Hot Chocolate Cake Donuts

These hot chocolate cake donuts were created for all the hot cocoa lovers out there! It all starts with a rich chocolate cake donut, topped with a smooth marshmallow glaze, and dusted with instant hot chocolate powder to really hone in on that nostalgic flavor. Make these for breakfast or on a cozy winter day inside, and don’t be afraid to pair them with a full mug of hot cocoa for the full experience.

Ingredients to Make Hot Chocolate Donuts:

All-Purpose Flour – You will need 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour for the donut batter.
Cocoa Powder – You will need 1/2 cup of cocoa powder, sifted to remove any lumps.
Baking Soda – You will need 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.
Baking Powder – You will need 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder.
Salt – You will need 1/4 teaspoon for the donuts and 1/4 teaspoon for the glaze as well to balance the sweetness.
Sugars – You will need 1 cup of granulated sugar for the donuts and 2 cups of powdered sugar for the glaze.
Milk – You will need close to a cup of milk for the donuts and 2 more tablespoons for the glaze, possibly more if you prefer your glaze to be thinner.
Eggs – You will need 2 large eggs for the donut batter.
Vanilla – You will need 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract for the donuts and 1/2 teaspoon for the glaze. I like using a clear vanilla extract for that light, marshmallow-y flavor (my favorite is the one by Watkins), but you can use any vanilla extract you have on hand as well.
Unsalted Butter – You will need 1 stick of melted butter for the donut batter. Make sure it has cooled slightly before adding it to the batter so you don’t curdle any other ingredients.
Instant Hot Chocolate – You will need one packet of instant hot chocolate powder to dredge the glazed donuts in. You can use whatever your favorite hot chocolate mix is for this!
Marshmallow Fluff – You will need 1/2 cup of marshmallow fluff for the glaze. I always recommend measuring with grams, but if using cups, make sure to scoop out as much as possible from the measuring cup since marshmallow fluff is sticky!

Notes:

What should I bake the donuts in?

You will need a donut pan for this recipe since these donuts are baked. I like using a silicone donut mold for easy removal once the donuts are baked!

What’s the best way to pour the batter?

I find it easiest to use a piping bag to pipe the batter into the donut mold. This method will be much easier and less messy than trying to spoon the batter into each round.

How thick should the glaze be?

The glaze in this recipe is very thick, it might take a little elbow grease to combine at first with the marshmallow fluff, but you will find it comes together quickly. If you prefer a thinner glaze, you can add an additional tablespoon of milk until you have a consistency you like. Just remember a thinner glaze will drip more!

How should I glaze and dip the donuts in the hot chocolate mix?

I dunk the tops of each donut in the glaze, smooth it out slightly to avoid too much dripping, and let it sit for a few minutes before dipping into the hot chocolate powder. If you dip the glazed donut in the hot chocolate powder right away, the glaze will spread slightly while setting and you may find you need to dip them in the powder again later.

hot chocolate donuts with marshmallow glaze

More Recipes to Bake in the Winter:

hot chocolate donuts with marshmallow frosting and instant hot chocolate mix topping

A Few Last Tips For Making Hot Chocolate Cake Donuts:

Using a piping bag or ziplock will be the cleanest, easiest method for piping the batter into the donut pan.
Silicone donut molds will be the easiest for removal of the donuts after baking!
Use a spatula or spoon to mix the glaze, using a whisk is a bit tricky and will likely get the marshmallow fluff stuck in it.
Let the glaze set slightly before dipping into the hot chocolate powder. About 5 minutes is enough to let the glaze spread a little, but you can always double dip if you want extra hot chocolate flavor!