Baked Chocolate Espresso Donuts

These baked chocolate donuts have brewed espresso in the batter and chopped espresso beans on top of the rich, chocolate glaze. You can have your morning cup of coffee and eat it too! 

Today, I bring you a recipe that will get your heart racing! Almost literally. I mean, have you seen those crushed espresso beans on top? I love and hate myself all at the same time.

I’m pretty sure that I drink more caffeine on Mondays than I do any other day of the week. It is Monday, after all, aka, potentially the hardest day in the week. I figured the best way to remedy the situation is to start the day off with a ridiculous amount of chocolate and caffeine. And maybe a pancake or two (I’m a really big breakfast eater).

Chocolate for breakfast? I think we can all agree that Monday just got a teensy, tiny bit better with these Baked Chocolate Espresso Donuts.

Waking up and smelling the coffee has never looked or tasted better. 😉

Let’s talk about donuts. When I was younger, I straight up love them–probably because we rarely had them. Then, I went to a college that was down the street from an award-winning 24-hour donut shop, and made more midnight trips to that shop my freshman year than I care to admit. So, for a few years there, I had gotten to this point where I was little over the donut.

Well, somewhere between then and now, I rekindled my love of donuts. I say it like I don’t know exactly when and where it happened, even though I do (it was Doughnut Plant in NYC). Regardless, I am back to being a donut’s biggest fan, and I’m pretty much obsessed with these chocolate espresso donuts.

I can pretty much get behind anything for breakfast that qualifies more as a dessert than breakfast, but is technically (and socially) acceptable for breakfast. I know. It’s the New Year and all, and lots are on a mission to rid their diet’s of excess sugar. But, I can’t give up chocolate entirely. It’s just not a thing that I can do. It’s fine. I’ll have a salad for lunch or something. 😉

If you weren’t a fan of breakfast beforehand, has this changed your mind? Chocolate meets coffee meets breakfast and it’s lovely.

Baked Chocolate Espresso Donuts

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Total: 25 minutes mins

These baked chocolate donuts have brewed espresso in the batter and chopped espresso beans on top of the rich, chocolate glaze. You can have your morning cup of coffee and eat it too!

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Ingredients

 

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Chocolate Donuts

• ▢ 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• ▢ 1/2 cup brown sugar
• ▢ 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1/2 tsp baking soda
• ▢ 1/4 tsp salt
• ▢ 1/2 tsp espresso powder
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ 3 Tbsp espresso or strong coffee, brewed (and cooled to room temperature)
• ▢ 1/4 cup half & half
• ▢ 1/4 cup sour cream
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 Tbsp melted butter

Chocolate Glaze

• ▢ 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• ▢ 2 Tbsp espresso or strong coffee, brewed and cooled to room temperature
• ▢ 3 Tbsp heavy cream
• ▢ 1/2 tsp espresso powder

Topping

• ▢ Crushed chocolate covered espresso beans

Instructions

 

Donuts

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a donut pan with baking spray. Set aside.
• Mix flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder together until well combined. Set aside.
• Whisk together the egg, coffee, and half & half.
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the wet ingredients. Mix until combined (batter will be fairly thick).
• Add in sour cream, vanilla extract, and melted butter. Mix until combined.
• Pour batter into greased donut pan, filling each donut cavity about 3/4 of the way full (this batter can make about 7-8 donuts).
• Bake for 8-9 minutes, or until the donut 'springs' back when touched. Allow to cool a few minutes before removing from the pan.

Chocolate Glaze

• In a bowl, mix together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and espresso powder. Add in coffee, and heavy cream, and whisk until combined.
• Dip each donut into the glaze, and top with crushed espresso beans. Allow the glaze to set, about 10 minutes.
• Enjoy!

The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Make sure to tag me on Instagram and leave a rating below and let me know how it turned out!

Here are some other donut recipes I love:

Coconut Lemon Donuts

Cereal and Milk Donuts

Maple Bacon Donuts