Baked Chocolate Buttermilk Donuts with Chocolate Glaze
If you’re craving a bakery-style chocolate donut but want something a little lighter (and easier), these baked chocolate buttermilk donuts are the perfect choice. They’re soft, moist, and full of rich cocoa flavor, then finished with a glossy chocolate glaze that makes them absolutely irresistible.
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Since they’re baked instead of fried, you can enjoy them fresh from the oven without the mess or extra oil. Perfect for a weekend breakfast, brunch treat, or afternoon pick-me-up with a cup of coffee.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make: No frying or yeast required, just mix, bake, and glaze.
- Double chocolate goodness: Cocoa in the donut and the glaze gives deep chocolate flavor.
- Soft and tender: Buttermilk keeps the donuts moist and gives them that classic bakery texture.
- Customizable: Add sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, or even espresso powder for a fun twist.
- Quick bake: From start to finish, they’re ready in under 30 minutes!
Ingredients & Success Tips
For the Donuts:
- All-purpose flour: The base of your donut. For a slightly lighter texture, you can swap half for cake flour.
- Cocoa powder: Use unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process for deeper flavor).
- Sugar: Sweetens and helps with moisture.
- Baking powder: Gives the donuts their lift.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances chocolate flavor.
- Egg: Adds structure and richness.
- Buttermilk: Keeps the donuts moist and tender. If you don’t have buttermilk, make your own, add ½ tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to ½ cup milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Vegetable oil: Adds moisture and softness. Melted butter can also be used for a slightly richer taste.
- Almond extract or vanilla: Almond extract gives a unique, bakery-style flavor, but vanilla works perfectly too.
For the Chocolate Glaze:
- Powdered sugar: The base for the glaze.
- Cocoa powder: Deepens the chocolate flavor.
- Almond extract or vanilla: Adds flavor to balance the sweetness.
- Milk: Helps achieve that smooth, shiny glaze consistency. Add a touch more if too thick.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor and balances the sweetness.
Baked Chocolate Buttermilk Donuts with Chocolate Glaze
These baked chocolate buttermilk donuts are rich, soft, and full of chocolate flavor, topped with a silky chocolate glaze.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease your donut pan with nonstick spray or butter. Set it aside while you prepare the batter.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt until everything is evenly combined.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, oil, and your choice of almond or vanilla extract until smooth.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined. The batter should be smooth and slightly thick, avoid overmixing to keep the donuts soft and tender.
- Fill the donut pan: Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared pan, filling each cavity about three-quarters full. Using a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner snipped off makes this step neat and easy.
- Bake the donuts: Place the pan in the oven and bake until the donuts are set, spring back lightly when touched, and a toothpick inserted into one comes out clean.
- Cool the donuts: Let them rest in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the chocolate glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, extract, and salt until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Adjust the consistency by adding more milk if it’s too thick or more sugar if it’s too thin.
- Dip and set: Once the donuts are fully cooled, dip the tops into the glaze and set them back on the wire rack (place parchment paper underneath to catch drips). Let the glaze set for several minutes before serving.
- Enjoy: Serve fresh and enjoy these soft, chocolatey donuts with your morning coffee or as an afternoon treat!
Variations to Try
- Double Chocolate Donuts: Add mini chocolate chips to the batter before baking.
- Mocha Donuts: Add 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder for a subtle coffee flavor.
- Nutty Glaze: Stir a little hazelnut or almond extract into the glaze for a rich twist.
- Sprinkled Fun: Dip in glaze, then top with colorful sprinkles, crushed nuts, or coconut.
Storage Tips
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Lasts up to 5 days, but bring to room temperature before eating.
- Freezer: Freeze unglazed donuts for up to 2 months. Thaw and glaze fresh before serving.
Tip: If the glaze sets too firm after storage, microwave the donuts for 5–10 seconds to soften.
FAQ
Can I make these without a donut pan?
Yes! You can bake them in a mini muffin tin for “donut holes.” Just reduce the baking time to 7–8 minutes.
Can I use whole wheat flour?
You can substitute half of the flour with whole wheat for a heartier texture, but they’ll be slightly denser.
Can I make these dairy-free?
Yes , use plant-based milk and add ½ tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice to mimic buttermilk.
Why are my donuts dry?
They may have been overbaked or overmixed. Bake just until set and avoid over-stirring the batter.
