Just 35 calories each… including the frosting!
Entenmann’s Mini Chocolate Cake Donuts have been on my “healthy makeover” list for a long time. Growing up, they were always one of my favorite junk foods, and on more than one occasion I tried to sneak them into my mother’s grocery cart when she wasn’t looking.
Sadly, those store-bought chocolate donuts are far from healthy with their 42 ingredients (forty-two?!), the first of which is partially-hydrogenated shortening.
Additionally, each Entenmann’s mini donut includes high fructose corn syrup, polysorbate 60, artificial colors, artificial flavors, and preservatives. Not exactly a healthy breakfast…
The makeover version below has been kid-tested-and-approved.
An equal-weight serving has half the calories, much less fat, and twice the amount of protein and fiber as the originals!
Homemade Entenmann’s Mini Chocolate Donuts
Adapted from: Homemade Krispy Kreme Donuts
- 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 1/3 cup milk of choice
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil (15g)
- 1/2 cup spelt or all-purpose flour (65g) (A reader had success with Bob’s gluten-free ap flour.)
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 2 1/2 tbsp xylitol or sugar (30g)
- pinch pure stevia extract or 1 extra tbsp sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
Combine first four ingredients in a small bowl, and whisk well. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a mini doughnut pan if you have one. (If you don’t have a doughnut pan, you can cook in a mini muffin tin to make doughnut holes.) In a medium measuring bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and stir well. Now pour wet into dry and immediately pour as much of the batter into the pan as will fit, filling each of the spaces up about halfway. Bake 8 minutes, then allow to cool before removing. Bake the second batch the same way as you did the first.
Chocolate Coating: Mix together 2 tbsp pure maple syrup, 2 tbsp melted coconut oil, and scant 3 tbsp cocoa powder. If it’s not a thin sauce, gently heat until it becomes thin. (Coconut-free version: You can simply melt chocolate chips with a little shortening. Spectrum brand has no partially-hydrogenated oil.) Dip each doughnut in the frosting, either halfway or fully. Place on a wire rack, then refrigerate to “set” the frosting. Coconut oil melts at room temperature, so if you use the coconut version it is best to store these in the fridge. Makes about 18-20 coated doughnuts.
Question of the Day:
What’s your favorite type of donut? Frosted or Glazed?
Or something entirely different, like strawberry, powdered sugar, or Boston Cream Pie donuts? At Dunkin’ Donuts, I loved glazed donuts above all else, but with Entenmann’s it was always about the chocolate!
Link Of The Day:
meredith @ The Cookie ChRUNicles says
I just posted this morning about Entenmann’s cookies! All about how I recall their fat free cookies and how I loved them and wonder if I were to eat them today if they would still taste good to me. I am so excited to try this donut recipe! I used to love Entenmann’s chocolate crumb donuts and of course, their classic chocolate frosted.
Lisa says
Wonderful!!!! Now PLEASE post the recipe for chocolate batter for donuts that you photographed so LONG AGO! Thank you for all the recipes! 🙂
Laura says
I used this same recipe to make a chocolate donut batter. I just added 1 tbsp. + 1tsp of cocoa powder and I added a packet of stevia. They were delicious!
D says
My family will go nuts when they hear of this recipe. I remember my favorite dougnut was glazed or chocolate. But sometimes I was attracted to the strawberry or vanilla frosted ones with the sprinkles on top. You are awesome Katie! I cannot wait to purchase your book when it becomes available.
Dorian says
Yesterday, I was actually telling a co-worker about how much how much I miss these. Definitely going to try!
Jennifer Walker says
Yum Katie! My kids will love these.. Thank you.
