Homemade Chocolate Donuts (Baked)
“Soft and fluffy bake chocolate donuts with an easy chocolate glaze. A homemade recipe to satisfy your double chocolate doughnut fix!”
Visual learner? Watch me make these baked chocolate doughnuts from start to finish!
Okay, I’ve got to ask: do you spell it ‘donut’ or ‘doughnut’? Anytime I write a post about doughnuts, I feel conflicted. I spell it both ways, and it’s so frustrating to me. Why must there be two ways to spell it??? And for the love of all things holy, why can’t I just pick one???
Why must life be so complicated?? Why?!!? Dear God, whyyyyy *slowly sliding down the wall, crying like the women in those old Lifetime movies*
I don’t know what’s going on with me lately, y’all, but I’m really starting to prefer making baked doughnuts over cakes and cupcakes. Hello there, baked lemon doughnuts!
I know. What the heezy, right? My apologies if I start to get a little donut crazy.
Donuts are just plain fun to eat. Whether it is the yeasty kind, the old-fashioned cake kind, or the light and baked kind.
But there is something about these baked chocolate donuts that takes me back to my Easy-Bake oven days, and I’m a sucker for any food that gives me feel-good, childhood nostalgia.
Not to mention, baked donuts are just so daggum easy! My frosting-challenged self can actually get these donuts decorated nicely —and totally enjoy the process! Omg… I think I may have found another one of my life callings!
Ok, so let’s talk about this chocolate-on-chocolate baked donut goodness. To start, they are incredibly easy to make! They are basically just cake. I don’t care how you slice it or what you call it. If it tastes like cake and has the same crumb as cake, then by golly, it’s cake!
I’m not complaining one bit! Honey, these baked chocolate donuts give me my extra chocolatey cake fix with half the hassle! And only 6 minutes to bake!! HA-LAY-LOU-YA! (Now you see why I’ve been making these over cakes and cupcakes lately)
They have the texture and flavor of a devil’s food cake, and I guarantee that if you put out a chocolate cake next to a platter of these baked chocolate doughnuts, the doughnuts will go first! Especially if you have kids around.
MOST IMPORTANT TIP EVER: Before I forget, let me tell you something about cake doughnuts. DO NOT OVERSTIR THE BATTER! I’m not yelling with the caps, but I just wanted you to see it.
Overstirring the batter will result in dense, rubbery cupcakes. I have a self-diagnosed compulsive stirring obsession, so this is hard for me, but I fight my urge and get fluffy, cakey doughnuts every time (well, except for those times that I over-stirred). Once you have mixed the wet and dry ingredients, stir just until the batter is combined.
You’ll notice that these baked chocolate doughnuts are lightly sweetened if you taste one before adding the glaze. This is necessary because they are coated with an easy chocolate ganache and a vanilla drizzle, plus any extra decorations you might want to add. They are made to be glazed, so don’t skip it, mkay.
We like to top these baked chocolate donuts with mini chocolate chips and sprinkles. You can certainly opt for a more adult option and choose nuts with a salted caramel drizzle. I’m dreaming of a German chocolate version, mercy!
I got this handy lil donut pan on Amazon. You can find it here. I’m not big on having specialty pans, but this guy earned his place. Even if he only gets used a few times a year.
Happy baked donut making!
Get the Recipe:
Baked Chocolate Donuts
Ingredients
Chocolate Donut
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup buttermilk room temperature
- ½ cup plain prepared coffee, cooled
- 1 egg room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup butter melted
Vanilla Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- vanilla extract drop
- ½ tablespoon milk may need a little more or less
Chocolate Ganache Glaze
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- TOPPINGS: mini chocolate chips sprinkles, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F.
- Grease a donut pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, unsweetened cocoa powder, and brown sugar. Set aside,1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ cup brown sugar
- In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, coffee, egg, and vanilla extract.½ cup buttermilk, ½ cup plain prepared coffee, cooled, 1 egg, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
- Stir gently JUST until dry ingredients are combined *SEE NOTE*
- Stir in butter and stir JUST until butter is combined.¼ cup butter
- Spoon batter into prepared doughnut pan, filling 3/4 full.
- Bake for 6-7 minutes.
- Allow donuts to sit in the pan until they have cooled down enough to be remove from the pan.
- Remove donuts from the pan and place on a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- While donuts are cooling, prepare vanilla drizzle by stirring together powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to create an Elmer's glue-like consistency. Set aside.½ cup powdered sugar, vanilla extract, ½ tablespoon milk
- To make the chocolate ganache, heat heavy whipping cream in a small saucepan until it begins to simmer lightly.½ cup heavy whipping cream
- Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips. (I like to use mini chocolate chips because they melt faster)½ cup chocolate chips
- Let ganache cool.
- Spread chocolate ganache in a thin layer over donuts and let it set.
- Once set, drizzle on the vanilla glaze.
- Add toppings and allow the glaze to harden.TOPPINGS: mini chocolate chips
- Enjoy
Video
Notes
Nutrition
I’ve never tried making donuts before, even tho they’re by far my favorite treat. When I read this recipe, I couldn’t stop myself from ordering a donut pan and loads of adorable sprinkles! The next evening I was elbow deep in donut bliss! Oh my gosh!!!! Absolutely delicious!!! I brought them into work the next morning and people were literally fighting over them! 🙂 Thanks so much for this recipe! I can’t wait to make them again! (Trouble!!!)
Hi there! I purchased the cookbook and Love it. Thanks for making me look like an Allstar in the kitchen!
My aunt sent me this link and purchased me a donut pan from Target. I just made them and they are delicious. I had to stop myself from eating them all!