Baked Donuts with Chocolate Glaze

Baked donuts with chocolate glaze are light vanilla donuts topped with a rich chocolate glaze. These easy baked donuts are can be made from scratch in about 20 minutes!

Baked donuts are simple but delicious treats. The cake donuts are light but lack a crispy outer shell from frying.

The donuts topped with a rich chocolate glaze that makes them equally good as a decadent breakfast or an easy dessert.

What you’ll need to make baked donuts with chocolate glaze

All-purpose flour: It’s important to properly measure the flour. Either weigh the ingredients (click on “metric” directly underneath the ingredients) or be sure to sift the flour before lightly spooning into a measuring cup and level.
Granulated sugar
Baking powder
Salt
Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a homemade substitute with this homemade buttermilk substitute recipe.
Large eggs
Melted butter
Vanilla extract: Feel free to increase the amount of vanilla extract for more vanilla flavor.
Powdered sugar
Cocoa powder
Milk: You may need to add more milk to make the frosting the correct consistency. Half-and-half or cream could also be used.

How to make baked donuts with chocolate glaze

Step 1: Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray 2 6-donut donut pans with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Buttermilk and eggs in a bowl of dry ingredients.

Step 3: Add buttermilk, eggs, butter, and vanilla to the dry ingredients; mix in until just combined.

Step 4: Fill each doughnut pan cavity about 2/3 full. Do not overfill.

Step 5: Bake donuts 7-9 minutes or until the tops spring back when pressed.

Six baked vanilla donuts on a wire cooling rack.

Step 6: Let donuts cool in pan 5 minutes before removing the donuts to a wire rack to cool.

Cocoa powder and powdered sugar in a glass mixing bowl.

Step 7: For chocolate glaze, whisk together the sugar and cocoa powder in a medium bowl.

A spoon pouring chocolate glaze into a glass bowl.

Step 8: Whisk in the milk and vanilla until the glaze is smooth and well-combined. Add additional milk as needed to make a thick but pourable consistency.

A donut upside down in a bowl of chocolate glaze.

Step 9: Dip the top of the donuts into the glaze and place on the wire rack to let the glaze set up.

Two baked donuts topped with chocolate glaze next to a bowl of chocolate glaze.

Tips

It’s important to correctly measure the flour. Sifting the flour helps to break it up. Too much flour in the batter will give you dense, heavy donuts.
Don’t overmix! I recommend mixing the batter by hand and mixing just until combined. Overmixing will give you heavy donuts.
Using a piping bag (or a baggie) to fill the donut pan. Or spoon the batter in.
Cream will give you a richer glaze. Skim milk will give you a thinner glaze.
If you’re using sprinkles or jimmies, sprinkle them on before the glaze sets.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use a different topping or glaze?

Absolutely! You can make a basic vanilla glaze or use any other flavor of glaze that you’d like.

Can I freeze the donuts?

You can! Let the donuts cool to room temperature. Place them in a freezer-safe container and freeze. Once thawed, glaze and enjoy!

Overhead photo of chocolate glazed baked donuts on a wire cooling rack.

Storage

The donuts are best eaten when fresh. Store any leftover donuts in an airtight container.

If you have a hot or humid kitchen, you may find that you need to chill the donuts to best keep the glaze from melting. The donuts should be eaten within 1-2 days.

More baked donut recipes!

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