Easy dairy-free glazed baked chocolate doughnuts (donuts) is a simple recipe for a cakey treat baked in the oven for a lower-fat alternative to deep-fried. Made with simple pantry ingredients, without milk or butter.
Ever get a craving for something delicious and cakey? Baked doughnuts are perfect.
And compared to traditional doughnuts, they're almost guilt-free.
Baked doughnuts not only take a short time to make, but they also have quite a few less calories and a lower percentage of fat content than traditional doughnuts of the same size because they're not deep fried and therefore do not soak up the oil.
And, if you want to give them more of a deep flavor, add a teaspoon or two of dry instant coffee to the batter.
Making dairy-free baked chocolate doughnuts with glaze is as simple as making cupcakes. Make the batter, pour, and bake. Oh, and then add glaze. Voila!
And if you want to save a few more calories, you can leave off the glaze.
Perfect for eating alongside a coffee or your favorite cold drink.
Bring along to picnics, potlucks, or warm, cozy get-togethers.
And cocoa powder has nutritional benefits.
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What ingredients will I need to make these baked chocolate doughnuts?
- all-purpose flour
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- white granulated sugar
- baking soda
- salt
- egg
- oat milk (neutral flavor) or water
- vegetable oil
- vanilla extract (pure or imitation)
- dry instant coffee (optional)
- powdered sugar
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I store baked chocolate doughnuts?
Store cooled doughnuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze unglazed doughnuts for up to 2 months.
Can I freeze these chocolate doughnuts?
It is best to freeze them unglazed. Add the fresh glaze after thawing and warming them slightly for the best texture.
What is the best way to fill a doughnut pan without making a mess?
Transfer the batter into a large zip-top bag, snip off one of the bottom corners, and pipe the batter evenly into each cup of the doughnut pan. Or you can use a pastry bag.
Can I make these doughnuts without a special doughnut pan?
While a doughnut pan gives them their classic shape, you can bake this batter in a standard mini-muffin tin to make chocolate doughnut holes instead.
But they will not come out round but rather muffin-shaped. Adjust the baking time down to 8 to 10 minutes.
Do I need cake flour to make these doughnuts?
No. You just need all-purpose flour.
What type of cocoa powder should I use?
This recipe calls for unsweetened cocoa powder, and in fact, when a recipe simply calls for "cocoa," you would just use unsweetened cocoa powder because if another cocoa powder is required, the ingredients would typically state that.
Why does this recipe call for salt?
Even though salt tends to make foods, well, salty, it actually plays other roles in baking as well.
For example, the right amount of salt balances flavors in baked goods; it can bring out the sweetness of sugar and, at the same time, prevent them from tasting overly sweet. It also can help dull the bitterness of cocoa.
Salt prevents baked goods from tasting bland, while it balances the richness of the fats. It also helps develop flavor in yeast breads and works with proteins to strengthen gluten and make it more elastic.
Salt also slows down yeast fermentation because it prevents the yeast from eating up the sugars too quickly, which otherwise would cause the dough to rise too fast and then ultimately collapse, causing bread to come out flat instead of fluffy.
Salt helps baked goods stay a little fresher for a little longer and helps delay mold from growing on them.
Can I use baking powder instead of baking soda and what is the difference?
Baking soda and baking powder are both synthetic leavens that help baked goods rise, but there is a difference between them.
Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate, which needs another ingredient that is acidic in order to be activated. When the baking soda touches the acid, it creates a carbon dioxide gas, which helps the baked good rise. Baking soda is between 3 and 4 times stronger than baking powder, and if too much baking soda is used, your baked good will end up with a metallic flavor.
Baking powder is baking soda that is already mixed with an acid and a stabilizer and will be activated by moisture and heat. Nowadays, baking powder is called double-acting because it activates twice-once when it gets wet (when you mix the ingredients together) and again when it heats in the oven.
Replacing one with the other can be tricky, and it's not recommended. However, if you have no choice, then do solid research for substituting one for the other for the baked good you are preparing so you don't ruin it.
why do I need eggs in this recipe?
Eggs are made up of two parts: the whites and the yolks (the yellow).
Egg whites are made up of protein that sets when heated and helps baked goods hold their structure. The yolks are made up of fats and vitamins and help ingredients bond.
