Donut recipe with whole wheat flour are a healthier baked version of the classic bakery treat you know and love. Here you’ll find step-by-step instructions with photos to make the best eggless donut recipe. Plus, I share my favorite simple recipes for a delicious chocolate glaze to make chocolate donut and cinnamon + sugar sprinkle to make cinnamon sugared donut!
Table of Contents
About This Donut Recipe
Doughnuts, or donuts, are a classic sweet goodie that have long been enjoyed in some version in nearly all corners of the world. Thick, rich, sweet dough is formed into a circle – with or without a hole – and either baked or fried to fluffy, tender perfection.
They are very simple and similar in concept no matter where you are, but the different varieties of donuts are nearly endless.
Speaking of: Be sure to give this Gulgule (Indian Fried Doughnut) recipe a try, too!
My readers have requested recipes for donuts over the years, including baked and fried methods, and yeast vs. no yeast recipes. After many trials and tests, this is by far my favorite way to make donuts from scratch.
This chocolate donut recipe is made with whole wheat flour (atta) and instant yeast for a lovely rise with no eggs needed. The donuts are baked in the oven and have just the right density and cake-y texture.
Also, I have used less sugar than most common donut recipes, but these treats still taste perfectly sweet. So each bite is flavorful, satisfying, and fairly healthy.
I’ve also included quick and easy recipes to prepare a decadent chocolate ganache and cinnamon sugar sprinkle. Top your donuts however you like and enjoy as a fun and delicious breakfast or dessert!
How to make Donuts
Make Flour, Milk and Yeast Mixture
1. First warm ½ cup milk and add it to a mixing bowl or pan. Do note that the milk should be lukewarm and not hot.
For instant yeast (rapid rise yeast), you can use cold milk or at room temperature. But if you use dry active yeast or fresh yeast, then to activate them, you will need to use lukewarm milk.
2. Then add ¼ cup sugar.
3. Next add ½ teaspoon instant yeast (rapid rise yeast). Mix very well.
Yeast types and conversions
- If adding dry active yeast, add ¾ teaspoon of it.
- For fresh yeast, add 1.5 teaspoons.
4. Next add 1 cup whole wheat flour (atta).
Atta is the Indian variety of stone ground wheat flour that is finely ground. You can also use the roller milled wheat flour that is available in US and Europe, but do sift the flour 2 to 3 times before you add to the warm milk.
5. Mix very well with a spoon. If the mixture looks very thick, then you can add some more warm milk or milk which is at room temperature.
Cover the pan with a lid or kitchen towel and allow to leaven for 20 to 30 minutes.
6. After leavening, you will see that the dough mixture has become stringy and has air pockets in it.
Make Dough
7. Then add the remaining 1 cup of whole wheat flour, 3 tablespoons softened butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of grated nutmeg.
8. Mix first and then begin to knead the dough. Add ¼ cup more of the milk (milk can be warm or at room temperature). Add milk as required while kneading.
9. Knead to a smooth, soft and supple dough. The dough should be softer than a roti dough. If dough feels hard then add more milk.
When you add more milk, it looks like the dough has become sticky and is covered with milk, but continue to knead and the dough will absorb the remaining milk.
Do note that the dough has to be soft and supple. If the dough is not soft, then the donuts will also not have a soft texture.
Overall I used ¾ cup milk. Depending on the quality of flour, you can add ¾ to 1 cup milk or more if required.
Leaven Donut Dough
10. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to leaven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The dough will double up.
Warmer temperatures are more conducive for leavening and fermentation. While donut dough is getting leavened, we can prepare the toppings.
If using dry active yeast or fresh yeast, then let it to rise for 1:30 minutes to 3 hours. Timing will vary depending on the temperature conditions.
While the dough rests, you can put together the chocolate glaze and sugar cinnamon sprinkle.
Make Chocolate Glaze
1. Add 3 tablespoons powdered sugar (confectioners sugar) or icing sugar in a bowl.
2. Add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder.
3. Next add ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract.
4. Add 4 tablespoons milk.
5. Mix very well and keep aside. If the glaze looks very thick, then you can add 1 tablespoon milk. Both the chocolate glaze and the cinnamon sprinkle recipes are for the entire batch of donuts.
