Chocolate Covered Donuts made quick & easy with crescent dough & delicious buttery chocolate glaze. Better than store-bought; you’ll make them again & again!
Our family has always enjoyed eating donuts but buying them isn’t always an option. Thankfully these homemade donuts are so much cheaper and faster than loading everyone up in a car and driving to the local bakery for a few dozen. This donut recipe has been in my hands for a few years now and I have come up with several fun variations, but what can beat a classic like chocolate glazed?
Fast and Delicious Chocolate Covered Donuts
These Chocolate Glazed Donuts are much easier to make than you might think! I start with store-bought dough and fry them up, then dip them in a decadent chocolate glaze that’s smooth & buttery. One bite and you’ll be sold! It only takes about 6 or 7 ingredients (if you include the oil) and because we use canned biscuit dough we don’t need to wait hours for yeasts to rise, making these a perfect breakfast treat with very little prep.
Glazed Chocolate Donut Ingredients
- Butter: Using 2 tablespoons of butter in the glaze will give us a richer taste and help to give it a nice shine as well.
- Milk: You will need 2-3 tablespoons of milk to thin down the glaze to the perfect consistency. The amount needed will vary.
- Corn syrup: Adding 1 tablespoon of corn syrup into the glaze will help it to stay soft while still setting and it gives a nice shine making the donuts look more appetizing.
- Melted chocolate chips: We need to use 1/4 cup of melted chocolate chips to give our glaze that incredible chocolate flavor and brown color that we’re looking for.
- Powdered sugar: To make our glaze sweet and smooth, we will use 1 cup of powdered sugar for the base.
- Oil: We will need 2 cups worth of oil for frying these donuts in. Using canola oil is preferred.
- Canned biscuits: Grab an 8 count, 16.3 oz package of your favorite canned biscuits. You can use the small cheap store bought ones or go for the Pillsbury flaky ones, either one will work for this recipe but you may find that you prefer the results of one over another.
What is chocolate donut glaze made of?
Our chocolate glaze is made with sugar, milk, butter, chocolate chips and corn syrup. It produces a rich, chocolaty glaze that coats donuts perfectly and dries with a lovely shine.
How to Make a Chocolate Glazed Donut
- Pour your canola oil into a medium-sized saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until it’s warmed and bubbly.
- Open your biscuit dough and separate the biscuits inside. To make your donuts into bars, simply stretch the biscuits into oblong shapes. To make a circle donut, cut out a small center in each round biscuit using a bottle cap or small round cutter.
- In a small bowl, combine the butter, milk, and corn syrup. Whisk in the melted chocolate chips and powdered sugar until smooth. The glaze will set up so if needed, place in microwave for a few seconds to soften and whisk smooth again.
- Check the temperature of the oil with a cooking thermometer. It should read 350 degrees F, adjust heat as needed.
- Once the oil is ready, carefully drop the donut into the oil and cook for 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for 2 minutes as well. This process goes by quickly So I recommend having a paper towel-lined plate on standby to soak the grease as you move on to the next donut. The donuts should appear nicely golden brown when finished.
- Let the donuts cool for a few minutes before whisking the glaze and then dip each donut in it to coat one side (the top side). Immediately place the donuts top side up on a wire cooling rack.
- Repeat this process until all donuts have been cooked and glazed. Enjoy!
What is the best cooking thermometer to use?
It’s important to have a reliable, durable cooking thermometer on hand! My all-time favorite thermometer is the Thermapen. It’s super fast and incredibly durable. Another great cooking thermometer is the ThermoPop which is a more basic version that works just as well! I use a cooking thermometer to test a variety of foods for doneness- meats, breads, and even oil for frying. They’re a staple in my kitchen!
Chocolate Glazed Donut
Ingredients
- 2 TBSP melted butter
- 2-3 TBSP milk
- 1 TBSP corn syrup
- ¼ cup melted chocolate chips
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups canola oil for frying
- 8 ct package refrigerated biscuit dough
Instructions
- Pour 2 cups of canola oil into a medium sized saucepan and begin heating on medium-low heat (I set mine at 4.)
- Open the biscuit dough and separate. To make bars, gently stretch the biscuits into an oblong shape, as opposed to the round shape they come in. To make regular circle donuts, separate each biscuit and cut out a small circle in the center of each biscuit using a biscuit cutter, or a soda bottle cap.
