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.
Charlotte says
I made these donuts today, following the recipe exactly, without the choc chips since i had none. Delicious. Thank you for sharing.
Betty says
I made a double batch of these on saturday and they were gone in minutes!! Was wondering if you have a regular (non-chocolate) recipe of these baked donuts? So delicious , airy, and amazing! And that glaze recipe is a keeper!
renee says
Were do I find the ingredients for the glazed chocolate donuts
Karly says
They’re at the bottom of the blog post, under the last photo.
Rebekah says
Can you use coconut flour in these? Also if so, would you use the same amount?
Karly says
I’ve never tried baking with coconut flour, so I’m not sure if it would work or not.
Kim D. says
Hello Karly I want to make these but I don’t have a donuts pan but i do have a 7 spot mini donut maker….can I make these in there??? If so how long do they cook for….thanks.
Karly says
Yep, they should work in the donut maker just fine! I don’t know how long they’ll take though, so you’ll have to eyeball the first batch. 🙂
Charna Scarpati says
@Karly, I made these this morning in my mini donut maker, it cooks like 2-3 minutes until the green light turns on.
Question though, mine arent as dark as yours. Did I do something wrong?
Charna
Karly says
@Charna Scarpati,
I’m betting we just used different types of cocoa powder. I generally use Hershey’s Special Dark and it has a nice dark color to it. Any powder will work though. Hope they were delicious! 🙂
Karen says
I’ve been looking for this recipe forever! So excited to eat cake for breakfast. So thanks 😉
Morgan says
I am going to double the recipe and make for the bake sale at the kids school Fri. The 6th grade class donates this month. Hopefully they go over well!
Karly says
I bet they will! 🙂
Tiffany says
Seriously the BEST donut recipe. I’ve already made multiple times. They freeze great after baking and glazing, too!
Karly says
So glad you enjoyed these, Tiffany!
Machelle says
I made these for my son who has severe food allergies and subbed the milk and sour cream for non-dairy versions. The doughnuts were delicious and my son loved them! Thank you for the recipe!
Emy says
I made these for my family and they were a huge hit. We all thought they tasted like cake chocolate cake doughnuts from the store and they were so easy. I can’t wait to eat them again. Thanks for the great recipe!
Laura Ball says
In the beginning it says no mixer needed, but then in the recipe it says beat vanilla, etc. Which one do I need to do?? Thanks!!
Karly says
No mixer! Just mix the liquid ingredients together by hand.
charisse says
Hi, great recipe, cant wait to try it! Any tips for if you do not own a donut pan? Thanks a lot! 🙂
Karly says
Sure, just use a muffin tin! You’ll want to watch the baking time, but otherwise it’ll be the same!
Dennis says
Made these this morning in a muffin pan. Didn’t have sour cream so I substituted Greek yogurt… And didn’t have plain yogurt so I used blueberry yogurt. Worked out super well. This was my first time making donuts!
Mae says
Hi. I dont have any doughnut pan, do you think this will still work if i just put the batter in a plastic and make a hole and then make a donut shape out of it? :)))
Karly says
Nope, the batter is much to wet to hold it’s shape if you do that. Just bake them in a muffin tin and call them muffins. 🙂
Erin @ Making Memories says
I just made these for breakfast and they were a HUGE hit! Absolutely delicious. Thank you!!!
Michelle T says
I made these with the hard chocolate glaze today and they turned out great! In fact all the donuts have been devoured by my family. Thanks once again for the amazing recipe. I pinned more of your donut recipes to try in my new donut pan. Ill post the results as I make each donut. My next one will be your cinnamon roll donuts yummy 🙂 You’re the best! Sincerely, a donut enthusiast from Florida, Michelle