Last updated on April 3rd, 2023.
Yes, you read it right: Chocolate Glazed Donut. Although this recipe is for the most tender, moist, and delicious Chocolate Glazed Donuts, I would like you to see this as a personal experience. It’s just yourself, and a baked chocolate donut dipped into a rich chocolate glaze. And if homemade donuts (especially donuts with chocolate glaze) are your weak spot, go ahead and have another one.
How to make chocolate glazed donuts
This is a super simple cake donut recipe, and you only need a large bowl plus an additional large mixing bowl and a donut pan.
- Measure your ingredients, and make sure they are at room temperature.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl: all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, espresso powder, brown sugar, and Chocolate Chips. Use a second bowl or a large measuring cup to mix the wet ingredients: milk, eggs, vinegar, vanilla extract, and melted butter.
- Pour the milk mixture over the flour mixture, then mix to blend.
- Pour the donut batter into a large piping bag, then pipe it into the greased donut pans 3/4 full. Bake.
Easy Chocolate Icing Recipe
Whether you call it icing, glaze, or frosting, there is nothing better than a beautifully sweet glossy glaze smothering your chocolate glazed donut. You can use this recipe to glaze some of my yeast donut recipes: Brioche donuts, Bavarian cream donuts, Boston cream donuts, or Potato donuts.
I recommend making this recipe (also known as homemade chocolate ganache) close to serving time.
- Bring the heavy cream to a simmer, pour it over the chocolate and gently stir until you have a smooth glaze.
- Dip the chocolate donuts and decorate with sprinkles.
Tips for the perfect chocolate glazed donut
- Ingredients must be at room temperature. Otherwise, the donuts might not rise and be too dense.
- You can substitute the milk and vinegar with sour cream, buttermilk, or unsweetened, unflavored apple sauce.
- Substitute the melted butter with 1/3 cup vegetable oil.
- Do not over-mix the batter; just until the flour has been incorporated. If you see some lumps, that’s ok.
- If time permits, allow the batter to sit for 15-45 minutes before baking. This will help the donuts to rise vs. spread out.
- The recipe can be cut in half or doubled, and you can make mini donuts.
- If you don’t have donut pans, cut a long stipe of aluminum foil and wrap it around your thumb or a handle of a wooden spoon. Place the aluminum ring at the center of a greased muffin pan, and pipe the batter around it.
- Use a large storage bag if you do not have a piping bag. Seal the top, hold it diagonally, trim the tip, and pipe into the pans.
- Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before inverting them to a cooling rack / wire rack.
- If the glaze is too thick, add more liquid. If it is too loose, add more melted chocolate.
- Add one tablespoon of corn syrup for extra glossy icing.
Storing
This is a recipe for cake donuts meaning that these chocolate doughnuts will keep their freshness longer, unlike yeast donuts. Best to store at room temperature, covered, or in an airtight container for up to 48 hours. In the freezer for up to four weeks if glazed or up to eight weeks if not. Make sure to arrange the donuts in a single layer before storing them.
Here are some more recipes I think you will enjoy
Baked Pumpkin Donuts, Sfenj Moroccan Donuts, Chocolate Ganache Cake, The Best Brownie Cake
Chocolate Glazed Donuts Recipe
Ingredients
- 2/3 Cup Cocoa Powder (57 g/ 2 oz)
- 1 3/4 Cups AP Flour ( 206 g/ 7 1/4 oz)
- 3/4 tsp espresso powder (optional)
- 1 1/4 Cups Light Brown Sugar (266 g/ 9 1/3 oz)
- 1 Tsp Baking Powder
- 3/4 tsp Salt
- 1 Cup Chocolate Chips (170 g/ 6 oz)
- 2 Large Eggs
- 3/4 Cups Milk
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 tsp vinegar, white or cider
- 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, Melted (or 1/3 cup vegetable oil) (113 g/ 4 oz)
Chocolate Icing
- 1 Cup Chocolate chips (170 g/ 6 oz)“
- 2/3 Cup Whole milk or Half and Half (140ml)
- 1 Cup Sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Grease 2 standard donuts pans.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, espresso powder, sugar, and Chocolate Chips.
- In a large measuring cup, whisk together the milk, eggs, vinegar and vanilla extract.
- Pour the liquid mix into the flour mix following the melted butter and mix just to combine.
- Pipe or spoon the batter into the Donuts pans 3/4 full.
- Baked for 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow 5-10 minutes to cooklbefore removing from the pans.
- When completely cool, melt the chocolate chips and milk together and whisk until you get a smooth icing.
- Dip each donut in the chocolate icing and add the sprinkles.
Notes
- Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature.
- Substitute the milk and vinegar with sour cream and buttermilk. Substitute the melted butter with 1/3 cup vegetable oil.
- Do not over-mix the batter; a few lumps are ok.
- Leave the batter to sit for 15-45 minutes before baking, so the donuts will rise and not spread out.
- You can double or cut the recipe in half.
- Use a large storage bag if you do not have a piping bag.
- Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
- If the glaze is too thick, add more liquid. If it is too loose, add more melted chocolate.
- Add one tablespoon of corn syrup for extra glossy icing.
Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe. I’ve been looking for a baked donut recipe and finally found the perfect one on your blog. Just made it today, and everyone loves it ❤❤❤❤
Thank you so much Sashy!!! go happy to read this!
These baked donuts are oh so chocolate my and decadent. Will be making these again for sure!!
thank you so much, Nasreen, so glad you liked it!
Unless I’m blind…but I didn’t see in the directions when to add the sugar. I just added it with my dry ingredients.
You are right to add the sugar to the dry ingredients.
Great recipe!! These were so good! The chocolate flavor was delicious, particularly for only having natural chocoa + chocolate chips, as I usually prefer dutched. I used kefir instead of milk/vinegar for an extra rich, indulgent texture.
Made this recipe twice, once for my daughter’s birthday party. It was a huge success, was asked for the recipe by several people.
I made these today and they were delicious. I made mini donuts and they were easy, moist and very chocolatey. Will be adding these to my keepers! Thanks!
If you are craving chocolate, this is the recipe to make! Great chocolate flavor and tender!
I made these thinking we would enjoy for a sweet treat after lunch or dinner but we could not resist them for part of our breakfast. These were sooooo good. They were moist and the chocolate flavor was amazing. My only regret was I tried taking them out of the donut pan to soon and that tray stuck. After experiencing that oops I did let the other tray sit as instructed and they released perfectly. Will make again and have more patience.
Thank you so much, Carol; so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Where you said to let the batter sit for 15-45 minutes do you mean in the mixing bowl or in the pan ?
Either way.
Absolutely loved these donuts!! They were a huge hit with my family.
thank you Becky, so glad you enjoyed it
They have been on my “to bake list” for a while and they didn’t disappoint.
First time, I tried baked donuts let alone bake them. The recipe is very easy to put together, they bake quickly and are delicious with the little burst of choc chips.
I wished I tried the chocolate ganache as the chocolate icing was a fail even though I follow the tips by adding more chocolate it didn’t thickened up.
Now, I’m glad I read the additional tips as it did help out but ar the same time they were a bit confusing. The recipe ask to let it rest for 10-15 minutes but the tips asks for more. The recipe didn’t say to let it rest (which I think it needs) but the tips did.
But overall they were absolutely delicious even with the failed icing as it still allowed the toppings to stick. Yum!!!
Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Hellen. The batter can rest as little as 15 minutes or as long as one hour, or not at all.
Thanks Dee. This recipe is the reason why I bought donut moulds. Absolutely delicious 🤤