February 27, 2017

Baked chocolate chocolate-chip donuts

It's been a while since I last used my little donut pan (maybe due to the lack of snow days) so I thought it was time to take it out for a spin.  Baking a batch of donuts also served the purpose of helping me use up some of the buttermilk in my fridge. Whenever I buy buttermilk to make pancakes or a cake recipe, I'm on a mission to put as much of it to good use as possible.  
Baked chocolate chocolate-chip donut with peanut butter glaze/icing
Well, the buttermilk went towards a very good mission here.  These baked chocolate chocolate-chip donuts are essentially a fun way to enjoy a few bites of chocolate cake! Handheld, portable, fun, and, most importantly, tasty - they made me glad I hadn't forgotten about my little donut pan.
We already love chocolate chip donuts but hadn't tried chocolate chocolate-chip ones until now, and we may have found a new favorite.  I used Christina's recipe from Dessert for Two and it turned out great; I love the lady - when she says the recipe makes 6 donuts, it really makes donuts!  And they're tasty little things - moist chocolate cake rings imbedded with mini chocolate chips.  The donuts are good enough on their own that you almost don't need a glaze.

Have fun with the glaze! 

Much as I could eat these donuts all on their own, you have to admit that the glaze on a donut (like icing on a cupcake) is half the fun and most people wouldn't want to go without it...so add a little extra flavor, and have fun!  I loved Christina's original recipe of making mint chocolate chip donuts (and I knew my son would love it) but I had a strong hankering to make peanut butter glaze.  Really, there are many varieties you can make by simply tweaking what you add to the powdered sugar for the glaze - it can be anything from a little maple syrup, to cocoa powder, fruit juice, or peanut butter.  It's fun to customize!  
I have to fess up to the obvious: my peanut butter "glaze" was more of an icing. I have trouble gauging just the right consistency for my donut glazes so I thought I'd experiment with making it a little thicker and spreading the icing onto the donuts. Since they are called "frosted" donuts and we're basically looking at chocolate cake here, a thicker icing totally works, right?

Besides the peanut butter glaze/icing, I also felt like making a coffee glaze for these donuts...so I did!  I glazed 2 of the six donuts from my batch with a coffee glaze (pictured on the round plate below; you can tell it's a thinner glaze there).  The coffee glazed donuts were quite popular at my house!
In front, donut with a coffee glaze
And you know something?  These donuts were so enjoyable, they disappeared so fast, and I was feeling so guilty about not making the mint chocolate chip donuts my son really wanted that I made a second batch in the same week!
Mint chocolate chip donuts, with a mint glaze
I'm glad I did!  The mint chocolate chip donuts were much-appreciated by the little guy.  It tasted a bit like you're having chocolate chip ice cream somehow!  And so I've now learned...a dozen baked chocolate donuts is totally reasonable for a family of 3 to enjoy in a few days!

The moral of this little blog post today is this: If you have a donut pan that you haven't used in a while, take it out for a spin and have a little fun.  You'll remember why baking donuts at home makes you smile.  And you get to eat chocolate cake in the round, and with your hands!  

Recipe:

Baked Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Donuts
Adapted from Dessert for Two

- Makes 6 donuts - 

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons buttermilk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (I use a slightly rounded 1/4 cup)
Glaze/Icing/Topping(s) of your choice (see suggestions below)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 6-capacity donut pan.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk the buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla extract together.  Add wet ingredients into the dry and stir together until almost combined. Toss in mini chocolate chips and stir until just incorporated.  The batter will be thick. 

Divide the batter among the 6 donut molds (I use two spoons), smoothing the tops. Bake for about 8 minutes, or until the donuts spring back when lightly touched. Remove from the oven and immediately turn donuts out from the pan to cool on a wire rack.  Glaze and top the cooled donuts with glaze of your choice.

Mint Glaze 
Adapted from Dessert for Two

Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract, 1 drop of green food coloring (optional), and 1 1/2 tablespoons of milk.  Add more milk, as needed, until glaze comes to a smooth, thick consistency.  Spoon glaze over donuts (or carefully dip the top half) and top with mini chocolate chips or chocolate curls.  Let glaze set before serving.

Peanut Butter Glaze
Adapted from Rachael Ray

Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter and 1 tablespoon milk.  Add more milk, as needed, until glaze is a smooth, thick consistency.  Spoon over donuts (or carefully dip the top half) and add toppings, if desired.  Let glaze set before serving.

