Enjoy a delicious breakfast treat that is sure to satisfy any chocoholic's cravings with these baked Chocolate Donuts. Topped with even more chocolate and colorful sprinkles, this treat is sure to put a smile on your face in the morning.
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Whenever we visit a new city I love finding donut shops to visit. Having a good donut while on vacation is the best.
Since I am such a donut fan, I love making homemade baked donuts for special occasions. A few of our favorites are these orange donuts, apple cider donuts and blueberry filled donuts.
Why This Recipe Works
If you haven't had cake donuts then you are missing out. There are so many ways to make them. Since I love chocolate, I had to make a chocolate donut version.
These sweet baked donuts turned out absolutely amazing! They are moist and delicious with a cake-y crumb texture that melts in your mouth.
- Triple the Chocolate - Dark cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and a chocolate glaze makes these everything a chocolate lover will go wild for.
- Baked Not Fried - Traditional donuts are fried in oil, but this recipe is easy to bake in the oven.
- Sweet Breakfast Treat - The soft crumb texture goes perfectly with a cup of milk or a chocolate latte.
- Perfect for any Occasion - Sprinkles add a pop of color that you can match to any theme or event.
Not a chocolate fan? Try these funfetti donuts or blueberry key lime donuts in your donut pan.
Key Ingredients
This chocolate donut recipe is made with basic baking ingredients. Open your pantry and let's get baking.
- All Purpose Flour - Adds structure to the batter and gives the donuts a soft, cakey texture.
- Sugar - You will need a mixture of granulated sugar and brown sugar for this donut recipe.
- Butter - Adds flavor and richness to the batter.
- Egg - Makes the donuts soft and rich and binds the ingredients together.
- Greek Yogurt - Adds moisture to the dough and gives a soft texture to the baked donuts.
- Chocolate - Unsweetened cocoa powder, miniature chocolate chips, and Ghirardelli chocolate melting wafers add some serious chocolate flavor.
How to Make Chocolate Donuts
This baked chocolate donut recipe is quick and easy to make. A chocolate topping and fun sprinkles make the donuts so delicious and pretty.
Make the Batter
Step 1. Mix together the wet ingredients. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the vanilla extract, egg, and yogurt and mix again.
Step 2. Stir in the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, stir together the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa, nutmeg, and flour. Slowly beat the dry ingredients into the wet ones.
Step 3. Add the milk. Slowly mix in the milk to the thick dough making sure not to over mix the batter.
Step 4. Stir in the chocolate chips. Gently stir the mini chocolate chip into the batter.
Fill the Donut Pan
Step 5. Fill the donut pan. Spoon the batter into the greased pan or use a piping bag to gently squeeze the batter into the pan, filling them at least ¾ full.
Step 6. Bake and cool. Place the filled pan in the oven and bake for 9-10 minutes or until the tops spring back when pressed. Cool in the pan for a few minutes, before placing on a wire rack.
After 10 minutes use icing tip 1M to cut out the centers where the batter over baked. Cool completely.
Decorate the Donuts
Step 7. Dip the donuts in chocolate. Melt the chocolate according to the package directions. Dip the tops of the donuts in the melted chocolate and let set.
Step 8. Decorate with sprinkles. Melt the pink chocolate according to the package directions. Spoon into a ziplock bag and drizzle over one side of a few donuts.
Add sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet. Continue until all the donuts are done.
Storage Recommendations
These chocolate donuts are great on the day they are baked, but they taste even better the next day.
When they come out of the oven on the first day, they will be light like a muffin. Store them in a sealed container, and they will absorb the moisture from each other making them more dense.
On the Countertop - Place leftover donuts in an airtight container and keep on the counter at room temperature for 4-5 days.
In the Freezer - Before glazing, place any donuts you want to freeze in an airtight container and freeze for 1-2 months. Set the donuts on the counter top and bring to room temperature before glazing and adding sprinkles.
Tips and Tricks
Here are some of our favorite baking tips that will help you make the best chocolate donuts.
- Do NOT over mix the batter. This will cause the donuts to be tough and chewy.
- Use a piping bag or large ziplock bag to squeeze the batter neatly into the pan.
- Do not overfill the pan because the batter rises as it bakes. It will overflow if it is too full. Make sure you only fill them ¾ full for the best donut shape.
- If the donuts overflow and fill in the hole, use a large icing tip or a small paring knife to cut the centers out of the donut.
- Wipe out and respray the donut pan after every batch, so they do not stick.
- Use a good quality chocolate for the glaze. You want your topping to taste just as good as your donuts.
- Makes sure the donuts are completely cool before dipping them in chocolate or the glaze will melt off instead of setting.
- Do not over bake the donuts, or they will be crumbly. Dry crumbly donuts will make everyone sad!
Donut Toppings
You can top your chocolate cake doughnuts with a variety of different toppings. Your imagination is the limit! Here are a few of our favorites.
- Dark Chocolate Frosting
- Crumbled Oreos
- Chocolate Chips
- Shredded Sweetened Coconut
- Chopped Nuts
- Candies such as M&M, Reese's Pieces, or Butterfingers
Recipe FAQs
Fried donuts are cooked in oil and generally have a richer flavor. Baked donuts are cooked in an oven. Both are good but have a different taste.
If your donuts are dry they are most likely over baked. Or there is too much flour in the dough. Be sure to measure the flour properly.
If the donuts are sticking to the pan make sure the pan is clean and spray it with a non stick spray like Baker's Joy. Wipe it out in between batches too!
I use a Wilton donut pan for all of my traditional baked donuts.
No, this particular chocolate cake donut recipe is made to be baked. The batter will not hold up in hot oil.
More Homemade Donuts
- Donut Sticks
- Chocolate Chip Donuts
- Baked Pumpkin Donuts
- Carrot Cake Donuts
- Chocolate Zucchini Donuts
- Chai Donuts
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Recipe
Chocolate Donuts
Chocolate donuts with chocolate chips and a chocolate glaze will wake you up in the morning.
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- ⅔ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ⅔ cup milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ cup dark cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup miniature chocolate chips
- 1 - 10 ounce bag milk chocolate melting wafers
- ½ cup pink chocolate melting wafers
- white, brown, and pink sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Spray a donut pan with nonstick baking spray. Wipe out the excess spray.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the vanilla, egg, and yogurt and cream again.
- In a large bowl, stir together the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa, nutmeg, and flour.
- Alternately add the flour mixture and milk into the butter mixture and beat until everything is incorporated.
- Stir in the chocolate chips by hand. Spoon into donut cavities filling them at least ¾ full.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes or until the tops spring back when pressed. Let cool in the pan for 3 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
- After 10 minutes use an icing tip 1M to cut out the centers where the batter over baked. Cool completely.
- Wipe the pan out completely and spray with nonstick spray again. Fill with more donut butter and repeat until finished.
- Melt the chocolate according to the package directions. Dip the tops of the donuts in the melted chocolate and add sprinkles. Let set. Store in a sealed container on the counter for 2-3 days.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 307Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 277mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 2gSugar: 22gProtein: 6g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
*The post for triple chocolate donuts was first published March 2013. The post was updated and republished March 2023.
Susan
Hi Jocelyn,
I want to make these and I have a couple of questions: I have a silicone donut pan and do I have to spray it and I only have regular cocoa powder so I’d like to know if I can substitute it for the dark? I am looking forward to making these and am sure they will be a huge success!!
Thank you,
Susan
Jocelyn
The regular cocoa powder will work fine, they just won't be as dark. I haven't baked any donuts in a silicone pan, but it should be the same. I hope you enjoy the donuts!