Guess what week it is? It’s National Donut Day—time for salted dark chocolate fudge donuts.
National Donut Day falls on the first Friday in June, and honestly, it may just be my favorite holiday. I’ve had dark chocolate sea salt donuts on my mind ever since we visited Maine last summer and tried Holy Donuts. They offered so many incredible flavors—sweet potato, pomegranate, toasted coconut, maple bacon—but the dark chocolate sea salt donut was unforgettable.
At the time I was pregnant with Emilia, so salty-sweet treats were especially appealing, but this flavor combination stuck with me long after. I’ve enjoyed salted chocolate in many forms—cookies, brownies and other desserts—but this time I wanted a donut version that delivered that same intense, fudgy chocolate experience.
I based these on a King Arthur recipe, but calling them brownie donuts feels more accurate. They’re delicate yet fudgy, so it’s important to let them cool completely before dipping in the icing. If they’re still warm, the rich chocolate glaze can weigh them down and cause them to crumble—treat them gently.
The donut itself is tender and chocolatey; add the glossy chocolate fudge icing and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and you have something rich and memorable. The contrast between deep dark chocolate and the bright pop of salt is exactly what makes this recipe shine.
If intense, salty chocolate isn’t your preference, there are plenty of other donut recipes to explore—strawberry sprinkle, lemon cheesecake, tres leches coconut, chocolate pistachio, blueberry glazed donut muffins, chocolate donut holes, chocolate glazed cake donuts and last year’s puff pastry peanut butter chocolate donuts. But if you’re in the mood for deep chocolate with a salty finish, these are the ones to make.
I usually post a donut recipe on National Donut Day itself, but sharing this a few days earlier means you have time to bake them and celebrate on Friday—so hurry and make them!
Salted Dark Chocolate Fudge Donuts
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Ingredients
- 2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups loosely packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup milk whole or 2%
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup chocolate chips
chocolate fudge icing
- 6 ounces high-quality dark chocolate chopped
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- flaked sea salt for topping
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a donut pan with nonstick spray.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, milk, vanilla and vinegar until combined. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry just until combined, then fold in the chocolate chips.
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Fill the donut pan about two-thirds full and bake 12–14 minutes, until the donuts are set. Let them cool in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to parchment and cool completely.
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Once fully cool, dip each donut in the chocolate fudge icing and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Serve and enjoy.
chocolate fudge icing
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Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream over low heat until warm and small bubbles form around the edges. Pour the warm cream over the chocolate and let sit 30 seconds, then stir until smooth. Stir in the butter and set aside until ready to use.
Notes
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