If you plan to do both, then halve the recipe ingredients. If there is any leftover, then use it. A few examples below.
- Like leftover melted butter can be used in various recipes.
- Leftover cinnamon sugar can be added to tea or coffee.
- Leftover chocolate sauce can be spread on toasts or paratha.
Make Sugar & Cinnamon Sprinkle
1. Add 2 tablespoons fine or super fine sugar or powdered sugar or icing sugar in a bowl or plate. Then add ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder.
2. Mix very well and keep aside.
Shaping and Baking Eggless Donut
1. Line a tray with parchment paper or butter paper. Alternatively you can grease the tray very well with oil or softened butter.
2. Gently and lightly knead the dough once more. Then sprinkle some flour and roll the entire dough to a circle having ½ to ¾ inch width. I kept ½ inch width thickness in the rolled dough.
3. Keep and press the donut cutter on the dough. Do this on all the rolled dough.
4. If you do not have a donut cutter, then take a lid and press it on the dough.
5. Then take a small lid and keep in the centre of the cut round dough. Remove the small centre piece and you get the donut shape.
6. Remove gently and keep the donuts on the lined tray. Also keep the small centre pieces.
Collect the dough scraps, knead lightly and again roll to ½ inch thickness. Shape the donuts again using the donut cutter or lids. Do this until all the dough gets used up to make the donuts.
7. Cover and allow for the second rise for 15 to 20 minutes or until they double.
With dry active or fresh yeast, keep for 30 minutes to 45 minutes or more until they double in size.
8. Before baking donuts, preheat the oven with both top and bottom heating elements on at 180 degrees celsius for 15 minutes. Keep the baking tray in the centre.
Bake donuts for 15 to 25 minutes. Timing will vary depending on the oven size, make and actual temperature in the oven. Bake donuts till the tops are golden. Also do not over bake them or else the texture becomes dry.
9. Remove the donuts and keep on wired rack. If some donuts have got baked and some are still not, then remove the ones which are baked and keep on a wired rack.
This what I did for some of the donuts which had got baked faster. Let the donuts cool a bit or become warm.
Make Cinnamon Sugared Donut
1. To top with the cinnamon and sugar sprinkle: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a steel bowl or a steel plate by keeping it on a low flame on the stove top. Do not touch the plate or bowl as it will be hot.
2. Place the doughnut upside down in the melted butter.
3. Then place the buttered side in the cinnamon and sugar mixture and gently move the donut on the sugar mixture so that the sugar and cinnamon sticks to the butter. Remove and keep donuts on the wired rack with the sprinkled side facing upwards.
Make Chocolate Donut
4. For the chocolate donut, place the donuts upside down in the glaze.
5. Coat evenly with the chocolate glaze. Remove and keep the chocolate donut on the wired rack with the chocolate glazed side upward.
Remember to keep a tray below the rack to collect the chocolate drippings or the sprinkles.
6. I also sprinkled some desiccated coconut on a few chocolate donuts. Optional step.
7. Serve these chocolate donut and cinnamon sugared donut warm or at room temperature.
Ingredient Swaps
- Flour: Whole wheat flour tends to give a faint dense texture in the donuts. If you prefer a very soft texture use all-purpose flour. You could also opt to add an equal mix of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour. If using all-purpose add less quantities of milk while kneading.
- Milk: Adapt this recipe to a lighter version by kneading the dough with water instead of milk. You can also use nut milks like almond milk or cashew milk.
- Butter: For a vegan donut recipe, use vegan butter or a neutral tasting oil. Do not use a nut butter as the taste and flavor will change.
- Cocoa powder: To make the chocolate glaze, cocoa powder is an easily available ingredient that mostly everyone has in their kitchens. But in a pinch you can use hot chocolate mix or hot cocoa mix. Simply mix desired quantity of hot or warm water to the hot cocoa mix to get a thick to medium consistency glaze.
FAQs
You can easily swap the milk for your preferred plant-based beverage. Almond milk, cashew milk and oats milk are tasty alternatives. For a completely vegan recipe also use a plant based butter or oil.
