Halloween Donuts

Dress up dessert on October 31st with this recipe for Halloween Donuts. Dipped in holiday-dyed glazes and decorated with sprinkles, these fluffy baked donuts are so fun to make.

Lately I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about what my last meal will be on death row. It’s only a matter of time before I’m charged, tried and convicted for killing someone with my cooking. No jury will ever believe I involuntarily caused someone’s death, but I insist in advance that I’m innocent of any intentional culinary crimes.

Let me explain, today I made pancakes that were the thickness of a postage stamp. Not on purpose, mind you. It’s just that without caffeine to wake me up the can of cornstarch looks exactly like baking powder. I fear it’s only a matter of time before Comet cleaner ends up in my cookies.

Since I’m bound to hang for a murderous kitchen mix-up, I like the irony of my last meal resembling the noose destined for my neck. That’s why, when I walk the Green Mile, I’ll be leaving a trail of donut crumbs. Baked, not fried, because even facing an executioner I’m watching out for trans fats.

Luckily, you don’t need to go to the gallows to enjoy the goodness of chocolate baked donuts. Soft and fluffy, these glazed goodies are decorated with sprinkles for a super fun way to treat yourself this fall.

Before sharing the recipe for Halloween Donuts, here are a few tips and tricks to help you out:

Ingredient Tips and Tricks

Whether making baked donuts or fried always use the spoon and level method to measure flour. Scooping flour is a no-no. That technique overpacks flour into the measuring cup which will result in drier, denser donuts than the moist donuts you’ll get with properly measured flour.

Gel dyes are recommended for this recipe because they are more vibrant in color and less batter diluting than liquid dyes.

For the moistest, fluffiest donut texture be sure all ingredients (egg, milk and yes, even yogurt) are at room temperature before beginning.

Preparation Tips and Tricks

Pipe batter into your donut pan using a zip-top bag with a bottom corner snipped off.

How to Store Halloween Donuts

Baked donuts taste best the day they’re made but can be covered tightly then stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.

I hope you enjoy this recipe for Halloween Donuts. Please leave a comment and rating at the bottom of this blog when you try it for yourself. And, while you’re at it, sign up for my weekly Recipe Newsletter so you never miss a tempting recipe.

Finally, if you’re looking for more Halloween dessert recipes check out these Halloween Whoopie Pies. Rich and fudgy these bewitchingly black cakes are filled with a fluffy layer of orange marshmallow in between. But beware, every bite is so hauntingly good that the batch disappears like magic!

Halloween Donuts

Heather Wolf

Dress up your dessert on Halloween with this recipe for Frosted Chocolate Donuts. Dipped in holiday-dyed glazes and decorated with sprinkles, these fluffy baked donuts are so fun to make for fall.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 9 minutes mins

Course Donuts

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Equipment

• Donut pan

Ingredients

  

Chocolate Donuts

• 1 cup all-purpose flour unbleached
• 1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder 100% cacao
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 1/3 cup milk room temperature
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt room temperature
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
• 1 tsp vanilla pure

Glaze

• 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar packed
• 1 Tbsp corn syrup
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla pure
• 1/2 tsp red food coloring gel divided
• 1/4 tsp yellow food coloring gel
• 1/4 tsp blue food coloring gel
• decorative sprinkles

Instructions

 

Chocolate Donuts

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease donut pan and set aside.
• Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and brown sugar together in a large bowl.
• In a separate bowl, whisk egg, milk, yogurt, melted butter and vanilla until combined.
• Carefully add wet ingredients to dry, stirring with a wooden spoon until just combined. Take care to avoid overmixing. Note: Batter will be thick.
• Pipe batter into donut pan, evenly distributing between the 6 cavities.
• Bake for 9 minutes. Donuts are done when tops spring back when pressed by a fingertip.
• Cool donuts in pan for 3 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Glaze

• In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, milk and vanilla until smooth and lump free. Note: glaze will be thick.
• Divide batter evenly between two bowls: one for orange glaze and one for purple glaze
• For orange glaze: add 1/4 teaspoon of red food gel and 1/4 teaspoon of yellow food gel and stir until combined.
• For purple glaze: add 1/4 teaspoon of red food gel and 1/4 teaspoon of blue food gel and stir until combined.

Assembly

• Dip donuts tops into glaze then decorate with sprinkles.

Store

• Donuts taste best the day they are made but can be covered and stored at room temperature up to 2 days.

Keyword chocolate, donuts, halloween