Irresistible Baked Chocolate Covered Strawberry Donuts: Your Ultimate Guide to a Sweet Treat
Indulge your senses with these truly delightful Baked Strawberry Donuts, crafted with the goodness of real strawberries, generously dunked in a rich, velvety chocolate ganache, and adorned with a festive shower of sprinkles. Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day or simply craving a moment of pure bliss, these Chocolate Covered Strawberry Donuts are guaranteed to capture your heart and tantalize your taste buds. Forget the hassle of deep-frying; these homemade baked donuts offer a healthier, simpler, and equally delicious alternative, bringing the classic combination of chocolate and strawberry to your kitchen in a wonderfully new form.
The Allure of Chocolate Covered Strawberry Donuts
Let’s be honest, is there anything more captivating than a chocolate-covered strawberry? The sweet tang of ripe berries perfectly complemented by the decadent bitterness of chocolate is a match made in culinary heaven. This timeless pairing often disappears faster than you can say “dessert” at any gathering, especially when little hands (or big ones!) are around. Imagining that beloved flavor profile transformed into a soft, pillowy donut was the inspiration behind this recipe, and the results are truly spectacular. These baked chocolate covered strawberry donuts capture the essence of your favorite treat in a comforting, cake-like form that’s surprisingly easy to achieve at home.
From Cake Inspiration to Donut Perfection
The journey to these exquisite donuts began with a cherished family recipe: an extraordinary Strawberry Cake. This particular cake holds a special place in my heart, a recipe shared by my dear friend Candi, who chronicles her culinary adventures at The Devilish Dish. Her Grandmother Mary baked this beautiful cake every Sunday for supper, a tradition that speaks volumes about its comforting and unforgettable flavor. I first made it for Easter a few years ago and have since returned to it countless times, always amazed by its moist texture and vibrant strawberry flavor.
This strawberry cake is a masterpiece of flavor and presentation. It cleverly starts with a simple box mix, then gets an incredible boost of authentic strawberry goodness from frozen strawberries and strawberry Jell-O. The cake is then generously crowned with a strawberry frosting, also made with real frozen strawberries, delivering an intense strawberry punch in every bite. It’s not just delicious; it’s visually stunning, especially when dressed up for special occasions like Valentine’s Day. It was this intense, natural strawberry flavor that I aimed to replicate in a more portable, bite-sized form – leading directly to these gorgeous strawberry donuts.
If your heart beats for the delightful combination of strawberry and chocolate, or simply crave rich, decadent desserts, you’ll undoubtedly adore these baked donuts. And if you’re exploring other chocolate-forward recipes, consider trying a Chocolate Espresso Cake, cozy Hot Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies, or even an unexpectedly delicious Chocolate Sauerkraut Pound Cake.
The Perfect Treat for Valentine’s Day or Any Celebration
My mind often drifts to Valentine’s Day even before the holiday season wraps up. Christmas, while wonderful, can be a whirlwind of activity. Valentine’s Day, however, is pure joy and my absolute favorite! It’s a time for showing love and appreciation, often through delicious homemade treats. I gather countless ideas for Valentine’s Day recipes, always hoping to bring many of them to life. These strawberry donuts, though, were at the top of my list, an undeniable must-make. And I am so incredibly glad I prioritized them! Their charming appearance and irresistible flavor make them ideal for expressing affection, but honestly, they’re so good, you’ll want to make them all year round for birthdays, brunches, or just a sweet pick-me-up.
Essential Ingredients for Your Chocolate Covered Strawberry Donuts Journey
Creating these magnificent homemade strawberry donuts is simpler than you might imagine, especially when you have the right ingredients. For the precise measurements and detailed instructions, remember to scroll to the bottom of this post for the full printable recipe card. However, let’s dive into what makes these donuts so special:
For the baked donuts:
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White cake mix – This is our secret weapon for effortlessly creating a light, fluffy, and perfectly consistent donut batter. While any white cake mix works beautifully, a vanilla-flavored mix will also lend a lovely base flavor that complements the strawberries.
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Eggs – Essential binders that add structure and richness to our baked donut recipe. Standard large eggs are perfect here.
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Strawberry Jell-O – This powerhouse ingredient not only intensifies the strawberry flavor but also imparts that gorgeous, characteristic pink hue to the donuts, making them even more appealing.
