Amazing homemade Chocolate Old-Fashioned Donuts that are fried to perfection and then dipped in a simple chocolate glaze! They’re slightly crisp on the edges, and soft and cakey on the inside!
These chocolate donuts are adapted from my delicious Classic Old-Fashioned Donuts! The batter is made with a combination of sour cream and buttermilk to guarantee a moist crumb and is packed with chocolate flavor with a hint of cinnamon. You’re going to love how easy they are to make!
If you’re looking for more irresistible donut recipes, check out my Chocolate Brioche Donuts, Nutella Donuts and Raspberry Cheesecake Donuts!
Jump to:
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes about all the ingredients used. Quantities and full instructions are in the recipe card below!
Chocolate Donuts
- All-purpose (plain flour)
- Cornstarch (cornflour) – Cornstarch makes the donuts light.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – I used a combination of Dutch-process cocoa and black cocoa.
- Baking Powder – Makes the donuts light and helps them puff up.
- Cinnamon (optional) – This is optional, but cinnamon adds a bit of flavor.
- Salt – Rounds out the flavors.
- White Sugar – Just a bit for sweetness.
- Unsalted Butter – Melted butter
- Egg Yolks – Adds richness and makes the donuts tender.
- Vanilla – For flavor. You can use vanilla bean paste or extract.
- Sour Cream + Buttermilk – I like using a combination of these two ingredients. The sour cream adds moisture and buttermilk helps the donuts rise and gives a light texture.
- Shortening or Oil – For frying the donuts.
Chocolate Glaze
- Powdered Sugar – Also known as confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar. Will help the glaze set nicely.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – You can use natural or dutch-process cocoa powder.
- Milk – Any kind of milk will work, even plant based milk.
- Vanilla – For flavor. You can use vanilla bean paste or extract.
- Corn Syrup (optional) – This is totally optional, but I use a bit to add shine to the glaze.
Step By Step Instructions
Here are step-by-step photos and instructions on how to make these incredible Chocolate Old Fashioned Donuts! Please find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Step 1. In a large bowl, combine melted butter, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla.
Step 2. Add buttermilk and sour cream and mix until combined.
Step 3. Sift dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt) into the wet ingredients.
Step 4. Mix until just combined. The batter will be quite sticky. Do not overmix!
Step 5. Transfer the dough to plastic wrap and roughly shape it into a rectangle. Chill for at least 2 hours.
Step 6. Flour a work surface and roll the dough to about ½ inch (1.27) thickness.
Use a 3-inch (7.2 cm) cookie cutter to cut out your donuts. Then use a 1-inch (2.5 cm) cookie cutter to cut a hole in the center of each donut. Gently gather the remaining dough, reroll and cut out more donuts. Transfer donuts to a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill for another 30 minutes.
Step 7. Remove from the fridge and score a “triangle,” making sure not to cut all the way though.
Step 8. Heat oil to about 370ºF (187ºC) and fry a few donuts at a time. The donuts will initially sink, but will float after 10 seconds or so. Fry for 1 and half minutes on each side and then transfer to a wire rack.
Tip! Make sure to fry these cake donuts between 365ºF and 375ºF (185ºC and 190ºF). If the temperature is too low, your donuts will be oily and taste greasy. If it’s too high, you run the risk of burning the exterior while having a raw center.
Step 9. Combine sifted powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, corn syrup and milk until smooth.
Step 10. Dip the tops of each donut into the chocolate glaze and place on a wire rack. The glaze should set up in about 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Substitutions
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – You can use natural, Dutch-process or black cocoa powder. Keep in mind that natural cocoa powder is not as intensely rich in chocolate flavor as the other two.
Cinnamon – You can substitute with ¾ teaspoon of espresso powder.
Frying Oil – You can use vegetable shortening or any neutral oil such as vegetable, canola or grapeseed oil.
Helpful Equipment
Thermometer – Having a thermometer that can clip to the side of the pot is crucial in order to monitor the temperature of the oil.
Kitchen Scale – It’s helpful to have when measuring ingredients.
Storage
These homemade cake donuts are best consumed on the same day. Store any leftover donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days.
Expert Tips
For best results I always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh all your ingredients as it’s the most accurate way to bake. I like using King Arthur’s Weight Chart to convert to grams.
If you are not using a kitchen scale, measure your flour correctly. Fluff and aerate your flour first, then spoon into your measuring cup and finally level off with the back of a butter knife. Do not pack it in as it will add too much flour.
Use a thermometer to consistently check the oil’s temperature. It can rise and lower as you move through the frying process. Keep a close eye on the temperature to ensure it stay between 365ºF and 375ºF (185ºC and 190ºF). If the temperature of your oil is too low, your donuts run the risk of absorbing too much oil and if the oil is too hot, the donuts will brown too quickly and the center can be uncooked.
