These baked chocolate donuts are so much easier to make than fried! With only 10 minutes baking time, they’re a great little weekend project.
This post first appeared February 14, 2019, and was last updated February 13, 2022.
Photography by Kelly Neil
Baked donuts are one of may favourite easy baking projects to make with my daughter (like this riff on classic Canadian maple-glazed donuts). The batter comes together in less than 10 minutes, she likes to watch me pipe the batter into the tin, and then of course comes her favourite part—decorating them with sprinkles!
You need a donut tin to make this recipe. Find them easily on Amazon, or in many stores with well-stocked baking sections. Just like fried donuts, baked chocolate donuts are best eaten fresh, the day they’re made. All you really need is a single six-cavity tin.
Keep in mind, this is a recipe for baked chocolate donuts not fried. They have completely different textures! these baked donuts are more like baked chocolate cake donuts. Nonetheless, they’re quick, easy, and much safer to make, especially with children!
I glazed these donuts with melted ruby chocolate. For the easiest glaze ever, look for chocolate named melting wafers or melting chips. After 30 seconds in the microwave, you have a perfectly silky chocolate glaze for donuts!
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the printable recipe card with full ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
Ingredients
Method
Chocolate Glaze For Baked Chocolate Donuts
I find spooning melted chocolate over the donuts makes a more even layer compared to dipping. After the tops are covered and smooth, top with sprinkles, and let the chocolate set before serving.
Tips & Notes
You can spoon donut batter into the tin if you want but I find it super messy. To get a more true donut look, you want to use a piping bag fitted with a large round tip like the Wilton 1A decorating tip.
The top of each donut in the tin will be the actual top of the donut for serving. Once baked you can flip the donuts over for a more smooth look but I think they look more like real donuts when you don’t flip them over.
For a super simple and smooth chocolate glaze make sure to look for melting chocolate (sometimes called melting wafers).
How To Store Baked Chocolate Donuts
Oven-baked chocolate donuts are best eaten fresh, the day they’re made.
Substitutions
You can substitute light spelt flour at a 1:1 ratio for the all-purpose, or up to 40% (60g) of whole wheat flour.
Buttermilk is a terrific substitute for milk.
Use any extract you like. Almond, brandy, or peppermint extract would be nice.
If you don’t own piping bags, you can cut the corner off of a large zipper-top plastic storage bag.
More Chocolate Recipes
Whole Wheat Chocolate Cake (Refined Sugar-Free)
Chocolate Peppermint Truffles
Double Chocolate Raspberry Brownies
Rocky Road Ice Cream (Super Easy, No-Churn)
Chocolate Avocado Fudgsicles
Recipe
Homemade Oven-Baked Chocolate Donuts
Description
Equipment
- pastry brush
- Donut tin
- Piping bag
- Large round piping tip
- Mixing bowl
- Microwave safe bowl
- Whisk
- Wire rack
- Measuring cups and spoons or a digital kitchen scale
Ingredients
For The Donuts
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for greasing the tin
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For The Chocolate Glaze
- ¾ cup chocolate melting wafers
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Lightly brush a 6-cavity donut tin with melted butter and set aside. Fit a large piping bag with a large round tip (I use the Wilton 1A round decorating tip). Set aside.
- Add the milk, melted butter, vanilla, egg, and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
- Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the bowl. Add the baking powder and salt. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to fold the batter together until the flour is just mixed in.
- Fill the piping bag with all of the chocolate batter. Twist the top of the bag to prevent batter from leaking out. Gently but firmly pipe one smooth thick circle of donut batter into each donut cavity in the tin. The batter is very thick! Six thick piped donuts should use all of the batter. If you have batter leftover in the piping bag, add a bit extra to each donut until the batter is all gone.
- Lightly wet a fingertip and smooth any areas where the batter starts and ends so the top of each donut looks smooth.
- Place the tin in the oven and bake the donuts for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the tops spring back when gently pressed with a fingertip. Transfer the tin to a wire cooling rack. Cool the donuts in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer them to the rack to cool completely before decorating.
- To Glaze The Donuts — Place the melting wafers in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the chocolate on full power for 30 seconds. Stir the chocolate. Repeat until the chocolate is completely smooth when stirred. Use a small spoon to “pour” chocolate over the top of each donut. Decorate the with sprinkles or anything else you like, then let the donut sit until the chocolate sets, at least 30 minutes, before serving.
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