Shonalika says
I’m a bit weird in that generally speaking I’m not at all into doughnuts, especially not the typical “Simpsons” style. I find them very unsatisfying, like a bland sugary thing with some glaze or frosting on it to cover up the fact that the doughnut itself isn’t that great… Filled jam doughnuts without the circle shape are a bit better, but even then I find I’m usually really just after the jam, the rest of the doughnut doesn’t do much for me. I did have some amazing plain, sugar-covered doughnuts just once from a vendor – but they’d been made fresh. And it was the middle of the night, it was cold, and I was starving so a hot, sugary doughy deliciousness was EXACTLY what I needed – a situation that probably won’t occur very often in future sadly. xD
I think half the reason I don’t like regular doughnuts is because I can practically taste the bland emptiness of the flour. Your wholegrain versions look WAY more hearty and appealing:D
Kim S. says
My seven year old’s favorite sweet. I picked them up yesterday and then put them back down in the store yesterday. I’m going to make these, I have all the ingredients on hand too.
Mia (Mia in Germany) says
They look so appetizing! I’ve read a lot about Entenmann’s but it isn’t available here. So of course I have to try these 🙂
I only like oven baked home made gluten free donuts with lots of chocolate frosting! This is my favourite so far:
http://www.food.com/recipe/baked-double-chocolate-donuts-gluten-free-460165
Maggie @ Deliciously Opinionated says
Mmmm delicious! Chocolate donuts are DEFINITELY my favorite!
EVA says
YAAARGH I wish I could have coconut!
My mom used to only buy these delicious little prizes for the annual camping trip every summer, along with the Entenmann’s mini chocolate chip cookies that are somehow the most moist and addictive cookies out there. I don’t know HOW they do it, and I don’t know HOW I was able to inhale those through my nose.
As a wee one, I’d polish off a box of glazed Krispy Kreme donuts myself every single Sunday. And somehow I was still underweight! Those were always my favorites. I was never a fan of cyclops donuts though. I tried to understand the fad but could never enjoy it knowing that I could have a glazed donut instead!
Rebekah says
i use applesauce for oil in baking. You could try that. I made need to use melted chocolate chips for the glaze. But I have made these before and I think I used another glaze recipe.
EVA says
Wait, I forgot to profess my love for DONUT HOLES! The sugar ones specifically.
And I forgot to profess my hate for filled donuts. Oh the horror
Kelli says
Oh how I loved Entenmann’s when I was growing up! Loved their doughnuts and Danish and those crumby coffee cakes…. But the best by far were Dunkin Donuts chocolate glazed donuts! If only they were vegan……
Nikindra says
Oh my goodness, I used to love these when I was a kid!!! Can’t wait to try the recipe!
Jo says
we don’t have dunkin donuts here but im in love with krispy kreme and tim hortons donuts! glazed is definitely my preference, i just love the way the sugary glaze melts in my mouth
Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen says
These donuts look like a little piece of heaven Katie! Excited to try them!!
Chelsea@TableForOne says
Wow! These look fabulous. These were always a treat on road trips growing up, but I haven’t had them since then. I must try them.
Lindsay says
I’m so excited to try these – they look delicious! I’m not normally much of a donut person, but these may just change my mind …
Cindy says
It looks like there are little orange flecks in the donut – looks like shredded carrot? But I don’t see anything that would be orange on the ingredient list…?
EVA says
I turned up the brightness all the way on my laptop and think you are just seeing the lighting that comes off of the chocolate glaze and the shadows within the donut as orange. Perhaps whatever filter she used to edit these photos were set to a red opaque, which warms the tones of the neutral colors.
Sorry if that doesn’t make any sense to you, I’m an artist and am always ready at the prowl to help troubleshoot a predicament such as this!
Joanna says
Oh Em Gee…They look perfect! And I love that they are so much healthier than the original! 🙂
Mia says
I used to love these as a kid! I will definitely be trying this recipe out in the near future. Thanks 🙂
Carolyn HSmith says
Hi Katie! I love the glazed donuts- daughter loves the small baked ones that are dredged in powder sugar. I don’t buy both kinds, though. I am looking forward to having some of the chocolate ones, and they do look great! (I have promised myself a treat, but I can’t bring myself to start up the oven when it is this hot outdoors)! I may make some in the morning, before it gets too hot!! ☺☺☺
Thank you!