Room temperature ingredients – It’s important to use room temperature ingredients as it will emulsify better. This includes your yolks, sour cream and buttermilk.
Don’t skip double chilling the dough – The dough is VERY sticky, so it’s vital to chill the dough before and after shaping the donuts.
FAQ
It’s a variety of cake donuts which are characterized by irregular craggy edges. The batter gets its tangy flavor from sour cream or buttermilk.
A cake donut contains baking powder to help them rise when fried, where as yeast donuts rely on yeast to puff up. The texture of cake donuts are more cakey and yeast donuts are more like bread.
No, this recipe has been developed specifically for frying. If you’re looking for a baked donut recipe, try my Baked Funfetti Donuts!
You May Also Like
Did you try this recipe? Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review below and tag me on Instagram @shortstackkitchen. This provides helpful feedback to myself and other readers. Thank you so much!
Recipe
Chocolate Old Fashioned Donuts
- Total Time: 3 Hrs + 10 Mins
- Yield: 9 Donuts 1x
Description
Amazing homemade Chocolate Old-Fashioned Donuts that are fried to perfection and then dipped in a simple chocolate glaze! They’re slightly crisp on the edges, and soft and cakey on the inside!
Ingredients
Chocolate Donuts
- 2 ¼ Cups (270g) All-Purpose Flour + extra for rolling dough
- 3 Tablespoons (21g) Cornstarch
- ½ Cup (42g) Dutch-Process or Black Cocoa Powder
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Fine Salt
- ¼ Teaspoons Cinnamon
- 3 Tablespoons (42g) Unsalted Butter, melted
- ⅔ Cup Sugar (134 g) White Sugar
- 2 Large Egg Yolks, room temp
- ½ Cup (113g) Full-Fat Sour Cream, room temp
- ½ Cup (113g) Buttermilk, room temp
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Paste or Extract
Chocolate Glaze
- 2 Cups 227g Powdered Sugar
- ½ Cup (42g) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (natural or Dutch)
- 3 to 5 Tablespoons Milk
- 2 Teaspoon Vanilla Paste or Extract
- 1 Teaspoon Corn Syrup (optional)
Instructions
- Make Chocolate Donuts – In a medium sized bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and cinnamon (if using); set aside.
- In a large bowl, add white sugar, melted butter, yolks and vanilla. With an electric mixer, whisk until well combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add room temperature sour cream and buttermilk and mix until well combined.
- In 2 additions, sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix on the lowest speed until just combined. Do not overmix! The dough will be very sticky.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and roughly shape into a rectangle. Chill for at least 2 hours.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and transfer to a generously floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll to ½ inch (1.27 cm) thickness.
- Dip your 3-inch (7.2 cm) cookie or biscuit cutter into flour and cut out your donuts. Then using a round 1 inch (2.5 cm) cutter, cut a hole in the center of each donut. (*see note below). Transfer donuts to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gently gather the remaining dough, reroll and cut out more donuts. I ended up with 9 donuts and a few holes.
- Remove any excess flour off the donuts with a pastry brush. Place the tray of donuts back into the fridge to firm up for at least 30 minutes. This is important as it will make it easier to handle during the frying process.
- As the donuts are chilling, fill a medium to large sized pot with 2 to 3 inches of vegetable shortening or neutral oil such as canola, vegetable, or avocado oil. Heat until a thermometer registers between 365ºF and 375ºF (185ºC and 190ºF).
- Make Chocolate Glaze – Sift powdered sugar and cocoa powder into a medium bowl. Add vanilla, corn syrup (if using) and milk and whisk until smooth. The donuts are not very sweet, so you can have a thicker glaze if you wish. However, if you’d like a thinner glaze, add a tablespoon of milk at a time until you reach your desired thickness.
- When you are ready to fry, remove donuts from the fridge and carefully score a triangle over the top of each donut, being careful not to cut all the way through. It doesn’t need to be perfect!
- Fry Your Donuts – Carefully transfer 2 to 3 donuts into your hot oil, cut side down. The donuts will initially sink, but will float after 10 seconds or so. Fry for 1 minute on each side, then flip and fry for an additional 30 seconds on each side. Donut holes will only take about 40 seconds on each side. Set a timer! Transfer donuts to a paper towel-lined wire rack. Before frying the next batch of donuts, make sure the oil is at the correct temperature.
- Dip donuts into the glaze and set them on a wire rack to set up. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
*Cutting Donuts – Make sure to dip your cutters in flour each time you cut out your donuts. The dough will be sticky, so you may need to shake the cutter to get the donuts and donut holes out.
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes
- Chill Time: 2 Hours + 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Leave a Rating and Comment