Chocolate Glazed Donuts

Note: If you are looking for yeast donuts, check out our vegan donuts recipe.

Here we'll show you how to make some of the best and easiest oven-baked, chocolate-glazed cake donuts.

You'll love this baked donuts recipe because you can whip them together in 5 minutes, bake them in 20, and glaze them in 3.

Also, the recipe is dairy-free, egg-free, and oven-baked, making this delicious treat healthier than most.

Chocolate glazed doughnuts are terrific for any occasion; they are crowd-pleasers, fun, and adorable treat.

Flour

We use all-purpose flour. You can also use whole wheat flour; in this case, add two more tablespoons of milk.

For gluten-free, use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour mix.

Sugar

You can use white sugar, brown sugar, palm sugar, or coconut sugar. We use white sugar.

We haven't tested this recipe with liquid sweeteners like maple syrup, corn syrup, or agave syrup, so we are unsure how it would turn out.

Cocoa powder

We use unsweetened dutch processed cocoa powder; it has a more intense flavor and a darker color than natural cocoa powder which we think is best for this recipe.

Natural cocoa powder works well too.

Milk

We use almond milk. You can use any milk, including soy, oat, rice, and more.

You can substitute water for milk.

Oil

Make this with neutral-flavored vegetable oil. We use canola oil. Sunflower oil works well too.

For oil-free, substitute apple sauce for oil.

Salt

A pinch of sea salt brings out the flavor of the chocolate and helps tie the other flavors together.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon adds a pleasant wintery aroma to this recipe.

You can substitute grated orange zest for cinnamon.

Vanilla extract

Vanilla is excellent with chocolate and adds warmth to the chocolate-glazed donuts. You can use vanilla extract, aroma, or beans in a vanilla pod.

Baking powder

Baking powder makes the donuts rise and helps them get light and soft. There's no need for baking soda for this recipe.

Chocolate Glaze

You can't make chocolate-glazed donuts without a chocolate glaze. So we make one with unsweetened dutch processed cocoa powder, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk (any).

If you don't feel like making the glaze, you can dust the chocolate donuts with powdered sugar.

Make the batter

Preheat the oven to 340°F or 170°C. Brush your non-stick donut baking pan with oil or softened butter. We use a 12-donut baking pan.

Sift all-purpose flour and cocoa powder in a medium to large mixing bowl. Sifting removes cocoa powder clumps, and it helps make your donuts airier and fluffier.

Add sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon and whisk well.

To the same bowl, add milk, oil, and vanilla extract.

Stir with a whisk until just combined, without over-mixing.

Note: you can easily do this with a hand whisk, or you can use a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, but make sure not to over-mix the donut batter if you use electric appliances.

Bake the donuts

With the help of a spoon, transfer the batter into the donut pan. Fill the molds up to ¾ max.

Bake immediately for 20 minutes, then let cool down for 15 minutes in the pan, then take them out and let cool down on a wire rack or cooling rack.

Tip: we find that the best way to take the donuts out of the pan is to turn the pan upside down and hit its short edge on a folded kitchen towel on your worktop until the donuts fall off.

Chocolate Glaze

In the meantime, make the chocolate glaze by whisking together cocoa powder, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk.

Start with little milk; the glaze should be thick, smooth, and glossy.

Apply glaze on the donuts with a spatula or the back of a spoon, or you can also dip them if you prefer.

You can dust the donuts with powdered sugar as an alternative to the chocolate glaze. You can also apply sprinkles on top.

Let the glaze firm up for a few minutes before serving these adorable chocolate-glazed donuts.

Cinnamon Cake Donuts

Cinnamon cake donuts are a cute and delicious alternative or complement to these chocolate-glazed donuts.

You can make them with the same simple ingredients. Check out our cinnamon cake donut recipe.

Vegan donuts

Want to have real krispy-kreme-style, soft, fluffy, deep-fried (or oven-baked) yeast donuts?

Then our vegan donut recipe is perfect for you. But don't be fooled by the "vegan" in the title. This is the best yeast donut recipe, and it makes delicious tall, fluffy, soft, doughy donuts.

Check out our vegan donuts recipe.

Don't over-mix the batter: whisk it until most lumps are gone, but don't over-mix it. Over-mixing will toughen up your chocolate glaze donuts, making them less fluffy and soft.

Don't over-fill the donut pan. Only fill the molds up to ¾ or slightly below that. The donuts will rise thanks to the baking powder. If you add too much batter, they'll increase so much that they'll turn out without a hole.

Make sure your baking powder is active. If you are unsure if your baking powder is active, this is how to test it.

Add ½ teaspoon baking powder into a bowl and pour over ¼ cup of boiling water. If it foams, it's still active; if not, it's not good.

Make Ahead: chocolate glazed donuts keep for up to 4 days, but for best results, we recommend making them up to 48 hours ahead of time. If you are making them ahead, brush them with milk as soon as they are out of the oven. This will make them stay softer for longer.

Room temperature: let the doughnuts cool down completely, then store them in a plastic bag at room temperature for 4 - 5 days.

Refrigerator: if you've glazed them, it's best to keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezer: this recipe freezes well, but without the glaze. Let them cool down completely, transfer them into a freezer-friendly bag, and freeze them for up to 3 months.

Thaw: thaw in the fridge over several hours, or in the microwave with the thawing function. You can eat the donuts at room temperature, or warm the up slightly in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

If you love chocolate, try these decadent and rich chocolate desserts that are guaranteed crowd-pleasers:

• Vegan brownies with rich and fudgy interior and glossy skin on top.
• Easy single-layer chocolate cake with chocolate ganache.
• Plant-based chocolate pound cake: no-fuss cake bread with double chocolate.
• Homemade hazelnut spread.
• 10-minute chocolate custard.
• 5-ingredient chocolate brownie cake.

These donuts recipes are great for sweet cravings, Sunday breakfast, and pampering your guests and family:

• Cinnamon sugar cake donuts.
• Homemade donuts (with yeast).
• Sweet donut holes (Italian castagnole).
• Italian bomboloni donuts with jam filling.

For many more easy dessert ideas, check out our desserts category page.