Baked Chocolate Sprinkle Donuts with Chocolate Ganache — Making donuts at home is as easy as making muffins! These chocolate sprinkle donuts are baked rather than fried so you can have seconds, of course!
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.
Pin This Recipe
Baked Chocolate Donuts with Chocolate Ganache and Sprinkles
Making donuts at home is as easy as making muffins! These chocolate sprinkle donuts are baked rather than fried so you can have seconds, of course!
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- heaping 1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso coffee granules, optional but recommended
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup half-and-half or cream
- sprinkles, for garnishing
Instructions
For the Donuts:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray donut pan(s) very well with cooking spray; set aside. I used this donut pan and this donut hole pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, add first 8 ingredients (through optional salt) and whisk well to incorporate. Make sure there are no large lumps of cocoa powder.
- In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, add remaining 4 ingredients (through vanilla) and whisk to incorporate.
- Pour wet mixture over dry, folding to incorporate; don’t overmix. Batter is extremely thick but comes together with patience. If yours is absolutely not coming together, add a splash of buttermilk until it combines.
- Spoon batter into donut pan, making sure that cavities are not filled more than 3/4-full or the donuts will bake with the center closed together. *
- Bake donuts until they’re done, about 11 to 13 minutes, depending on how full the cavities were filled and how many pans are in the oven at once. When done, donuts should be set, domed, springy to the touch, and bounce back when touched, like a muffin. They should test clean with a toothpick, or with a few fudgy moist crumbs but no batter. Don’t overbake; it’s easy to do with chocolate (dark) items but just 1-2 minutes extra will make them overly dry.
- Allow donuts to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before removing. While the donuts cool, make the ganache.
For the Chocolate Ganache:
- Place chocolate chips in a shallow, medium, microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1 minute on high power to melt. Chips will be soft and starting to lose their shape, but won’t likely have melted, that’s okay; set aside.
- In a small microwave bowl or measuring cup, add the cream and heat until it just begins to bubble but isn’t boiling, about 20 seconds on high power.
- Pour the cream over the chocolate chips, let stand 1 minute, and whisk to combine. Mixture may resist combining and smoothing out, but keep whisking, and it will come together. If struggling, heat for 15-seconds and whisk again.
- After chocolate mixture is smooth, dip the donuts into it, one-by-one. I like a thick chocolate layer and really smoosh the donut into the chocolate, then carefully lift out so as not to tear it.
- After dipping each, garnish generously with sprinkles. Repeat for all donuts/donut holes.
Notes
- *I find the easiest method to get the batter into the donut pan 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. Smoothing it with the back of a spoon can help guide it into place. Before baking, 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.
- Donuts are best warm and fresh, but will keep airtight at room temp for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 215Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 171mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 1gSugar: 13gProtein: 4g
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.
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.
I made this and even subbed in for the buttermilk with milk+lemon juice and these were SO good, definitely recommend :)
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad these were a hit and that you were able to work it out without actual buttermilk!
Hi Averie. I’m a huge huge fan of yours. Your recipes are always on spot. I’ve made choclate ganache cake quite a few times now following your recipe and it always turned out great. Everybody loved it.
On the other hand, Can I use heavy cream (35%) for the ganache ?
Yes you can, your ganache will just set up thicker and firmer since there is a higher fat percentage to it. It likely will be thicker too when you’re spreading it.
Glad you’re loving my recipes!
I used Folgers Instant coffee granules in the chocolate donuts. Unfortunately my donuts had hard crunchy granules that didn’t dissolve, next time I will dissolve them in a Tablespoon of boiling water and use a Tablespoon less buttermilk. Otherwise, these donuts were excellent and I will definitely make them again :)
I have never used Folgers Instant coffee granules so can’t speak to how well, or not well, they dissolve. Sounds like not so well. I use very, very fine instant espresso granules that is this brand with the green cap, Medagalio del Oro.
https://www.google.com/search?q=instant+espresso+granules&espv=2&biw=2110&bih=1276&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwie_Nqd8prKAhUB72MKHXz-BQcQsAQIPA
I find it for about $3.99 per jar at most local supermarkets.
Try that when you remake the donuts!
Can i substitute the cream for greek yogurt?
I haven’t tried it that way so can’t say for sure what effect it will have.
I’ve made doughnuts a few times previously but they’ve always turned out very heavy – did you find that these turned out light and fluffy like a traditional doughnut?
Sydney Sun
For the Love of Baking
http://Www.forloveofbaking.com
Baked and fried are different and as baked go, these are nice and light. I think fried will always be ‘lighter’ but they are, well, fried in grease :) So you have to sort of weigh that!
Wonderful, thanks for the reply!
Sydney
http://www.forloveofbaking.com
I made these yesterday and they are delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
I made 6 regular sized doughnuts and then a dozen mini doughnuts!
