Baked Chocolate Doughnuts with Peanut Butter Frosting
Baked Chocolate Doughnuts with Peanut Butter Frosting. Cut out the frying and reduce the calories with these baked chocolate doughnuts.
I don’t think I’ve met anyone who didn’t like doughnuts. Never. I mean, really, have you ever offered someone a doughnut and heard them say, “no thanks, I just can’t stand doughnuts.” Uh, no.
The few times I’ve heard the offer of a doughnut refused it went something like, “I’d really love to have one, but I’m trying to avoid fried foods.” Ah ha! It’s always the old fried foods excuse, isn’t it?
Well, I have the solution for that. Baked doughnuts!
Cut the Calories with Baked Doughnuts
A while back I bought one of those doughnut pans I’m sure most everyone has seen in the kitchen and home goods aisle. Now, I normally wouldn’t buy something with such a specific purpose but, well…it was on sale you see and the price was so good.
Really, I had every intention of making delicious baked, cake type doughnuts. I did. And what did I do? Well, I put that pan away and forgot all about it.
Until… a while back the people at Betty Crocker asked me and a few other bloggers to come up with some creative ways to use a few of their new products. Did you know they have a bunch of new baking mixes on the grocery store shelves? They do!
New Baking Mixes on the Shelves
And one of those is a Reese’s Peanut Butter and Chocolate Premium Cupcake Mix. What a combination, huh? Chocolate and peanut butter.
Now, the unique thing about this baking mix is that it contains a peanut butter filling that is piped into the center of cupcakes after they’re baked. Yummy. They even include a piping bag right in the box for you to use. Very thoughtful.
So, to get back to the assignment, it was to use the box mix in a creative way. I was mulling this out loud one day and leave it to BeeBop to always come through when I’m drawing blanks.
He said, “how about doughnuts!” Where he pulls these ideas from I’ll never know but thank goodness for him! I got that doughnut pan out and put it to work creating these delicious baked chocolate doughnuts. Hope you enjoy them!
How to Make Baked Chocolate Doughnuts with Peanut Butter Frosting
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Make the Doughnut Batter
First, prepare the cupcake batter by combining the cupcake mix, water, oil, and eggs in a large bowl. Beat on low speed with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Increase the mixer speed to medium and continue beating for 2 minutes stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
Fill the cups of a doughnut pan 2/3 full with the cupcake mixture.
Bake 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan then remove the doughnuts to a wire rack to cool completely (about 30 minutes).
Make the Peanut Butter Frosting
Now, combine the peanut butter mix with the softened butter and cream (or half and half, or milk). Stir until the mixture is well blended and smooth.
Dip the top of each doughnut into the peanut butter frosting and place back on the rack, frosting side up.
Finally, sprinkle each doughnut with your choice of garnishes. I used mini chocolate chips and white chocolate chips. Mini marshmallows or sprinkles would be fun, too. Or toasted coconut.
🧾 More Recipes You’ll Like
- Chocolate Scones
- No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
- New Orleans Beignets
- Chocolate Marshmallow Poke Cake
- Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache
HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?
I’d LOVE to know what you thought!
Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked it!
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Baked Chocolate Doughnuts with Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 pkg. Betty Crocker Reese’s Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cupcake Mix
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 tblsp. softened butter
- 3 tblsp. cream half and half, or milk
- For garnish: mini chocolate chips white chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, sprinkles, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare the cupcake batter by combining the cupcake mix, water, oil, and eggs in a large bowl. Beat on low speed with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Increase mixer speed to medium and continue beating for 2 minutes stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
- Fill the cups of a doughnut pan 2/3 full with the cupcake mixture.
- Bake 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan then remove the doughnuts to a wire rack to cool completely (about 30 minutes).
- Meanwhile, make the peanut butter frosting. Combine the peanut butter mix with the softened butter and cream (or half and half, or milk). Stir until the mixture is well blended and smooth.
- Dip the top of each doughnut into the peanut butter frosting and place back on the rack, frosting side up. Sprinkle with your choice of garnishes. I used mini chocolate chips and white chocolate chips. Mini marshmallows or sprinkles would be fun, too.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
— This post was originally sponsored by Betty Crocker
I have that Reese’s Peanut Butter and Chocolate Premium Cupcake Mix in my kitchen right now!! ahhh I want to make these!!
Wow- these look awesome Lana!
Thanks much Mique. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed this recipe!
Doughnuts are probably my favorite dessert ever. And these look fabulous!!
Mine too, Sues! Now that I’ve started using that pan I can think of all kinds of flavors to make. Next up…maybe pumpkin with a maple frosting. Yum.
Thanks Lana, our mix is 515g Duncan Hines and uses 3 eggs and 1 1/3 cups of water and 1/2 cup of oils so the ratios would definitely be different. Obviously a bigger mix:) Maybe that just means more donuts! haha! Glorious thought.
Sounds good to me, Deb! Your mix would probably make 3 or 4 more than mine.
Do you think you could use any two layer cake mix in this recipe? In Canada we don’t have the same brands as the USA. We have Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker cake mixes that make either 24 cupcakes, or 9×13 or layer cake size. Would this work?
Deb – I have not tried the recipe with a layer cake mix. The mix I used is 14.5 oz. So if your cake mix is similarly sized and uses a similar amount of eggs, water, and oil, my *guess* would be that it could work. I just can’t say with certainty. If you do decide to test it, I’d like to hear about your results.
Worthy of a special occasion!! Like, maybe, Wednesday.
Miss P
Wednesday sounds plenty special enough for me!
These look do good! I just want to grab the plate and run. Chocolate with peanut butter what more could you want !!!!
Really! Reese’s has always had the market on that flavor combination, haven’t they?
These look delicious!! =)
Thanks, Melissa. They were so, so good. Who can resist that combination of chocolate and peanut butter!