These Glazed Chocolate Donuts are light and sweet with a mild chocolate flavor. Coated in a thin glaze, they are the perfect treat! Best yet, they're gluten free, nut free, eggless and can easily be vegan!
If you've been following along, you will know that my kids and I are chocolate obsessed! Unlike my Baked Chocolate Donuts which are rich and decadent, these Glazed Chocolate Donuts have a very mild chocolate flavor and are more sweet than rich. The cake of these donuts is light and airy, making them the perfect light dessert! If you have allergies, you no longer have to miss a Chocolate Glazed Donut from Dunkin Donuts. These beauties are better than the originals!
For more donut recipes, check out my Cinnamon Sugar Donuts, Maple Donuts and my Baked Apple Cider Donuts.
Reasons To Love These Glazed Chocolate Donuts
- Allergy Friendly- These donuts are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
- Soft & Light- These donuts are so airy!
- Vanilla Glaze- Thin but gives the donuts the perfect amount of sweetness; they're just like the Chocolate Glazed Donut from Dunkin Donuts!
- Easy to Make- The batter mixes up with a whisk; no mixer is used at all!
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour- If you have nut allergies, use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this gluten free flour because it’s free of the top 9 allergens. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce and prevents them from falling apart.
- Cocoa Powders- I love using two types to give the donuts a dark color and stronger flavor, but if you only want to use one, use Dutch or Natural Unsweetened. Do not only use Dark alone as the donuts will be too dry and bitter.
- Light Brown Sugar- Using light brown sugar gives the donuts the softness we need to offset the dryness from the cocoa powders and lack of eggs.
- Cornstarch and Water- These are eggless donuts so this mixture helps bind everything together.
- Butter/Vegan Baking Sticks- In this recipe we actually used melted! Make sure to cool it a bit before adding it to the wet ingredients.
- Milk- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non-dairy, use a dairy-free milk of your choosing.
- Vanilla- Make sure to only use pure vanilla extract otherwise the donuts can have a chemical flavor.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How To Make These into Delish Vegan Donuts
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure to use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Only use a non-dairy milk of choice.
For Regular All Purpose Flour
- Use 1 ⅔ cups of packed AP Flour (280 grams).
- Use ⅓ cup packed cocoa powder.
- Only use 1 ¼ cups of milk (295.73 ml).
This recipe has not been tested with some of these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Glazed Chocolate Donuts
Here are the step by step instructions to make these glazed donuts!
Step 1: Mix The Dry Ingredients
Firstly, in a large bowl, sift together the gluten free flour, light brown sugar, cocoa powder and baking powder.
Once sifted, whisk in the kosher salt until everything is combined. Set aside.
Sifting is important otherwise you will have clumps of light brown sugar.
Step 2: Melt the Butter
Microwave the butter in 11 second increments until melted. Set aside to cool.
Step 3: Make The Cornstarch Water
In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the cornstarch and water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
Step 4: Mix The Wet Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, cornstarch water and pure vanilla extract until combined.
While whisking, slowly pour the cooled melted butter a little at a time into the other liquid ingredients.
Step 5: Mix The Wet Ingredients Into The Dry
Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry and use a whisk to combine. If it gets too thick, switch to using a spatula.
Step 6: Fill the Donut Pans
Then, put the batter into a piping bag or a zip top bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the batter into the greased donut pans and fill to almost the top.
Smooth the batter with a tiny knife or the back of a small spoon.
You can also spoon the batter into the donut pans.
Step 7: Bake and Cool
Bake the donuts in the center rack of the 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. The donuts should be risen and spring back when gently touched.
Note: If you gently poke the donuts and a dent forms, they're not done baking. You can also insert a toothpick and make sure it comes out clean.
Let the donuts cool in the pans for at least 5 minutes before taking them out.
Place the donuts on a cooling rack with a baking sheet or parchment paper underneath.
Step 8: Make The Glaze
In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and water.
Step 9: Dip The Donuts
Take one donut and dip the entire thing in the glaze. Do it quickly, you don't want it submerged too long but you do want the entire donut coated.
Wipe the bottom and place on the cooling rack, bottom side down and let the glaze dry completely and harden before eating and storing.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups o flour, however when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape. For this recipe use packed cups or please read the gram amount.
- Use 2 Types of Cocoa Powder- The 2 types of cocoa powders give the donuts their dark hue. Although, if you only have one type on hand, use natural unsweetened or dutch...just know their color will not be as dark as mine. Please do not use dark alone; it will make your donuts too chalky, dry and bitter. And like the flour, use packed cups of cocoa powder or read the gram amount.
- Mix in the Butter Slowly- When pouring the melted butter into the milk, do this a little bit at a time while whisking. This way the butter won't form large chunks in the cold milk. If you have small chunks, that's fine and they will melt while baking.
- Smoothing The Batter- Many gluten free flour batters have a way of staying exactly as they are placed, when baked. If you leave it misshapen after put it into the donut pans, that’s how they will remain when baked. When the batter is in the donut pans, gently smooth the top with a butter knife or the back or a small spoon.
- Pipe The Batter- You could use a spoon to put the batter in the greased donut pans but it is much easier to pipe the batter in. No piping bag? No worries! Simply put all the batter in a gallon size zip top bag and snip off a corner. Pipe the batter into the donut wells and fill almost to the top of each well.