I use instant yeast in this recipe. However, you can certainly use dry active or fresh yeast.
Yes! The recipe as-is makes approximately 15 donuts; double the ingredients for 30 treats or halve to make roughly a half dozen donuts.
Store the baked goods in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. But keep in mind they will become slightly more dense after being in the fridge due to the butter. Enjoy cold or reheat for 10 to 15 seconds in a microwave.
Absolutely, these freeze very well. Layer them without any toppings or glaze, with pieces of parchment or wax paper between the donuts. Then store them all in a freezer-safe airtight bag or container and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let them defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven until just warm.
More Delish Baked Recipes To Try!
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Donut Recipe | Chocolate Donut (Eggless Donut)
Ingredients
For donut dough
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (atta), leveled – 250 grams
- ½ teaspoon instant yeast or ¾ teaspoon active dry yeast or 1.5 teaspoon fresh yeast
- ¼ cup sugar leveled – 36 grams
- ¾ cup milk or add as required
- 3 tablespoons Butter or oil
- 1 pinch grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg – optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
For chocolate glaze
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar (confectioner's sugar) or icing sugar
- 4 tablespoons milk or add as required
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract or a drop of vanilla essence
- 2 to 3 tablespoons desiccated coconut (finer grates or powder) for sprinkling, optional
For cinnamon sprinkle
- 2 tablespoons fine sugar or super fine sugar or powdered sugar (confectioner's sugar) or icing sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder (ground cinnamon)
- 2 tablespoons Butter – melted
Instructions
Preparing donut dough
- First warm ½ cup milk and take it in a mixing bowl or pan. Do note that the milk should be warm and not hot.
- Then add sugar and instant yeast. Mix very well.
- Next add 1 cup of whole wheat flour.
- Mix very well with a spoon. Cover the pan with a lid or kitchen towel and allow to leaven for 20 to 30 minutes.
- After leavening, you will see that the dough mixture has become stringy and has air pockets in it.
- Then add the remaining 1 cup of whole wheat flour, butter, vanilla extract and a pinch of grated nutmeg.
- Mix first and then begin to knead the dough. Add ¼ cup more of the milk (milk can be warm or at room temperature). Add milk as required while kneading.
- Knead to a smooth, soft and supple dough. The dough should be softer than a roti or naan dough. If dough feels tight then add more milk. Note that when you add more milk, it will look like the dough has become sticky and is covered with milk, but continue to knead and the dough will absorb the remaining milk.
- Do note that the dough has to be soft and supple. If the dough is not soft, then the donuts will also not have a soft texture. Overall I have added ¾ cup milk. Depending on the quality of flour, you can add ¾ to 1 cup milk or more if required.
- Cover the bowl and keep the dough to leaven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The dough will double. Warmer temperatures are more conducive for leavening and fermentation.
- If using dry active yeast or fresh yeast, then keep for 1:30 minutes to 3 hours. Timing will vary depending on the temperature conditions.
- While donut dough is getting leavened, prepare the glaze toppings.
Making Chocolate glaze
- In a bowl, take the powdered sugar or icing sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and milk.
- Mix very well and keep aside. If the glaze looks very thick, then you can add 1 tablespoon more milk.
Making sugar and cinnamon sprinkle
- Take fine or super fine sugar or powdered sugar or icing sugar in a bowl or plate along with the ground cinnamon powder.
- Mix very well and set aside.
Rolling, Shaping and Leavening Donuts
- Line a tray with parchment paper or butter paper. Alternatively you can grease the tray very well with oil or butter.
- Gently and lightly knead the dough once more. Then sprinkle some flour and roll the entire dough to a circle having ½ to ¾ inch width.
- Keep and press the donut cutter on the dough. Do this on all the rolled dough.
- If you do not have a dough nut cutter, then take a lid and press it on the dough. Then take a small lid and keep in the centre of the cut round dough. Remove the small centre piece and you get the donut shape.
- Remove gently and keep the donuts on the lined tray. Also keep the small centre pieces.
