Dark Chocolate Baked Donuts are chocolatey, tender and fluffy. They’re great for breakfast but can also step in as dessert and baking didn’t sacrifice taste.
Do you have one of those foods that you have a heck of a time resisting? I do, I LOVE fried pastries like apple fritters and old fashioned donuts. In celebration of #Choctoberfest, I decided to splurge my love of chocolate with my love of pastries. Baking instead of frying wasn’t a sacrifice in the case of my Dark Chocolate Baked Donuts, however!
When I was a child, my grandmother would stop at a commercial bakery and buy day old donuts. We loved those donuts and always dipped them in milk or coffee. I think dipping was required so they didn’t stick in our throats because they were dense and on the dry side.
When it comes to chocolate, John and I love the good dark stuff. Milk chocolate doesn’t exist in our house. So my donuts had to taste rich with great chocolate. I also wanted these donuts to be tender, moist, and fluffy. Can donuts be fluffy?[Tweet “Dark Chocolate Baked Donuts are delicious! #Choctoberfest #recipe #food”]
The morning I made these I shared the photo with some friends of ours that we had dinner with that evening. Guess what we had for dessert? Yep, Dark Chocolate Baked Donuts. Even though they were best right after I made them, they were still chocolatey, tender, moist and fluffy that evening!
Don’t have time to make them now? Pin it for later!
- 1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon vanila
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray donut pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl combine flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cocoa and espresso. Whisk together to combine.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl combine egg, egg yolk and buttermilk. Whisk to combine. Add oil and vanilla. Whisk again to combine.
- Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.
- Fill a zip lock bag with the filling and clip the corner of the bag. Squeeze batter into donut pan until 3/4 full.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Don't over bake.
- Let cool 5 minutes in the pan and then turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely.
- Put cream in a glass measuring cup and microwave until hot in 30 second intervals. Pour over chocolate and stir until smooth. I put my chocolate in a small food processor, poured hot cream over the chocolate, and pulsed until smooth.
- When cooled, dip into ganache. Sprinkle with desired toppings.
Another donut that’s baked and delicious are Spice Cake Donuts with Vanilla Bean Glaze!
It’s always fun to share so let’s head over to Fiesta Friday and Saucy Saturdays!
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Oh, so much goodness! Your donuts look amazing – just the way I like it: moist, fluffy and chocolatey. I could have them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 🙂
These were so good and fun to make Ana. We did have them for breakfast and dessert!
When I get a craving for a chocolate donut, it is INSATIABLE. These look exactly like the ones I crave Julie. I love that they’re baked too. Nice 🙂
Thank you so much Jess! I loved that they didn’t make so many that we’d never get through them before they went stale.
Oh my gosh – you’re killing me with these – they look amazing and I need a plate full! YUM
Thank you so much Heather!
These are spectacular! I love chocolate in the morning! Perfect!
Thank you! I’m with you Debi. Love chocolate in the morning, afternoon, night…I may need an intervention.
Julie, these chocolate donuts look to die for!!! I am sure they taste amazing and I love the fact that they are baked…less calories, less guilt 🙂
Thank you Marisa! They really are good even though they are baked.
These donuts would be the perfect breakfast or snack. They are so full of chocolate! I love them and need to try your recipe.
Thank you Cynthia! If you do let me know how it goes.
Those doughnuts look beautiful! I guess mine never look that perfect because I spoon the batter in instead of taking the time to pipe. {sigh}
Thank you! I do a lot of the time too and they just look a little more rustic which I like too. Regardless they are yummy right!
You’re killing me, Julie, with all these wonderful recipes!
I had a wicked week of cooking Patti! It was a little hard on me too with all of that required taste testing!
What a problem you have! LOL
LOL I know!
These look amazing and your photographs are just gorgeous, really well done and all impressive shots.
Thank you so much, Patty! I’ve tried working on those photos and some days are easier than others!
Oh my!! These donuts look so chocolaty and delicious! They would last for about a minute in my house!
Thank you Lisa! They didn’t last long in my house either.