- Combine butter, milk and corn syrup in a small bowl. Whisk in melted chocolate chips and powdered sugar until smooth. (I melted my chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds, then 10 second intervals until completely smooth. Remember to not over cook chocolate or it will seize!) Glaze will set up, so return it to the microwave if needed to soften and whisk smooth again.
- Check the temperature of the oil using a meat thermometer– it needs to read 350 degrees F. Increase heat gradually if necessary.
- Once oil is ready, drop donuts in and let cook for about 2 minutes, then turn and cook an additional 2 minutes on the other side. This process of cooking the doughnuts goes very fast, so have a paper towel covered plate ready to set the bars on when cooked. Bars should be a nice golden brown.
- Let donuts cool for a few minutes, then whisk the glaze to make sure it’s smooth enough to dip each bar. Dip the bar, then immediately turn glaze side up on a cooling rack.
- Repeat this process until all bars are fried and glazed. They’re best eaten within an hour, but even the next morning they’re amazing!
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How long is a chocolate frosted donut good for?
The best donuts are always better when fresh, but you can store these donuts in an airtight container at room temperature and eat them up to 2-3 days later.
Chocolate Glaze for Donuts – What type of chocolate chip is best to use?
You can use semi-sweet chocolate chips like I did or you can use milk chocolate and they’ll turn out tasting incredible. Semi-sweet tastes more like what you’d expect from a store-bought donut though.
If you like Chocolate Glazed Donuts, check out a few of our other donut recipes:
- BAKED BANANA DONUTS
- OLD FASHIONED SOUR CREAM DONUTS
- 3-INGREDIENT BAKED PUMPKIN DONUTS
- RASPBERRY PUFF PASTRY DONUTS
- HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY GLAZED DONUTS
- EASY VALENTINES DONUTS
- EASY 15-MINUTE DONUTS, 3 RECIPES
- 15-MINUTE PUMPKIN SPICE DONUTS
- DONUT KRISPIE TREATS
- EASY CHOCOLATE GLAZED DONUTS
- PILLSBURY GRANDS DONUTS
These Chocolate Glazed Donuts are made quick & easy with canned dough & a delicious buttery chocolate glaze. You’re going to love waking up to this easy recipe!
Maria Carpenter says
We’ve made the sugar dusted filled jelly donuts they were delicious I plan to make a few desserts for Easter because they are so easy to do.
Thank you
Nicole says
That sounds like a lovely idea
Cherie Bourque says
The orange cream gelatin salad was incredible. Can’t wait to make more!
Nicole says
We’re so glad you liked it!
Debbie Marchlewski says
Haven’t tried this recipe yet. Looks easy, can’t wait to try!
Bob Bevec says
I love raised glazed with the smooth chocolate frosting!
Nicole says
Sounds delicious!
Sonja Rhoden says
My favorite donuts are raspberry and lemon filled.
I haven’t tried this recipe yet but gonna try it this weekend
Nicole says
We hope you enjoy!
Gail Peach says
Can these be done in an Air fryer instead?
Jessica says
I’m sure that’d work great!! I’d follow the same directions I laid out for these donuts- https://butterwithasideofbread.com/easy-cinnamon-donuts/
Rebel says
My favorite donuts are chocolate long johns, chocolate glaze, and chocolate cake. Notice a theme. 😉
Nicole says
Can’t go wrong with chocolate 😉
Fay Schipporeit says
Maple Bars are my favorite & Chocol frosted donuts come in 2nd.
Nicole says
both are delicious classics
Mary Carol says
Bears Claw are my fMavorite donut but I’m excited to make this recipe.
Nicole says
we’re excited too
Nancy says
All donuts are wonderful to me! My very favorite donut item is a big apple fritter. I love all the wonderful glazed dough bumps in an apple fritter!
Lisa Roberts says
My favorite donuts are jelly-filled, cream-filled and blueberry cake. Not that I would turn down any donut offered to me!!! I haven’t tried it yet, but I will be making them soon.
Nicole says
Very nice!
Karen says
Easiest way eve to cook a delicious ham!! Use your crockpot : )
Nicole says
Crockpot hams can be very delicious and low maintenance.
M says
Quick and easy if your in a rush but homemade donuts would be better!
Jessica says
Well of course they will be! But these are 15 minute donuts!
Lori says
Why do the instructions say bars? Are these not donuts?
Jessica says
Sorry, they’re donuts!