These Baked Chocolate Glazed Donuts are a classic vanilla donut dipped in a rich and shiny chocolate ganache. Quick, easy, and delicious, you can have these in your mouth in about 30 minutes! This recipe makes 6 fluffy donuts, but can be easily doubled (or tripled!) to satisfy everyone's sweet tooth!
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This recipe for Baked Chocolate Glazed Donuts are my way of recreating my favorite chocolate glazed donuts from DD. You know the ones. Light and airy, dipped in shiny chocolate, and sprinkled with sprinkles du jour - hearts for Valentine's Day, shamrocks for St. Patty's, etc.
I decided to change them up with a baked vanilla donut because we don't always want to work with yeast or hot oil at 7 a.m., right? So, an easy vanilla donut batter is piped into a donut pan and dipped in the easiest chocolate ganache then sprinkled with happiness. Hello. Welcome to donut heaven.
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❤️ What you'll love about these donuts
- Easy - These baked donuts are so simple to make. Just whisk the wet ingredients and mix the dry ingredients, then combine.
- Quick - Pipe into the donut pan (you can use a zip top bag) and then they bake in less than 10 minutes.
- Fun - Add a few tablespoons of sprinkles to your batter for the perfect birthday breakfast donut! Candles optional.
- Customizable - Add a different glaze or toppings to make these your own!
- Flexible - This Baked donut recipe is so easy to double or triple for potlucks or parties!
Ingredients
It might look like a lot of stuff, but the ingredients are similar to a basic muffin recipe and the chocolate ganache is just 2 ingredients!
See recipe card below for quantities.
Chocolate lover? Try a nice hot cup of mocha made with my simple Homemade Mocha Mix. Great for a quick cup without having to leave the house, it also makes a great gift for coffee lovers! Just stir into hot water or milk for a perfect cup anytime!
Substitutions
Here are a few ways to make sure you can be putting a fluffy chocolate glazed donut in your mouth:
- Sour cream - In place of the sour cream, you can use an equal amount of Greek yogurt. You can also use plain yogurt or buttermilk, but to maintain the same batter consistency, I would recommend replacing both the sour cream and the milk with either of those liquids.
- Non-dairy - You could replace both the sour cream and the milk with coconut cream, which is thicker than coconut milk. It has the richness and fat that the combo ofsour cream and milk have and it will give your donuts a delightful light coconut flavor. You could also just replace the milk portion with any of your choice of plant based milks.
- Chocolate allergy - If you are allergic to chocolate, you can replace it with white chocolate for the ganache, or skip it altogether and dip your baked donuts in cinnamon sugar. Yum!
Variations
These Baked Vanilla Donuts are the Swiss Army knife of donuts. Here are just a few examples of their versatility:
- Chocolate Chocolate - Would you like to turn these into chocolate chocolate glazed donuts? Replace ¼ cup of your flour with ¼ cup of cocoa powder and continue the recipe as written. So easy to be so chocolaty!
- Valentine's Donuts - Replace 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of freeze dried strawberry powder for a chocolate covered strawberry vibe. If you want a pink color, add a couple drops of red food coloring to your batter. I'll never judge your Barbie instincts.
- Coconut - My second favorite donut flavor is a vanilla donut dipped in chocolate and then covered in shredded coconut. Trust me on this.
- Donut Muffins - No donut pan? No problem! This recipe can also be made in a muffin pan. Just dip the tops of your muffins into the ganache and you are set!
Equipment
In order to make baked donuts, you kinda have to have a donut pan. I've used my Wilton donut pan for years and it's the one I recommend. That being said, even though your pan says it's nonstick - don't believe it. I have yet to meet a donut pan that wasn't a liar. Can't trust 'em. Spray your donut pan generously just before filling them with batter, then wipe the excess from around the donut wells so it doesn't burn.
Instructions
Making these chocolate glazed donuts is so simple. You mix the wet and dry ingredients separately and then combine, just like muffins.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F
In a small bowl, combine your flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda, along with kosher salt.
Step 2: In the microwave, melt butter in a small measuring cup. Add one tablespoon of vegetable oil to cool. Whisk together sour cream, milk, egg, and vanilla. Continue whisking while you add in melted and cooled butter/oil combo.
Step 3: Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Transfer to a piping bag or zip top bag for piping. Generously spray your donut pan with nonstick spray.
Step 4: Cut the tip off of your piping bag (or corner of zipper bag) and squeeze to portion batter into each of the wells of your donut pan. Fill each about ¾ full. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden and they spring back when you touch them. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool while you make your ganache.
Step 5: Place chocolate in a medium microwave safe bowl. Heat heavy cream to just under boiling, about 30 to 35 seconds if using a microwave. Pour cream over the chocolate and cover bowl with a plate for 5 minutes.
