Chocolate Glazed Peanut Butter Doughnuts

It only seemed right to post something for Valentine's day and, unlike most other holidays, I actually managed to get it posted before the holiday so you can try to make these for your Valentine. 

I'm my own Valentine this year so I chose to make something that I like. I can't remember how I decided on this but I figured peanut butter doughnuts with chocolate glaze would be a pretty good bet to make me happy on Valentine's day. I think I chose doughnuts because they're such a good vehicle for sprinkles. I've said it before - sprinkles make me happy. 

Peanut Butter Doughnuts
doughnuts modified from King Arthur Flour  
makes 12 to 18 

• 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup peanut butter 
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 2/3 cups flour 
• 1 cup milk 

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease two standard doughnut pans.You can use muffin tins if you don't have (or want) doughnut pans.  

Beat together the butter, vegetable oil, peanut butter, and sugars until smooth. Add the eggs, beating to combine. Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla. 

Stir the flour into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined. 

Spoon, or use a freezer bag with the corner cut off, to spread the batter into the lightly greased doughnut pans 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake the doughnuts for 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven, and wait 5 to 7 minutes before turning them out of the pans onto a rack. Allow to cool completely before glazing.

Chocolate Glaze 
from Milk & Honey 
covers 12 doughnuts

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

To make the glaze: combine the chocolate chips, butter, corn syrup and vanilla extract in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 30 second intervals until melted. Stir until the chocolate is melted and everything is incorporated. Use immediately.

Dip each doughnut into the chocolate glaze and cover with sprinkles, if desired.

I originally made these with only 1/4 cup of peanut butter in the batter and didn't find I could taste it enough so I've upped it to 1/2 a cup in the posted recipe. Also, the original recipe said the yield was 12 doughnuts. I filled these right up to the top as suggested and ended up with 12 over-sized doughnuts and dough left over. Instead, I'd recommend filling them almost to the top (as I've indicated above) and I think you'll have enough dough left for at least four to six more doughnuts.

These turned out to have a nice crunch on the outside and stayed nice and soft on the inside. These are definitely best if eaten within a couple days of making them. 

What have you got planned for Valentine's day?