Baked Chocolate Donuts with chocolate frosting that are vegan (and will blow your mind!) These soft and fluffy donuts are made with simple dairy free ingredients. I’m not vegan, but holy heck – these donuts have changed my life!
Baked Vegan Chocolate Donuts Recipe
One of my proudest baking moments was the day I first made these chocolate donuts! They are so soft and moist, and can you believe it – they’re made with simple dairy free vegan ingredients!! Seriously, they’re going to blow your mind, I’m telling you now.
In NYC, there’s a bakery called Dun-Well that sells the most amazing vegan donuts (add it to your must visit list – it’s in Brooklyn!). My family is not vegan (at all) but hands down they’re our favorite donuts. This got me to thinking… how the heck do they do it? So I made these chocolate donuts!
Yes, this recipe is vegan but it doesn’t require any hard-to-find fancy ingredients. Simply whip the batter up in 1 bowl, bake in a donut pan and finish them off with sweet chocolate frosting. They’re so easy to make!
This recipe makes 6 chocolate donuts. You can easily double the ingredients if you want to make a full dozen.
Want more baked donut recipes? Try my Baked Sugar Donuts, Baked Strawberry Donuts, Glazed Carrot Cake Donuts and Chocolate Chip Donuts.

Ingredients for Vegan Chocolate Donuts
Vegan donut ingredients are pretty similar to making regular donuts. I promise that you don’t need fancy ingredients- you know what I mean, pricey or hard to find. Everything can be found at your local grocery store.
- all-purpose flour
- white sugar
- cocoa powder
- baking soda
- salt
- vegetable oil
- vanilla extract
- unsweetened almond milk (I’ve also made these with oat milk and they turned out well!)
- powdered sugar
- dairy free butter (we use Earth Balance)
How To Bake Chocolate Donuts
Mix the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
Stir in the wet ingredients until a smooth batter is formed.
Evenly pour the batter into the greased donut pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Make the chocolate frosting in a bowl which is a mixture of powdered sugar, dairy free butter, almond milk, cocoa powder and vanilla.
Let donuts cool completely before removing them from the pan and adding the frosting.

Storing chocolate donuts
Store chocolate donuts at room temperature, covering them with plastic wrap (careful to not stick to the frosting) or lid. My tip is that I place a large bowl (upside down) on top of the plate of donuts, making my own lid!
You can also store in the refrigerator but I do think they dry out a little bit, and since this recipe only makes 6 donuts, you probably will have them finished in a few days!
Can these be made gluten free?
Since making these, this question has come up often in the comments. Yes, you can make these into gluten free donuts! Simply swap out the all purpose flour for a gluten free 1:1 flour blend.
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Mind Blowing Baked Vegan Chocolate Donuts with Chocolate Frosting
PrintIngredients
For the donuts
- 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
For the frosting
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons dairy free butter (I use Earth Balance) melted
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
For the donuts
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a donut pan with nonstick spray. This recipe makes 6 donuts.
- Stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add oil, vanilla and milk and continue to stir until smooth.
- Pour batter into donut pan and bake for 12 minutes. Insert toothpick and if it comes out clean, donuts are done. If toothpick is not clean, bake for 2-3 more minutes or until clean.
- Let donuts cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan.
For the frosting
- In a bowl using a hand mixer, mix together powdered sugar and butter until creamed well.
- Add milk, cocoa powder and vanilla and continue to mix until creamy and well combined.
- Once donuts are cool, dip them into the frosting to cover the tops. Enjoy!
Debra says
I am becoming a lover of almond milk so I can imagine this frosting!
Kristi @ Inspiration Kitchen says
Oooooo. I love love love swoon-worthy recipes. Pinned!
Ellen says
Double the chocolate double te goodness. That’s my kind of donut:)
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
Girrrrrl. These are EPIC!
Suzanne says
Wow, I have to get one of those doughnut pans. Those chocolate donuts look incredible.
Melanie @ Carmel Moments says
Oh Girl! You had me and donuts and chocolate. AmAzing!
Would could be better than chocolate on chocolate? Absolutely nothing!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
Oh dear God do I need a donut pan now more than ever!
Mimi @ Culinary Couture says
Okay these are officially the first donuts I want to bake in my spankin new donut pan!
