Baked Chocolate Sprinkle Donuts
It’s been years since I’ve made donuts and I don’t know why. But I’m so glad I dusted off my donut pan and am officially in love with donuts again. I went through a kick in 2011 when I first got donut pans and made so many varieties. The highlights were a baked version of a vanilla Krispy Kreme, a donut that tastes like cinnamon buns, and chocolate-peanut butter donuts with a peanut butter glaze and they were so good I included the recipe in my cookbook. But time marches on and I realized that I really wanted a solid recipe for a chocolate baked donut with a rich, fugdy, chocolate ganache. So I got to work developing the recipe and came up with these. It’s an easy, no-mixer batter that comes together in minutes by hand, just like making muffins. A bowl of dry ingredient, a bowl of wet, pour wet over dry, fold together, and bake.
If you don’t have a donut pan, go buy one. They’re 7 bucks. I’m sure you can make the recipe as muffins, although I haven’t tested it. However, I made 6 donuts and 4 large donut holes from the batter, which are almost like muffins, and they worked just fine. The chocolate frosted donuts are soft and fluffy without being airy, dry, or overly cakey. I used both buttermilk and oil to ensure they stay moist, springy, and soft. The donuts aren’t overly sweet, just 1/4 cup each of brown and granulated sugar for the whole batch. Additional sweetness comes via the ganache and sprinkles and I made sure the donuts weren’t sugar bombs to begin with.
I wanted them chocolaty in a nostalgic bakery way, and not overpowering or too dark. Years ago, bakeries didn’t typically make things super bold like you find today with triple espresso brownies with dark chocolate ganache and bittersweet chocolate shavings lining modern bakery cases. Dipping them in chocolate and sprinkles was my favorite part. You could also use nuts, shredded coconut, or another favorite garnish. The ganache is fudgy, smooth, and the perfect complement to the donuts. It sets up overtime and is firm without being crunchy. They’re just what I had been waiting for. Since 2011. Hopefully it won’t be that long until my next donut recipe.
What’s in Chocolate Baked Donuts?
To make the homemade baked donuts and the chocolate ganache frosting, you’ll need:
All-purpose flour Granulated sugar Light brown sugar Unsweetened cocoa powder Instant espresso granules Baking powder Baking soda Salt Egg Buttermilk Canola oil Vanilla extract Semi-sweet chocolate chips Half and half Sprinkles
How to Make Chocolate Sprinkle Donuts
To make these chocolate frosted donuts, whisk together the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry in another. Combine the two and stir until just combined. Spoon the batter into a donut pan, then bake until set, domed, and springy to the touch. Let the chocolate baked donuts cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan, then dunk in the homemade chocolate ganache. Top with sprinkles while the ganache is still wet.
Can I Use a Buttermilk Substitute?
If you don’t routinely keep buttermilk on hand, I highly recommend this Powdered Buttermilk. If you don’t use buttermilk much, but sometimes see a recipe that needs a half cup, but think you won’t use the rest of the jug before it goes bad, so you opt of trying the recipe, then the powder is for you. Shelf stable, keeps for ages. Or make buttermilk by souring your own milk. Add about 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice to 1/2 cup milk, wait 10 minutes for it to curdle, then use as indicated.
Can I Omit the Espresso Powder?
I included one teaspoon of instant espresso granules to bring out the chocolate flavor, and it doesn’t make them taste like coffee, but omit if you’re concerned.
How to Store Homemade Baked Donuts
These chocolate sprinkle donuts are best warm and fresh, but will keep airtight at room temp for up to 3 days.
Can I Freeze Chocolate Baked Donuts?
I bet you could, although I haven’t tried it myself so I can’t say for sure. This recipe makes just 6 donuts, so they always disappear quickly in my house!
Tips for Making Chocolate Sprinkle Donuts
Getting the batter into the pan can be tricky, and I find the easiest method is to just dollop it on like I’m making muffins, including covering up the center. After there’s batter in all 6 cavities, I go around with my finger, wipe off the center, and guide it into the cavities using the back of a spoon. Then I wipe the centers and edges with a paper towel to ensure there’s no mess. If you find it easier to put the batter into a piping bag or Ziplock with the corner cut off and pipe it in, do so. However, I find this wastes lots of batter and is more time-consuming. Don’t fill your pan more than two-thirds to three-quarters full or the centers can baked closed, which isn’t a big deal. Trim them with a knife in order to get a cute, clear, open center if yours bake shut.
More Homemade Donut Recipes:
Baked Lemon Donuts with Lemon Glaze — They’re full of robust lemon flavor, soft, fluffy, moist, and baked rather than fried so you can extra. Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes!
Banana Donuts with Browned Butter Caramel Glaze — Banana bread in the form of soft, fluffy baked donuts and donut holes!! No-mixer recipe that’s as easy as making muffins! The glaze makes them IRRESISTIBLE!!
Baked Chocolate-Peanut Butter Donuts with Vanilla-Peanut Butter Glaze — Soft chocolate-peanut butter donuts are the best of all worlds because you get chocolate and peanut butter in one easy dessert.
Baked Cinnamon Bun Donuts with Vanilla Cream Cheese Glaze — These donuts are what a Cinnabon cinnamon roll that met a vanilla glazed donut on the way to the oven would taste like. They’re soft, moist, and full of great cinnamon flavor.
