Chocolate baked donuts are gluten-free, sugar-free, nut-free and dairy optional. Made with oat flour as the base, and delicious chocolate glaze. These donuts are addicting and will be gobbled up the same day you make them.
Chocolate Baked Donuts With Sprinkles
Yes, you can make healthier donuts! It’s true! Shout it from the rooftops because it’s actually quite easy too.
I just love this recipe. It’s totally doable – so don’t let the word “donut” fool you into thinking this is a complicated recipe. These donuts are baked, not fried. That’s what makes them so much easier and healthier. They are made using a donut pan, which is similar to a muffin pan but in the shape of donuts. I have a Wilton donut pan that makes six donuts per pan.
So let’s be honest, these are very similar to making muffins. Just a different shape. But that’s what makes them so fun! Your kids are going to love these. And actually, you should totally make these for your kid’s next birthday party.
Now, I should also mention that I made this recipe gluten-free, nut-free, sugar-free, and dairy optional. That’s a lot of allergies I’m covering here. Think they can’t still be delicious? Think again! These are totally addicting. No really – just ask my husband who gave me a raving testimonial… “These are the best donuts I’ve ever had!” as he managed to gobble up two in less than 5 minutes.
To make these donuts healthier I’m using:
- Oat Flour – it’s a whole grain flour that’s gluten-free and nut-free
- Lakanto monkfruit sweetener – it’s a sugar replacement that has zero calories and is sugar-free.
- Chocolate Sprinkles – these are sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and have no artificial coloring.
Chocolate Baked Donut Ingredients
These addicting donuts come together with a few simple ingredients. Here’s the list. (You can find full details in the recipe card at the bottom of this post):
- Oat Flour – If you don’t have oat flour you can easily make your own at home using rolled oats! This is the method I use because it’s less expensive and super easy. See my instructions here.
- Sweetener – Lakanto monk fruit is a 1:1 white sugar replacement. It is zero calorie, zero glycemic, and is sweetened using erythritol and monk fruit extract, and NOT regular white sugar.
- Cacao Powder – Did you know that cacao powder is healthier than cocoa powder!? Yes, they look the same but they’re actually not. Cacao powder can be a healthier substitute for your baking recipes. It’s a source of protein, magnesium, iron, potassium, and fiber. You can usually find this in the “health foods” section of your store, or you can purchase it online. If you prefer to use cocoa powder, that will also work in this recipe.
- Extra Things – You’ll also need baking soda, salt, milk, vanilla extract, egg and cooking oil (I used coconut oil).
- Donut Glaze – For the donut glaze, you’ll need monkfruit powdered sugar (you can make your own easily here), cacao powder, milk (or water), and vanilla extract.
- Sprinkles – Regular chocolate sprinkles are made with refined sugar. You can usually find these in the baking section of your grocery store. If you want these donuts to be completely sugar-free, then try these chocolate sprinkles which are keto-friendly and have no added sugar!
How To Make Chocolate Baked Donuts
- Donut Batter – Add the dry ingredients to a bowl (oat flour, lakanto sweetener, cacao powder, baking soda, salt) and mix. In a separate bowl add the wet ingredients (milk, vanilla extract, eggs and oil). Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Scoop the batter into the donut pan. Bake for 20 minutes and let cool.
- Chocolate Glaze – Add powdered sugar (make your own sugar-free version here), cacao powder, milk and vanilla extract to a bowl and whisk together. Dip the smooth side of the donut into the glaze then place on the counter.
- Sprinkles – Add chocolate sprinkles to the top and let sit for 10 minutes then serve.
Baked Donut Glazing Tip: When you bake donuts, one side will be smoother than the other side. See the picture above as an example. I always dip the smooth side in the glaze and leave the rougher side facing down. This is just personal preference.
Don’t have a donut pan yet? They’re easy to find these days. I have this one which makes six donuts per tray. I recommend you get two because six donuts are never enough. Shop my donut pan here.
Baked Chocolate Donut FAQs
Personally, I’m not a fan of regular powdered sugar. However, you do need something similar in order to make the chocolate glaze. Luckily you can make your own powdered sugar using lakanto monk fruit sweetener. See full instructions here.
This is totally normal. If you see the pictures above, you’ll notice that mine are bumpy on one side too. For presentation purposes only, I like to dip the smooth side of the donut into the glaze. This won’t affect the taste at all.
Yes, instead of using regular milk, you can use a dairy free substitute like oat milk or almond milk. Or you can just use water.
More Healthy Treats To Try
I’ve got lots of healthier treat recipes on my blog! These recipes include gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free and no refined sugar options:
- Carrot Cake Bites – So easy to make with shredded carrots, gluten-free oat flour, dates, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. You don’t even have to bake them!
- Flourless Banana Chocolate Muffins – These are fudgy and made with seed butter or nut butter. They are totally addicting!
- Homemade Fudgesicles – Healthier than the store-bought versions and made with just four ingredients. Dairy-free and no refined sugar.
- Cookie Dough Energy Bites – These are no-bake and taste like raw cookie dough! But there’s no flour and actually a secret ingredient you’ll never guess.
- Healthy Banana Splits – Probably the best brunch idea ever. These will make your entire family very happy.
Chocolate Baked Donuts (Gluten Free, Sugar Free)
Equipment You’ll Need
Ingredients
- 1 cup oat flour - see notes
- ¼ cup lakanto monk fruit sweetener - or coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup cacao powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup milk - or water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil - I used melted coconut oil
Chocolate Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered lakanto monk fruit sweetener - see notes
- 2 Tbsp cacao powder
- ¼ cup milk - or water
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup chocolate sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease the donut pan with a bit of coconut oil on a paper towel, or spray with non stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the oat flour (see instructions here), lakanto monkfruit sweetener (or coconut sugar), cacao powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix together and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, vanilla, egg, and oil. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix together until it forms a sticky batter.
- Scoop the chocolate batter into the donut pan until all are full. Use spoon to smooth the batter together in a donut shape.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the center. Let cool 5 minutes, then transfer the donuts to a cooking rack.
Chocolate Glaze:
- In a small bowl, add powdered sugar (make your own here), cocoa powder, milk and vanilla extract. Mix together until smooth and runny. If needed, add 1 more Tbsp of milk.
- Dip the smooth side of each donut into the chocolate glaze. Flip over and place on the counter. Give it a little shake to help the glaze settle. Sprinkle the tops with chocolate sprinkles. Let sit for 10 minutes then serve.
Video
Notes
- How To Store: Chocolate donuts can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- You can make your own oat flour easily using rolled oats – see instructions here.
- Make your own powdered sugar using lakanto sweetener – see instructions here.
- These donuts are made sugar-free using lakanto monkfruit sweetener. If you don’t want them to be sugar-free, use coconut sugar or brown sugar for the base of the recipe, and regular powdered sugar with 1-2 Tbsp milk for the glaze.
