Let’s talk doughnuts. To be honest, they’ve always been something that I could take or leave and not really miss out on. I went years before ever actually grabbing a doughnut hole out of the little box from Dunkin’ Donuts. And even longer before finally trying the chocolate glazed doughnut holes (mostly because they were always gone by the time the box got to my end of the classroom). But as time has ticked on, I’ve learned to become obsessed with certain doughnuts. For example, give me a doughnut from Dunkin’ now and I’ll probably pass. But bring me near a Stan’s and I have zero self-control and cannot resist picking up one of the lemon and pistachio old-fashioned doughnuts.
Mostly, I’ve discovered that I just cannot pass up those cake-like old-fashioned sour cream doughnuts. My mother has always loved the chocolate variety (and approves highly of these!), but if it’s old-fashioned, I’ll take just about any. Cake doughnuts are much easier to make than their counterparts. There is no yeast involved as these get their rise from baking powder and baking soda, and these can go straight from mixing to the oven.
That’s right. The oven. Because for one thing, I’m afraid to try frying doughnuts. Even when my family makes cannolis, I just roll and shape the dough. There’s something about being a klutz that just screams, “Keep away from hot oil!” to me. One of these days I want to try it, but for now, I won’t complain with these baked doughnuts. They’re done fast and you don’t need to babysit them while they bake. (And the cleanup is much easier!).
Now, if you don’t have a doughnut pan, I’d say it’s worth investing in one. They’re fairly cheap and affordable, fit easily into any cabinet, and make it so that your doughnut craving can be satiated in a quick 15-20 minutes. I never used it as often and I would have liked, but these Chocolate Old-Fashioned Doughnuts have entered my life and all of that is about to change.
Let’s talk taste. These have a rich chocolatey flavor and, thanks to the nutmeg, taste just like an old-fashioned doughnut from a shop does. They’re moist and, not going to lie, I may have had to eat one pre-breakfast while typing up this post because I’d been thinking about them since I last had one yesterday.
Note: the way these bake in the pan, the “top” comes out super smooth. Personally, I don’t like that look for these. Old-fashioned doughnuts are all about texture, so I like flip these over so that the bottom is the top. It gives them all the character you want out of an old-fashioned, sour cream doughnut!
The even more exciting thing about baked doughnuts: it’s easy to mix and match flavors! We’ll explore more about that idea next week though…
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 10 minutes |
| Servings |
doughnuts
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- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup salted butter melted and cooled
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs large
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp bittersweet chocolate chips melted and cooled
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 Tbsp mini chocolate chips* optional*
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 3-4 Tbsp milk
Ingredients
Baked Chocolate Old-Fashioned Doughnuts
Doughnut Glaze
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- Place a rack into the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a doughnut pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, dark cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted and cooled butter, vegetable oil, and sugar until light and fluffy (about a minute). Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until fully combined. Add in the 1 tsp vanilla and melted and cooled chocolate; mix to combine.
- Using a wooden spoon, stir in 1/3 of the dry ingredients until combined, then stir in 1/2 of the sour cream. Alternate, ending with the dry ingredients. Stir until the flour just mixes into the batter and is no longer visible. (If adding in mini chocolate chips, add them just before the flour is fully stirred in)*.
- Using a piping bag with the tip cut off or a spoon, fill the cavities of the doughnut pan until about 3/4 of the way full.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the doughnuts spring back at the touch. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before turning out onto a wire rack. Wipe the doughnut pan and spray again before baking the second half of the batter.
- While the doughnuts are cooling, make the glaze: whisk together the powdered sugar, 1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract, and milk until smooth. Dip the bottom side of the doughnut in the glaze (I personally like to use the bottom side as the top for these doughnuts because the texture is much more reminiscent of an old-fashioned doughnut than the smooth top that comes out of the pan!). If you have enough glaze, feel free to dip the top and the bottom of the doughnut in it. Allow the doughnuts to set.
Note: the batter will be thick. If using a piping bag, you may need to cut the end off with a knife or scissors before moving on to the next doughnut. (It fills the pan perfectly though!). If using a spoon (or spoons), you may need to smooth out the doughnut batter before baking.
Store in an airtight container or wrap in plastic and freeze for later.