Gorgeous yet again Julie!! You’ve really brought your baking gloves on lately eh? I marvel at the way these donut pans make them look so professional, better still they are baked so 2 or 3 wouldn’t seem so bad 🙂 Love the chocolate and the pictures make it look like you can reach out and help yourself. I can only dream 🙂
I keep going back and forth on whether or not I should get a donut pan. You’ve help me decide, definitely getting one to make these beauties!
Bring on the donuts! I think I need a donut pan…I’ve been thinking about it for a while! These look incredible!
Thank you Michelle! I resisted the donut pan for quite awhile and then found one on the cheap. I’ve used it twice and will definitely be using it for this recipe in the future.
These are just stunning, chocolate heaven!
Thank you Justine!
Yum! What a great way to celebrate #Choctoberfest!!!
Thank you Colleen! I’ve seen some great recipes to add to my stockpile!
I am drooling over here! These donuts look like absolute perfection!! Cant wait to try your recipe!
Thank you Angela! I hope you’ll let me know what you think!
Oh wow, Julie! These doughnuts are a heart-breaker! I have been wanting to make my own doughnuts for awhile now, but have never gotten up the nerve! Your are truly inspiring me! Your photos are great! I just want to gobble them up! Thanks so much for bringing them to us at FF! 😀
These are really easy Julianna! I am weak when it comes to donuts but it helps that they’re baked. Thank you so much for hosting this week. I hope you have fun visiting with all of the FF party goers!
Oh…this is such a treasure! Baked chocolate donuts that don’t look like they’ve been baked. I think I’m stalking you. 😀 #FiestaFriday
Stalk away Ann! Thank you! I have to agree with you. These donuts don’t taste baked. They are not cakey or dry. I was very happy with this treat!
Julie, these look absolutely amazing. If I hadn’t woken up at 4:30am to bake bread this morning, I’d be picking up a donut pan on the way home. As it stands, I can’t convince my wife that we need any more baking in the house (or any more specialty baking trays)…but I think if I give it a week or so..
Thank you, James! Us cooks and our toys, right? This is only the second time I’ve used that pan but these donuts were so good that I think your wife would let you have one. 4:30 for baking bread? I thought I was a maniac at 6:00 a.m. Have a great weekend and thanks for popping over!
Your photos are nearly 3-D and nothing less than stunning. I can only imagine how wonderful these donuts must taste!
Thank you, Dan! They were really delicious and I’ll make them again.
Any reason to have chocolate for breakfast I’m all in!! These look so rich and delicious.
I’m with you, Christie! I love chocolate for breakfast (or anytime) too.
These are complete perfection! Such gorgeous photography of some really delicious looking donuts!
Thank you so much, Michaela!
Espresso powder is the perfect flavor enhancer with dark chocolate! Baked donuts are the best. Tasty and no grease splatter clean-up!
Thank you Sandra! I really love enhancing chocolate with espresso powder too and can’t tell you the last time we fried anything. I just hate the mess!
Absolutely love these
Thank you Sonal! I appreciate you stopping by and hope you’ve been enjoying your festivities!
Well now I know what I’m making next in my donut pan!
Thank you, Lauren! I used to kind of neglect that pan but not anymore!
Julie-
I have yet to attempt a homemade donut!
I think I’m on board here! We are a dark chocolate family as well and these would be a hit!
I love food memories- I wish my grandma would have bought us donuts!
Thanks
Michelle
Thank you Michelle! My grandmother was a toughie but I learned a lot from her and wanted to be around her all the time. Food equals memories right?
I am a huge doughnut fan and we would get the day old ones from Krispy Kreme. I always ate mine with chocolate milk since we only had the plain glazed ones. I love baked doughnuts now since they remind me of the old fashioned ones and they are close in texture to the sour cream cake ones that are my absolute favorite of all time!! I have a baking pan for doughnuts, regular and mini, so I am going to give these a try!
Thank you Jen! I don’t have the mini pan….hmmmm. I’d only used that pan once in over a year but it’s getting a lot of love since I made those donuts.
You had me at dark chocolate. And donuts.
Thank you Jenny! I’m a dark chocolate lover too!