Annie says
I remember my favorite doughnuts when I was little were Dunkin’ Donuts chocolate-glazed original. They were so soft and pungently sweet and chewy… We’d get them when we traveled to different places on long car trips: sometimes we’d stop at a DD and our parents let us each choose one. Later, when I was a little older, I visited a Weiss store and my daddy bought me the hugest clear box of XL-glazed doughnuts I’d ever seen! (They were probably only abt 3lbs, maybe a dozen doughnuts 😉 I was so excited and I loved them bc I’d never had my very own personal box before. 😉 Then my favorite became Krispy Cremes’, then Giant’s chocolate-glazed bc I’d found my first-ever favorite and it was kind of nostalgic. Now I avoid institutional doughnuts for health and weight-management, but every once in a great while I”ll have a homemade, healthier doughnut bc they’re so good 😉
Reading this you might think my family ate a lotta junk, but the truth is we usually ate pretty healthy. Doughnuts were a rare and coveted treat; and thats probably why I loved it so much. My parents basically viewed them as super unhealthy and entirely unnecessary, but felt that once in a blue moon couldn’t hurt us. Not a bad philosophy – after all, life is all about balance. In keeping with that, I try to make my desserts healthier and allow myself a treat every so often, within reason. : )
Thank you Katie for always posting delicious healthy recipes for inspiration to make our lives healthier in simpe ways. I love you!
Emma of Zimt says
Oh geez. Katie- these look incredible. Thank you for yet another winner! I am excited to try these once I have an oven again! Woohoo!!!!
Teresa says
Yum! These look amazing. I always loved the Entenmann’s doughnuts when I was younger. Will definitely be trying this recipe soon.
My favorite doughnuts are the cake style (baked), especially in an applesauce or apple spice flavor.
EmilyLovesRaisins says
It’s official. We’re becoming best friends, NOW! 😛
Amanda says
Glazed! But maple bars are my absolute favorite. Haven’t had one in forever so I need to find a healthy version.
Audrey says
Jelly donuts are my fav (were? I haven’t had one in forever)
Although, chocolate is never a bad thing. 🙂
Steph says
Wow! Those donuts look goooood! Glazed, definitely glazed- every single time! For some reason I always hated the colourful iced ones with lollies on top. Blech!
Lisa @bitesforbabies says
Are you kidding me?! Those look better than the real thing! Your pics are awesome too! I came up with a recipe a while back for raw “Timbits” (Which I think taste better than the real thing) 😉
http://www.bitesforbabies.com/recipes/raw-cocoa-coconut-timbits/
Jennifer says
Help me understand: “If you don’t have a doughnut pan, you can cook in a mini muffin tin to make doughnut holes.” I don’t have a doughnut pan, but do have a mini muffin tin… but how do I make the doughnut holes? Sooo anxious to make these! Also, I love that you are posting the WW+ points. Thank you!
Gail says
Jennifer, I am planning to make these this afternoon. The mini muffins ARE the donut holes. =) They just will not have the typical rounded shape of a donut hole…they will be shaped like mini muffins. But, they will taste the same, and that is all that counts! =)
Jennifer says
Oooh! I get it! Thank you, Gail.
Gail says
You’re welcome! =)
Nathalie says
Hey beautiful <3
Made your doughnuts today, and they tasted AWESOME. I didnt have any vegetable oil or coconut oil with me tho, so i used applesauce and it worked perfect
Nathalie says
Umm katie? I followed the exactt ingredient you put, same directions, i followed the recipe almost 100% ( just the applesauce) yet it only made 4 donuts…… While yours made 20?
Krystal says
You must have done something wrong. I got 20 doughnuts from my batch.
Gail says
Are you using a mini doughnut pan or a regular-sized doughnut pan? =)
EmilyLovesRaisins says
Nathalie-
I used a regular-sized donut pan and got 5… I’m guessing that’s what you did! 😛
Katie says
I used a mini donut pan and got 8. I guess mine were closer to 3/4 full rather than 1/2, but I’m still going to double the recipe next time. They turned out absolutely delicious, by the way! 😀
Krystal says
This is the first time I used my mini doughnut pan and boy will it not be the last! I could barely wait to frost them and ate three right out of the oven!
