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Peanut Butter Donuts are an easy baked donut recipe topped with a rich chocolate ganache glaze are easy to make and the best breakfast treat. Chocolate and peanut butter is a classic combination, and they are amazing together in this easy baked donut recipe. You won’t miss the fried ones once you try this recipe!

Stack of two peanut butter baked donuts with chocolate icing and sprinkles


BEST Baked Donut Recipe

Where are my fellow peanut butter fans? Ready for the donut of your dreams? These peanut butter donuts glazed with chocolate are going to make you very happy.

I know this because they make me unbelievably happy. I love a peanut butter anything, and I’ve reached a whole new level with this baked cake donut recipe. It’s simply the best – the glaze, the soft donuts, the peanut butter, the chocolate! All of it.

Why I Love This Recipe

  • It’s all about the peanut butter and chocolate! The best pair ever.
  • The donuts are baked instead of fried – less oil is always a good thing.
  • They are so easy to make – if you can make a batch of muffins, you can make these peanut butter doughnuts!

If you thought homemade donuts are too complicated to make, you are going to love this recipe. Baked donuts are so easy you’ll want to make a batch every weekend.

ingredients in peanut butter donuts

Peanut Butter Donut Ingredients

  • Peanut butter – I use the creamy kind for this recipe and be sure to use a regular no-stir peanut butter (i.e., Skippy or Jif)
  • Milk – you can use whole, low-fat, nonfat or nondairy but note that the higher the fat content, the moister the final product
  • Oil – you can substitute an equal amount of melted butter
  • Egg – all of my recipes use large eggs
  • Baking powder – gives these that cake-like taste and helps the cake donut rise
  • All-purpose flour – be sure to measure it correctly

Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!

How to Make Baked Donuts

  • Mix: In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, granulated sugar, milk, vanilla extract, oil, and egg until smooth. 
  • Stir: Add the baking powder and salt, and then stir in all purpose flour.
  • Pan: Scoop the batter in a large gallon size Ziploc bag and cut off one corner. Pipe the batter into the prepared donut pan.
  • Bake: Bake the donuts for 8 to 12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool them for 10 minutes in the pan before taking them out to cool completely.
Overhead shot of peanut butter baked donuts with chocolate sprinkles on top

What you Need for Chocolate Glaze

The glaze on these donuts is a ganache glaze and it’s so good and easy to make. Here’s what you need:

  • Chocolate Chips – use semi-sweet or milk
  • Heavy Whipping Cream – be sure to get heavy, not plain whipping cream

How to Make Chocolate Ganache Glaze

  • Heavy Cream: Heat heavy whipping cream either in the microwave or on the stove. Heat it only until it barely simmers – don’t let it boil. Once it’s heated, pour it over chocolate chips in a bowl.
  • Let it sit: Let the chips sit in the hot cream for one minute and then whisk until the chocolate is smooth.
  • Cool: I usually make the glaze before the donuts. That way, it’s ready to go when you’re ready to dip the donuts.

How to Glaze Donuts

Once the peanut butter donuts are cooled, you can glaze them.

Take a donut and dip it upside down into the glaze, so it’s evenly coated. You can leave them plain or sprinkle chopped nuts or sprinkles over the top.

Leave them at room temperature to set and then store them in an airtight container for up to three days.

Close up shot of peanut butter baked donut stacked on another with one bite missing

Bake Donut Recipe FAQs

Do baked donuts taste the same as fried?

They don’t taste the same, but baked donuts are as good as fried ones. You don’t get that distinctive oil taste with baked donuts, and the crumb is a little denser. The best thing about baked donuts is how easy they are to make – no hot oil to deal with.

How do you make baked donuts from scratch?

 They are as easy as a muffin or quick bread recipe. You only need one bowl – mix the wet ingredients first and then mix in the dry ingredients. 

How do you frost donuts?

 The easiest way is to put your glaze in a shallow bowl. Take a donut and dip it top-side down into the glaze and then lift it. Let it set before serving.

