This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy.
There’s nothing better than rich and fudgy chocolate donuts dipped in glossy chocolate glaze! Moist and tender with deep chocolate flavor, these baked cake-style doughnuts are perfect for chocolate lovers. Recipe yields 16 donuts.
This easy donut recipe is the best way to start the day with chocolate! 🙂 Buttermilk and sour cream make them super moist, and adding boiling water to the batter helps bloom the cocoa powder and melt the chocolate for mega chocolate flavor.
Ready in just 40 minutes, you don’t need a mixer or any special equipment here. Breakfast doesn’t get much better than this!
Craving more chocolate? Try my reader-favorite fudgy brownie cookies or triple chocolate loaf cake next!
Overview: How to Make Chocolate Donuts
To make the batter, whisk together cake flour, sifted cocoa powder, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
Combine buttermilk, sour cream, eggs, oil (any neutral baking oil), and vanilla in a medium bowl, whisking well until smooth.
Add wet ingredients to flour mixture, folding in until almost combined. Stir in boiling water (or hot coffee) and mini chocolate chips just until incorporated.
Transfer half of the batter to a large piping bag and fill each doughnut cup about 3/4 full. Tap the pan sharply to settle the batter and reduce air bubbles.
Bake donuts just until the tops are set and spring back to the touch, about 9 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely (if necessary, use a small spatula to gently loosen donuts from the pan).
Chocolate Glaze for Donuts
The chocolate glaze comes together quickly in the microwave. Combine semisweet chocolate chips, salt, heavy cream, and cubed unsalted butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 20-second bursts, stirring until chocolate is completely melted and glaze is smooth and glossy (about 1 minute total).
Dip donut tops in glaze and let set on a wire rack before serving. Top with chocolate sprinkles or flaky salt!
More baked donut recipes:
Print
Fudgy Baked Chocolate Donuts
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 minutes
- Total Time: 39 minutes
- Yield: 16 donuts
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
There’s nothing better than rich and fudgy chocolate donuts dipped in glossy chocolate glaze! Moist and tender with deep chocolate flavor, these baked cake-style doughnuts are perfect for chocolate lovers.
Ingredients
Donuts
- 2 cups (228 g) cake flour
- 1/3 cup (32 g) Dutch process unsweetened cocoa, sifted
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp (7 g) baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
- 1/2 cup (120 g) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs (100 g), at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (56 g) vegetable or canola oil
- 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (60 g) boiling water
- 2/3 cup (113 g) mini semisweet chocolate chips
Chocolate Glaze
- 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup (60 g) heavy cream
- 3 Tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, cubed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Make donuts: Whisk together cake flour, cocoa, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Combine buttermilk, sour cream, eggs, oil, and vanilla in a medium bowl; add to flour mixture and fold in until almost incorporated. Gently stir in boiling water and mini chocolate chips just until combined.
- Spray a standard 6-cavity doughnut pan with baking spray with flour. Spoon half the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip and fill each doughnut cup 3/4 full. Tap the pan sharply to reduce air bubbles.
- Bake donuts for 9 minutes until the tops spring back when touched. Turn doughnuts out onto a wire rack to cool completely (if necessary, gently loosen from the pan with a small silicone spatula). Repeat with remaining batter, allowing pan to cool completely and prepping the pan with baking spray in between batches.
- Make glaze: Combine chocolate chips, salt, heavy cream, and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring until chocolate is completely melted and glaze is smooth. Set rack with cooled donuts over a piece of wax paper. Dip tops in chocolate glaze, and place back on rack to let chocolate set. Top with chocolate sprinkles.
- Doughnuts taste best the first day – store leftover doughnuts loosely covered at room temperature overnight.
Notes
Mini chocolate chips melt into the donuts for plenty of chocolate in every bite. You can also use 4 oz (114) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped.
Espresso: For a touch of coffee flavor, whisk in 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder to the boiling water, or swap out the boiling water for hot coffee.
Freeze donuts: Place donuts on a baking sheet and freeze flat for 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw donuts at room temperature (still wrapped to prevent condensation from forming on the surface) before serving.
Photography by Saltwater Studio
Could I substitute buttermilk for the heavy cream?
Hi Ann, I haven’t tested the glaze with buttermilk. If you try it, you’ll probably use a bit less than 1/4 cup – start with 2 tablespoons buttermilk, and add more if needed.
These donuts were a hit in my house. My son who only eats the tops of donuts ate the whole thing. Lol it’s a big deal for me lol. Anyway they were amazing
That’s amazing to hear, thanks so much Laken! 🙂
These are excellent. The crumb is moist and tender. I made my own cake flour, and subbed whole milk + lemon juice for the buttermilk. I added a pinch of cinnamon, and may add instant espresso the next time I make these. Because the glaze is basically a ganache, which is something I’ve successfully frozen many times, for convenience I froze the doughnuts after dipping them. The glaze was nice and shiny and smooth after being frozen. These are keepers!
Oh I love the idea of adding cinnamon, yum! So glad you tried these Sadie! 🙂