Baked Chocolate Donuts
Baked chocolate donuts have a cake-like texture and a smooth chocolate glaze. They are ready in under 30 minutes!
Dessert for breakfast is what I like to call these donuts. With a tender, cake-y texture and rich chocolate glaze, these donuts will surely satisfy your sweet tooth. Bake chocolate donuts are so easy to make in a donut tin, but the batter works in a muffin tin as well! If you like chocolate for breakfast, try these double chocolate pancakes next.
Why this recipe works: The donut has a small amount of espresso to increase the chocolate flavor making each bite even more delicious. The chocolate ganache glaze stays shiny and smooth after dipping each donut.
Ingredient Notes
- Cocoa powder: Use an unsweetened cocoa powder. I prefer Ghirardelli.
- Espresso powder: To bring out the chocolate flavor, a touch of espresso powder goes a long way. Just a little bit is needed and you likely won’t taste it. If you are sensitive to it, you can always leave it out.
- Yogurt: Full-fat plain yogurt creates a moist texture for these cake donuts.
- Baking soda: This leavening agent helps the batter rise. Check that it is fresh and not expired.
- Chocolate chips: Use good-quality chocolate chips or chopped chocolate for the glaze. They are easier to melt and it’s what you will taste in each bite!
- Heavy cream: For the chocolate glaze, heavy cream is used with the chocolate for a ganache-like topping.
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Variations
Make sugar coated donuts. Skip the ganache glaze and coat the donuts in granulated sugar. Melt 2 to 3 tablespoons butter and use a pastry brush to coat the donuts. Immediately dip in sugar and serve. Alternatively, you can add a powdered sugar exterior, similar to baked cake donuts.
Try a different glaze. Personally, I love a chocolate strawberry moment. Use the strawberry glaze from my strawberry donut recipe. Whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons freeze-fried strawberry powder and 4 Tablespoons heavy cream.
Make donut holes. The batter may be made in a mini muffin tin to make donut holes. Baking time will be about 8 minutes.
How to Make Baked Chocolate Donuts
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a donut tin and set aside.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients—flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder. Set aside.
- Combine the wet ingredients. Beat egg and sugar, then add milk, yogurt, melted butter and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients. Transfer batter to prepared donut tin, filling each cavity three-quarters full.
- Bake donuts at 350 F for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for a couple minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the glaze. Place chocolate, heavy cream and butter in a bowl and microwave on 50% power level for 1 minute. Let the mixture sit for a couple minutes, then stir until smooth.
- Dip the top of each donut in the chocolate glaze and place back on the wire rack to set. Garnish with chocolate shavings and serve.
Expert Tips
Weigh your ingredients with a kitchen scale if you have one. If not, aerate your flour and spoon it into a measuring cup (don’t pack it in). Use room temperature ingredients for a smooth batter. I suggest good quality cocoa powder and chocolate chips for the best flavor. I prefer Ghirardelli.
For ease, transfer the batter to a piping bag and pipe the batter into the donut tin. When making the glaze, check that the microwave is on 50% power level so the chocolate does not burn. Allow the ingredients to sit after heated before stirring so the chocolate can melt. If the chocolate is not all the way melted, reheat for 30 more seconds on 50% power level.
Storage Tips
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. A single layer works best so the glaze stays in tact.
Freeze for up to 1 month. Flash freeze the donuts for one hour or until the glaze is firm. Individually wrap the donuts in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. When ready to defrost, unwrap and let them come to room temperature.
Recipe FAQ
Absolutely! Double all the ingredients and this recipe will make 16 donuts.
Yes, the espresso powder may be omitted. However, it does enhance the chocolate flavor and is not noticeable in the taste of the donuts.
Related Recipes
Baked donuts are so easy to make and turn out with the perfect cake-like texture. Here are some more recipes you’ll enjoy.
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Get the Recipe: Baked Chocolate Donuts
Ingredients
Baked Chocolate Donuts
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon espresso powder, optional
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) milk, room temperature
- ¼ cup (60 ml) plain, full-fat yogurt, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Glaze
- ½ cup (85 g) good quality semisweet chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a donut tin with butter or nonstick spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and sugar until well combined. Add the milk, yogurt, melted butter and vanilla extract. Mix until incorporated and smooth. Pour wet ingredients into bowl of dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Using a piping bag or a spoon, transfer the batter to the prepared donut tin, filling each cavity about three-quarters full. Bake donuts at 350 F for 8 to 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into one comes out with little to no crumbs. Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for a couple minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the glaze, place the chocolate, heavy cream and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on 50% power level for one minute. Let the mixture sit for a couple minutes, then stir until smooth. If not smooth, heat for another 30 seconds on 50% power level.
- Dip the top of each donut in the chocolate glaze and place back on the wire rack to set. Garnish with chocolate shavings if desired.
