Baked Chocolate Donuts

Moist and fluffy donuts that are baked, not fried, and full of chocolate. Covered in a thick chocolate glaze, these are perfect for any chocoholic who wants a chocolate version of this classic treat.

Donuts are one of my favorite desserts. I love the fun shape of donuts and the colorful sprinkles or creamy glaze that covers the top. These chocolate glazed donuts are baked instead of fried, giving them a moist, cake-like texture and are a healthier alternative to a classic fried donut.

Chocolate

As a chocolate lover, anything that has chocolate two different ways is guaranteed to cure my chocolate cravings. There are two kinds of chocolate in this chocolate donut recipe: cocoa powder for the batter, and bittersweet chocolate for the glaze. Combined, these chocolate glazed donuts have a light yet moist crumb and a rich, smooth chocolate glazed top. Paired with a glass of milk, these can be a sweet breakfast treat or a nice afternoon snack. Kids love them, so they are a wonderful healthier alternative for their donut cravings.

How To Make Chocolate Donuts

To start, you will need a donut pan. These are similar to muffin pans but have a hole in the middle to give you that fun donut shape. Most pans only have 6 molds in them so I recommend buying two pans. Be sure to grease the pan well as the batter can easily stick to the pan.

These chocolate glazed donuts are made from a thick chocolate cake batter. You begin by whisking together the dry and wet ingredients separately, like any basic cake batter recipe, then mix the two mixture together.

The batter is thick, so I find it easiest to fill a piping bag or ziploc bag with the batter to pipe it into the pans. You can easily do this by cutting a corner off the bottom of the bag and squeezing softly to fill the pans ¾ of the way full.

Each pan bakes for 9-10 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Keep a close eye on them as it’s difficult to tell if they are done since they are already dark brown and won’t turn golden like a white cake batter. Cool completely before glazing with the chocolate glaze.

The Final Step: Chocolate Glaze

No donut is complete without a frosted top! These chocolate frosted donuts get covered in a rich chocolate glaze made with bittersweet chocolate and butter. You can simply melt the ingredients, in intervals, in a microwave or use a double boiler. Be careful not to heat the chocolate too much.

Dip the top of each donut into the chocolate glaze and place on a cooling rack to set. You can even shake some sprinkles on top for a colorful finish. Since they are baked, the donuts are best enjoyed the same day or can be kept for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Any longer and the donuts lose their moist texture, but trust me these donuts won’t last longer than a day on your kitchen counter.

Once you’ve made these chocolate glazed donuts you won’t need to make any other donut runs for breakfast. These easy chocolate cake donuts are a healthier alternative to a classic treat. Full of chocolate, these chocolate glazed donuts are for true chocolate lovers like myself!

More Donut Recipes:

• Baked Apple Cider Donuts
• Banana Donuts with Maple Glaze
• Amazing Donuts with a Secret Ingredient
• Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donut Holes
• Old-Fashioned Fried Sugar Doughnuts

5 from 24 votes

Chocolate Donuts

YIELD: 8 donuts

 

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Ingredients

Chocolate Donuts

• 1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (25g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) milk
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) yogurt
• 2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Glaze

• 1/2 cup (85g) semi-sweet chocolate or chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°. Grease a donut pan with oil or butter. Set aside.

2. Make the donuts: Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl whisk egg with sugar until well combined. Add milk, yogurt, melted butter and vanilla extract, and whisk until combined. Pour into the flour mixture and mix until just combined. The batter will be thick.

4. Fill donut cavities with batter ¾ way full using a spoon or a piping bag (much easier). Cut a corner off the bottom of the bag and pipe the batter into each donut cup.

5. Bake for 9–10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the donuts comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in pan, then remove donuts from pan and transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before glazing.

6. Make the chocolate glaze: Melt the chocolate, heavy cream, and butter gently in the microwave (in 30-second intervals, stirring in between) or a double boiler until smooth. Dip the tops of the donuts into the chocolate glaze, and place on a cooling rack to set.

7. Donuts are best eaten the same day or keep them for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.