Baked Chocolate Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting

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With these Baked Chocolate Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting, you can have fresh, homemade donuts in under 30 minutes!

Angled view of Baked Chocolate Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting on a baking sheet.

Easy Baked Donuts

These Baked Chocolate Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting will take you back to your childhood when things were simpler. They are a reminder of just how tasty breakfast can be. This chocolate donut recipe will give you the best-baked donuts you’ve ever had.

Making baked donuts from scratch is surprisingly easy and the result is a soft, chocolatey but not overly sweet treat that you can enjoy morning, noon, or night!

After making these a few times, I am fully convinced that the only way to enjoy a chocolate donut is with peanut butter frosting. It’s an obvious conclusion.

These baked chocolate donuts are perfectly balanced, lightly sweet, and decadent without being overly rich. The peanut butter frosting over the top makes them absolutely perfect all around.

It’s a challenge to eat just one, so consider this your warning.

Even better, these baked chocolate peanut butter donuts are ready in just 30 minutes! And, all you need is two bowls, a whisk, and a donut pan to make these!

Love baked donuts as much as I do? Check out this recipe for Strawberry Donuts!

A baked chocolate peanut butter donut with a bite taken out.

What You’ll Need

These homemade donuts are made with just a few pantry staples!

  • Flour – All purpose flour is best for this recipe.
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder – Sift the cocoa powder to prevent any clumps.
  • Light brown sugar – I prefer the flavor of brown sugar in the donuts compared to white sugar.
  • Baking powder & baking soda – Both leavening agents are used to make the donuts light and fluffy.
  • Salt
  • Eggs – Eggs help to hold the batter together.
  • Buttermilk – Buttermilk produces a soft texture that’s ideal for these donuts. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by adding lemon juice to regular milk or replace it with sour cream.
  • Unsalted butter – If you wish to use salted butter, omit the additional salt from the recipe.
  • Peanut butter – Any brand of creamy peanut butter will work but make sure it’s creamy.
  • Confectioners’ sugar – Sift before adding to the mixture to prevent any lumps.
  • Heavy cream – Add just enough to make the frosting thin enough to easily spread on the donuts.

How to Make Baked Chocolate Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting

These chocolate peanut butter donuts come together in just a few easy steps.

  1. Make the donut batter. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs, buttermilk and butter in a separate bowl. Add to the flour mixture and mix until just moistened.
Baked chocolate donuts in a donut pan
  1. Bake the donuts. Pour into a ziploc bag and cut the corner off. Pipe mixture into greased donut pants, until ¾ full. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
  2. Make the peanut butter frosting. Microwave the butter and peanut butter for 30 minutes. Stir vigorously then stir in the sugar. Add the heavy creamy one tablespoon at a time, until the frosting is smooth.
  3. Dip the donuts into the frosting. Dip the tips of each donut into the frusting, using the back of a spoon to smooth the frosting if needed. Serve immediately.
Peanut Butter Frosting in a glass bowl.

Tips for Success

Homemade baked donuts are surprisingly easy to make – just keep these few things in mind!

  • Don’t overmix. When you combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix them just until all of the dry ingredients are moist
  • Don’t over-fill the pans. The donuts will rise during baking so be sure to fill each tray only ¾ full.
  • How to tell when donuts are donut. The easiest way to tell when the donuts are dough is to gently touch them and see if they spring back.
Baked Chocolate Donuts topped rich, creamy Peanut Butter Frosting and a bowl of frosting off to the side.

Serving Suggestions

Frosted donuts are best enjoyed immediately, when still slightly warm or at room temperature. Perfect for a quick breakfast or enjoy as dessert later in the day. I love a big cup of coffee or tea with my donuts, but a cold glass of milk would go just as nicely!


How to Store Leftovers

Donuts can be stored at room temperature or in the fridge, covered, for up to 2 days. Let come to room temperature before eating, if you’re saving them in the fridge.


Can I Freeze These?

The donuts can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Be sure to wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.

Angled view of Baked Chocolate Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting on a baking sheet.
4.64 from 58 votes

Baked Chocolate Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting

These Chocolate Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting will take you back to your childhood when things were simpler. They are a reminder of just how tasty breakfast can be. This chocolate donut recipe will give you the best baked donuts you’ve ever had. 
Prep Time :20 minutes
Cook Time :10 minutes
Total Time :30 minutes
Servings :14
Author :Jen Sobjack

Ingredients

For the donuts

  • 1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (43 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
  • ½ cup (110 g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
  • ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the frosting

  • 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (120 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions
 

Make the donuts

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease 2 donut pans with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a whisk.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, and butter. Whisk until well combined. Add to flour mixture and mix just until moistened. Be careful not to over mix. The mixture will be thick.
  • Pour mixture into a large zip-top bag and cut the corner off. Pipe the mixture into the prepared pans, filling each donut mold ⅔ full. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the donuts spring back when touched. Allow the donuts to cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Make the frosting

  • Place the butter and peanut butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir vigorously to combine. Stir the sugar into the peanut butter mixture. Gradually stir in the cream one tablespoon at a time, stirring well after each addition, until the frosting is smooth. The frosting will be thick. Dip the tops of each donut into the frosting. Use the back of a spoon to smooth the frosting if needed.
  • Donuts are best served immediately.

Video

Notes

Make ahead tip
  1. Store frosted donuts in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
  2. The donuts can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Nutrition

Serving: 1donutCalories: 195kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 4gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 123mgPotassium: 146mgFiber: 2gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 254IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 1mg
*Nutrition Disclaimer
Course :Dessert
Cuisine :American
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Recipe Rating




26 Comments

  1. I made this recipe at 11 pm CT last nite. The batter was runny not thick. It was pourable into the donut rings I have. I used 4 inch wide do nut silicone pans for mine. I got 8 big donuts out of this recipe. The glaze was so so. Next time I will make a ganache to glacé the tops with.
    How do I make this into vanilla donuts ?

  2. María del mar says:

    Can i use self rising flour instead?

    1. I haven’t made the recipe with self-rising flour before, but I imagine it would be fine to do. Just be sure to omit the additional leavening from the recipe.

  3. Hi there! What’s the measurement of sour cream in substitute of the buttermilk?

  4. Carol Oneill says:

    5 stars
    These donuts were absolutely delicious. The donuts as well as the icing were so good. And quick and easy to make,

  5. Can this frosting be frozen and thawed back out before use?

  6. 5 stars
    So good!!!! I used sour cream instead of buttermilk and half n half in frosting!!! Must try!!

    1. Did you use the same measurements?

  7. 5 stars
    So good!!!! I used sour cream instead of buttermilk and half n half in frosting!!! Must try!!

  8. I don’t have donut pans, but I do have a mini donut maker (shaped like the small George Forman Grill). Though I haven’t used it in a few years. Would this recipe work in this & how long would I let them bake?

    Thank you!
    Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

    1. I’ve never used a donut maker so I’m unsure how this recipe will work in one.