Baked Chocolate Glazed Donuts
Learn how to make moist, chocolate glazed donuts in under 20 minutes! These donuts are baked not fried and covered in thick, sweet glaze.
My weekday granola cereal gets old after a while. Sigh. Don’t get me wrong, I love having coconut almond granola and fresh strawberries with my morning coffee. But nothing starts a day like donuts. Especially if I don’t have to leave the house to get them. Even better if it’s baked. And two thumbs up for them being ready in under 20 minutes!
And when chocolate’s involved, I’ll probably be up before the alarm even sounds. Is there a better way to start your day than with chocolate? Nope. It’s not possible.
Ever since I made my French Honey Crullers one weekend last month, i’ve been itching to try another one of my favorites, chocolate glazed donuts. These donuts aren’t fried like the last ones, and take even less time to make.
And what’s better than chocolate donuts with thick sweet glaze? Maybe, chocolate glazed donuts that are dusted with powdered sugar? Definitely a win!
This weekend I was on the hunt for the perfect chocolatey baked donut recipe. My search finally ended at this one. I tweaked a few of the ingredients to my liking. My favorite part about the original donut recipe is that it calls for just 1/4 cup of oil for 10 whole donuts!
I subbed brown butter for the oil. I love how the brown butter gives these donuts a wonderful, almost nutty taste. Brown butter and chocolate are definitely made for each other. To give chocolate an intense depth, I added a little bit of espresso powder. It gives chocolate a rich quality without making it taste like coffee. Not that that’s a bad thing. Not. at. all.
This recipe comes together in a matter of minutes. Start by browning your butter. Trust me, it’s definitely worth the 3 minutes it takes! You can do this in a small saucepan on the stove or in a large bowl in the microwave. 1/2 stick of butter in a large microwave-safe bowl covered with a plate and zapped for 3 – 4 minutes. That’s it! Don’t be alarmed by the loud popping, it’s part of the process!
Whisk your wet ingredients together – vanilla, the egg, sour cream, milk, and brown butter. Sift your dry ones, flour, cocoa powder, and the baking soda. Add brown sugar and espresso powder to the dry ingredients. Drop the wet ingredients into the dry ones, whisk until mixed. No mixer needed. Aren’t those types of recipes the best?
Drop tablespoons of the batter into a greased donut pan. Bake each batch for 7 – 9 minutes. Mine took exactly 9 minutes. Let them cool for a few minutes while you make the glaze.
In a small saucepan, combine the powdered (confectioners’) sugar, milk and vanilla extract. Once the ingredients are combined, remove from heat. Dunk each donut in the glaze and set on a wire rack for glaze to dry. if you’re like me, one coat of the glaze just doesn’t cut it. I let the first coat dry and re-dunked them in the left over glaze. I think one of them might even have 3 coats on it! 😉
Needless to say, my weekend delivered one sweet breakfast. A couple of desserts and maybe even a snack! Trust me, if you’ve got 20 minutes to spare, this is the most rewarding way to spend it!
Baked Chocolate Glazed Donuts
Learn how to make moist chocolate glazed donuts in under 20 minutes! These donuts are baked not fried and covered in thick, sweet glaze.
Ingredients
For the baked chocolate donuts:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon of espresso powder (coffee granules will do too)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 6 tablespoons sour cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- 4 tablespoons brown butter (see notes)*
For the donut glaze:
- 1 and 1/2 cups powdered (confectioners') sugar
- 6 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- To make the chocolate donuts: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.
In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Add the brown sugar and espresso powder, whisk and set aside. In a small bowl, beat together the vanilla, the egg, sour cream, milk, and brown butter. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined, do not overmix. Spoon the mixture into a greased donut pan. Bake donuts for 8 minutes or until the tops spring back at the touch. Let donuts cool in pan before dipping in the glaze. - To make the glaze: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until all the lumps from the powdered sugar have dissolved. Remove from the heat. Dunk the donuts in the glaze, coat on both sides. Place on wire rack to dry. If desired, re-dunk the donuts in any remaining glaze.
Notes
- To brown the butter: melt the butter (1/2 stick or 4 tablespoons) in a small saucepan on the stove until it browns. Alternately, place butter in a large microwave-safe bowl and place in the microwave covered with a plate. Zap for 3 - 4 minutes. Do not be alarmed by the loud popping noise, it's part of the process.
I NEED a doughnut pan! I agree, there is no better way to start a morning than with a doughnut!
Brown butter + chocolate??? yes please. Great recipe!!
Thank you!
If I’m feeling lazy, can I use the 1/4 cup of oil instead of browning the butter? Would I use vegetable or canola oil? Thank you1 Can’t wait to try these.