- Gather the remaining dough and bring it together. Roll and again cut the dough. Make donuts this way with all of the dough
- Cover and allow for the second rise for 15 to 20 minutes or until they double in size. With dry active or fresh yeast, keep for 30 minutes to 45 minutes or for more time if needed until the donuts double in size.
Baking Donuts
- Before baking donuts, preheat the oven with both top and bottom heating elements on at 180 degrees celsius. Keep the baking tray in the centre of the oven.
- Bake donuts for 15 to 25 minutes. Timing will vary depending on the oven size, design and actual temperature in the oven.
- Bake till the tops are golden. Do not over bake as then the texture becomes dry.
- Remove the baked donuts with a spatula and place on a wired rack. If some donuts have got baked and some are still not, then remove the ones which are baked and keep on a wired rack. Continue to bake the remaining ones for some more minutes
- Let the donuts become warm or cool slightly. Then proceed to the next step of glazing.
Glazing Donuts
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a steel bowl or a steel plate by keeping it on a low flame on the stove top. Do not touch the plate or bowl as it will be hot.
- Place the donuts upside down in the melted butter.
- Then place the buttered side in the cinnamon, sugar mixture and gently move the donut on the sugar mixture so that the sugar and cinnamon sticks to the butter. Remove and keep donuts on the wired rack with the sprinkled side facing upwards.
- For the chocolate glaze, place the doughnut upside down in the glaze and coat evenly.
- Remove and keep the chocolate glazed side upwards on the wired rack.
- I also sprinkled some desiccated coconut on a few chocolate donuts. This is an pptional step.
- Serve donuts warm or at room temperature. Leftovers can be refrigerated. They will become dense once refrigerated. So while serving, you can warm doughnuts in an oven or microwave oven or let them come to room temperature.
Notes
Ingredient Swaps
- Flour: For a very soft texture use all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat flour to make the donut dough. You could also include an equal mix of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour. If using all-purpose then add less milk when kneading.
- Milk: Make a lighter version by adding water instead of milk. You can also use plant-based milk like almond milk, oats milk or cashew milk.
- Butter: Make a vegan donut, by including vegan butter or a neutral tasting oil. Do not use any nut butter like peanut butter or almond butter as the taste and flavor will change.
- Cocoa powder: If you do not have cocoa powder, you can use hot chocolate mix or hot cocoa mix. Simply mix the desired quantity of hot or warm water to the hot cocoa mix to get a thick to medium consistency glaze.
- Scale: This donut recipe can be scaled to make half a batch and can be doubled too.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This donut recipe from the blog archives first published in December 2016 has been republished and updated on 7 January 2022.
Can I fry these Donuts instead of baking…if yes what is the procedure
For frying the recipe may change. And it has to be tried and tested.
the quantities mentioned in the recipe should also change according to the scale chosen. only the quantity in list of ingredients changes. that would make it more readable!
Yes, we know about this and seeing what can be done.
I made these doughnuts today and felt the doughnuts weren’t light as I thought. Can you suggest why this might have been?
since these doughnuts are leavened using yeast, the quality of yeast should be good. the dough also has to be nicely soft. when adding milk, it should be warm and not even slightly hot or cool. if the milk is not warm, the yeast will not get activated and this will result in a dense or hard texture. also since these are whole wheat doughnuts, they are faintly dense, but not too dense or hard. just a light denseness is there due to whole wheat flour.
Can we make this with all purpose flour ? If yes are there any changes in measurements?
Yes, you can make the same recipe with all-purpose flour. All the ingredients will be same except for milk. All-purpose flour will need less milk, so you can add ½ cup milk first and then if required then only add 1 to 2 tablespoons more milk to get a smooth dough.
hai, i am using an otg, can you tell me the temparature @timer for doughnut.
same as mentioned in the recipe.
Hi Dassana,
I have been following your recepies for a very long time now. The instructions are so clear which makes me really want to try many more than i can put my hands on. I tried this last sunday after my daughter demanded to eat them and it came out super. Thank you so much. You have been a part of my amazing tryst with delicious foods (i would admit for my daughter). You are my go to person.
thank you anupriya. i am glad that the recipe instructions are helping you and also nice to know that your daughter like the doughnuts. thanks again.