These Glazed Dark Chocolate Baked Donuts have everything you love about an old-fashioned cake donut—rich cocoa flavor, a tender crumb, melty pockets of chocolate, and a light vanilla glaze finished with festive sprinkles. You also bake instead of fry so they are easier, less messy, and perfect for weekend baking, holidays, or parties. Also, try another great recipe try these Chocolate Glazed Strawberry Jam Donuts.
Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Baked Donuts
• Deep, rich dark chocolate flavor
• Soft, cake-style donut texture
• Baked, not fried (no oil splatter)
• Simple pantry ingredients
• Easy to customize with vanilla or chocolate glaze
• Great for birthdays, holidays, and celebrations
Baked, Not Fried Chocolate Donuts
Homemade donuts are fun, but frying can be messy and time-consuming. Make these donuts with a simple batter and baked in a donut pan, giving you the flavor and texture of a classic cake donut without the hassle. Baking also keeps the donuts soft and tender with slightly crisp edges—just like a bakery-style donut.
Cake Donuts vs Yeast Donuts
You make yeast doughnuts with a dough that rises before frying, giving them a light, airy, and chewy texture. Cake donuts, on the other hand, you make from a batter using baking powder instead of yeast. They’re denser, tender, and slightly crumbly, and they work especially well for baked donuts like this recipe.
Ingredients for Glazed Dark Chocolate Baked Donuts
Donuts
1 ¼ cups flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup white sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup buttermilk (see substitution below)
¼ cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
2 large eggs
½ cup avocado oil or vegetable oil
1 cup dark chocolate or chocolate chips, melted
Rainbow or chocolate sprinkles
Vanilla Glaze
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1–2 teaspoons milk (adjust as needed)
Optional: For a chocolate glaze, add 1–2 teaspoons cocoa powder and a little extra milk.
How to Make Glazed Dark Chocolate Baked Donuts
Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a donut pan with nonstick spray. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugars, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, yogurt, oil, and eggs until smooth. Whisk in the melted chocolate—small clumps are fine and will create pockets of chocolate in the donuts.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Pipe or spoon the batter into the donut pan, filling each cavity about ¾ full. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool briefly, then transfer to a wire rack.
FAQ’s
Glazing and Decorating
Whisk the powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Dip the tops of the cooled donuts into the glaze, letting the excess drip off. Add sprinkles.
Do I Have to Use Buttermilk?
You don’t. To make a quick buttermilk substitute, add ¾ teaspoon of white vinegar to a measuring cup, then fill to the ¾-cup line with milk or dairy-free milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
Storing and Freezing Dark Glazed Chocolate Baked Donuts
These donuts are best enjoyed the same day, but they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. Unglazed donuts freeze well for up to two weeks—just glaze after thawing for the best texture.
Extra Tips for Perfect Baked Donuts
Use a piping bag or zip-top bag for clean, even filling.
Avoid overmixing the batter to keep the donuts tender.
Let donuts cool slightly before glazing so the glaze sets nicely.
Are these chocolate baked donuts fried at all?
No. These donuts are baked in a donut pan, not fried. Baking gives them a soft, cake-style texture with lightly crisp edges—similar to an old-fashioned cake donut, without the mess of hot oil.
What kind of donut are these—cake or yeast donuts?
These are cake donuts. They’re made with baking powder instead of yeast, which gives them a tender, slightly dense crumb and makes them perfect for baking.
Can I make these baked chocolate donuts ahead of time?
Yes. These donuts can be made a day ahead. Store them unglazed in an airtight container, then glaze and decorate before serving for the best texture and appearance.
Can I freeze Glazed Dark Chocolate Baked Donuts
Yes. Freeze the donuts unglazed for up to two weeks. Let them thaw at room temperature, then glaze and add sprinkles before serving.
Why do my baked donuts turn out dry?
Dry donuts are usually caused by overbaking or overmixing the batter. Check the donuts at the 10-minute mark and stir the batter just until combined.
Do I have to use buttermilk in baked donuts?
No. You can make a quick substitute by adding vinegar to regular or dairy-free milk and letting it sit for a few minutes. This helps create a tender crumb.
Can I make these donuts dairy-free?
Yes. Use dairy-free milk with vinegar, dairy-free yogurt, and dairy-free chocolate chips. The texture will still be soft and cake-like.
Can I make these baked donuts without a donut pan?
A donut pan is recommended for the classic shape, but you can bake the batter in a mini muffin pan to make donut holes. Adjust the bake time slightly.
Can I change the glaze flavor?
Absolutely. Swap the vanilla glaze for a chocolate glaze, peanut butter glaze, or even a simple powdered sugar glaze. You can also top them with crushed cookies, chopped nuts, or sprinkles.
Glazed Dark Chocolate Baked Donuts
Ingredients
- DONUTS
- 1 ¼ cups All-purpose flour
- ½ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- ½ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ¼ plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup avocado or vegetable oil don’t use coconut oil or it will change the flavor
- 1 cup dark chocolate or chocolate chips melted
- Rainbow or chocolate sprinkles
- GLAZE
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tbsp milk adjust for consistency
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Spray donut molds with nonstick cooking spray – I prefer the silicone version since the donuts come out easier and don’t stick
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, nutmeg, salt, sugar, brown sugar, and baking powder
- In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, yogurt, oil, and eggs until smooth and fully combined. Whisk in melted chocolate as best as you can; there will still be clumps, but that’s OK since they will create delicious pockets of chocolate in the baked donut.
- Pour the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined.
- Spoon or pipe the donut batter mixture into the greased donut pan, filling each about 3/4 full. Don’t overfill or your batter will spill over the top.
- Place in the oven and bake donuts for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes, remove from the molds, and place onto a wire rack for 5 minutes, then place on a sheet of parchment paper
- GLAZE
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth
- Gently dunk the top of each donut into the glaze and allow the excess to drip off before placing on the parchment paper
- Immediately add the sprinkles evenly over the top of each donut while the glaze is wet.
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