These classic glazed vegan chocolate donuts are so easy to make and honestly taste like they came from a bakery! Super rich, moist, easy, easily gluten free for the best vegan donut recipe!

BEST Baked Vegan Chocolate Donuts (Gluten Free!)

Why you’ll love these easy vegan chocolate donuts

If you’re looking for that classic chocolate glazed donut from a bakery, but vegan, then look no further. This easy and quick baked vegan chocolate donut recipe tastes like it just came from a bakery: super moist, chocolatey, not too sweet, and coated in that delicious glaze!

It’s the perfect weekend vegan breakfast recipe or treat to have alongside your cup of coffee. These vegan donuts also make a great dessert too! It’s truly one of my favorite vegan donut recipes.

Plus you can easily make these chocolate cake donuts gluten free too – either with gluten free 1:1 baking flour or using oat flour!

glazed vegan chocolate donuts stacked

Ingredients for glazed vegan donuts:

Here’s all that you need to make these donuts:

  • Flour: as I mentioned above, you can use all purpose flour if you don’t need gluten free. Or if you’d like to make vegan gluten free chocolate donuts, you can swap in gluten free 1:1 baking flour or oat flour! I do not recommend using almond flour here, nor coconut flour. It just won’t work!
  • Cocoa powder: Try to use cocoa powder over cacao powder- while cacao powder is richer in antioxidants, if you want your vegan cake donuts to rise properly, your best bet is with cocoa powder. The reason being is that cocoa powder is higher in acidity than cacao powder, which cause the donuts to rise more!
  • Sugar: You can use granulated sugar or coconut sugar. I recommend using organic granulated sugar to ensure that it’s vegan- my favorite is Florida Crystals!
  • Applesauce: If you don’t have access to applesauce, you can also swap in dairy free yogurt.
  • Dairy-free milk: This will be used to make a vegan buttermilk. You can use soy milk, oat milk, or your favorite dairy free milk!
  • Vegan butter: It’s a bit tricky to make these vegan chocolate donuts oil free, but if you really need them to be oil free, you can use an equal amount of applesauce. 
  • Pure vanilla extract: Just a touch to bring out the flavor!

How to make baked vegan chocolate donuts (overview)

For the full written instructions and ingredient measurements, see the bottom of this post in the recipe card. You can also hit the “jump to recipe” button at the top of this post! Here, we’ll go over a brief overview of the steps, along with providing visuals for a better understanding of the recipe.

Here’s how to make these quick and easy baked vegan chocolate donuts:

  1. Whisk together the dry ingredients:

    Use a medium bowl, and make sure the cocoa powder is evenly whisked throughout the flour.whisking together dry ingredients

  2. Then make the remaining chocolate donut batter:

    In a large bowl, combine the remaining wet ingredients, then add in the flour mixture. Whisk again until just combined- be careful not to over mix here!vegan chocolate donut batter

  3. Pipe the batter into your donut pan:

    I recommend piping the batter rather than just spooning it, but you can definitely spoon the batter into your pan as well! You can use a silicone donut pan, or a metal non-stick. Either will work!piped donut batter in pan

  4. Bake the donuts:

    These donuts only need less than 20 minutes in the oven!baked donuts

  5. Glaze the donuts:

    Once the donuts are cool, you can dip each donut into the glaze, and allow them to rest. glazed vegan donuts

Other alternatives to a classic glaze topping:

If you don’t want to go the classic bakery route of a glazed vegan donut, you can absolutely top these donuts with something else!

Here’s what I recommend for a great vegan donut topping:

  • Vegan chocolate ganache for a  chocolate glaze!
  • Peanut butter (or cashew butter!) glaze
  • Cinnamon sugar coating
  • Sprinkles
  • Crushed freeze dried strawberries or raspberries
baked vegan chocolate donuts

You’re just going to absolutely love these amazingly fluffy glazed vegan chocolate donuts! They remind me so much of childhood and are such a breeze to make. All eaters will love these donuts, whether or not they themselves are vegan!

Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!

BEST Baked Vegan Chocolate Donuts (Gluten Free!)

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
BEST Baked Vegan Chocolate Donuts (Gluten Free!)

Best Glazed Vegan Chocolate Donuts

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: thebananadiaries
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 18
  • Total Time: 23 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

These classic glazed vegan chocolate donuts are so easy to make and honestly taste like they came from a bakery! Super rich, moist, easy, easily gluten free for the best vegan donut recipe!

Ingredients

Scale

Baked Chocolate Donuts:

  • 1 cup (125 g) all purpose flour or gluten free 1:1 baking flour blend or oat flour*
  • 1/2 cup (50 g) cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) unsweetened applesauce or dairy free unsweetened yogurt, room temperature 
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar or coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup (120 mL) dairy free milk with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar or use Forager Project drinkable cashew milk probiotic yogurt (resembles buttermilk)
  • 1/4 cup (57 g) vegan butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled to room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze:

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup dairy free milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Prep: Measure out all ingredients before beginning. Grease a large 6-donut donut pan and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350F. 
  2. Whisk the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda.
  3. Make the chocolate donut batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the melted vegan butter, dairy free milk mixture (buttermilk), applesauce, sugar, and vanilla. Add in the dry ingredients, and whisk again to combine just until there are no more dry streaks in the batter.
  4. Pipe the donut batter: Fill a large piping bag with the donut batter, and cut the tip of the bag. Pipe the donut batter into the donut pan. You should yield 4 large donuts, or 6 medium donuts, depending also on the pan you’re using.
  5. Bake the donuts: Place the donut pan into the oven to bake fro 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 
  6. Cool the donuts: Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely before glazing.
  7. Make the glaze: In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, dairy free milk, and vanilla.
  8. Glaze the donuts: Dip the chocolate donuts into the glaze then set them on a piece of parchment paper. The glaze will set in about 20 minutes.
  9. Serve and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes

Oat flour: If you’re using the oat flour, use the weight not the cup measurement for the oat flour