Coffee glaze
Adapted from Rachael Ray

Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons strong coffee.  Add more coffee, as needed, until glaze is a smooth, thick consistency.  Spoon over donuts (or carefully dip the top half) and add toppings, if desired.  Let glaze set before serving.


27 comments:

  1. I feel so sorry for my donut pan - I never get it out anymore :( But I love the inspiration here! Chocolate is always a favorite and especially with buttermilk. I see we are expecting 80 degree weather later this week - and I bet you'll have some warm days too. Enjoy the early spring!

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    1. haha - I'm sure your little grandson would like a baked donut from grandma! ; ) This weather has been interesting...I have been soaking up the sun and I'm not complaining. It'll hit 70 here on Thursday but it's going to be a wet one. I am glad to make donuts w/o the need for a snow day.

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  2. I haven't used mine in years...this recipe is so perfect. Most recipes I saw online are for 12 or more and that's just way too much for just two of us. Plus chocolate is always good :-), even on those snowless days!

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  3. I'll take one of each please and thank you!! I never bought a donut pan but I always think about it when I see recipes! These sound too good!!

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    1. It's another excuse/way to eat chocolate cake here, frankly...and we loved it. The pan is so little that it's easy to forget about it when you have it. I am glad we took it out for a spin.

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  4. Oh my goodness!!! These chocolate donuts look fab! A perfect breakfast and snack!

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  5. Fantastic donuts and and equally delicious glazes. I love how you've decorated them.I'll have one of each please!

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  6. Hello Monica, even if your donuts look beautiful, I'm not fans of donuts with chocolate dough and peanut butter cream glaze. Not negatively, it is just a matter of personal taste :)
    Btw, my mum was an expert in donuts. The best I have tasted after those of my mum are from Crosstown Doughnut & Coffee Bar in London. They are a HIT, I even made a post.

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    1. I understand...we can't like everything. Funny enough, I didn't grow up eating much peanut butter or liking it much quite frankly...but somehow in the last few years, I have really come to love it. : ) Your mum sounds wonderful, as do her donuts and the places you mentioned!

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    2. I love peanut butter, in Africa, where mum grew up, there was a culinary specialty called "peanut butter chicken". This is one of my favorite dishes, it is creamy and fragrant. Strangely, I'm fond of peanut butter in salted dishes.
      Yeah, like you my mum is addicted to homemade food. She is an wonderful "chef".

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    3. I see...you just don't love the combo of chocolate and peanut butter in donuts. I do love peanut butter in savory dishes, too. Love thai peanut sauce, peanut noodles and the like. That chicken dish sounds wonderful...and your mum sounds like a fun person to be with!!

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  7. These look so delicious! Great idea to break out the pan again! It's been too long since I've made donuts and I love that these make a small batch. Both the peanut butter and mint glaze sound perfect!

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    1. Yes, break up the donut pan. I like to think back on things/recipes I haven't made and just give it a go. These went quick. Have a great week, Kelly!

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  8. What delicious looking donuts, and a great way to use up buttermilk. I know I would love both flavors. If I was a member of your family I would constantly keep buttermilk in the fridge;)

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    1. haha - thanks, Cheri. Funny I try not to buy buttermilk too often and to wait until I've a couple of recipes in mind...but I find myself wanting/needing to make buttermilk pancakes/waffles or some other recipe all the time (buttermilk is good for so many things) so it's often in the fridge afte rall!

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  9. Oh, delish. I love chocolates anything and my daughter loves chocolates and donuts both. So I can tell that we both would adore these donuts. Loved the fact that you baked them.

    Anu
    http://www.mygingergarlickitchen.com/

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    1. These donuts are especially kid-friendly. I love different ways to enjoy chocolate cake. ; )

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  10. Your donuts look awesome Monica...and I love the glazes...I do not own a donut pan...after seeing your post, I am very tempted to get one.
    I hope you are having a nice week :)

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    1. I wish I could swap you a donut for a couple slices of your bread, Juliana!

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  11. I really like baked doughnuts! I bet the chocolate chips are so good to bite into!

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    1. Oh yes- mini choc chips seem to be a must in baked donuts. In my house, anyway...

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  12. Yes, the glaze is half the fun! I agree! love these...

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  13. Think back 5, 10, 15 years, and try to remember all of the mom and pop retail bakeries that existed. In every ethnic Baked comfort food you had the Jewish Bakery, the German Bakery, the Italian Bakery and so on. My dad once owned eight bakeries in various neighborhoods throughout the Philadelphia area.

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