Dana says
Oh my goodness, the second I saw this recipe I knew I had to make these for my family (oh, and me too)! We’re gluten free and I haven’t had these in years. I just made them in a regular 8-donut pan with Better Batter gluten free all-purpose flour and they are awesome 🙂 Thanks for another winner recipe.
-Dana
AnnaBananaBelle says
oh you used better batter flour? yay! i use that flour too. I am glad to know it works!
Aimee B. says
These look amazing! The chocolate covered mini donuts have always been my hubby’s fave, so I must make these for him. He can eat a bag of the others in one sitting! I have always been a maple glazed girl, but really haven’t met a donut I don’t like, lol!
trajayjay says
Glazed definitely. W/ Sprinkles
I like the maple glaze the best, though I’m not picky. Except I don’t dig the chocolate glaze.
Becca says
These have now topped my favorite healthy dessert list! They were so easy to put together, meaning I was prepared to pop them in the oven before the oven had even finished preheating, and my family devoured them. I will definitely be making these again soon! Thank you so much for this recipe!
AnnaBananaBelle says
weird but i actually was just thinking yesterday that i should find our if chocolatecoveredkatie had a chocolate coated donut recipe! my favorite type of donut was always boston cream. I almost never eat donuts anymore though except homemade due to how unhealthy they are. Thanks for the recipe! can’t wait to try these!
Caralyn @ glutenfreehappytummy says
Looks amazing! and 35 calories!? I’ll take 2! 😀
Sophie says
Could you please make healthy cookies and cream fudge? Kind of debating whether that’s possible or not, but you made healthy doughnuts so I think it probably is;) x
Sophie says
Please could you make healthy cookies and cream fudge?:)
Kristal says
Now you only need to make a dozen more doughnut recipes to be able to create a “doughnut category” (that would be my favorite category)! I predict that doughnuts are in my near future! My favorite doughnuts are probably are… ALL DOUGHNUTS!!!!!!!! 😉
Ashley says
I tried these today because they looked WONDERFUL. I used the mini muffin pan and quadrupled the recipe but only got 34. Then I could not get the chocolate thin enough-it was a very strange consistency. And ideas?
Liz says
Mini muffins are bigger than a mini donut pan. I got the right number in a donut pan, so you didn’t do anything wrong! Just microwave the sauce a little and it will thin out again.
Melissa says
I LOVED these. I made them today and my family of 4 already devoured them all. Easy to make and delicious.
Boston Cream Pie doughnuts?! OMG……show me the way to the vegan ones and you won’t be able to pry me away.
Lauren says
Yum!
My favorite donuts are vanilla cream-filled. Or chocolate cream-filled.
Cee says
i’m vegetarian trying to be vegan, but used to occasionally cheat with Dunkin Donuts jelly filled and double chocolate. Last time I got a jelly, there was barely any filling in it. It was so bad I had to write them an email about it. I might be done with them. Plus I learned if you put a dollop of jelly on top of cupcakes before baking, you can make (easy) jelly filled cupcakes.
Celine says
These were AMAZING! I made 5 regular sized donuts from the recipe above. And used vegan sunflower spread instead of coconut oil in the frosting. They took hardly any time to prep and cook. Can’t wait to make them again 🙂
Gail says
We’ve made these twice since you posted the recipe, Katie. They are just wonderful!
Lita says
Do you know what the calories for this recipe are with out the chocolate frosting? I was thinking about making 2 patches, one with chocolate and one with powdered sugar. 🙂 Thanks!
Amy H says
Hi Katie!
Thanks so much for this recipe. I’m about to make these with my two boys (ages 3 & 1- they love your recipes almost as much as I do 😉 ) but I don’t have any vinegar in the house. Is it ok to skip it, or should I replace it with something?
Thanks again!