Kelly says
Wow, these look incredible Pamela! Love baked donuts especially soft, moist, cake like chocolate ones like these:) Hehe, I don’t blame FiFi Bofinkles for hanging around these donuts, that glaze definitely looks so magical and totally captivating! Wish I could have all 6 of these beauties:)
Koko says
Stunning!! They look like the absolute perfect texture…and dairy free to boot. Can’t beat that!!
Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe says
The sight of these donuts is making me salivate! I love baked donuts!
Aimee / WallflowerGirl.co.uk says
I’m impressed and the dairy-free-ness of these doughnuts! Also, you got some great lighting from that ego light… I haven;t used mine in a while because the photos often come out very dull looking. Maybe I need brighter bulbs!
Pamela says
Thanks Aimee, I really appreciate that! I use the bulbs it came with, plus the fill card.
Monica says
Oh man! You have worked it out, Pamela! I want to cry looking at that moist cake, too! Wait til I show my little guy. : ) Glad to see you are managing the need to be dairy free. Good luck with it!
Laura @ The Rookie Cook says
These donuts look amazing! I’m always up for some chocolate!
Ps. Love your lighting – where did you get it/what brand is it??
Pamela says
Thanks Laura! I use Lowel EGO lights, I really like them! You can buy them from Amazon, B&H and many other photo stores.
Ashley says
Ha! That is exactly what my dog does whenever I am shooting … I actually have a few shots where she sneaks into the frame (and then I have to quickly get her away from the food lol). These donuts look delicious – and that glaze…
Pamela says
Hahaha, I know what you mean. I’m like ok FiFi Bofinkles you can look at them… ok you can get closer.. FiFi Bofinkles give me back that donut! There’s been a few times she’s stolen a noodle or two. She’s quick! 😉
Nora says
I think I am going to try to use this as a basis for a GF/Dairy-Free version. These look outrageously good!
Daniela @ FoodrecipesHQ says
I would have never guessed you use artificial lights! Your picture are always amazing, I though they were shot under a fantastic natural light. These are really the most beautiful donuts I’ve ever seen. If there was a beauty contest for donuts (!) you would win! I saved the recipe.
Pamela says
Thanks Daniela! I stopped using natural light for the most part a few months ago as I got sick of making dinner in the afternoon for a 9PM dinner time. These lights help me make dinner whenever I want, and let me bake donuts at 3AM if I want to (not saying I would do that.. hehehehe). 😉
Pam says
These would disappear quickly in my house! They look amazing.
Nicole @ Young, Broke and Hungry says
As somebody who recently went dairy free, I am loving these donuts!
Pamela says
High 5 to you girl!
The Squishy Monster says
omg, that IS magical!!
Mary Frances says
My donut pan is on its way! I have been craving donuts like none other and these are killing me! 🙂 Chocolate donuts sound so good right now. And dairy free no less! Thumbs up Pamela!
Pamela says
I cannot wait to see what you create with that donut pan girl, your life is going to change!
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
These donuts look perfect. And full of chocolate. And there are only six. Which is good, even if I wanted 7!
Laura @ Lauras Baking Talent says
Like frosting isn’t addicting enough…. you need to tell me its better when frozen… and to make extra. 🙂
Pamela says
Hahaha, I know I know.. fantastic influence. 😉
Davida @ The Healthy Maven says
Glorious DONUTS! I had a massive craving for donuts yesterday and I wish I’d had this recipe! Once I polish off my funfetti version (give it a few hours) these are up next!
Shashi @ http://runninsrilankan.com says
Oh wow – Love these baked donuts and that icing… I could just drown in it!
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
My mother-in-law got me a donut baking pan for Christmas, and I still haven’t broken it in. Can’t wait to try these chocolate donuts!
Pamela says
You have got to try it Natalie, so much fun!
Prudy @butter, basil, and breadcrumbs says
Oh my…. would you look at those decadent donuts…… proudest baking moment… yeah, for sure!! I’m proud of your proudest baking moment!! Yum, yum, yum!!! <3
Laura @ Laura's Culinary Adventures says
The drippy, creamy chocolate frosting looks fab! I could eat it by the spoonful!
Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough says
These doughnuts look GLORIOUS. Pretty sure I need to make and eat all 6, pronto. 🙂
marcie says
Oh, Pamela, that icing looks so thick and dreamy! I wish I had one for breakfast!