A great alternative to fried doughnuts. These baked chocolate hazelnut crunch donuts are dipped in chocolate glaze and topped with cinnamon spiced candied hazelnuts.
Chocolate and hazelnuts are a winning combination. Think about the success of Nutella, Ferror Rocher, and Perugina Baci. They’re all such delicious treats.
Here’s another one to add to that list. Combine chocolate and hazelnuts into a donut and you get these chocolate hazelnut crunch donuts!
Have a fear of frying foods? No worries, this is the baked donut recipe for you! You’ll also love these cinnamon sugar mini donuts and baked pumpkin donuts.
Special Equipment Needed
There’s no way around it. You need special bakeware to make these baked donuts.
Luckily, you have plenty of options to choose from. I recommend using these non-stick mini donut pans photographed above or these standard sized non-stick donut pans.
They are easy to clean and easy to use. Even though they are labeled as “nonstick,” I still suggest generously brushing them with butter or coating them with baking spray before use.
An optional, but highly recommended tool, is a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Alternatively, you may use a plastic zip-top bag with a corner snipped off.
How to Fill Donut Pan
- Grease non-stick donut pan with melted butter or coat with baking spray (or cooking spray)
- Transfer donut batter to piping bag fitted with small round piping tip. Alternatively, use a large plastic zip-top bag and snip off a corner.
- Fill donut pan 2/3 full of batter. DO NOT OVERFILL! The batter will rise during baking.
Serving Suggestions
These are best enjoyed the same day they are baked and assembled. Store leftovers in a covered container at room temperature for up to three days.
You may also choose to switch up the glaze and toppings. Serve this with vanilla glaze or a simple dusting of powdered sugar. Rainbow sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, or other chopped nuts are great topping alternatives, as well.
Related Recipes
Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch Donuts
Equipment
- nonstick donut pan
Ingredients
Baked Donuts:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 Tablespoons dried buttermilk powder
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 Tablespoons water
Hazelnut Crunch:
- 1 large egg white
- 1 cup hazelnuts,, blanched, lightly toasted and roughly chopped
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Chocolate Glaze:
- ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
Instructions
Baked Donuts:
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease donut pans.
- Whisk together flours, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and dried buttermilk powder. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, and water.
- Pour all of the mixed wet ingredients into the large bowl with the dry ingredients. Fold together until batter is smooth and there are no more traces of the dry mixture.
- Transfer batter into a large piping bag fitted with a large piping tip. (I used an 18 mm tip) Pipe batter into the donut pans, filling each cavity until half full.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Remove from the pan and let cool on rack.
Hazelnut Crunch:
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- If you have raw hazelnuts with skins on, toast them lightly in a preheated 325 degree F oven for 7-10 minutes. Rub the toasted nuts together using a kitchen towel to remove the skins. Once cooled, roughly chop the nuts. Set aside.
- Hand whisk the egg whites until foamy. Pour in the chopped hazelnuts and stir to coat evenly with the whites.
- Sprinkle sugar, salt, and cinnamon over the nuts. Spread the nuts onto a parchment lined sheet tray. Bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring the nuts halfway thru, until almonds look golden. Remove the nuts from the parchment before allowing to cool. If chunks have formed, break into smaller pieces. Set aside until ready to chocolate dip donuts.
Chocolate Glaze:
- Over a bain-marie, melt together chocolate, butter, and corn syrup. Stir until chocolate mixture is silky and smooth. To make sure the chocolate does not overheat, keep the bain-marie at low heat (keep the water from boiling).
- Let the chocolate cool slightly and thicken a little bit before dipping cooled donuts in and sprinkling with hazelnuts.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
These look amazing and I love that they are baked! You can’t lose with that wonderful chocolate hazelnut combination. I would love for you to share this post at The Hearth and Soul Blog Hop which is live on my site now.
Thank you!
Just wanted to let you know I made these donuts and my boyfriend and I absolutely fell in love! They were beyond delicious, I attached the link to my post if you wanted to check it out :) Thanks again!http://lifessimplemeasures.blogspot.com/2012/01/chocolate-hazelnut-crunch-donuts.html
I’m glad you liked the donuts! I’m checking your blog right now :)
@The Americaine I wish baked means no fat. Since the donuts are baked they are much lower in fat than standard fried donuts. So yes, these are a healthier alternative in that sense :)
@Laura Hazelnut flour sounds amazing! I think that would really kick up the flavor of the donuts. I definitely think you could sub out part of flour for hazelnut flour. Let me know how it goes. I’d love to try it as well.
@MyFudo I’m excited for you to try these donuts! @Sally Thanks! There are few things better than chocolate and hazelnut.@Angie’s Recipes Thank you!
Baked means no fat right? So these are healthy! Hallelujah!
Hmmmm…yum. Chocolate and hazelnut, one of the world’s best food pairings. I actually ordered some Bob’s Red Mill hazelnut flour (yes, very indulgent!)not too long ago and have been trying to think of creative ways to use it. I wonder if I could substitute part of the flour in the donut recipe with it!
wow Grandeurous!
Is there any better flavor combination than chocolate and hazelnut?? These look amazing!
You have elevated the flavors of donuts to a higher level. This is heavenly! Can’t wait to start making batches…Thanks for sharing!