Delicious baked chocolate donuts with a chocolate glaze are a perfect treat for breakfast or dessert. These baked donuts have a rich chocolate taste and a cake like texture.
Whip up a batch of these tasty donuts in less than 30 minutes.
Why make this recipe
Have you tried baked donuts yet? They are so delicious. They are different than traditional donuts and have a cakelike texture. I've dipped these delicious treats into a quick chocolate glaze.
These are easy to make donuts that can be mixed together by hand with simple ingredients. The fun with these chocolate donuts is with the sprinkles! Make them your own and have some fun with your favorite sprinkle!
Baked donuts vs. raised donuts
Baked donuts are made by creating a batter with added baking powder for leavening. The batter is poured into a donut pan and baked.
Raised donuts are made with a yeast dough that is kneaded and the dough must have time to rise. The dough is then rolled and cut into donut shapes. Raised donuts are usually fried like with these homemade maple bars!
Another type of donut is a cake donut, like in this cinnamon sugar donut. This cake donut does not use yeast, but it does require rolling out the dough and frying the donut.
I have made baked donuts before with these sprinkle donuts, mini powdered sugar donuts and these apple cider donuts.
Step by step directions
- Combine dry ingredients
- In a different bowl, combine wet ingredients
- Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients
- Spoon batter into lightly greased donut pans
- Bake
- Allow donuts to cool
- Dip in glaze and add sprinkles
To make glaze
- Mix powdered sugar with unsweetened cocoa powder
- Add milk and stir until smooth
- Add additional milk if mixture becomes too thick
Tips for making
- Make certain oven is preheated
- Use a nonstick cooking spray to grease donut pan
- Spoon batter into donut pan.
- Allow donuts to cool slightly in pan for a few minutes, then remove from pan and continue cooling on a baking rack.
- Make certain donuts are fully cooled before adding glaze
- If adding sprinkles, add before glaze sets up
Recipe Faqs
These donuts are best eaten the same day they are baked. But that's not a problem, because they disappear quickly.
Everything seems more fun when in a mini size! These chocolate baked donuts can also be made in a mini size pan. Reduce temperature to 350 and adjust the baking time to 8-10 minutes.
Toppings
Adding a topping to a donut is totally optional. I've added them because I think they add an additional fun element. Plus they look more like a bakery donut to me.
Some options for sprinkling on top of glazed donuts include:
- Colored sprinkles or nonparalis
- Colored confetti sprinkles
- Chocolate Jimmies
- Shredded sweetened coconut
- Slivered almonds
- Coarse sugar
- Chopped nuts
To add the toppings, first dip donuts in glaze allowing excess glaze to drip off donut. Place donut on a baking rack sitting over a baking sheet to catch the drips. Sprinkle toppings on each donut right away. Once the glaze sets up, the toppings will no longer stick.
If not adding a glaze, you can also top donuts with a dusting of powdered sugar.
More delicious recipes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my baking recipes!
Baked Chocolate Donuts
Ingredients
Batter
- 2 cups flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2-3 Tablespoons milk
- 1 Tablespoon colored sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
Batter
- Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder in a bowl.
- In another bowl, combine milk,eggs, oil and vanilla.
- Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir just until all ingredients are combined.
- Spoon batter into a lightly greased donut pan.
- Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 7-9 minutes.
- Remove donuts from oven and allow to cool in pan for a few minutes. Remove donuts from pan and continue cooling on a baking rack. When donuts are completely cool, add glaze.
Glaze
- Combine powdered sugar, cocoa powder and milk into a bowl. Stir until smooth. The consistency should be runny.
- Place one donut at a time face down in the glaze. Pick up and tile donut so excess glaze can drip back into bowl. Place donut on a baking rack, glaze side up.
- Add sprinkles right away. If you wait, the glaze will harden and the sprinkles won't stick.
Notes
- Make certain oven is preheated
- Use a nonstick cooking spray to grease donut pan
- Spoon batter into donut pan.
- Allow donuts to cool slightly in pan for a few minutes, then remove from pan and continue cooling on a baking rack.
- Make certain donuts are fully cooled before adding glaze
- If adding sprinkles, add before glaze sets up
- Colored sprinkles or nonparalis
- Colored confetti sprinkles
- Chocolate Jimmies
- Shredded sweetened coconut
- Slivered almonds
- Coarse sugar
- Chopped nuts
Michael W Kurtz says
Only had one pan. I made half the recipe. Made them dairy free with almond milk. They were wonderful , simple and cute. Would make again.
Kathy says
Glad you made these work for you with the almond milk! Thank you 🙂
Brittany S. says
Baked these with my son this morning with all organic/non GMO ingredients & they tasted phenomenal! The recipe is super easy to follow & will definitely make these again.. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Kathy says
Thanks, Brittany! I'm so glad you enjoyed them! They are a favorite in our house too!
Kathy 🙂
Melanie says
This is such an easy recipe to follow , they came out absolutely perfect.
Kathy says
Thanks, Melanie!
Valentina says
These look so pretty! Love that they're baked and dressed up with sprinkles. I love how you answered the question of when to eat them because I was thinking . . . all day long. 😉 ~Valentina
Florence Sofia Haggart says
Where can I get a great donut pan from??
Kathy says
Hi Florence,
In the recipe is a section titled equipment. In that section I have an affiliate link with a donut pan that you might want to check out.
Thanks,
Kathy 🙂
Kelly | Foodtasia says
Kathy, these donuts have me swooning! They look so light and fluffy inside. And that glaze!!!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
I love baked doughnuts Kathy, and haven't made them in quite a while! Need to give your recipe a try! They look so delish!
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes says
These look absolutely fantastic, Kathy -
I love donuts, and I love that these are baked. That glaze looks fantastic!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
No going to buy donuts when there's these! They look awesome, Kathy! And love that they come together so quickly. Those fun sprinkles are always a good idea, if you ask me 😉 Pinned! Happy Monday to ya!
David @ Spiced says
Oh man, it's a good thing Robbie isn't standing next to me right now...he's crazy about sprinkles! Me? I'm crazy about donuts, and these donuts look fantastic, Kathy! The only donut place we have up here is Dunkin, and they leave a lot to be desired. I'll just stick to baking these at home instead! 🙂