Baked Mini Chocolate Donuts Recipe

These baked Mini Chocolate Donuts are the perfect treat to make for your family! They are simple to make with just a few basic ingredients. No need to spend extra money on store-bought chocolate donuts when you can make this easy recipe at home.

Mini chocolate donuts on a small white cake plate.

Why You’ll This Recipe

  • This recipe is easy to follow and requires minimal prep time.
  • These donuts are baked, not fried, making them a healthier treat.
  • You’ll only need a few ingredients that are commonly found in your pantry.
  • The mini chocolate donuts will be ready to eat in less than an hour!

Equipment Needed

For these chocolate mini donuts, you only need a few kitchen tools. Gather these tools and get ready to enjoy these homemade baked donuts for breakfast or an after-school snack.

  • large bowl
  • medium bowl
  • mini doughnut pan
  • piping bag or storage bag
  • cooling rack
Ingredients to make chocolate donuts.

Ingredients

  • all-purpose flour
  • granulated sugar
  • unsweetened cocoa powder
  • cinnamon
  • baking powder
  • salt
  • buttermilk
  • eggs
  • vanilla extract
  • butter – you can also use a neutral-tasting oil like canola or vegetable oil.
Ingredients to make a chocolate glaze.

    CHOCOLATE GLAZE

    • chocolate chips
    • confectioners sugar
    • milk
    • vanilla extract
Overhead view of mini donuts on a white mini serving plate.

How to Make Baked Mini Chocolate Donuts

Making these mini doughnuts is so simple. Just follow the step-by-step directions below or in the recipe card at the bottom of this post and you will delicious homemade donuts in no time at all. Plus, the kids will love them!

Step 1: Preheat the oven and prepare your baking pan

Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease the mini donut pan and set aside.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients

In a separate small bowl, stir milk, eggs, vanilla, and cooled butter together. Form a well in the center of the flour mix.

Wet ingredients in a small mixing bowl with a whisk in the center of the mix.

Step 4: Add the wet and dry ingredients

Pour the wet ingredients into the well, and mix until well blended.

Step 5: Add the batter to the pan

Using a pastry bag or plastic sandwich bag (snip one corner), pipe dough into a prepared pan.

Mini chocolate donut batter piped into a donut pan before baking.

Step 6: Bake the donuts

Bake for 8-10 minutes and remove from the oven.

Step 7: Cool the donuts

Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before removing the donuts from the pan, and place on a baking cooling rack.

Mini baked chocolate donuts cooling on a baking rack.

Chocolate Glaze

Step 1: Melt the chocolate chips

In a small microwave-safe bowl melt the chocolate chips in 30-second increments, and stir until the chocolate is smooth. Cool.

Step 2: Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract

Add powdered sugar (sifted), milk, and vanilla extract to the melted chocolate. Mix well.

Melted chocolate glaze in small mixing bowl before dipping donuts.

Step 3: Dip the donuts

Dip the top of the donuts in the glaze and set them on a baking rack. Add sprinkles if desired, and let set before serving.

Mini donuts dipped into chocolate glaze.

What To Serve With This Dish

While these baked donuts are great on their own however I love to serve them with a simple protein dish like this Cheddar Egg Casserole or these Hard Boiled Eggs in an Egg Cooker.

Substitutions and Additions

If you want to change these donuts up to suit your tastebuds here are a few different ways that you can them up.

  • Instead of chocolate glaze, you can make a simple glaze with powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract if you prefer.
  • Not a fan of cinnamon? You can leave it out of these donuts altogether.
  • If you want full-size donuts, use a regular donut pan and increase the baking time by about 5 minutes.
A variety of mini chocolate donuts on a cooling rack.

How To Store

Storage – Store leftover donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Freezing – These donuts freeze nicely too. I recommend freezing these mini donuts before glazing them. Just let them cool completely and store them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months.

Sandra’s Pro Tips

Here are a few tips to ensure that these donuts turn out perfectly for you every time that you make them.

