Baked Chocolate Baked Donut Recipe

There’s something magical about the smell of chocolate wafting through the kitchen, isn’t there? These Baked Chocolate Donuts are the ultimate treat for chocoholics—rich, moist, and oh-so-decadent. And just when you think they couldn’t get better, they’re dipped in a silky chocolate ganache frosting that takes them over the top.

Whether you’re looking for a weekend baking project or a sweet breakfast indulgence, these donuts have you covered. Like our baked Sourdough Donuts, Apple Cinder Donut Muffins, Blueberry Donuts, or our latest creation, Red Velvet Cake Mix Donut, they’re baked, not fried, so you can feel a tiny bit better about going back for seconds. Trust me, you will!

I’m not going to lie, donuts are my danger food. When you place one in front of me, all common sense goes right out the window. Well, if I’ve got to have a downfall, I’m going in big with a Dark Chocolate Donut topped with a Chocolate Ganache and Sprinkles!

What you need to make this recipe

Please note, that the printable recipe card has the full list of ingredients, quantities, complete instructions, and nutritional information. The following is a quick overview of the recipe.

All-Purpose Flour – You can use bleached or unbleached flour. One doesn’t act or taste any differently from the other. Unbleached flour is less processed since it doesn’t go through the bleaching step.

Dark Brown Sugar – We enjoy the extra flavor of molasses in dark brown sugar but light brown sugar is fine if that’s what you prefer.

Unsweetened Dark Cocoa Powder – In this recipe, we like dark cocoa. It adds a deep rich flavor to our doughnuts and to the chocolate glaze recipe. You can substitute with what you have available, but we recommend a good quality cocoa.

Baking Soda – Called a leavening agent that gives baked goods the right texture and rise. We recommend that it be replaced every 6 months or tested for potency. We show you how in our Basic Baking Techniques document.

Eggs –  Using fresh grade A large eggs creates structure and stability within the batter and adds moisture. Slightly whisk the eggs before adding them to your other ingredients which will keep from overmixing the batter.

Buttermilk – We use full-fat buttermilk. It adds richness to the recipe and the additional fat makes baked goods soft and tender. If you don’t have any, you can make your own using our instructions. Alternatively, you can use sour cream or plain yogurt in a 1:1 ratio.

Espresso Powder – This is a deep rich granular coffee product that deepens the chocolate flavor in our chocolate glazed donut recipe. It lasts a long time and you can add it to any chocolate recipe so it’s worth having on hand in our opinion.

Bittersweet Chocolate – This chocolate adds richness without adding additional sweetness. It comes in a bar that we chop. You could use a bar of less intense chocolate or even chocolate chips. It can change the flavor, however.

Heavy Whipping Cream. We use full-fat cream. The additional fat adds a smooth richness to the chocolate ganache recipe. We don’t recommend using an alternative here.

How To Make Chocolate Donuts

First of all, we always recommend that you start any recipe by preheating your oven so it’s ready when you are. We also prep our pan and set out our measured ingredients. I’ve learned that it’s no fun to find you’re out of something while in the middle of making a recipe.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together; flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cocoa, and espresso.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine the wet ingredients; egg, egg yolk, and, buttermilk. Add vanilla and the oil. Mix until combined.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring only until combined.

Fill your donut pan 2/3 full and bake as described and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Let the chocolate doughnuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then invert the pan onto a cooling rack.

Prepare the chocolate ganache. You can use a saucepan to heat the cream and pour it over the chopped chocolate, string until smooth. Or, you can heat the cream in a measuring cup in the microwave and then pour it over the chocolate.

Dip the donuts into the ganache and add any toppings you choose.

Hostess Tips to make this recipe

Don’t overmix the batter. We combine the wet ingredients separately from the dry ingredients which minimizes stirring. We also whisk the eggs together before adding them to the wet ingredients.

To fill the donut pan, you can put the batter into a pouring measuring cup or use a piping bag. If you pipe the batter, cut the piping bag once you’re ready to fill the pan.

Fill the doughnut pan with batter only 2/3 full. If you fill it higher, you’ll end up with a crease line on the outside. Still delicious, just not picture perfect.

Don’t overbake. Test baked chocolate donuts with a toothpick before the end of the baking time.

Variations

Add mini chocolate chips to the batter for another layer of chocolate.

For the easiest possible finish, just toss the donuts in powdered sugar in a brown paper bag and enjoy!

There are so many toppings that would be delicious on chocolate donuts such as chopped nuts, or shredded sweetened coconut.

If you want the president’s award for the best chocolate donuts ever, top them with our old-fashioned peanut butter frosting!

Frequently asked questions

Why Bake Instead of Fry?

Baking reduces calories when not fried in oil. When baked, the donuts are moist, and fluffy, with a light cake texture. Fried donuts, while delicious, are more dense.

How do you store donuts?

Chocolate donuts can be stored at room temperature for 2 to 3 days in a cool area. If subjected to heat, the ganache will melt. Donuts can also be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Can I freeze baked donuts?

Chocolate glazed donuts freeze incredibly well! You can put them in a container that will not disturb the glaze or freeze unglazed donuts for up to 3 months. You can also freeze them on a baking sheet and then place them in a reclosable freezer-safe bag so they don’t take up much room in the freezer. I love grabbing a donut on the way to work. It’s thawed by the time I get my coffee.

I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe as much as we do. Drop me a comment below, and don’t forget to give it a star rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your comments and ratings help others decide if this recipe is for them too.

Originally released on 10/12/16, this Chocolate Donut recipe has undergone updates to enhance our readers’ experience, including simple details and new images. No changes were made to the actual recipe.

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