Brownies and donuts… it’s a match made in heaven. These grain-free mint brownie donuts are everything they sound like…. a rich chocolate donut with a soft texture and a subtle hint of mint flavor. I love whipping up a batch of these simple baked donuts, decorating them with my favorite toppings and sharing them with my family! What’s great about these donuts is that they are allergy-friendly, but they are still a dessert that everyone enjoys, whether you have dietary restrictions or not. Seriously, how could you resist a big chocolate donut?

a stack of two grain-free chocolate donuts and the top donut has a bite out of it

Modern Pioneer Recipe

Mint brownie donuts are a modern pioneer recipe with heritage pioneer roots. Donuts were actually a pretty popular food to make in the Old West. When a pioneer cook whipped up a batch of donuts, you can bet all the cowboys in the vicinity would be riding to grab a few! But more on that later…

Despite having heritage roots, I must consider this recipe more on the modern side thanks to the inclusion of chocolate and mint. Those two ingredients were not exactly common staples in the early pioneer pantry. However, in my modern pioneer pantry, they are definitely kept well stocked! What makes these donuts a modern pioneer recipe is the fact that they are made with healthy, wholesome ingredients and they are allergy-friendly.

Also… these donuts are baked not fried. Heritage pioneer donuts were traditionally fried. However, modern-day fried foods are not exactly healthy for you, and I am not a huge fan of fried foods in general. Yes, I have tried a few recipes that require frying, and none of them have really wowed me. Instead, I prefer baking.

Despite not being fried, these donuts are still insanely delicious! As for allergy-friendly, these brownie donuts are…

grain-free
tree nut free
refined sugar free
dairy-free
corn free
gluten-free

Need another irresistible chocolate recipes to check out? Make sure you whip up a batch of these grain-free double chocolate cookies after giving these donuts a try!

free modern pioneer checklist challenge, 17 egg recipes cookbook, and Raising Chickens Like a Pioneer ebook

a homemade chocolate baked donut leaning against two rustic tins with a rack of donuts in the background

Brownie Donut Toppings

When it comes to brownie donuts, there’s nothing that puts the icing on the cake better than a good topping! Sure, these donuts are delicious plain, but a topping just brings them to the next level!

When it comes to topping these donuts, there are three ways to do it: add more chocolate, do a frosting, or make a glaze. A chocolate topping you can easily make allergy-friendly and refined sugar free by using Lily’s Sweets chocolate chips. The frosting and glaze options are harder to make refined sugar free, but I like to occasionally use Miss Jones dairy-free frosting or make my own glaze topping using organic powdered sugar.

Once you decide on a topping, you could also end up with many different ways of decorating these donuts! I like to sprinkle on some crushed peanuts to add a little hint of peanut flavor (my two favorite flavors are mint and peanut butter, both pair well with chocolate!).

Whether you are making these donuts for a special occasion or just for fun, sprucing up these donuts is super easy! Here are a few ideas:

melted chocolate topping (use Lily’s Sweets chocolate chips for allergy-friendly and refined sugar free)
dairy-free frosting (I like to use Miss Jones dairy-free frosting)
dairy-free glaze (try the chocolate glaze as shown in the photos!)
peanut butter frosting (check out this recipe that I used on my chocolate cupcakes)
decorate with sprinkles or mini chocolate chips (or chopped nuts, shredded coconut, or chocolate gems!)

Looking for some REAL brownies? Then check out these fudgy grain-free brownies or these awesome cake brownies!

grain-free mint brownie donuts topped with chocolate glaze and chopped peanuts

What is Bear Sign?

If you have ever read Louis Lamour books you will know what I’m talking about. I love referring to donuts as bear sign, just like they did in the Old West! While it may seem kind of insignificant, I wanted to take a moment to discuss this term before moving on. You don’t know how many odd looks I’ve gotten when I call my donuts bear sign!

While nobody really knows the origin of the term ‘bear sign’ for donuts, I could take a few good guesses. The opportunity to indulge in some good old fashion donuts was quite rare in the early western days. It was fend for yourself, eat on the go, or save on rations most of the time. Sometimes if you found a good western town diner, they might serve donuts on occasion.

When donuts were made, word usually got around fast that fresh donuts were in the vicinity! This would usually bring in all the range riders, woodsman, and cowboys from anywhere in the area. The term bear sign may refer to the fact that cowboys would come flocking to donuts like a bear on a scent trail. Not to mention bears would be attracted to donuts too!

