Chocolate Frosted Donuts

These chocolate frosted donuts are incredibly light & fluffy, perfectly moist, topped with the BEST chocolate glaze, and of course, sprinkles! This recipe is an easy alternative to a deep-fried donut – a simple but delicious breakfast treat!

This recipe is an easy one, so you can have these beautifully fluffy and moist chocolate frosted donuts in no time. No mixer is required, making for easy clean-up, so it’s easy to make these in the morning for breakfast! Plus, the chocolate frosting makes the donuts exxxxtra delicious!

Why you’ll love these chocolate frosted donuts

• No fuss recipe. I love a recipe that only requires a bowl and a whisk! This chocolate frosted donut recipe has simple steps & minimal clean-up, so it’s easy to make these for breakfast!
• Easy donut alternative. Most donuts are deep fried (I love a deep fried donut), but sometimes you don’t want to do all that extra work! Baked donuts are yummy and can be made in less than 30 minutes!
• Perfect for chocolate lovers. The fluffy chocolate donut and silky chocolate frosting are unbelievably addicting! If you’re a chocolate lover like me, these will be on repeat in your kitchen!

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter: unsalted butter is preferred so we know exactly how much salt we’re adding to the recipe.
• Sugar: a combination of brown sugar & granulated sugar are used in these donuts for flavor & moisture.
• Eggs: add moisture & act as a binding ingredient.
• Yogurt & milk: both of these ingredients add moisture to the batter. I like to use whole milk and full fat greek yogurt!
• All purpose flour: preferred for a soft & tender crumb in the donuts.
• Cocoa powder: used in the donut batter for the best chocolate flavor.
• Baking soda: helps the donuts rise.
• Fine sea salt: salt is a flavor enhancer – it is needed in all dessert recipes!
• Chocolate: semi-sweet chocolate (or chocolate of your choice!) is used in the frosting.
• Light corn syrup: corn syrup thickens the frosting & gives it that lovely shine.
• Sprinkles: optional, but definitely recommended! They make the donuts pop!

See the recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients & their quantities.

Recipe summary

Below is a condensed version of the recipe steps. See the recipe card at the end of this post for the full recipe instructions.

1. Whisk dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. Mix wet ingredients. Whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, yogurt, and milk.
3. Combine. Add the dry ingredients and fold together until combined.
4. Bake. Pipe the batter into a greased donut pan and bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes.
5. Make the frosting. Melt together the chocolate, butter, light corn syrup, and water until completely melted & smooth. Once the donuts are cool enough to handle, dip one side in the frosting.
6. Enjoy! Top with sprinkles & let set.

Donut baking tips

• Use a kitchen scale. I cannot stress this enough – a kitchen scale is the only way to ensure accurate results. They are cheap and will make cleaning up SO much easier.
• Bake until the donuts bounce back. Gently poke a finger into the top of the donut – if it bounces back, your donuts should be ready!
• Use a piping bag. Using a piping bag to fill the donut cavities makes it much easier and much less messy! If you don’t have a piping bag, you can also use a ziplock bag with the tip cut off.

Baking in grams

I rely on gram measurements when testing recipes because they offer the highest level of accuracy (and less cleanup!). Unlike volume measurements, which can vary, grams provide a reliable and consistent standard. I carefully test all of my recipes using this kitchen scale, therefore I cannot guarantee the outcome when using volume measurements. However, volume measurements are available in the recipe card.

More donut recipes

Have you tried this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out! Leave a star rating & review below and tag @sturbridgebakery on Instagram so I can see photos & videos of your yummy bakes! Want to save this recipe for later? Tap the heart button on the right side of your screen!