Chocolate Old Fashioned Donuts

Rich, cakey, and easy-to-make chocolate old fashioned donuts are the perfect homemade indulgence. They have deep chocolate flavor and are dipped in a sweet glaze - treat yo' self!

Making homemade donuts is a real treat. There's nothing like a fresh donut, hot out of the fryer, when the glaze has just set and the donut is still warm. These donuts are soft, cakey, chocolaty, with a crispy exterior, and a sweet glaze for the finishing touch.

If you've never made donuts from scratch before, my detailed step-by-step instructions will walk you through how to make them. This donut recipe is easy enough for beginners, so I encourage you to go for it. The payoff at the end is fresh donuts (and donut holes!) that you made yourself!

If you want to make the dough ahead of time, just follow the "Make ahead" instructions in the Expert Tips section below. And for more indulgent breakfast recipes, try these Gooey Cinnamon Rolls or these Buttermilk Maple Biscuits.

Jump to:

• 👩🏻‍🍳 Why This Recipe Works
• ⏲️ Expert Tips
• 🍽 Equipment Needed
• 🍩 Ingredients You Will Need
• 🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
• 💬 Frequently Asked Questions
• 📖 Chocolate Old Fashioned Donuts Recipe

👩🏻‍🍳 Why This Recipe Works

• Rich, cakey, chocolaty, and slightly tangy
• Crispy and crunchy exterior
• No yeast needed
• Easy enough for beginners
• Fun weekend project
• Freezer-friendly

⏲️ Expert Tips

• Monitor your oil temperature and keep it in the range of 350-360 degrees F. This keeps the donuts from becoming too greasy (oil is too cool) or burning and/or cooking unevenly (oil is too hot).
• If you don't have a donut cutter, biscuit cutters will work as well (if you have different sizes). Or, the wide end of a pastry tip will work to cut the hole out of the donut.
• Be liberal when flouring your work area, donut cutters, and rolling pin.
• Use an offset spatula to pick up your donuts from the baking sheet.
• Make ahead: Make your donut dough up to 24 hours ahead of time. Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to roll, cut, and fry!
• Use room temperature sour cream. This will ensure the right structure for your donuts. If you have time, let your sour cream sit out at room temperature for an hour before making your donuts. Or you could use the microwave to bring it to room temperature as well.
• Don't skip the espresso powder! Using espresso powder in chocolate pastries or baked goods is a secret that a lot of pastry chefs use to heighten the flavor of chocolate. I promise that your donuts won't taste like coffee, but it will intensify the chocolate flavor. If you are caffeine sensitive, opt for decaf espresso powder. Instant coffee would work as well, as a substitution.

🍽 Equipment Needed

• Stand mixer or electric hand-mixer
• Deep-fry thermometer
• Slotted spoon or deep-fry skimmer
• Donut cutter or biscuit cutters
• Wire rack (cooling rack)

🍩 Ingredients You Will Need

For the donuts:

• All-purpose flour - you can substitute up to ⅓ cup of whole-wheat flour here, but your donuts will not be as moist
• Cocoa powder - use your favorite everyday brand for this recipe
• Cornstarch - makes your donuts extra-crispy
• Baking powder - acts as a leavener for the donuts
• Salt - always needed when you are baking
• Espresso powder - heightens the flavor of chocolate
• Granulated sugar - use your go-to brand of sugar
• Unsalted butter - make sure your butter is room temperature (softened)
• Egg yolks - adds richness and flavor
• Sour cream - gives the donuts a slightly tangy flavor and makes them very moist
• Vegetable oil - use your everyday vegetable oil for this recipe

For the glaze:

• Whole milk - you could also use half & half and cut it with a small amount of water
• Confectioner's sugar - makes for a smooth glaze
• Vanilla extract - all pastries and baked goods need vanilla extract

🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions

Make the donuts:

Step 1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder until well mixed.

Step 2. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using an electric hand-mixer, beat sugar and softened butter for around 1 minute. Mixture will look sandy.

Step 3. Beat in egg yolks for around 2 minutes, until mixture lightens and volume increases.

Step 4. n three additions, add flour mixture, alternating with the sour cream, beating after each addition until flour is well incorporated.

Step 5. Transfer dough to a large piece of plastic wrap and wrap securely. Lightly roll out dough to a disc that is roughly 2" thick. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

Make the glaze:

Step 6. While dough is chilling, make your glaze: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the milk, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla until smooth and no lumps remain. Set aside.

Cut and Fry the donuts:

Step 1. Attach deep-fry thermometer to a large pot or deep saucepan, and add oil. Heat oil to 350° F. (try to keep temperature between 350° and 360°).

Step 2. On a well-floured surface, use a well-floured rolling pin to roll out dough to ½-inch thickness. Lightly flour donut cutter and cut approximately 16 donuts and donut holes. Repeat this step with scraps until no more dough remains.

Step 3. Place wire rack on top of a baking sheet lined with newspaper or aluminum foil (to catch the oil and glaze).

Step 4. Fry donuts 3 at a time, about 2 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. (They will sink at first, and then the baking powder will do its thing and they will rise to the surface.) Use a slotted spoon or deep-fry skimmer to transfer donuts to wire rack.

Step 5. While donuts are warm, dip them into the glaze, flipping to cover both sides of donuts, and return them to wire rack. Let donuts rest for about 15 minutes to allow glaze to set.

Step 6. Fry donut holes in batches for about 1 minute on each side. Transfer to wire rack, and dip in glaze while they are still warm.

Step 7. Donuts are always best served on the day they are made, but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

💬 Frequently Asked Questions

Enjoy your week, and feel free to drop me a line in the comments – I would love to hear if you try this recipe! Or tag me on Instagram @maryannehoekstra to let me know how it turned out! Also, if you are enjoying my blog, please consider recommending it to your friends. They can subscribe here.