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If you want to surprise your family with a fun kitchen project that feels like a total celebration, especially when bakery prices are getting a bit steep, these homemade chocolate glazed donuts are the perfect answer. They fry up into incredibly light, airy pillows of dough before getting dipped in wonderfully rich, glossy chocolate glaze.
Making yeast-raised donuts completely from scratch is an exciting, rewarding weekend project that is far simpler than you might expect. This recipe utilizes basic kitchen staples to produce an incredibly light, airy dough that fries to a flawless golden brown. Then, they are dipped in a rich, chocolate glaze that will rival your local donut shop.
Table of Contents
- What is a Chocolate Glazed Donut?
- Key Takeaways
- Ingredient Notes
- How to Make Chocolate Glazed Donuts
- Pro Tips for the Best Chocolate Glazed Donuts
- Variations and Substitutions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What to Serve with Chocolate Glazed Donuts
- Storage and Reheating
- More Easy Donut Recipes
- Chocolate Glazed Donuts Recipe
What is a Chocolate Glazed Donut?
A chocolate glazed donut is a classic bakery-style pastry made from a sweet, enriched yeast dough that is rolled out, cut into rings, and deep-fried to create a light, airy texture. Once fried, the golden donuts are dipped into a glossy chocolate glaze made from butter, milk, and melted chocolate. This glazed donut is known for its pillowy-soft interior and rich, melt-in-your-mouth coating.
Key Takeaways
- Light and airy texture fried in hot oil for a melt-in-your mouth bakery finish.
- Made with simple, pantry ingredients like flour, yeast, sugar, and milk.
- Kid-friendly, fun to make with the whole family involved.
- Budget-friendly, using what you already have on hand in the pantry.
- Perfect for special morning treats with an authentic bakery texture.
Ingredient Notes
Milk – Provides the essential base that dough needs and is used again in the rich chocolate glaze.
Vegetable Shortening or Butter – Gives the yeast dough its signature rich, tender crumb. Butter will also be used in the chocolate glaze.
Instant Yeast – Eliminates the need for long blooming times, speeding up the initial dough mixing process.
Warm Water – Used at a precise temperature to cleanly dissolve the instant yeast and kickstart the fermentation process without killing the yeast.
Eggs – Adds structure, richness, and color to the dough.
Granulated Sugar – Feeds the yeast to help the dough rise properly while adding a subtle sweetness.
Salt – A crucial addition that balances the sweetness and tightens the gluten structure so the dough will result in a light, airy texture.
All-Purpose Flour – Provides the protein structure required to hold the rising air pockets without making the dough too tough.
Vegetable Oil – The ideal high smoke point oil needed to safely fry the dough to a golden brown color.
Light Corn Syrup – The secret ingredient in the chocolate glaze that ensures it dries with a beautiful, glossy sheen.
Vanilla Extract – Provides the aromatic flavor to the dough and the glaze.
Bittersweet Chocolate – Used to create the glaze, melted to provide an authentic, chocolate flavor that balances the sweetness of the donuts.
Powdered Sugar – Is added to the glaze to create the rich flavor.
How to Make Chocolate Glazed Donuts
- Place the milk and shortening or butter in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat just until the butter melts and the mixture is warm. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let sit for 5 minutes until dissolved and foamy.
- Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Add the lukewarm milk mixture, eggs, sugar, salt, and half of the flour.
- Mix on low speed until the flour is incorporated, then increase to medium speed and mix until combined. Add the remaining flour until you’ve used about 5 cups total. Continue kneading for 3 to 4 minutes, adding more flour a few tablespoons at a time if needed, until the dough becomes smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and roll to about ⅜-inch thick. Cut out donuts using a donut cutter or large and small round cutters. Place the donuts on a floured baking sheet, cover lightly, and let rise for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a deep fryer or large Dutch oven to 365°F.
- Carefully fry the donuts 3 to 4 at a time for about 1 minute per side, or until deep golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes before glazing.
Chocolate Glaze
- In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla over medium heat until the butter melts. Reduce the heat to low, add the chocolate, and whisk until smooth and melted.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth. Place the glaze over a bowl of warm water to help keep it soft while dipping.
- Dip the tops of the cooled donuts into the glaze and place back on the wire rack. Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes before serving.
Pro Tips for the Best Chocolate Glazed Donuts
- Maintain the precise oil temperature by using a candy thermometer to keep the oil at 365°F. If the oil is too cold, the donuts will absorb it and turn greasy; if it’s too hot, it will burn the outside.