That’s great that you made reg and mini sized donuts and so glad you enjoyed them!
Oh goodness, I have been craving a good chocolate donut lately! This looks divine, that ganache is the perfect touch :)
Oh my goodness. Chocolate ganache on chocolate donuts?? I am so so sold. I want one of these right now! And powdered buttermilk? So smart!
Really, you can do no wrong when donut pans are involved. Sadly, mine is getting a little TOO dusty for my liking so looks like I’ll be whipping these up shortly :) and who can resist the chocolate ganache and sprinkle overload!?
Sprinkles and chocolate are the best way to go when making donuts. These look awesome and now I feel the need to get my dust covered donut pan out and get my bake on!!! Pinning!
Thanks for pinning! And yea I had to dust mine off too :) I just sent you a board invite, too.
These look so good! Who doesn’t love a donut!
http://www.laramealor.com/woot-woot-wednesday-its-all-about-moderation/
Oh my gosh, amazing photos as usual! Something about the way you photograph desserts makes my sweets-loving heart beat a little bit faster. So pretty!
Thank you :)
Oh my gosh!! These are beautiful Averie!! I need to get a donut pan. The sprinkles are a perfect touch and I would just love to start any day with a few of these.
I’m not even the biggest donut fan but I won’t be able to say no to this double chocolate version! Love the colorful sprinkles on top. We do eat with our eyes first and that alone is making me want this :)
I need to get a donut pan and try these – I love that you linked a much cheaper donut pan because the ones here can be upwards of 20 euros! I love that you reduced the sugar in these so much – win win for me! I can’t wait to make them!
Great & glad that one will work for you!
Yesss, more donuts recipes from Averie please!! Looks like you made these just right :)
These donuts look delicious, Averie, and your photos are just beautiful! I haven’t made baked donuts in far too long either — I’m way overdue. :)
I wish my doughnut pan had dust on it… I use it way too much. These look yummy, another reason to use it.
:)
These are so pretty … I love the sprinkles! I’m very inspired to buy a doughnut pan, which are actually not all that easy to find over here in Europe. I’m sure I could find one online though if I tried just a little harder! Oh, and I love the idea of a savory doughnut like in one of your piccies below your recipe!
Averie, these are SO lovely and my kids go absolutely crazy for anything with sprinkles! I am so inspired I am pinning the recipe and heading over to Amazon to order a donut pan! Thank you for sharing. :-)
thanks for pinning & I hope you enjoy your new donut pan – that’s awesome! :)
I don’t care that I’m a full-fledged adult; I ALWAYS order the kiddie’s chocolate donut with chocolate frosting and rainbow sprinkles every time we go to the donut store. No joke. I’ll nibble on a bit of my guy’s old-fashioned (my second favorite), but I basically cry if they don’t have my chocolate-chocolate-rainbows. So basically… I’m in love with your lighter baked version! And now I’m browsing through your earlier donut recipes, seeing as I missed the boat on those in 2011. I really hope you start baking with your donut pans more; they all look divine!
Glad you like my antiques, i.e. 2011 recipes :)
I pinned a bunch of them! Your “antiques” look a lot better than my first recipes from 2010 and 2011. You have an amazing natural talent for baking and blogging!
You’ve convinced me to get a donut pan, finally! These sound amazing. Donuts are a huge weakness for me, when they are well made and as tantalizing as yours are. Oh my goodness. Can’t wait to try these!
Yes you’ll love playing around with them!
Wow! I just made something pretty similar. Love the addition of sprinkles.
LOL so we can have two?
OK!
And yes, sprinkles HAVE to be on the donut; I just love that texture (ok and the color too).
These are my kind of donuts…chocolate cake donut, chocolate frosting, and lot of sprinkles. Love!
Averie!
I have been following your blog since it was love veggies & yoga and I must say your photography and recipes are incredible. This is the ultimate food porn. I literally can’t stop staring at these photos! Amazing, just simply amazing!
Thanks for being such a longtime reader & for the compliments. Thank god my photography has improved a bit over the years :)
Sprinkles + donuts +ganache – I think you’ve got all the important food groups covered here!
Amen :)
I need to pull out my donut pans too. These look scrumptious.
The donuts look good on their own, but the ganache and sprinkles totally take these over the top! Love!!
i want to make baked doughnuts. these look great!
I have hesitated to buy a donut pan–you know, yet another pan to store. I may have to reconsider. Time to make the donuts, time to make the donuts …
cheap thrills baby, go for it :)
These are the happiest donuts, I love the chocolate ganache and sprinkles!
