These Christmas donuts are fluffy baked chocolate donuts coated in chocolate frosting then topped with crushed peppermint candy canes. A fun and festive dessert that’s perfect for Christmas breakfast!
You guys know I’m a bit of a donut addict, right? Many readers have made my Baked Sugar Donuts and Chocolate Donuts so I thought it was time I made a Christmas Donuts recipe to share!
Ingredients In Holiday Chocolate Donuts:
The donut batter for this recipe is a simple mixture of:
- all purpose flour
- sugar
- cocoa powder
- baking soda
- salt
- vegetable oil
- vanilla extract
- water
The chocolate frosting is a classic frosting recipe that I use on many of my donut recipes. Once you find that perfect chocolate frosting, you don’t need to look any further! I love this frosting because it makes the donuts appear shiny, just like bakery donuts.
For the chocolate frosting you’ll need:
- confectioners powdered sugar
- softened butter
- milk
- cocoa powder
- candy canes
How Do You Make Christmas Donuts?
You will need a non-stick donut pan for this recipe. You can find donut pans at most major retailers, and they typically come with 6 donut indentations to a pan. I use a piping bag or a freezer bag with the tip snipped off to pipe the donut batter into the pan. It’s the best way to keep the mess to a minimum and end up with perfectly shaped donuts.
Start this recipe by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the donut pan with nonstick spray. Stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add oil, vanilla and water and continue to stir until smooth.
Transfer dough to the donut pan and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let donuts cool.
To make the frosting, mix powdered sugar and softened butter together with a hand mixer. Add milk and cocoa powder and continue to mix until frosting is creamy and glossy. Spread frosting on cooled donuts. For an extra special flair, sprinkle crushed up candy cane on each one.
Tips For Making Christmas Donuts:
Be careful not to overfill the donut pan with dough. The indentations should be no more than 3/4 of the way full. If you add too much batter, the donuts will expand over the edges of the pan and lose shape.
Let the donuts cool completely before topping them with frosting.
If peppermint is not your favorite, try decorating these donuts with holiday sprinkles. You can also make these donuts for any other occasion with different colored sprinkles. These would make fun birthday donuts!
The donut batter can be made the night before, and then stored covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
For the crushed up candy cane topping, you’ll want to crush up your candy cane until it’s in tiny pieces. You can do this in a mortar and pestle, or throw it in a plastic bag and hit it with a rolling pin a few times (good holiday stress release). The crushed candy cane makes a great peppermint sugar topping on each donut.
How Long Do Baked Chocolate Donuts Keep?
Store baked chocolate donuts in an airtight container for up to 2 days. I do recommend making sure the frosting has fully dried before you stack them, so that they don’t stick together.
Enjoy these chocolate donuts friends! Once you taste these delicious Christmas donuts, I think you’ll be making them every year! Try them this year on Christmas morning and watch the rave reviews come in!
Enjoy Other Favorite Christmas Breakfast Recipes:
Gingerbread Pancakes
Christmas Donut Cookies
Easy Cinnamon Rolls
Apple Pie Pancakes
Amish Cinnamon Bread
Pin for later:
Chocolate Christmas Donuts
PrintIngredients
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup water
For the chocolate frosting:
- 1 cup confectioners powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- crushed up candy cane
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray your donut pans with nonstick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt with a hand mixer or spoon.
- Make a well in the middle and add in vegetable oil, vanilla and water. Continue mixing until donut batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter into donut pans, about 2/3 of the way up. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they come out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.
- Now it's time to make the chocolate frosting. In a bowl combine powdered sugar and butter and mix with hand mixer until creamed well. Add milk and cocoa powder and continue to mix until glossy.
- Once the donuts have cooled down, remove from pan and gently dip them into the frosting or use a knife to spread on top of each donut. Sprinkle crushed up candy cane on top of each.
Cheryl Strike says
Hi. I don’t have vegetable oil. Do you think I can use olive oil or butter? Thank you!
Pamela says
Hey Cheryl, try using butter instead. Hope this helps, enjoy the donuts!