Baked Halloween Donuts
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These Baked Halloween Donuts are flavored with black cocoa powder and topped with a simple black cocoa glaze and spooky sprinkles!
These Baked Halloween Donuts are flavored with black cocoa powder to naturally turn them black without the need for any food coloring. They have a unique chocolate taste similar to Oreos and they’re super easy to make in less than 30 minutes because they’re baked, not fried! I topped them with a simple black cocoa glaze and plenty of spooky sprinkles to celebrate Halloween!
Looking for more Halloween treats? Try my Booberry Hand Pies, Black Cocoa Spiderweb Brownies or Halloween Shortbread Cookies!
Why You’ll Love These Baked Halloween Donuts
- Quick and easy – these baked donuts come together in less than 30 minutes without the hassle of frying!
- Kid friendly – kids will love to help bake and decorate these spooky donuts. Most of all, they’ll love to eat them! 😉
- Black cocoa powder – one of my favorite ingredients to use in Halloween baking recipes is black cocoa powder because it naturally turns treats black without the need for any artificial food coloring.
Ingredient Breakdown
All-purpose flour – this gives the donuts structure.
Black cocoa powder – flavors donuts and turns them black without the need for any food coloring. My go to black cocoa powder is made by Wincrest but any brand should work fine!
Baking powder/baking soda – unlike traditional donuts this recipe doesn’t use yeast so it relies on chemical leaveners to rise and get fluffy.
Buttermilk – adds flavor and moisture! Whole milk also works if that’s all you have on hand.
Granulated sugar and brown sugar – sweetens and softens donuts.
Vegetable oil – adds moisture.
Egg – helps bind the ingredients.
Vanilla extract and salt – enhances flavor. Always use pure vanilla extract instead of imitation for best flavor.
What Is Black Cocoa Powder?
Black cocoa powder is cocoa powder that has been super Dutch processed which just means that it has been treated with an alkaline solution to reduce its acidity. This results in a mellower flavor and darker color. It’s actually the ingredient in Oreos that give them their unique flavor and color!
My go to black cocoa powder is made by Wincrest but any brand should work fine!
How To Make Baked Halloween Donuts
1. Make the Black Cocoa Donut Batter: in a small bowl combine the all-purpose flour, black cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2. In a medium bowl whisk the buttermilk, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
3. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
4. Use a piping bag or a zip-top bag to pipe each donut ring 2/3 full. Do not fill to the top, the donuts will rise as they bake.
5. Bake the donuts at 350°F for 10 minutes. Allow to cool in donut pans for 5 minutes then unmold and finish cooling on a wire rack.
6. Make the Black Cocoa Glaze: in a small bowl whisk the confectioners’ sugar, milk, black cocoa powder and vanilla extract until smooth. Immediately dip cooled donuts and top with Halloween sprinkles. These Baked Halloween Donuts are best enjoyed the day that they’re made but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature or up to a week in the fridge.
Pro Tips For Baked Halloween Donuts
- Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate; baking is a science after all!
- Do not over mix the batter after adding the dry ingredients otherwise the donuts will be tough.
- Don’t over fill the pan! Only fill each donut ring 2/3 full.
- If your donut holes closed up while baking you can use a small round cookie cutter to cut out the middle. The smallest ring from this set fits perfectly.
- Wait until the cake donuts are COMPLETELY COOLED before dipping in the glaze otherwise it will melt.
If you try this recipe then please leave a rating/comment below to let me know how you liked it and feel free to ask any recipe questions you may have! 🙂
Baked Halloween Donuts
Equipment
- Donut pan
- Piping bag or zip-top bag
Ingredients
Black Cocoa Donuts
- 120 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
- 27 g (1/3 cup) black cocoa powder
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp baking soda
- 120 g (1/2 cup) buttermilk
- 60 g (1/4 cup) vegetable oil
- 50 g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 25 g (2 tbsp) brown sugar
- 1 egg
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
Black Cocoa Glaze
- 120 g (1 cup) confectioners' sugar
- 30 g (2 tbsp) milk
- 10 g (2 tbsp) black cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Black Cocoa Donuts
- Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease donut pans.
- In a small bowl combine the all-purpose flour, black cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a medium bowl whisk the buttermilk, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
- Use a piping bag or a zip-top bag to pipe each donut ring 2/3 full. Do not fill to the top, the donuts will rise as they bake.
- Bake the donuts for 10 minutes. Allow to cool in donut pans for 5 minutes then unmold and finish cooling on a wire rack.
Black Cocoa Glaze
- In a small bowl whisk the confectioners' sugar, milk, black cocoa powder and vanilla extract until smooth. Immediately dip cooled donuts and top with Halloween sprinkles.
Video
Notes
- Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate.
- Buttermilk: Whole milk also works if that’s all you have on hand.
- Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter. You can use salted butter, just be sure to omit the 1/4 tsp salt.
- Baked Halloween Donuts are best enjoyed the day that they’re made but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature or up to a week in the fridge.
- Nutrition: the provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Please read my Nutrition Disclaimer for more information.