- Making The Glaze- Add all glaze ingredients in a medium size bowl and whisk until combined and smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add more water, ¼ teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. The glaze should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If the glaze is too thin, add more confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
- Let The Glaze Harden- Before storing, make sure the glaze hardens completely otherwise the donuts will be a mess. In addition, make sure you let the glaze harden completely before eating. When wet, the glaze has a very strong confectioners' sugar taste and when hardened, it has a lovely sweet flavor.
Recipe FAQs
Most gluten free baked goods are best made the same day, and these donuts are no exception.
They still taste good on day 2, but they really are best fresh.
No you don't! If only dipping one side, make sure to dip the top not the bottom.
However, I think they taste best fully coated in the glaze.
Simply divide the glaze recipe in half. You'll need:
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- ½ cup plus ½ teaspoon water
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Storing: Once the glaze has hardened, individually wrap each chocolate glazed donut in aluminum foil. Try to create a teepee with the top of the foil so it isn't touching the glaze as much.
Store them wrapped in foil at room temperature for up to two days. Do not store in an air tight container as it makes the cocoa sugar get very wet.
Freezing: Once the donuts glaze has hardened completely, wrap them each in aluminum foil as instructed above. Pop them in a zip top bag and freeze the donuts for up to 30 days. To defrost, take them out of the freezer and leave at room temperature until soft; about 2 hours.
More Donut Recipes You'll Love
Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!
Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @laneandgreyfare and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and YouTube! Enjoy!!!
📖 Recipe
Glazed Chocolate Donuts
Ingredients
For The Glazed Chocolate Donuts
- 1 ⅔ cups multipurpose gluten free flour (I use a gluten free multipurpose flour with xanthan gum already in it)
- ⅓ cup cocoa power (I fill the ⅓ cup halfway with dutch or natural unsweetened cocoa powder and the rest with dark cocoa powder)
- 1 ½ cups light brown sugar , packed
- 2 teaspoons baking power
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, melted and cooled
- 2 rounded tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons of water
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For The Vanilla Glaze
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup plus 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
For The Chocolate Glazed Donuts
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 2 donut pans well with vegetable oil.
- In a large bowl, sift together the 1 ⅔ cups of multipurpose gluten free flour, the ⅓ cup cocoa powder, 1 ½ cups light brown sugar and 2 teaspoons baking powder.Sifting is important otherwise you will have clumps of brown sugar.Once sifted, whisk in the ½ teaspoon kosher salt and combine. Set aside.
- Put the 2 tablespoons of butter or vegan baking stick in a small heat safe bowl. Microwave in 11 second increments until melted. Set aside to cool.
- In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the 2 rounded tablespoons cornstarch and 3 tablespoons water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 ½ cups milk, cornstarch water and 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract until combined.
- While whisking, slowly pour the cooled melted butter a little at a time into the other liquid ingredients.Make sure the melted butter isn't hot because if you pour hot butter into the cold milk, it will create large chunks. If there are tiny little chunks, that's ok.
- Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry and use a whisk to combine. If it gets too thick, switch to using a spatula.
- Put all the batter into a piping bag or a zip top bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the batter into the greased donut pans and fill to almost the top of each well.You can also spoon the batter into the donut pans.Smooth the batter with a tiny knife or the back of a small spoon.
- Bake the donuts in the center rack of the 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. The donuts should be risen and spring back at you when gently touched.Note: If you gently poke the donuts and a dent forms, they're not done baking. You can also insert a toothpick and make sure it comes out clean.
- Let the donuts cool in the pans for at least 5 minutes before taking them out. If you try to take them out too soon, they will stick and break apart into a giant mess. Once 5 minutes is up, use a small spatula to loosen them from the pan.
- Place the donuts on a cooling rack with a baking sheet or parchment paper underneath. The next part is a bit messy.
For The Vanilla Glaze
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 4 cups confectioners' sugar, 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract and ½ cup plus 1 teaspoon water.If the glaze is too thick, add more water ¼ teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. If the glaze is too thin, add more confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
- Take one donut and dip the entire thing in the glaze. Do it quickly, you don't want it submerged too long but you do want the entire donut coated.
- Immediately wipe the donut bottom and place bottom side down on a cooling rack with wax paper or baking sheet underneath. The glaze will drip so the wax paper is to lessen the mess on your counter.
- Let the glaze dry completely and harden before eating and storing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Marcus says
These Donuts are soo GOOD, I make them all the time
Lee says
SO glad!!! Thanks so much!
Allison Zabel says
In the last 17 years of being GF these are by far the best GF donut recipe I have ever seen and enjoyed! Even my non GF family loved them and said they are the best they have had. All the ingredients are ones you have in your kitchen and the recipe is easy to follow as well.
Lee says
Oh my gosh this is so so kind! So glad and thank you so much!
Petra says
Hi Lee! I just wanted to let you know just how much I love your recipes, I always know where to look if I want to make something fun! Being a kid with food restrictions was/is really hard and there are a lot of trashy recipes out there and this platform makes it so much easier so thanks!
Lee says
So kind! Thank you so much!
Jill says
These turned out great! using your foil wrap storage suggestion, these were delicious,and maybe even better, the next day! Thank you!!
Lee says
Thank you!!! So glad!
Nancy says
These directions were easy. The donuts were a hit with my family.
Lee says
So glad! Thanks!
KT says
literally amazing!
Lee says
Thanks so so much!