Glazed Chocolate Munchkins (Donut Holes)
Skip the donut shop because you can easily make your own at home from scratch, and they’ll taste just as good, if not better! Our Copycat Glazed Chocolate Munchkins are the homemade option to that iconic glazed donut hole!
Oh, hey! You guys still with me here? If it feels like it’s been forever, it has. Like 4 colds, 2 visits from out-of-town family, one beach trip, and a birthday party with a Pony dressed up like a unicorn, forever! So I had to come back with something good. Like Glazed Chocolate Munchkins, good!
Glazed Chocolate Munchkins have a very special place in my heart because they were my after-church treat every Sunday growing up, and they were a staple of my childhood. But since moving to the West Coast, and especially Portland, where people take their donuts as seriously as their coffee and their craft beer, donut holes kind of fell off the radar for me. In the land of Voodoo Donuts and Blue Star Donuts, and since the Pacific NW definitely doesn’t run on Dunkin’, these iconic little bites of deliciousness have been absent from my girls’ childhood – which is why I had to recreate them at home!
What is a Donut Hole?
So, for those who may not know, a donut hole traditionally was the hole of a classic donut. Waste not want not, obviously. But when 4 donut holes are the equivalent to one full donut, in my brain (especially my kid brain) 4 is better than 1!
Ingredients Needed
- Flour – We use All Purpose Flour, but you could use a gluten-free flour, too!
- Cocoa Powder – We use a Dutch-process cocoa powder because it’s less acidic and bitter than natural cocoa powder. Dutch-processed is also neutral, which affects how it reacts to baking soda (hint, it doesn’t, so you would need to use baking powder), while natural cocoa powder his a higher acidity (pH) level, which means it will react to the baking soda. You can use either in this recipe, though, because the recipe has both baking soda and baking powder. Again, we just prefer the taste of Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
- Baker’s Chocolate – Because we’re using a more neutral cocoa powder, we use an unsweetened Baker’s chocolate, although you could use a semi-sweet, too.
- Sugar – White granulated sugar is best for this recipe, but a granulated cane sugar would also work fine, too.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder – Both are used in this recipe to help create the right cakey texture.
- Buttermilk – No buttermilk? No problem, we’ve also made this with whole and 2% milk, or you can make your own buttermilk in a pinch, too!
- Salt – Just a touch.
- Butter – We’ve used salted and unsalted for this recipe. If using unsalted, we just add a pinch more salt.
- Vanilla Extract – Have you made your own, yet?
- Egg – To bind the batter.
- For the Glaze: Confectioner’s Sugar, Milk, Vanilla, and just a little water.
How to Make Chocolate Munchkins
Making these little guys is easier than you might think!
- Melt some butter and baker’s chocolate, then mix to make a dough.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add egg and vanilla extract to butter and baker’s chocolate, mix well, and then add to the dry ingredients to create a dough.
- Roll out your little “holes” and then fry in oil.
- Coat in a super simple but delicious glaze
(Plus a little extra glaze drizzle for good measure)
And done!
They’re cakey. They’re moist. They a have a slight crunch on the outside from being fried. And that glaze. That undeniable sweet glaze. These Copycat Glazed Chocolate Donut Holes brought me back to Sunday mornings with my dad and special trips to Dunkin’ Donuts.
They are a favorite sweet breakfast treat in our house! Between these Chocolate Munchkins and our Banana Maple Munchkins, donut holes have become our girls’ favorite kind of donut!
My husband tasted one of these and his immediate response was “Oh my god these are good.” His second response was “These need to leave the house.” Which is my test of how good a recipe really is. If it’s my husband can’t be left alone with them without the risk of eating them all, then I know these Glazed Chocolate Munchkins are pretty darn good copycat of the OG!
Other Sweet Brunch Treats
- Banana Maple Munchkins
- Easy Homemade Apple Fritters
- Butterscotch Snickerdoodle Bread
- Strawberries and Cream Scones
- Healthy Banana and Strawberry Oat Pancakes
- Sourdough Walnut Cinnamon Rolls
- Banana Waffles
- Classic Banana Walnut Bread
- Maple Apple Nut Bread
Enjoy, friends! As always, if you make this or any of my other recipes? Be sure to let me know on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Glazed Chocolate Munchkins (Donut Holes)
Ingredients
- I cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons dutch-process cocoa powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 1/2 oz baker’s chocolate, unsweetened
- 1/4 cup buttermilk https://www.servedfromscratch.com/5-minute-homemade-buttermilk/
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg whisked
Glaze
- 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Water if needed
Instructions
- In a double boiler, melt butter and baker’s chocolate. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add buttermilk and vanilla to melted chocolate. Add whisked egg.
- Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until combined. With your hands, mix until dough is all well combined and form into a ball. Wrap in plastic and cool in fridge for 30 minutes.
- Once cooled, roll dough into 1 -2 tablespoon balls.
- Heat a deep skillet or sauce pan with 3 inches of vegetable oil until oil reaches 350 degrees (candy thermometers or digital infrared thermometer). Add 4 – 5 balls into the oil and fry until cooked (they’ll looked a little puffed), approximately 2-4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove from oil and place on paper towel lined plate. Finish with all balls.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper and rack.
Prepare the Glaze
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk confectioner’s sugar, milk and vanilla until the consistency of heavy cream. If needed, add a little water and mix to reach that consistency.
- Dip each donut hole in the glaze. With a fork, remove and shake off excess glaze. Transfer donuts to rack until all donut holes are glazed. Let rest until glaze is set.
- Enjoy!
- Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Oh my gosh, that little hand grabbing the donut just melted my heart. I used to pretend I was sleeping on Sunday morning hoping my parents would let me sleep so I didn’t have to go to church. Even though I’d watched about two hours of cartoons already that day. Didn’t work. It would have been easier to go if I would have gotten these donuts afterward. I’m pinning this one so I can make them when I have little hands to help!
these munchkins donut holes look scrumptious! Crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside, just like I like them. And I’m with your husband, I could not have these in the house or I would eat all of them! 🙂
These donut holes look so delicious! Can’t wait to try this recipe soon!
Who needs Timbits when you can make these at home. My grandkids would go wild for these. I think I need to make them next sleepover weekend. I will have to make a double batch…they will want to take some home.
I remember having to endure those Catholic services with the promises of doughnuts afterwards. For us it was always Krispy Kreme, we didn’t have Dunkin’ but just looking at these chocolatey little bites, I know its gonna be a problem for me and my skinny jeans. They look pretty straightforward to make, too, which is a good thing on a Saturday morning! Great recipe, as always, Tracy!
These are my absolute favorites!
I cannot be trusted to be around this since I won’t have the self control to devour the whole batch on my own. Definitely making this, but only when I have company, haha, too dangerous otherwise. 😉
Oh my! They look super decadent and moist inside. I need to try them soon, as donut holes are my favorite.
Wow really these are perfect! I never knew they were this easy to make! I love donut holes! Making these tonight!
These must be pretty addictive! Love the photos 🙂