Glazed Baked Chocolate Donut Holes

These little boogers are delish. And what fun they are to try! I don't think I ever thought I would make donuts at home and here they are. My mother in law got me the mini muffin pans as a shower gift back in October, after I wanted to try this recipe in September. Now, almost 3 months later, I've finally gotten around to making them! But they were worth the wait. Nice and dense, these little poppers fill you up really quickly, so you don't have the urge to overindulge. I probably could have put more icing on them, but that would be the only thing I would change. I would maybe even make them smaller, believe it or not! But overall, the rich chocolate-y flavor was spot on, just like a chocolate glazed donut you would get at a donut shop. And baking donuts is always a slightly "healthier" option for getting your donuts made (hah), so you can feel "good" about these! They basically are like glorified mini muffins covered in glaze, with a hint of donut appeal. But they impress people and have got me curious to make some of Sally's other donut recipes as well as getting real donut-shaped pans and trying some more classic shaped donuts! Who knows - maybe even one day I'll get into frying them!

Baking Notes: For starters, I halved the recipe since we didn't need 36 donut holes around less than a month before the wedding! For the donuts, I used a combo of whole wheat (not white) and all-purpose flour. I had to use vanilla honey Greek yogurt, instead of plain or vanilla, since it's what I had on hand. For the glaze, we didn't have heavy cream on hand, so I ended up using whole milk which produced a thick enough glaze. I recommend filling the muffin tins up halfway instead of 3/4 full, like Sally recommends, because some of my "mini" donuts turned out huge!! I also recommend allowing the donuts to sit for at least 10 minutes after they're glazed, to harden. These recommendations and the halved recipe are reflected below.

Glazed Baked Chocolate Donut Holes (adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction; makes 18 holes)
Donuts
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 large egg, beaten
Just less than 1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp Greek yogurt (plain, vanilla, etc.)
1 tsp vanilla Bourbon extract
1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Glaze
1 cup confestioners' sugar
2 tbsp whole milk (or heavy cream)
1/2 tsp  vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon juice


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 24-count mini muffin pan by spreading Crisco or nonstick spray in each cup.

Begin to make the donuts by sifting together the flour, sugar and cocoa powder in a large bowl. You have to sift - it removes the cocoa clumps and makes for a smoother consistency in the long run! Whisk in the baking powder, baking soda and salt, then set aside. In a medium bowl, beat the egg, then whisk in the milk, yogurt and vanilla until completely smooth. Whisk in the melted butter until combined. Slowly fold the wet ingredients into the dry, being careful not to overmix. Combine only until no flour pockets remain to prevent dense donuts.

Spoon the batter into the mini muffin tins until about halfway full or *just* over halfway. Bake for 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (mine took 2 extra minutes the first time). Do not overbake - they burn easily. Allow the donuts to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for 5 more minutes before glazing.

While the donuts are cooling, begin to make the glaze. Sift the confectioners' sugar into a medium bowl. Stir in the milk (or cream), vanilla, and lemon juice until smooth and combined. Add more confestioners' sugar to make it thicker if desired; add more cream to make it thinner. Dunk each slightly warm donut into the glaze using your fingers, then place on the wire rack that is on top of a large baking sheet to let glaze drip (having the baking sheet underneath is crucial unless you plan on making your counter a huge, sticky mess). Repeat dunking two or three more times if you want a thicker coating (you may need to make more glaze). Allow glaze to harden for at least 10 minutes before enjoying! Store in an airtight container to continue enjoying for the next few days.

Recipe: Sally's Baking Addiction: Glazed Chocolate Donut Holes