December Recipe of the Month: Chocolate Reindeer Donuts

These chocolate reindeer donuts are as delicious as they are adorable. Be sure to save one for yourself before they fly away “like the down of a thistle!”

Ingredients

Donuts

• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
•  1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ganache

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 8 ounces local dark chocolate: our favorites are Ritual’s Mid Mountain Blend, Amano’s Dos Rios, or Solstice’s Madagascar. You can pick these up from your local Harmons.

Decorations

• 12 cranberries
• 12 pretzels
• 24 candy eyes

Equipment

• donut pan
• 2 piping bags
• cooling rack

Directions

1. To make donuts: Preheat oven to 350°. Grease pan and set aside.
2. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together sour cream, melted butter, and sugars until combined. Stir in vanilla and one egg at a time.
4. Gently fold the flour mixture into wet ingredients and mix by hand just until combined.
5. Fill a piping bag with batter and fill donut pan 2/3 of the way full.
6. Bake for 12 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for 3-5 minutes, then remove from pan.
7. To make the ganache: In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Stir until smooth. Set aside for 15-20 minutes until ganache has cooled and thickened a bit.
8. To make the buttercream for decoration: In a mixing bowl, mix together butter and sugar, add milk and vanilla. Mix on high for 3 minutes. Put into a piping bag and cut a very small hole at the end. Set aside.
9. To assemble chocolate reindeer donuts: Dip donuts into the ganache, then place on a cooling rack until ganache sets.
10. Place eyes, and cranberry in the center as the nose.
11. Break/cut pretzels in half, length-wise for antlers.

Enjoy! Happy Holidays!

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