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Frozen strawberries – The key to authentic strawberry flavor. Make sure to thaw and drain them thoroughly to avoid excess moisture in your batter. This ensures a proper donut texture. Using real fruit provides a fresh, natural taste that artificial flavorings can’t match.
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Oil – A neutral-flavored vegetable oil, such as canola or sunflower oil, is best as it contributes moisture without overpowering the delicate strawberry taste.
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Water – Simple tap water helps bring the batter to the perfect consistency, ensuring moist and tender donuts.
To craft the luscious chocolate ganache:
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Chocolate chips – For a deep, rich chocolate flavor, my preference leans towards delicious dark chocolate chips. However, semi-sweet chocolate chips are also an excellent choice and will yield a slightly sweeter ganache that still perfectly balances the strawberry donuts.
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Heavy cream – This is what makes our ganache so wonderfully rich, smooth, and decadent. Its high fat content creates a stable and luxurious coating.
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Sprinkles – These are for fun and flair! Pink and red colored sprinkles make these donuts absolutely ideal for Valentine’s Day, adding a festive touch. But don’t limit yourself – you can easily change up the color and style of sprinkles to suit any occasion, theme, or holiday!
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Rum or strong coffee – A subtle addition that provides an extra “oomph” to the chocolate ganache, enhancing the depth of the chocolate flavor without making it taste alcoholic or overly coffee-like. It’s a trick chefs use to elevate chocolate desserts.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Your Own Chocolate Covered Strawberry Donuts
You’ll be pleasantly surprised at just how straightforward it is to create these stunning homemade chocolate covered strawberry donuts. The process is designed for ease, ensuring even novice bakers can achieve impressive results. Let’s walk through it:
First: Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175°C). While the oven heats up, take your donut baking pans and spray them generously with a non-stick cooking spray. This crucial step ensures your beautiful donuts release cleanly and effortlessly after baking.
Second: In the bowl of your stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), combine all of your dry and wet ingredients for the donuts, specifically excluding the thawed and drained strawberries. Mix these ingredients thoroughly for about 2 minutes. This ensures the batter is well-combined and airy, laying the foundation for fluffy donuts.
Third: Gently fold in the prepared strawberries into the donut batter. You want to mix just enough to distribute them evenly without overmixing. Then, carefully spoon or pipe the batter into your greased donut pans, filling each cavity just below the edge. This allows for proper rising without overflowing, maintaining that perfect donut shape.
Fourth: Bake your donuts for approximately 13 minutes. Baking times can vary slightly depending on your oven, so keep an eye on them. The donuts are ready when they spring back lightly to the touch and the edges are slightly golden. Once baked, carefully remove them from the pans and transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. This prevents them from becoming soggy and helps them set.
Remove to a cooling rack.
Fifth: Now, for the irresistible chocolate ganache! In a small saucepan, combine your chocolate chips and heavy cream. Heat over low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Once it reaches this perfect consistency, remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the rum or strong coffee. This step adds a wonderful depth of flavor and makes the ganache incredibly shiny and appealing.
Sixth: Once your donuts are completely cool and the ganache is ready, it’s time for the fun part: dipping! Carefully dunk each baked strawberry donut into the warm chocolate ganache, allowing any excess to drip off. Immediately after dipping, dust the top of the donuts generously with your chosen sprinkles. The ganache will still be soft, allowing the sprinkles to adhere perfectly. Place the decorated donuts back on the cooling rack, or a sheet of parchment paper, and let the chocolate ganache set in a cool place until firm. This could take about 10-15 minutes. Once set, they are ready to be devoured!
ENJOY your homemade masterpiece! These donuts are a truly special treat, perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a delightful snack. Leftovers, if there are any, will keep beautifully in an airtight container for 3-4 days at room temperature. For longer storage, you can freeze uneaten donuts for up to 3 months. I recommend flash-freezing them first on a cookie sheet until solid; this prevents them from sticking together before you transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container.
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If these delicious baked strawberry donuts have captured your affection, make sure you don’t lose this incredible recipe! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board now so you can easily find it whenever a craving strikes!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Chocolate Strawberry Donuts
Curious about the world of baked donuts? Here are some common questions and their answers:
- Can you bake donuts instead of frying? Absolutely! Baking donuts is a fantastic alternative to traditional frying. The easiest and most efficient way to achieve this is by investing in a donut baking pan, which allows you to bake perfect donut shapes right in your oven, eliminating the need for a deep fryer and a lot of hot oil.