- Use the correct water temperature for the yeast to ensure it blooms correctly.
- Give the oil time to recover and get back to the 365°F temperature before moving on with more donuts.
- Always let the pastries cool before glazing.
Variations and Substitutions
Classic Vanilla Glazed Donuts – Instead of chocolate, stick to vanilla and powdered sugar for a classic vanilla glazed donut.
Cinnamon Sugar Roll – Instead of the chocolate glaze, roll the hot fried donuts into cinnamon sugar immediately after they have come out of the oil.
Boston Cream Style – Leave the center hole out when cutting the dough to create solid rounds, then fry them. Use a pastry bag to pipe vanilla custard inside before topping with chocolate glaze.
Frequently Asked Questions
Donuts should cool for 15-20 minutes at least on a wire rack before dipping them. This way, the glaze does not melt or create a soggy donut.
Peanut oil or high-quality vegetable oil works best for frying donuts due to the high smoke point.
Donuts are quick to fry; they only need about 1 minute per side at 365°F to achieve the deep, golden brown exterior.
These donuts will be fried without a donut pan. The donut pan would be used if you were making baked donuts.
This usually occurs if you are frying in oil that is too cool; it must stay at 365°F. It is of high importance to track the temperature.
What to Serve with Chocolate Glazed Donuts
To balance out the rich, sweet flavor of these fresh-fried pastries for a beautiful brunch or breakfast serve them alongside these items:
Storage and Reheating
Room Temperature
Fried yeast donuts taste best the day they are made. If you have leftovers, store them in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours. If needed, keep the lid slightly cracked to prevent condensation.
Reheating
To revive day-old donuts, place them on a microwave-safe plate and heat them on low power for 5-8 seconds to soften the yeast crumb back to its original texture.
More Easy Donut Recipes
Sweet Treats
Beth’s Famous Glazed Yeast Donuts
Dessert Recipes
15 Minute Donuts from Scratch
Dessert Recipes
Baked Donuts
Sweet Treats
Pumpkin Donuts
A real, fried pastry takes a little time and patience for the perfect dough, but the process is rewarding and unforgettable. The pillowy-soft results will prove that cooking from scratch is worth every single minute. Enjoy a batch of these chocolate glazed donuts for a weekend treat or a surprise on a weekday morning.
Chocolate Glazed Donuts
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1½ cups milk
- ⅓ cup vegetable shortening or butter
- 2 packages instant yeast, about 4½ teaspoons
- ⅓ cup warm water, 95–105°F
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 5 to 5½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 to 3 quarts peanut oil or vegetable oil, for frying
Chocolate Glaze
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup whole milk, warmed
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (semi-sweet chocolate chips work great too)
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
Donuts
- Place the milk and shortening or butter in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat just until the butter melts and the mixture is warm. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let sit for 5 minutes until dissolved and foamy.
- Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Add the lukewarm milk mixture, eggs, sugar, salt, and half of the flour.
- Mix on low speed until the flour is incorporated, then increase to medium speed and mix until combined. Add the remaining flour until you’ve used about 5 cups total. Continue kneading for 3 to 4 minutes, adding more flour a few tablespoons at a time if needed, until the dough becomes smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and roll to about ⅜-inch thick. Cut out donuts using a donut cutter or large and small round cutters. Place the donuts on a floured baking sheet, cover lightly, and let rise for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a deep fryer or large Dutch oven to 365°F.
- Carefully fry the donuts 3 to 4 at a time for about 1 minute per side, or until deep golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes before glazing.
Chocolate Glaze
- In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla over medium heat until the butter melts. Reduce the heat to low, add the chocolate, and whisk until smooth and melted.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth. Place the glaze over a bowl of warm water to help keep it soft while dipping.
- Dip the tops of the cooled donuts into the glaze and place back on the wire rack. Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Peanut oil and vegetable oil both work great for frying donuts because they create a crisp exterior without overpowering the flavor.
- Make sure the oil stays close to 365°F for the best texture. Oil that’s too cool can make greasy donuts, while oil that’s too hot can brown the outside before the inside cooks through.
- Let the donuts cool slightly before glazing so the glaze sets nicely instead of soaking in.
If you prefer a classic glazed donut, you can swap the chocolate glaze for a simple vanilla glaze instead. - Homemade donuts are best enjoyed fresh the same day, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for a day or two.