  • Make sure that you grease or spray your donut pan well with nonstick cooking spray. I prefer to use baking spray instead of regular cooking spray for these donuts.
  • Be careful that you don’t overmix the batter as this can make them tough.
  • Be careful not to overbake as this can leave your donuts dry and hard. So, watch them closely while they are in the oven.
  • To keep the glaze from making a mess, I place a wire cooling rack over a large-rimmed baking sheet and allow the donuts to dip over it while they dry. Placing parchment paper under the cooling rack is another way to keep the area clean.
Two chocolate donuts placed on top of each other with a bite taken out of one.

FAQs

Can I make these without a donut pan?

Yes, you can make mini chocolate donuts without a donut pan. Simply use a mini muffin pan and bake them according to the recipe instructions, but increase the baking time by about 5 minutes. You can use a piece of foil balled tightly in the middle of the pan to help make the donut hole.

Can I add sprinkles?

Absolutely, if you want to add sprinkles just make sure to add them with the glaze is still wet.

Can I use dark chocolate chips?

Yes, if you prefer to use dark chocolate feel free to use it for your glaze.

Chocolate donuts dipped in a chocolate glaze.

Other Delicious Donut Recipes You May Enjoy

Mini chocolate donuts on a small white cake plate.

Baked Mini Chocolate Donuts With Chocolate Glaze

Bite-size itty-bitty baked donuts adorned with chocolate glaze, and then topped with sprinkles. Delicious brunch idea or snack for any time.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 36 donuts
Calories: 69kcal
Author: Sandra Shaffer

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter, cooled

Chocolate Glaze

  • 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips
  • 1 cup confectoners sugar sifted
  • 1-3 Tablespoons milk depending on how thin/thick you want the frosting to be
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Sprinkles for topping

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease the donut pan, and set aside.
  • In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Form a well in the center of the flour mixture.
  • In a separate small bowl, stir milk, eggs, vanilla, and butter together. Pour into the center of the dry ingredients and mix until well blended.
  • Using a pastry bag or plastic sandwich bag, pipe dough into the prepared pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
  • Allow the donuts to cool for about 5 minutes before removing the donuts from the pan and placing them on a cooling rack.
  • Chocolate Glaze
  • In a microwave-safe bowl melt the chocolate chips in 30-second increments until the chocolate is smooth.
  • Add the confectioners sugar, and vanilla extract to the melted chocolate. Add milk to reach the desired consistency.
  • Dip donuts in the glaze and place them on a baking rack. Add sprinkles if desired and let set before serving.

Notes

  • Make sure that you grease or spray your donut pan well with nonstick cooking spray. I prefer to use baking spray instead of regular cooking spray for these donuts.
  • Be careful that you don’t overmix the batter as this can make them tough.
  • Be careful not to overbake as this can leave your donuts dry and hard. So, watch them closely while they are in the oven.
  • To keep the glaze from making a mess, I place a wire cooling rack over a large-rimmed baking sheet and allow the donuts to dip over it while they dry. Placing parchment paper under the cooling rack is another way to keep the area clean.

Nutrition

Serving: 3donuts | Calories: 69kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 50mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 0.001mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

Disclaimer

Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators. All content within this site is not intended as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise.

The chocolate glaze is an Alton Brown recipe.

Hugs Sandra Signature

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15 Comments

    1. You just gave me reason to break out that mini pan! I was wondering what to give a neighbor for watching our cats. I think I’ll make a little donut gift basket with some other goodies too!

  1. I love tiny food! 🙂 I have mini baking pans also and love them so much. My mom was looking for them recently and was having a hard time finding them so I got sneaky and ordered them for her now she’s baking lots of baby donuts too!

    I love your glazing idea with the grenadine. When you said that, my mind went in all different kinds of ways to make these using booze 🙂

    1. That was so nice of you to surprise your mom like that! Mini everything is so fun to play with. Oh, yes…boozy flavors would be fabulous 🙂

  2. Sandra these are adorable! Did your calorie counting include the toppings? I’ve not yet bought a donut pan because they always seem expensive & I’m looking to catch a sale but you’ve made me waaaaaant one even more!

    1. Do you live near a Michael’s craft store? It was $9.99, and they always have coupons for 40% off one item. You NEED this 🙂 The calories do include the almond glaze topping, but not the chocolate. I’ll have to see what the chocolate brings the calorie count to.