Baked Chocolate Donuts

A donut with shiny frosting and chocolate chips.

5 from 6 votes

These Baked Chocolate Donuts are rich and decadent heaven in every bite! They’re loaded with chocolate chips, topped with a silky chocolate icing and sprinkled with mini chocolate chips. They're so simple to make, no mixer is used at all! The batter comes together with just a whisk in less than one hour! Did I mention they’re also gluten free, nut free, egg free and easily dairy free (vegan)? If you're a chocolate lover, these baked donuts are a must try!

Prep Time25

Cook Time15

Total Time40

Course: Donuts

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Servings: donuts

Calories: 419kcal

Author: Lee

Ingredients

For the Donuts

1 ¾ cups multipurpose gluten free flour (I use a gluten free multipurpose flour with xanthan gum already in it)
⅔ cup cocoa powder (I did ⅓ cup of Dutch and ⅓ cup of Dark)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 ¼ cups light brown sugar , packed
¾ teaspoon salt
4 rounded tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 6 tablespoons of water
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons white vinegar
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup chocolate chips

For the Ganache Icing

2 cups chocolate chips
½ cup milk
1 cup mini chocolate chips , for sprinkling

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For The Chocolate Donuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the wells of two donut pans with vegetable oil.
If you don’t have two pans you’ll have to cook the donuts in multiple batches.
In a large bowl, sift together the 1 ¾ cups gluten free flour, ⅔ cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder and the 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar.
Sifting is important otherwise you will have clumps of brown sugar.
Once sifted, whisk in the ¾ teaspoon kosher salt and combine. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, using a spoon, mix together the 4 heaping tablespoons cornstarch and 6 tablespoons water until until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
Once that’s combined, whisk in the 1 cup milk, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons white vinegar.
Add the wet ingredients and the ½ cup vegetable oil into the dry ingredients 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 ¾ way full.
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 for about 15 mins or until the donuts kind of spring back at you when gently touched.
Bake the donuts in the center rack of the 350 degree oven for 15 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.

For The Chocolate Ganache Icing

Combine the 2 cups of chocolate chips and the ½ cup milk in a microwave safe bowl.
Heat in 15 second increments, stirring each time until the milk is bubbling and the chips are fully melted. Keep whisking to combine until the icing is smooth.
Dip the cool donuts top side down into the bowl of the icing. Immediately sprinkle the tops with the mini chocolate chips.
If the donuts are not cool, you'll end up with a runny mess.
Let dry on a cooling rack with wax paper underneath the rack so your counter stays clean.
If you don't let them dry in a cooling rack, the bottoms will be soggy.

Video

Notes

For Vegan: Use a gluten free flour free from dairy, vegan sugar, a non-dairy milk and vegan chocolate chips.

All Purpose Flour: I cannot test this due to celiac disease, but use 1 ¾ packed cups of regular flour (294 grams), packed ⅔ cup cocoa powder (77.33 grams) and ¾ cup of milk (177.4ml).

Storing: Once the ganache on the donuts has hardened, store in an airtight container or individually wrap them each in aluminum foil. Try to create a teepee with the top of the foil so it isn't touching the icing as much. Keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Take out of the fridge 1 hour before eating or warm in the microwave for 5-10 seconds, being careful not to burn yourself.

Freezing: Once the frosting has hardened, individually wrap each donut in aluminum foil and the pop in a zip top bag. Freeze for up to 30 days. To defrost, place wrapped donuts in the fridge overnight. When ready to eat, take out of the fridge for 1 hour prior to eating or warm in the microwave for 5-10 seconds, being careful not to burn yourself on the hot ganache.

Nutrition: The info below is a generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.

Nutrition