Baked Mini Chocolate Donuts

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Baked Mini Chocolate Donuts

“There is a child in every one of us”.

The “little child” in me will automatically pop up when it comes to donuts. Hey, who doesn’t love donuts? The classic, ring-shaped, sugar-coated donut is my all-time favourite. They were so yummy, and I can never have enough of them.

I have started making my own donuts four years ago. I baked rather than deep-fried them. From then on, I have never turned back to deep-fried version. I love baked version as I don’t have to feel guilty when chomping them away.

“Are they as good as those deep-fried ones?” You may wonder. I would say no for their texture but the taste is equally good. As these donuts are leavened with baking powder, the texture is more like cake. But, I don’t mind to compromise it for healthier donuts.

Hmmm….what should I bake this time?

“Pssst…..how about a chocolate treat?” whispered the “little child” in me.

“YES, I WANT! I WANT!!” (Ooops! Sorry, I’m getting a little too excited here!)

So, here come the irresistible “Baked Mini Chocolate Donuts” – cute, petite, soft, moist, not overly sweet, cakey, chocolatey donuts! HOLY MOLY! They are soooo delicious (seriously)! All the goodness doesn’t just stop there. These donuts are light and not oily as I choose coconut oil instead of butter. They won’t turn dry even the next day as the yogurt keeps them moist. I have skipped the glazing part as I find that the sweetness is just right for my palate. You may dress up these cuties with glaze or sprinkle to suit your own liking.

This recipe only takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. No electrical mixer is required. That’s the beauty of it – a lot less stressful as compared to deep-fried, yeast-raised donuts.

I use a 12-count mini donut pan to bake these donuts. If you don’t have one, don’t fret. I think it’s still doable with mini muffin tins as I have seen some food bloggers did that successfully. If you are going for this option, please share with me the outcome.

I have baked these donuts, not once but thrice in a row. My son shared them with his entire class – 34 of them including his form teacher. He was so surprised to see his classmates dashing out from their seats to grab a bite of them. Some of them even requested for extras! At the end of the day, he made many more new friends (and fans!). Don’t you think these donuts have magical power?

This recipe yields 24 mini donuts. But, it’s worth double the batches if you plan to share them with others. Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge and they can last for days! Before serving, just warm them up lightly, and your teatime snack will be ready in no time!

Baked Mini Chocolate Donuts

Recipe

Adapted and modified from Norpro Recipe

Yield: 24 mini donuts

Ingredients

Donuts in mould before and after baking

Steps

  1. Pre-heat oven to 160°C. Greased the donut pans with cooking spraying or brush with oil.
  2. Combine milk and yogurt in a small bowl. Add oil and mix well. Set aside.
  3. Combine flour, baking powder and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Sieve and set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, beat eggs lightly. Add sugar and continue to beat until foamy. Add vanilla and salt. Mix well. Scraping the sides at least once.
  5. Combine egg mixture and milk mixture with flour mixture alternately. Mix until the batter is smooth.

  1. Pour the batter into a piping bag (note 5). Fill each donut count or cavity until 80% full.
  2. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until when a toothpick inserted into the donut come out clean. Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then invert them onto a cooling rack.
  3. Repeat the same step for the second donut pan.
Step-by-step visual guide on how to make Baked Mini Chocolate Donuts

Notes

  1. I used unbleached plain flour. Do not pack the flour, just fill it loosely.
  2. I used organic raw cane sugar.
  3. Greek-style yogurt is creamier than plain yogurt. But it’s still fine using plain yogurt.
  4. I used extra virgin coconut oil.
  5. You can DIY piping bag with a clean square or rectangular plastic bag. Transfer the mixture into the bag, tighten the opening with a rubber band and cut out a small corner for the batter to be squeezed out.
  6. Use dry measuring cup to measure flour, cocoa powder and sugar.
  7. The baking time and oven temperatures vary depending on the types of oven, so use your own judgment to experiment.
  8. I have skipped the glazing part but you may do so to suit your own liking.
  9. Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge and they can last for a couple of days. Just lightly warmed them up in a toasted oven before serving.
  10. The texture will be slightly dense if you bake the donuts with normal size donut pan.