This post may contain affiliate links. Read disclosure policy
These glazed chocolate donuts are soft and moist and dipped in a sweet glaze!
I’ve been on a quest to create the perfect chocolate cake donut. I mean, first of all, goals like this are fun to achieve. Even the not-so-perfect chocolate donuts are still chocolate donuts.
Second, how fabulous would it be to have a perfect chocolate donut recipe? Pretty darn fabulous, you guys. Being known as the lady with the perfect chocolate donut recipe is kind of a big deal.
So, I set my mind to it and I measured and mixed and baked and tasted and then did it again and again quite a few times. Finally, I came up with this recipe. The perfect chocolate donut. It’s moist. It’s fluffy. It’s like a chocolate cake, but it’s shaped like a donut which means that it’s breakfast. Then I dunked the donuts in my favorite donut glaze. It gets all crisp and crackly and is pretty much just as perfect as the donut shop glaze.
These are definitely my favorite baked donuts! If you prefer fried donuts, be sure to check out my favorite recipe for those here!
If you’re looking for an easy recipe for your donut pan, this is the one. No mixer needed and it takes less than 20 minutes to get your donuts on the table. These make a great after school snack, too.
Glazed Chocolate Donuts
Ingredients
For the donuts
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup natural cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips optional
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 6 tablespoons sour cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
For the glaze
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
To make the donuts
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, baking soda, and salt.
- In a small bowl, beat together the vanilla, egg, sour cream, milk, and oil.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined.
- Spoon in a greased donut pan.
- Bake for 8 minutes or until the tops spring back when you touch them.
- Let the donuts cool in the pan before glazing.
To make the glaze
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Dunk the donuts in the glaze to fully coat and place on a wire rack to set, about 5 minutes.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
(I’ve changed this glaze recipe up a bit after receiving a few comments that it wasn’t setting properly. It works beautifully now!)
This post contains affiliate links.
Michelle T says
I’m baking these tomorrow but instead of making the icing glaze I’m going to make a hard chocolate glaze and dip my donuts in them. I’m going for an entenmanns type devild donut (the chocolate one with the hard chocolate coating). Karly, thanku for this awesome recipe. I searched through many online donut recipes & this is what I”m looking for. I hope the hard chocolate glaze won’t be too much. I’m using a simple recipe with semi sweet chocolate chips and unsalted butter. I’ll post again to let u know how they turned out 🙂
Karly says
Sounds amazing! I love Entemann’s donuts! Let me know how it goes. 🙂
Ash says
Made these tonight in my donut maker with a chocolate cream cheese glaze- yum! So much better than the recipes that come with it. I didn’t have sour cream so I substituted with cream cheese, and it worked great. Will definitely try again 🙂
Ellen says
Made mine with white whole wheat flour, Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, and coffee instead of milk. Came out magnificent!
Jade says
Thanks for figuring this out!! I’ve been a fan for awhile, but this is my first comment because I LOVE CHOCOLATE CAKE DONUTS!! Making these right now & coffee while I wait (even though its past 7pm!)….breakfast for dinner ????
Karly says
Hope you love them as much as I do!
Judith Q Stewart says
Hi Karly, I’ve been trying numerous recipes for baked doughnuts, so i can bake the best ones for my grandchildren-Emma, Carson,Jack & Carly (the youngest, who ‘loves’ to bake w/ me. used 1/2 & 1/2 instead of milk as had on hand (husband needs in his morning coffee) also when i ordered my doughnut
pan from Amazon (free because i had points) i did not notice it was a mini pan. when I opened package i thought this looks like a pan from my easy bake oven from 69 years ago…i was so disappointed…then i baked through 7 recipes. (hubby loves this part)…THIS AFTERNOON I BAKED YOUR WONDERFUL RECIPE. this is definitely “the One” . thank you for your persistence,patience in adjusting the recipe to be just perfect. made 2 1/2 pans. 8 minutes , and my oven runs hot so i baked at 370′ and they were perfect. Blessings !
Paige says
For the glaze, can you use 2% milk or does it have to be whole milk?
Karly says
2% would be fine!
Maria says
Just made this earlier and it came out DELICIOUS! I had no sour cream at hand so I made a few changes. Thought of something that can make it soft and chewy, I used 1 mashed banana and for extra flavor I added a teaspoon of coffee…thanks for this recipe, my toddler really loved it.
Laurie says
These were DELICIOUS! Instead of glaze I made a chocolate frosting from a Krispy Creme recipe. Chocolate Heaven! Thanks for the recipe.
Sue W. says
Made these this morning in my new mini donut pan. You have to be careful about filling those little holes! I ended up with mini do-muffins. 🙂 I thought these were great. Not too sweet and just right for a perfect morning treat. Thanks!
Melissa says
These look awesome!
Now..Im craving chocolate… =)
Rosie @ Blueberry Kitchen says
Your donuts look so delicious!
Noelle says
These are delicious! I made one batch in a muffin tin and my big family ate it in one night! I am going to double the recipe! Lets see how long this batch lasts! Thanks for the recipe! It is great!
Strefa Smaku says
I’m wondering, are they maybe dry?
Karly says
Nope!
shayna says
@Karly, unless they get overcooked…:(
Rebecca says
I just made these and although they taste fine, they are not a donut. These are basically muffins with a hole in the middle. I am sorry to say, I am disappointed 🙁
Karly says
Sorry you were disappointed! There isn’t a huge difference between cake and muffins and I agree that baked cake donuts do taste very similar to muffins. I love them, though!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
This donut does look pretty perfect Karly 🙂 Can’t wait to try it out!