- Why baked donuts are a healthier option? Baked donuts offer a significant health advantage over their fried counterparts because baking completely eliminates the need for oil in the cooking process. Fried donuts absorb a considerable amount of oil, which contributes to higher fat and calorie counts. Baking delivers a delicious treat without the added grease, making it a more wholesome choice.
- Do baked donuts taste the same as fried ones? While both are delightful, baked donuts will not taste exactly the same as fried donuts. Baked donuts typically have a softer, cake-like texture, similar to a muffin, and lack the crispy, slightly chewy exterior that comes from deep-frying. However, they are incredibly flavorful and enjoyable in their own right, offering a comforting and tender bite that many prefer.
- How do I ensure my baked donuts are light and fluffy? The key is not to overmix the batter. Once you add the wet ingredients to the dry, mix just until combined. Overmixing develops the gluten too much, leading to tougher donuts. Also, ensure your leavening agents (like baking powder, often found in cake mixes) are fresh.
- Can I make the donut batter ahead of time? For best results, it’s generally recommended to bake the donuts shortly after mixing the batter. The leavening agents start working once wet ingredients are introduced. However, you can mix the dry ingredients (cake mix, Jell-O, flour) ahead of time and store them in an airtight container until you’re ready to add the wet ingredients and strawberries.
Creative Substitutions for Your Baked Donuts
One of the joys of baking is the freedom to customize and experiment! Don’t be afraid to get creative with these chocolate covered strawberry donuts, adapting the recipe to suit your personal tastes, dietary preferences, or simply what you have on hand. Make this recipe truly your own!
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Strawberry Freshness: Instead of frozen strawberries, feel free to use fresh strawberries. Simply wash them, remove the hulls, and chop them into small pieces. Ensure you’re using real strawberries for the best flavor, not freeze-dried varieties, as the moisture content is crucial for the donut’s texture.
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Oil Alternatives: If vegetable oil isn’t available, melted coconut oil is a fantastic substitute. Its subtle flavor pairs beautifully with chocolate and strawberry, and it contributes similar moisture and richness to the batter. Ensure it’s melted and cooled slightly before incorporating.
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Ganache Variations: If you don’t have all the ingredients for chocolate ganache, or simply want a different topping, opt for a simple chocolate glaze. You can easily make this with cocoa powder, powdered sugar, a splash of milk, and a touch of vanilla extract. For an even more intense strawberry experience, try a fresh strawberry glaze made from pureed strawberries, powdered sugar, and a hint of lemon juice. White chocolate ganache or a simple vanilla glaze would also be delicious!
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Cake Mix Flavors: While white cake mix is recommended, a yellow or even a strawberry-flavored cake mix can also work to create slightly different flavor profiles. Experiment to find your favorite base!
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Spice It Up: A pinch of cinnamon or cardamom in the donut batter can add a warm, subtle complexity that complements the strawberries and chocolate beautifully.
Expert Tips & Tricks for Donut Success
Achieving bakery-quality baked donuts at home is entirely possible with a few insider tips:
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Chocolate Choices for Ganache: While chocolate chips are convenient, you can certainly use baking chocolate to make your ganache. If you opt for unsweetened baking chocolate, remember to add a touch of sweetener like coconut sugar or brown sugar to achieve the desired balance of sweetness. The quality of your chocolate will significantly impact the flavor of your ganache.
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Gluten-Free Option: To make these delectable donuts suitable for those with gluten sensitivities, simply swap out the standard cake mix for a high-quality gluten-free flour blend. Many excellent gluten-free cake mixes are available that will yield equally delicious results.
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The Indispensable Donut Pan: And of course, the single most important piece of equipment for baked donuts is a donut pan! If you don’t already own one, I highly recommend ordering one. I personally love the Wilton brand; I was so pleased with my first one that I quickly acquired a second, and even a set of mini donut pans. Because, let’s be real, a baker can never have too many specialized pans, can we?
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Cooling is Key: Ensure your donuts are completely cool before dipping them in the warm ganache. If the donuts are still warm, the ganache will melt and slide off, instead of creating that beautiful, set coating.