Can you make donuts without a donut pan? 

You can, but you will need a muffin pan and tin foil. Wrap a square piece of foil around your finger to make a donut mold. Place the foil in a muffin mold, so the foil is completely covering the sides and bottom. The part that was wrapped around your finger should be in the center pointing up. You can pour the batter into the mold so you can make a donut shape. 

Can you bake the batter in a muffin pan?

 Yes, you can make muffins instead. Use a standard muffin pan or a mini one if you want small donut muffins. You can also glaze them with the chocolate ganache. Please promise me you’ll make these peanut butter donuts with chocolate glaze!

Stack of two peanut butter baked donuts with chocolate icing and sprinkles

Peanut Butter Baked Donuts Recipe

5 from 4 votes
This easy baked donut recipe is a peanut butter donut that wouldn't be complete without chocolate glaze! The chocolate glaze is actually ganache and these taste like a peanut butter cup!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Yield 6 -8 donuts
Serving Size 1 donut

Equipment

Ingredients
 

  • ½ cup (85g) chocolate chips
  • cup (79ml) heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ cup (67g) peanut butter
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • cup + 1 tablespoon milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (124g) all purpose flour
  • Chocolate sprinkles or chopped peanuts for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a donut pan with nonstick cooking spray. Alternately, spray mini or regular sized muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Make the glaze first: heat heavy whipping cream to almost boiling (don't let it fully boil, once you notice a slight simmer it's done) on the stove or in the microwave. Pour over chocolate chips and let sit one minute, then whisk until smooth. Set aside until ready to use.
  • Stir together peanut butter, sugar, milk, vanilla, oil, and egg until smooth. Stir in baking powder and salt, then stir in flour.
  • Place batter in a large gallon size ziploc bag and cut off one tip. Pipe into donut pan.
  • Bake for 8-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan then remove. Glaze once cooled.
  • To glaze: dip donuts upside down in glaze. Sprinkle with nuts or sprinkles. Let set at room temperature.
  • Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

This makes a few more than one traditional donut pan. If you have more than 6 donuts, bake them, let them cool the 10 minutes then remove and refill the pan to bake the second set.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1donut | Calories: 258kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 169mg | Potassium: 198mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 256IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American

More Donut Recipes You’ll Love

If you thought homemade donuts are too complicated to make, you are going to love this recipe for my Peanut Butter Baked Donuts. They are so easy you’ll want to make a batch every weekend.

Last Updated on April 10, 2023



Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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68 Comments

  1. Fantastic recipe Dorothy! I really appreciate the tip for combining the *chips with the heavy whipping cream! I heated the heavy whipping cream in the microwave and this worked out really well for combining the chips into a spreadable frosting. I’m going to use this tip in some other recipes I make. Of course again I substituted peanut butter chips for the chocolate to really bring out the *peanut butter flavor in the doughnuts. Awesome recipe! 5 star rating! 👍

  2. i love chocolate I am so excited to try these recipes. I have wrote down a bunch and bookmarked your page just incase I lose the pages!! It all looks so good.

  3. Oh my I just found your blog and have so many recipes that I must make!! I’m a DeMarle at Home Rep and I can’t wait to try this in our new Euro Donut Tray!

  4. Oh my, this looks amazing!! Thanks for linking to Tasty Tuesday at NapTime creations. You are being featured this week! Come by and grab a featured button.

  5. Oh geez. Wow. I am at a loss for words. These look awesome! Thanks for teasing and posting them at Scrumptious Sunday 🙂 Love them!!

  6. These look so good! Of course you had to taste, I would probably end up eating all of these! The school where my husband teaches sounds like yours, they have a donut day once a month and the donuts are devoured. Thanks for sharing at Showcase Your Talent Thursday. I hope to see you there next week!

  7. I dont know how I missed these earlier!! I just happen to have an emergency bag of pb cups in the cabinet….I will be needing them today to make these. So much for organizing the basement. At least I know I have my priorities straight!