Michelle says
You could likely sub lemon juice for the vinegar.
Aly says
I don’t know if you ever take recipe suggestions, but I would love to see a healthy poptart recipe! I loved poptarts as a kid, but I don’t eat them now because of how processed and full of junk they are!
Anna says
Hi, Katie actually already does have a pop tart recipe here 🙂 https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/10/01/healthy-pop-tarts/
Lisa says
Tried these and loved ’em! Didn’t have a doughnut or minimuffin tin, so I just made them into small, doughnut-flavored muffins in my regular tin. Boyfriend loved them too.
AnnaBananaBelle says
I tried these this morning in my cake-pop maker and they were delicious! i used better batter gf flour which already contains xanthan gum so i am not sure if you would have to add xanthan gum to a different gf flour. Thanks for the great recipe!
Emily says
Made these tonight for national donut day! I made my gluten free and they were so yummy and gone in seconds 🙂
Rachel says
I love all your recipes, Katie! Though sometimes when I try them out myself, I end up adding more stuff to it because the consistency of the batter or dough seems off. I don’t know about others, but for me personally it would be helpful if you described how the consistency and color should be in your directions? You’re so awesome! Thanks!
Andrea says
Hi Katie,
Do you taste the coconut oil at all? We are not allergic, but a little bit picky… 🙂
Unofficial CCK Helper says
You really don’t! But it depends on the brand. I like Whole Foods brand.
Rachel says
Hi Katie!
Can you help me out? Each time I’ve made this recipe the inside is not cooked at all. I used two different sized pans for each batch (small 1″ muffin pan and 3″ muffin pan that I filled up barely half way), but the result is the same. Should I try less liquid?
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Rachel
Unofficial CCK Helper says
Did you look at Katie’s Recipe FAQ Page at the top of her blog? I’ve made these donuts a million times, always perfect, so it sounds like it’s an issue with your oven. Also, what flour and sugar are you using? Please respond!
Alexa says
Entemmens in the fridge are THE BEST. Was wondering if applesauce could be substituted for the oil to cut calories down even more? Either way these look absolutely amazingly delicious and I can’t wait to try it when I get back home from vacation.
Karla says
Hi Katie,
I’ve made these last night and they are SPECTACULAR! My husband, who is a junk food lover, loved these mini doughnuts! Thank you so much for this recipe Katie.
Greetings from Madrid.
Karla
Cassie says
Looks delicious!!!
lena says
these are ridiculously easy and delicious!!!! I didn’t have the mini donut pan so it made 6 big ones. oh, so very yummy!!!!
Nicole Rosecrans says
I just made these and I don’t know if I’m a fan of spelt flour. I got the whole grain kind instead of the white. I noticed that you use spelt all the time. I wonder if I’m just more a fan of oat flour. Could I use oat flour in place of spelt in your recipes?
Gaddemon says
OMG Katie, this is so delicious!! I made these this morning, doubling the recipe and I got 8 normal donuts and they turned out beautifully!! Thanks so much!!
Patti says
You are amazing! Love all your receipes for their healthy ingredients, trying all of them and my family is thrilled! Keep up the good job!
Patty says
Can you use an electric donut maker for these.
Thanks for all your yummy recipes. You are such a Blessing!
A H says
It’s worth a try! Let us know the result, if you do.
Rikki says
Thanks for the lovely recipe.
But I’m confused about something, how can the small measurements of the ingredients yield 18 doughnuts?
I was barely able to fill a 6 doughnut hole mold halfway.
Sadly they didn’t even rise much, so it just made 6, dinky doughnuts.
My baking powder is new..I did use Bobs red Mill GF flour but I can’t imagine that was the problem.
Any thoughts?
janiece borens says
I made these today and they’re good. I only had regular sized donuts pans and mini muffins pans so I went with the donut ones. It makes about 3 regular sized. Next time I would cook them for a little longer to allow them to rise more and then let them cool for longer. I used coconut sugar instead of xylitol, canola oil for vegetable, and butter for coconut oil.