Another thought I had was that maybe the donuts looked like bear scat or bear tracks. The early pioneers did not have donut pans and they may not have even had something they could pipe the dough through. Instead, the dough would be hand shaped or simply plopped in the pot to fry.

The resulting donuts may have looked a little strange… maybe even like bear sign.

a cooling rack full of gluten-free chocolate donuts

Storing & Serving Donuts

These grain-free mint brownie donuts are super easy to serve and store. While fresh donuts are always nice, these donuts will last a few days kept at room temperature or stored in the fridge. They even freeze well too! At room temperature, the donuts will stay delicious for 2-3 days, although they may dry out slightly. In the fridge, the donuts will last for 4-5 days.

You can also freeze these donuts, with or without toppings. Simply place them in a freezer-safe container of your choice, placing parchment paper between donut layers if necessary, and stick them in the freezer for later. Don’t forget to label and date them!

No matter how you choose to store your donuts, make sure they are completely cool before placing them in an airtight container to be stored. If you topped the donuts with a chocolate glaze, the glaze will start to soften after about 24 hours of being stored in an air-tight container at room temperature. Keeping the glazed donuts in the fridge will help the glaze last longer.

Grain-free mint brownie donuts make a great snack, dessert, or breakfast! Yes, I did just say breakfast! They also pair well with a cup of homemade hot cocoa or herbal tea.

a tray of grain-free mint brownie donuts topped with chocolate glaze and chopped nuts

Donut Recipe Tips

While donuts may sound daunting to try and make, they really are quite simple. These donuts taste so good, they truly are hard to mess up! Here are a few recipe tips to ensure your donuts turn out perfectly:

Do you need a donut pan? Yes, you will need a donut pan for this recipe. I like to use the Wilton non-stick donut pans, add a little coconut oil, and the donuts turn out beautifully.
Flour Substitutes– I have not tried substituting any other grain-free flours for the cassava flour in this recipe.
Cacao vs Cocoa– I like to use cacao powder for a rich chocolate taste, but you can also use cocoa powder or even hot chocolate mix!
Dairy-free– For the oil in these donuts, any dairy-free oil will work fine. I like to use avocado oil for its mild flavor and high-heat tolerance. Olive oil and coconut oil would also work fine.
Sugar Substitutes– You can use any granulated sugar in place of the coconut sugar. Coconut sugar is one of the healthiest sugars to bake with since it is low on the glycemic index.
Minty Flavor– Feel free to adjust how much mint extract you add depending on how minty you want your donuts! The amount that this recipe calls for supplies a subtle mint flavor.

No matter how your donuts turn out, I’m sure your family will be flocking to the table so they can try some brownie bear sign! These chocolate mint brownies are super easy to make and taste amazing, especially topped with a sweet chocolate glaze!

Grain-free Mint Brownie Donuts (dairy-free)

Recipe by The Pioneer Chicks

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Total Time 55

Servings 6 donuts

Author Alexa Lehr

Ingredients

1 cup cassava flour
1/4 cup cacao powder
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup avocado oil
1 large organic, pasture-raised egg
1/2 c. + 3 T. water
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. organic mint extract

Chocolate Glaze

3/4 cup organic powdered sugar
2 T. cacao powder
1-2 T. coconut milk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a donut pans (6 donut cups) with coconut oil. Make sure you coat the center!
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cassava flour, cacao powder, coconut sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir to mix.
Add the avocado oil, egg, water, and mint extract. Stir until a smooth batter forms.
Spoon the batter into the donut pans and divide it evenly into the 6 donut cups.
Bake for 15-18 minutes. Cool for 3 minutes before removing the donuts from the donut pans and letting them cool on a wire rack.
Cool completely before topping with melted chocolate chips or a chocolate glaze!

Chocolate Glaze

Combine the powdered sugar and cacao powder in a medium bowl. Add 1 T. of milk and stir to mix. Gradually add a little more milk at a time until a thick glaze forms.
Spread the glaze over each donut. Allow the glaze to harden before storing or serving.

Where to Find the Ingredients

two dairy-free chocolate donuts stacked with a cooling rack of donuts in the background

These grain-free mint brownie donuts are bursting with a rich chocolate flavor with a subtle mint twist and they have the perfect soft texture. Topped with some allergy-friendly chocolate or a dairy-free glaze, and these donuts are nearly impossible to resist! You will have family members coming from all over to try this bear sign! Whether you enjoy one for snack or indulge in one for breakfast, these donuts are a recipe you have to keep around in your modern pioneer kitchen!

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