the chocolate coating with chopped peanuts.

Have a nut allergy? Or want to send these to school with your kiddos, but can’t send food with nuts? Just swap out the peanut butter for sunflower butter! Should work like a charm. :)

How fun are the sprinkles? I just can’t get over it!

Peanut Butter Cup Donuts [yields 6 donuts]

1/2c oat flour [ground from rolled oats/steel cut/oat groats]
1/2c sweet rice flour
2T coconut flour
1/4c creamy peanut butter, melted
1/3c sucanat [or pure cane sugar]
2 large eggs
2T unsweetened applesauce
1/2c unsweetened almond milk
2t vanilla
1/2t salt
1t baking powder
1/8t cinnamon
1/3c peanut butter chips [opt]

Preheat your oven to 350* [I use 375* for high elevation] + grease your donut pan.
In a medium sized bowl mix together the oat flour, sweet rice flour, coconut flour, sucanat, salt + baking powder.
In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla + applesauce.
Whisk in the melted peanut butter.
Stir wet into dry, until combined. Do not over stir. It will look slightly lumpy.
Stir in peanut butter chips, if using.
With a spoon, spatula or piping bag, transfer the batter to your pan, leaving a little room at the top.
Bake for 16-20min.
Test with a toothpick for doneness. You want a slightly moist toothpick. Not gooey but not bone dry.
Let them cool in the pan for 2-3min then turn out onto a cooling rack.
Frost when cooled.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Coating [for 6 donuts]

1c dark chocolate chips
2T creamy peanut butter

Melt together in a double boiler or slowly in the microwave. *If using the microwave, heat for increments of 20sec, stirring in between.
Pour into a small bowl and stir to combine + let cool a bit and thicken. You can stick in the freezer for a few minutes to help it cool off + thicken. Just don’t forget about it. ;)
Dip the donut in using your hands, and let the chocolate drip off a bit.
Place on a cooling wrack or pan and put them in the fridge to set.
Take out 15min prior to eating.

*Use a small bowl for dipping. The higher the chocolate is in the bowl, the easier it will be to dip!

*Store donuts, covered in the fridge to keep fresh. They won’t dry out + will still have their cake-like texture.

Before placing them in the fridge, I got a little photo happy. They were just too cute.

Yes these are gluten free. Typically, you may not want to make a gluten free recipe if you don’t have to.

But I assure you, it’s worth it with these.

Even if I was able to make them with gluten-filled flour, I wouldn’t.

The above flour combination is magical. Just try it + see!

Many of you have asked about fall-themed donuts.

You better believe those are on my list! Just waiting until it feels a little more like fall over here.

Pumpkin spice?

Apple crumb?

Any other fall donuts you’d like to see?

And don’t forget, not a problem if you don’t have a donut pan. You can bake these in muffin tins! Not quite as cute, but still delicious. [fyi-They’ll take a few extra minutes to bake.]