Step 6: Begin by slowly whisking from the center of the bowl, and then continue whisking around to the edges, until the mixture is smooth, well mixed, and shiny. If all of the chocolate chips don't melt in, microwave everything for 10 seconds, stirring after heating, until completely combined.
Step 7: Dip your donut into the chocolate ganache, twirling in the chocolate to cover. Lift and swirl around to allow excess chocolate to drip off. Place on wire rack and finish with the remaining donuts, then lick your fingers. Oh, like you weren't going to do it anyway 🙄
Step 8: While the ganache is still wet, sprinkle with your choice of topping, if you like. If you don't like traditional sprinkles, you can also top with coconut flakes or chopped nuts, or nothing if you just want a donut in a tuxedo.
Step 9: Take a quality control bite. It's the responsible thing to do.
Ganache tips and tricks
If you've eaten enough chocolate chip cookies in your life, you've probably noticed that most chocolate chips keep their shape when baked. That's because manufacturers add stabilizer to keep chips... well, chippy. For that reason, they aren't always the best ingredient for making ganache.
For the smoothest and creamiest chocolate ganache, you should use a high quality chocolate and chop it up, but not everyone can afford that. Just get the best chocolate chips that you can. I find that pouring hot (not boiling) cream over chocolate chips in a bowl and covering them for at least 2 minutes, up to 5 minutes, helps to break down the stabilizers and give you a smoother ganache.
Sometimes when making a chocolate ganache, the consistency might be thicker or thinner than you like. To use it as a chocolate glaze you want it to be runny, but thicker than heavy cream. Kind of like the consistency of melted ice cream.
If your chocolate glaze is too thick, add a couple tablespoons more hot heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, stirring between to check. If it is too thin, try adding a couple tablespoons more chocolate chips or chopped chocolate and stirring in. If they don't melt, microwave the entire bowl for about 10 seconds, then stir in.
How 'bout them apples? If you love donuts, try my easy Baked Apple Cider Donuts. Instead of boiling down apple cider to a syrup, these are made with inexpensive apple cider drink pouches and apple juice. All the flavor and none of the fuss!
Recipe FAQ's
This recipe only makes 6 donuts, but if you can't finish them off, store in a semi-airtight container for up to 24 hours. If the container is too airtight, the ganache will sweat (moisture droplets will form on top). Place in a container and keep the lid a little bit open for excess moisture to vent.
While boiling cream would certainly melt your chocolate faster, you also run the risk of burning the chocolate or scalding it so that the fat separates and breaks your ganache. Heat your heavy cream just to where it is steaming and beginning to bubble along the edges. No more.
If you just made the ganache and it is still warm, adding some more chopped chocolate (not chips) can smooth it out. You can also add another 2 tablespoons of very hot (not boiling) heavy cream or milk while whisking. Continue to whisk until smooth. Last resort: get in there with an immersion blender, keeping it below the surface to avoid adding air bubbles.
Yes you can. Place chopped chocolate or chocolate chips in the bowl of your food processor. Heat up your heavy cream until very hot (not boiling). Turn on your food processor and pour the heavy cream in through the opening on top. Process just until it comes together. DOn't overprocess or you risk it breaking or introducing air bubbles.
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I appreciate you!
-Cynthia
📖 Recipe
Baked Chocolate Glazed Donuts
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
Wet Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 tablespoon. vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate Glaze
- 4 ounces chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- Sprinkles optional for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° and spray your donut pan with nonstick spray. In a medium bowl, whisk to combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda and salt.
- Melt butter. Add vegetable oil to help it to cool.
- In large bowl, whisk together egg, milk, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth. Continue whisking while you add cooled butter/ oil combination. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and fold until just combined.
- Place batter into a piping bag or a large zip top bag.
- Snip the tip or corner from your piping bag or zip top bag. Portion your batter into donut pan, filling each well about ¾ of the way full.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the tops appear dry and they bounce back when you poke them. Let cool 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool
- While the donuts are cooling, place chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Using a microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup, heat the heavy whipping cream for 30 to 40 seconds, until hot but not boiling. Pour heavy cream all over the chocolate chips and cover the bowl with a plate to keep the heat in. Let sit for five minutes.
- Remove the plate and stir the chocolate chips and heavy cream together until smooth. It will look like it won't combine, and then it will!
- Dip donuts into the chocolate glaze and rotate to allow excess to drip off. Place back on rack and add sprinkles, if desired. Let chocolate set for at least 10 minutes if you don’t want messy hands. Just eat them if you don’t care.
Save This Recipe! 💌
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later, plus you'll get great new recipes from me every week!
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