Baked Chocolate Donut Recipe makes soft baked, not fried, chocolate cake donuts. They’re topped with rich homemade chocolate frosting.
Today we’re talking about one of my favorite things – donuts!
Store bought doughnuts can be very good, but it’s also nice to be able to make your own when the craving strikes.
This easy chocolate donut recipe lets you make chocolate cake donuts at home whenever get you the craving.
Are cake donuts baked or deep fried?
Traditionally, cake donuts are deep fried. However, you absolutely can bake cake donuts.
How do you bake doughnuts?
Donut pans are the easiest way to bake donuts. They’re available everywhere from Amazon to Target and Walmart.
I’ve even seen them at my local grocery store. Though most donut pans are nonstick, I like to use a baking spray with flour when I bake with them.
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Tools used to make this Baked Chocolate Donut Recipe:
Donut pans: These are the donut pans that I have. I’ve had them for several years, and they’ve gotten a lot of use during that time. They’re still in great shape, and they’re a must-have to make baked donuts.
Baking spray with flour: I use baking spray with flour most of the time when I’m baking. I like that it greases and flours all in one spray, and I’ve never had trouble with anything sticking when I use it.
More baked donut recipes!
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Baked Chocolate Donut Recipe
Ingredients
Baked Chocolate Donuts
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour 180 g
- ½ cup granulated sugar 99 g
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 21 g
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup low-fat buttermilk 224 g
- ¼ cup vegetable oil 50 g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Frosting
- 3 tablespoons butter 42 g
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 170 g
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 2 standard sized donut pans (12 donuts total); set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.1 ½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add egg, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk until combined. Batter will be on the thinner side.1 large egg, 1 cup low-fat buttermilk, ¼ cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Spoon batter into a donut pan, filling about 3/4 full.
- Bake for about 8-10 minutes. Donuts should spring back when lightly touched.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
- Remove from pan, and set on wire cooling rack.
- Once donuts are cool, prepare glaze.
- In a heavy saucepan over lowest heat, melt butter half-way.3 tablespoons butter
- Add chocolate chips and corn syrup. Stir regularly until completely melted and well-incorporated.1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- Once glaze is ready, dip the tops of the donuts into the glaze.
- Set on a wire cooling rack, and let glaze set up, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Ella Coller says
This is the best recipe for donuts ever! I only ever use this recipe. It is not complicated, it uses less dishes (so I don’t have to clean very many), and it tastes just delicious!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for commenting. =)
Michele says
I ordered the Wilton silicone donut pans. I bake the donuts for 10 minutes. They taste very doughy and I am not sure what I did wrong. Any suggestions? Do I need to add more time because they were baked in a silicone pan? Also when I bake them again can I put the donut pans on top of a cookie sheet.
Kate says
Hi! Yes, you can put the donut pans on a cookie sheet. That will help to stabilize them and can make it easier to get them into and out of the oven. Silicone pans require a bit of trial and error to get baking times and temps down. If you found that the donuts weren’t finished baking at 10 minutes, go ahead and continue to bake them. They should spring back when you press them once they’re finished baking. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Liz says
These are easy to make and yummy to eat. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Kate says
You are very welcome! I’m so glad that yuo liked the donuts. Thanks for taking the time to comment! =)
Kristin says
I follow your recipe exactly and the batter was extremely thick. I’m wondering if this was a typo in your recipe, or if I need to add more than one cup of buttermilk?
Kate says
Hi! No, no typos. The recipe is correct as-written. The batter shouldn’t be extremely thick. How did you measure the flour? Flour can easily by compacted, so I recommend stirring or sifting the flour, lightly spooning it into the measuring cup, and then leveling it off. You can try adding more buttermilk to thin the batter, but, depending on how much extra ingredients are in the batter, you may have more batter than will fit in the donut tins and may need to make more donuts.
Angela G Anthony says
These donuts were a HUGE hit!! I did substitute with whole wheat flour, sucanat, melted coconut oil, and keifer. The first batch was gone so fast, I had to whip up another one!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that it worked out well for you. =) Thank you for commenting!
Lori says
How long will buttermilk keep in the fridg?
Kate says
It really depends on what the buttermilk carton says. It should come with a “use by” date.
Ann says
What can I substitute the buttermilk with for the baked chocolate doughnuts?
Kate says
You can make soured milk, which is just where you add vinegar to milk and then let it sit for a few minutes. You can also use a mixture of milk and sour cream or Greek yogurt.
Brenda says
They were good husband pleased but they were a bit dry batter was. It thin didn’t have buttermilk so I used yogurt and milk with cream of tarter
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that it came out with those changes. =) Thanks for commenting!
MJ says
OMG these are simply delicious! I used agave instead of sugar and increased the flour.
I want to make other flavors
Kate says
Thank you! And thanks for your note about using agave. I have quite a few other baked donut recipes if you’re interested.
Kate H. says
Delish!!!!! You can eat these with or without the glaze and they are still so very very tasty!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you like the donuts. Thanks for commenting! =)
Mudita Kapoor says
Can’t dounuts be made without eggs ? If yes kindly tell the substitution and it’s quantity
Kate says
It depends on the recipe. Unfortunately, I haven’t tried an egg-free version of these donuts and can’t give you quantities for a replacement.
Linda says
You can replace the eggs with flex or chia eggs (1 tbl of chia seed or flex seed and 3tbl of water)you let them sit for about 10 or 15 minutes and then you can use them in your recipes
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Sara says
Is there a substitute for the corn syrup in the glaze?
Kate says
The corn syrup helps to keep the glaze smooth. You could use cream or a little milk in place. It might not set up exactly the same, but it should still be tasty.
Kathy says
Tried this recipe and the donuts are SO good!!! I could’ve eaten them all! Great reicpe
Kate says
Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed them! It would be easy to eat all of the donuts. ;)