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Perfect Ganache Consistency: If your ganache seems too thick, add a tiny bit more heavy cream, one teaspoon at a time, until it reaches a smooth, dippable consistency. If it’s too thin, let it cool slightly longer, or refrigerate for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens.
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Filling Donut Pans: For perfectly shaped donuts, use a piping bag (or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off) to fill the donut cavities. This helps distribute the batter evenly and neatly.
You might be wondering, “How often would I even use a donut pan?” Well, let me tell you, it’s one of the most versatile baking tools you can own! It’s money incredibly well spent. Once you dive into the world of baked donuts, you’ll find countless reasons to use it. It’s not just for this recipe; it opens up a whole new world of easy, delicious baked treats!
More Delicious Baked Donut Recipes to Love Next Time
Once you discover the joy and ease of baking donuts, you’ll want to explore all the possibilities! Here are some other fantastic baked donut recipes that will make your donut pan an indispensable kitchen tool:
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Baked Banana Donuts – These simple and delightful banana donuts are a breeze to make, baked to perfection in the oven, and never fried. They’re beautifully dusted with spiced sugar and best served warm for a comforting treat.
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Glazed Baked Pumpkin Donuts – Indulge in the flavors of autumn with these moist baked pumpkin donuts, each one generously dunked in a perfectly spiced glaze. Ideal for fall mornings or anytime you crave pumpkin spice.
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Double Chocolate Baked Donuts – For the ultimate chocolate lover, these rich chocolate cake donuts are bathed in a decadent chocolate glaze. You’ll definitely want a tall glass of milk to go along with these intensely chocolatey delights!
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Baked Glazed Lemon Donuts – Brighten even the dreariest of mornings with these fluffy lemon cake donuts. Baked until golden, then dipped in a slightly tart, zesty lemon glaze, they’re a burst of sunshine in every bite.
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Cherry Limeade Baked Donuts – Transport yourself back to childhood summers with these baked glazed cherry limeade donuts. They perfectly capture the refreshing flavors of that classic age-old drink, the Cherry Limeade! (pictured above)
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Baked Ube Mochi Doughnuts – Experience a unique texture with these soft and chewy mochi doughnuts, infused with delicious ube flavor and sprinkled with coconut for an exotic twist.
See? There’s a whole world of baked donut possibilities waiting for you. Seriously, get a donut pan!
There’s no need to make a special trip to Dunkin’ Donuts or any other shop to satisfy your donut cravings when you can whip up these heavenly chocolate covered strawberry donuts right in your own kitchen. They’re easy, delicious, and a perfect testament to the magic of homemade treats.
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Print Recipe
Baked Chocolate Covered Strawberry Donuts
Equipment
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Kitchenaid Stand Mixer
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KitchenAid Hand Mixer
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Wilton Non-Stick 6-Cavity Donut Baking Pans, 2-Count
Ingredients
- For the Donuts:
- 1 white cake mix
- 4 heaping Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)
- 1 3 ounce package Strawberry Jell-O
- 1 10 ounce container frozen strawberries, thawed and thoroughly drained (yields approximately 1/2 cup)
- For the Chocolate Ganache:
- 1 12 ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips (or dark chocolate)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon rum or strong brewed coffee (optional, for flavor depth)
- Sprinkles (pink, red, or desired colors)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175°C). Liberally spray your donut baking pans with non-stick cooking spray to ensure easy release.
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In the bowl of your mixer, combine the white cake mix, flour, eggs, water, vegetable oil, and Strawberry Jell-O. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes until the batter is smooth and well combined.
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Gently fold in the thawed and drained strawberries until just incorporated. Fill each donut pan cavity just below the edge with the batter.
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Bake for 13 minutes, or until the donuts spring back when lightly touched. Remove from the pans and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
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While donuts cool, prepare the chocolate ganache: In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the chocolate chips and heavy cream. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Remove from heat and, if using, whisk in the rum or strong coffee until the ganache is shiny.
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Once donuts are completely cool, dunk each one into the warm chocolate ganache. Immediately after dipping, dust generously with sprinkles. Place the decorated donuts back on the cooling rack and let the chocolate ganache set in a cool place until firm.
Nutrition
This delightful recipe was first shared on January 11, 2019, and has been thoughtfully updated to enhance user experience and re-shared on February 2, 2024, ensuring you have the best possible guide to making these wonderful donuts.
