Baked donuts are the BEST! Think of these like little chocolate cakes shaped like donuts that are perfect for a weekend breakfast spread or a midnight snack! They only need a few minutes in the oven and you can actually prep most of the batter ahead of time!
Try mixing the dry ingredients and wet ingredients the night before. You can zap the wet mixture in the microwave on low power to bring it to room temp and them mix them together and bake!
Making the batter is a snap! Mix up the wet ingredients. Sift the dry ingredients together and give them a good whisk then mix in the wet ingredients and pipe the batter into the prepared donut tin.
How are Baked donuts different from fried donuts?
- Baked chocolate donuts are really little mini cakes! They have a cakey texture and are quite moist. I love making baked donuts because the set up and cleanup is MUCH easier. No big pan of oil to warm up and then dispose of and they’re safer to make with little ones in the kitchen.
- Fried donuts are often more airy inside like other yeast-leavened breads while the baked version is more like a cupcake in a different shape.
- While a fried donut will go stale a baked one will often get a bit mushy as time goes on IF you frosted it with a glaze. The moisture from the glaze seeps into the cake over time.
There donuts are delicious with a plain ganache dip but you can add all sorts of toppings and even have a little topping bar if you’re making these for a party or fun evening with the family.
If you love chocolate then try these recipes out!
Pro Tips For Making Chocolate Donuts
- This recipe is GREAT with toasted walnuts mixed into the batter. Try adding 1/3 cup and see how you like it
- Keep a close eye on those donuts. They bake FAST and you don’t want to over cook them.
- You can also make the ganache by scalding the cream (hot but not boiling) and pouring that over the chopped chocolate. Cover then whisk together after a few minutes. You can zap it in the microwave for 15 seconds at 50% power if there’s a bit of unmelted chocolate left over.
- Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake. The best, and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
- Try adding 1/2 tsp of instant coffee or espresso to the batter. It will amplify the chocolate flavor without giving off a coffee taste.
- If you don’t have a donut tin but still want to make this recipe then just use a muffin tin.
If you’ve tried this chocolate donut recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Chocolate Donuts
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Glaze:
- 1/2 cup cream
- 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips melted
For the Toppings:
- 1/4 cup coconut flakes
- 1/4 cup toasted almond slivers
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup sprinkles
- 1/4 cup crushed pretzels
- 1 tsp sea salt
For the Donuts:
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup coffee
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt or sour cream
Instructions
For the Donuts:
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- In a medium bowl add all the dry ingredients.
- Give the dry ingredients a mix.
- In a separate bowl add the wet ingredients. Pour wet into dry. Whisk until combined.
- Your batter is ready for the mold! Don’t forget to spray the pan if you aren’t using something nonstick. The cleanest way to add the dough in is with a piping bag or even a plastic bag with the tip snipped off.
- Bake at 325F for 10 to 14 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool on a rack.
For the Glaze
- For the glaze, warm the cream. Combine melted chocolate and cream in a bowl. Mix together until combined.
- Once the donuts have cooled dip and eat!
For the Toppings:
- Add sprinkles, chocolate chips (white, milk or dark), pretzels, dried almond slivers and dried coconut if desired.
Video
Notes
- This recipe is GREAT with toasted walnuts mixed into the batter. Try adding 1/3 cup and see how you like it
- Keep a close eye on those donuts. They bake FAST and you don’t want to over cook them.
- You can also make the ganache by scalding the cream (hot but not boiling) and pouring that over the chopped chocolate. Cover then whisk together after a few minutes. You can zap it in the microwave for 15 seconds at 50% power if there’s a bit of unmelted chocolate left over.
- Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake. The best, and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don't have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.