Baked Chocolate Buttermilk Doughnuts

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There’s nothing better than soft and fluffy baked chocolate buttermilk doughnuts dipped in chocolate glaze! Rich and indulgent, these are the perfect way to enjoy chocolate for breakfast. 🙂

Baked Chocolate Buttermilk Doughnuts

How to Make Chocolate Doughnuts

Doughnuts – Buttermilk and cake flour ensure a moist and tender baked chocolate doughnut! To make the doughnut batter, simply whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine wet ingredients in a medium bowl, and add to flour mixture, folding in until almost combined. Stir in boiling water and chopped chocolate just until incorporated.

Pipe Doughnuts – Transfer 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 Doughnuts – Bake these doughnuts just until the tops are set and spring back to the touch, about 8 minutes. Use a small spatula to gently loosen doughnuts from the pan, placing on a wire rack to cool completely. If you only have one doughnut pan, let the pan cool completely and re-spray with nonstick spray between batches.

Baked Chocolate Buttermilk Doughnuts

Chocolate Glaze – This easy chocolate glaze comes together quickly in the microwave. Combine chocolate chips, salt, heavy cream, and unsalted butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 20-second bursts, stirring until chocolate is completely melted and glaze is smooth and glossy.

Glaze Doughnuts – Dip doughnut tops in glaze and let set on a wire rack before serving. If desired, top doughnuts with flaky salt or sprinkles!

Baked Chocolate Buttermilk Doughnuts
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Baked Chocolate Buttermilk Doughnuts

Baked Chocolate Buttermilk Doughnuts

  • Author: Laura Kasavan
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 minutes
  • Total Time: 33 minutes
  • Yield: 14 doughnuts
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Soft and fluffy baked chocolate buttermilk doughnuts dipped in chocolate glaze! Rich and indulgent, these are the perfect chocolate doughnuts!


Ingredients

Doughnuts

  • 1 3/4 cups cake flour (see note below)
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa, sifted
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup boiling water
  • 4 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Chocolate Glaze

  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F and spray a standard doughnut pan with nonstick spray. Whisk together cake flour, cocoa, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Combine buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla in a medium bowl; add to flour mixture and fold in until almost combined. Gently stir in boiling water and chopped chocolate just until combined.
  2. Spoon 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.
  3. Bake about 8, until the tops spring back when touched. Gently loosen doughnuts from the pan with a small silicone spatula, placing on a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter, allowing pan to cool completely and spraying with nonstick spray in between batches. Set rack with cooled doughnuts over a piece of wax paper.
  4. For the 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. Dip doughnut tops in chocolate glaze, and place back on rack to let chocolate set. If desired, top with flaky salt or sprinkles.
  5. Doughnuts taste best the first day – store leftover doughnuts at room temperature and warm briefly before serving. To freeze, wrap unglazed doughnuts in foil or plastic wrap and transfer to a freezer bag. Freeze for up 2 months. Thaw doughnuts still wrapped (to prevent condensation). Place thawed doughnuts on a wire rack and glaze as directed.


Notes

The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products I use and love!

To make your own cake flour: For every 1 cup of cake flour, place 2 tablespoons cornstarch in an empty 1-cup measure, then top up with all-purpose flour. Sift the mixture several times to evenly distribute the cornstarch.

To freeze: Wrap unglazed doughnuts in foil or plastic wrap and transfer to a freezer bag. Freeze for up 2 months. Thaw doughnuts still wrapped (to prevent condensation). Place thawed doughnuts on a wire rack and glaze as directed.

Keywords: Chocolate Doughnuts, Donuts, Chocolate, Baked Doughnuts

Craving more baked doughnuts?

Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts
Baked Cherry Doughnuts
Baked Maple Doughnuts

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10 Comments

    1. 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.

  1. 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

    ★★★★★

  2. These are excellent. The crumb is moist and tender. My doughnuts weren’t fluffy and I was happy that they weren’t. I didn’t want a cupcake texture. Not all of the chopped chocolate melted when the boiling water was added. I’m not sure if it’s supposed to, but the little chunks of chocolate added to the flavor. I made my own cake flour following the recipe instructions, and subbed whole milk + lemon juice for the buttermilk. I added a pinch of cinnamon, and will add instant espresso the next time I make these to boost the chocolate flavor. 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!

    ★★★★★

  3. I think I’ll have to freeze most of these! Should I leave off the Glaze if I’m freezing them? Thank you.

    1. Hi Janet! Yes, freezing without the glaze is probably best. I double wrapped half the batch (unglazed) in foil, then popped it into a freezer bag. When you’re ready to thaw, let them thaw out still wrapped (to prevent condensation from forming on the doughnut). Once thawed, place on a wire rack and glaze as directed. Hope that helps! 🙂

  4. I found a very sad looking doughnut recipe buried on my blog from nearly a decade ago! Yours are definitely more enticing! I’m going to have to dust off my pan, LOL!