Eggs also help baked goods rise as well as keep them moist.
It is important to have the right amount of eggs when baking, because if there are too many eggs in a recipe, this can cause a rubbery, dense texture, and if there are too few eggs, this can cause a crumbly, dry texture.
The different parts of the egg will provide different textures to baked goods; using the entire egg in baking will provide moisture and help the baked good rise evenly, using extra yolks will create richer, denser textures, and extra whites will add fluffiness but may create a drier texture.
If I want to swap the oil with butter or margarine, what should I know?
Both margarine and butter are solid fats at room temperature, and both contain more saturated fats than oil.
While margarine and butter will change from a solid to a liquid when heated, they will change back to solids when cooled again. Oil stays liquid at all temperatures. Oil also coats flour better in the preparation process before baking.
Butter "creams" better than margarine, but one cannot cream oil at all.
When converting a recipe from butter or margarine to oil, the general conversion rate is 1 to ¾ (although if you are doing more than one batch, you might need to reduce the oil because I have found that baked goods come out oily in this case).
And when converting from oil to margarine or butter, typically the ratio is 1 to 1¼.
does it matter if I use real vanilla extract or imitation vanilla?
Real vanilla is made from soaking vanilla beans in alcohol, imitation vanilla is synthetic, and real vanilla costs quite a bit more than imitation. Whether or not there will be a taste difference in your baking depends on the baked good, so do some research before you decide.
I personally always use the imitation as long as I have a really good brand because it's not worth it to me to spend the extra money.
Troubleshooting Dairy-Free Glazed Baked Chocolate Doughnuts
Why did the doughnuts stick to the pan?
Even if you use a non-stick pan, doughnuts are delicate. Ensure you thoroughly grease the doughnut mold with oil or non-stick spray, reaching into all the curves.
If you are struggling with sticking, allow the doughnuts to cool in the pan for exactly 5 minutes before trying to invert them; this helps them firm up slightly so they hold their shape during release.
Why is the glaze sliding right off the doughnuts?
If the doughnuts are too warm when you apply the glaze, the fat in the glaze will melt, causing it to run off completely. Always ensure the doughnuts are fully cooled to room temperature before glazing.
Additionally, if the glaze is too thin, stir in a tiny bit more powdered sugar until it reaches a consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
Why is the chocolate flavor weak?
Since this recipe relies on pantry staples, the quality of your cocoa powder makes a big difference. If your chocolate flavor is bland, ensure you are using a good quality unsweetened cocoa powder.
Why did the doughnuts overflow the mold?
You likely overfilled the cavities. Doughnut batter needs room to rise, so only fill the molds around ⅔ of the way full. If you fill them to the brim, the center hole will close up and the batter will spill over the edges, ruining the classic doughnut shape.
Why are my doughnuts dense and heavy instead of cakey?
This can happen if the batter is over-mixed. Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix only until just combined. Over-mixing can develop too much gluten, which turns the doughnuts tough and rubbery rather than light and cakey.
Why are my baked doughnuts dry?
Baked doughnuts can dry out if overbaked or if too much flour is packed into the measuring cups. Pull them from the oven as soon as a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
If you enjoyed these baked doughnuts, try these!
And you should try some muffins!
Easy Dairy-Free Glazed Baked Chocolate Doughnuts Recipe
Delicious and easy, dairy-free baked chocolate donuts with glaze, no milk or butter.
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup oat milk (neutral flavor) or water
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (pure or imitation)
- 1 teaspoon dry instant coffee (optional)*
Glaze
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 6-8 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Combine the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.
- Add the egg, oat milk or water, oil, and vanilla, and mix well.
- Carefully and evenly pour into 12 doughnut wells (two 6-well pans or one 12-well pan), but preferrably not more than ⅔ or so of the way full.
- Bake in an oven that has been preheated to 400°F and bake for approximately 8 minutes or until they have fluffed up.
- Remove the pans from the oven and let cool a little bit. Then carefully remove the doughnuts from the pan to continue cooling (on a wire rack is best).
- Make the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar and water very well until smooth (it should be like a very thick syrup).
- When the doughnuts have cooled, dip them in the glaze and set aside to dry.
Notes
*This will add a slight coffee flavor and enhance the cocoa.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 293Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 164mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 2gSugar: 30gProtein: 4g