Happy donuts, love that :)
Your recipes could make me gain weight just by looking at the pictures! I was really surprised to see there really IS not a lot of sugar in these – they look like sinfully rich brownies! I love old fashioned cake donuts. I recently dug out my donut pans & was thinking of making some for the family – these look perfect, because my mouth is watering right now :)
Hope you’re able to give them a try and no, there is not a lot of sugar in them. As I wrote, I didn’t want sugar bombs. They could become that in a hurry, but I was careful they weren’t overly sweet and were more along the lines of a good brownie, chocolaty but not too sweet. Enjoy!
I could have sworn you posted a donut recipe recently….weird.
These, with the sprinkles, totally remind me of the donuts my parents used to get every Sunday after church. I loved those!!
Maybe something you saw on my pinterest feed? They have total nostalgic midwest bakery after-church appeal. OMG YES!!! They are the EXACT kind of donuts I would eat from the local teeny tiny bakery after church! That would sell out of donuts in like 5 mins right after church let out!
These look so great Averie! Love that they are baked instead of fried and those sprinkles are so fun! :)
Thanks, Chelsea!
What a fun treat! You have to love those sprinkles!
Chocolate donuts with sprinkles – who can say no to these?? Look fabulous!! Pinned!
Thank you for the pin, as always! Pinned that pizza of yours – that looked so good!
I have been craving a donut for literally weeks, of coarse, with sprinkles! These look like they would satisfy that craving perfectly!
These look amazing! I haven’t to be honest, I can’t eat chocolate but I was just telling my husband how we should make doughnuts…haha I’ll be checking out your other recipes..thanks!
There’s another girl who reads my site who can’t eat chocolate…omg I feel so bad for you! Well, sounds like you have a good attitude about it!
I recently got a donut pan and am loving it, can’t wait to try these!
LMK what you think!
Oh Averie, these are SO fun! And with those sprinkles – I could have this every single morning, except I would actually beg Jason to bring them to school to share with his classmates because I would really eat them all!
I had to rehome them, stat. :)
i always think I am good on the desserts I have in the house made or what I plan to make for breakfast thru the week but then I visit you and all those ideas float away and I am drawn to EVERYTHING YOU MAKE! This looks great
Well thank you! That’s is quite a compliment :)
Gorgeous donuts, Averie! I could totally see myself devouring several of these for breakfast in the near future! Love love the chocolate ganache and sprinkles on top!
You know what? I haven’t made donuts in forever either. I need to do it!! These are fabulous!
The nice thing is that they don’t make a big batch, i.e. the 4 dozen cookie problem we’ve discussed :)
Love the sprinkles! Oh my am I craving these now :)
Time to dust off my donut pan!! These look awesome Averie :)
And thanks for the pin :)
I have yet to buy a donut pan–but donut holes used to be my Sunday treat in college so either would be fun. I have always preferred cake donuts over yeast and that ganache is to die for! When you mentioned how long it had been since you made donuts I couldn’t help but think how quickly time flies–I wouldn’t have guessed your donut recipes were going back to 2011!!!
I know it’s crazy, right! I was thinking the same thing! Thanks for sticking with me all these years :)
looks like disneyland for homer simpson there are so many fantastic doughnut photos!
not sure if its just the pretty sprinkles or what but ohhh my goodness these look amazing! =) MUST make these!
chocolate and sprinkles can do no wrong.
i’ve never tried making my own donuts, but now i think i might just have to!
What a great excuse for me to buy a donut pan as I need these colourful beauties in my life!
now that is a donut! YUM
I’m SO glad you added sprinkles! They make these donuts so fun :) Sprinkles make me happy clearly ;)
My donut pan was probably one of my best investments. Hmm, I’m thinking I need to bust it out this weekend and fill it with some of this rich batter. Pinned.
Thanks for pinning & yes, bust it out!
Ohhh yeah…what’s better than chocolate for breakfast? Not much.
Agreed!!
I haven’t used my donut pan in a while, but boy, these donuts are making me want to get it out of the cupboard and makes these ASAP! They look amazing :-D
Thanks Colleen! Yeah it had been ages for me and glad I dusted it off!
I totally just impulse bought a donut pan last week! I’ve been obsessed with finding recipes for it, so this is right on time! These look so good, Averie!
No way!! I impulse bought like…5 of them (all diff sizes) in 2011..ha! If you try these LMK!
Oh I just poured a cup of coffee and would so love to have one of these donuts right now…the ganache is my favorite.
Ohmygosh, I am drooling all over my keyboard. These donuts look SO GOOD and I am loving espresso addition…such a sneaky way to make extra chocolatey flavour!
I need a donut pan in my life! I do have an electric mini donut maker that just might do the trick though!
I bet it would work! LMK if you try it that way!
I have two new donut pans and a big bag of sprinkles. Fate? Probably…
DEFINITELY! :)
These doughnuts look fantastic, I can’t wait to try them!