These Vegan Chocolate Donuts are moist, chocolatey and delicious. An easy and delicious breakfast, snack or dessert that your friends and family will love!
These Vegan Chocolate Donuts are the perfect alternative to donut shop donuts! These are just as tasty, but way healthier, vegan and easily made gluten free. Top with chocolate icing or chocolate buttercream, and you’ll have a treat that both kids and adults will enjoy. Add colorful sprinkles to fit your occasion!
Ingredients Needed
This chocolate donut recipe is made with simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry! Here's everything you’ll need:
- Plant-based milk: To keep these vegan and dairy free, we recommend using a non dairy milk, like unsweetened almond milk or oat milk.
- Butter: A small amount of melted vegan butter is needed for additional moisture and perfect texture.
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar or purecane sugar-free substitute for the perfect amount of sweetness.
- Baking powder & baking soda: To help these bake properly.
- Vanilla extract: Adds complexity and a subtle sweetness.
- Cocoa powder: The key ingredient for rich chocolate flavor. Use unsweetened natural cocoa powder for the best taste and texture.
- Flour: All-purpose flour will give these the perfect soft, tender crumb. If you prefer gluten-free chocolate donuts, we recommend using a gluten-free replacement flour like King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour!
- Chocolate icing or chocolate buttercream frosting: To make these just like a classic donut shop chocolate donut!
- Sprinkles: Use whatever colors or shapes that you like best. Black and orange are perfect for fall time!
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large mixing bowl, mix the oat or almond milk, melted vegan butter, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla. Then, add the cocoa powder and whisk until well combined.
Step 2: Add the flour to the chocolate mixture and stir until just combined. Be careful not to over mix. The batter will be thick!
Step 3: Pour the batter into 12-14 greased silicone donut molds sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for 25 minutes.
Step 4: While the donuts are baking, use an electric hand mixer to mix either your chocolate icing or vegan chocolate buttercream ingredients together.
Step 5: Once the donuts are done baking, allow them to cool and then drizzle the icing over top. Sprinkle sprinkles and serve!
Expert tips
- Follow the recipe: For best results, we recommend following the recipe and using the exact ingredients as written (unless substitutions are noted).
- Filling the pan: Do not to overfill the donut pan with batter or the donuts will expand over the edges of the pan and lose shape.
- Frosting donuts: Let the donuts cool completely before drizzling them with the frosting, so it sets properly.
- Donut holes: Want to make donut holes instead? Here's my recipe for vegan chocolate donut holes!
Frequently asked questions
Yes! This vegan chocolate donut recipe uses vegan butter and plant-based milk to make it perfectly moist and tender. There is also no need for eggs or egg substitutes in this recipe.
The nutrition in chocolate donuts will vary based on the recipe and specific ingredients used. This particular recipe has approximately 282 calories per donut.
You can make homemade donuts by baking or frying them. This recipe is for baked donuts, which are lower in fat and calories because you don’t use the extra oil that you need when frying.
Storage tips
- Storing leftovers: Store any leftover donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 to 3 days. Keep them in the fridge and they will last up to one week, but this may start to make them dry.
- Freezing: To freeze, place in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and top with frosting before serving!
More vegan donut recipes
Vegan Chocolate Donuts
Ingredients
Vegan Chocolate Donuts
- 1 ⅓ cup almond or oat milk
- ¼ cup melted vegan butter
- 1 cup sugar or ⅓ cup purecane sugar-free substitute
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 2 cup regular or gluten free all purpose flour If gluten-free, I recommend King Arthur Measure for Measure. Please don't substitute any other flour such as almond flour, baking flour, etc.
Chocolate Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoon oat or almond milk
Vegan Chocolate Buttercream
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon softened vegan butter
- 2 tablespoon oat or almond milk
- 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Vegan Chocolate Donuts Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the oat or almond milk, melted vegan butter, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla. Then, add the cocoa powder and whisk until well combined.
- Add the flour to the chocolate mixture and mix until just combined. Be careful not to over mix. The batter will be thick!
- Pour the batter into 12-14 greased silicon donut molds sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for 25 minutes.
- While the donuts are baking, use an electric hand mixer to mix either your chocolate icing or vegan chocolate buttercream ingredients together.
- Once the donuts are done baking, allow them to cool and then drizzle the icing over top. Sprinkle sprinkles on top and serve!
Notes
- Storing leftovers: Store any leftover donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 to 3 days. Keep them in the fridge and they will last up to one week, but this may start to make them dry.
- Freezing: To freeze, place in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and top with frosting before serving!
Nutrition
The recipes on Peanut Butter and Jilly can easily be adapted to fit a vegan lifestyle, a gluten-free lifestyle, or both depending on the ingredients you use. Please review the ingredients lists carefully and refer to our recommendations in the Notes of the recipe card to make this recipe compatible with your needs. Nutrition information provided is an estimate, and will vary based on specific brands of ingredients used and cooking methods.
Cj Reyes says
Soooo good and moist! Do you have any suggestions for adding protein powder? As far as do you think I could replace some of the flour with protein powder? Or just add the powder in with the 2 cups of flour?
Jillian Glenn says
So happy you like these! I'd recommend swapping 1/2 a cup of the flour for 1/2 cup of protein powder. Let me know how it goes!