Everyone loves doughnuts and these Gooey Chocolate Baked Doughnuts bring all those delicious flavours and textures but without frying. Stuff them with gooey chocolate like I did or roll them in cinnamon sugar for a divine eating experience. 🍩
I have a real passion for making delicious bread dough and this recipe is no exception. I wanted to create a doughnut that didn't need to be fried because sometimes I can't be faffed with the frying part! Stuff the pokenga (dough) with gooey chocolate that melts as it bakes to yield the most amazing tōnati (doughnut).
More Sweet Bread:
If you want a bread studded with titipi tiakarete (chocolate chips) then you must try my Braided Chocolate Chip Bread. Or do you feel like a porotiti kahitete (custard scroll)? Then these Custard and Raspberry Scrolls with white chocolate are calling your name. My Chocolate Stuffed Fry Bread is the fried version of this recipe and always delivers.
Videography and photography by Sarah Henderson.
INGREDIENT TIPS FOR The GOOEY CHOCOLATE BAKED DOUGHNUTS:
- Milk: I prefer full-fat milk in this recipe but lite will work too.
- Caster Sugar: Use huka one (caster sugar) or huka hāura (brown sugar) in the dough.
- Instant yeast: Use īhi horo (instant yeast) in this recipe for efficient rising. If you are using Surebake or breadmakers yeast, double the amount.
- High grade flour: Always use puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour) in bread recipes because it yields the fluffiest result.
- Spices: Use all of the spices to develop a rich spice flavour.
- Butter: I prefer to use salted butter in my baking but feel free to use unsalted.
- Chocolate: For the best gooey centre, use a chocolate this is filled with karamea (caramel), pata pīnati (peanut butter) or a creamy hazelnut filling.
EXPERT TIPS:
Stir the huka (sugar) really well until the sugar has dissolved in to the miraka (milk) before adding the īhi (yeast). Otherwise it can stop the īhi (yeast) from activating properly.
Give the yeast enough time to activate before adding the dry ingredients. The yeast will float to the top and it will be slightly foamy when it is ready.
Follow the kneading times as they are written because the gluten needs to develop properly. If you need some more tips, check out this How to Knead Dough post.
When hand kneading use the palm of your hands, not your fingers. The dough and hands get much stickier when it is worked like that, so work those palms in to the dough.
Do not add too much extra flouring when kneading the dough because the doughnuts will become dense once they are baked.
Use a tray that is large and flat so the doughnuts have enough space between each one while they are baking.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE GOOEY CHOCOLATE BAKED DOUGHNUTS:
Note: The full recipe card with the full list of ingredients, instructions and step by step video are found at the bottom of this page.
1. Activate the Yeast:
Add the miraka (milk) and huka one (caster sugar) in to large bowl. Give it a good stir with a whisk until the sugar has dissolved.
Sprinkle the īhi (yeast) on top and stir until combined.
If you are using instant yeast, leave it for 5 minutes until the yeast has floated to the top.
If you are using surebake yeast, leave for 10 minutes until the yeast has floated to the top and is foamy.
2. Add the Remaining Ingredients:
Tip in the puehu parāoa (flour), raukikini whakauruuru (mixed spice), hinamona (cinnamon), hēki (eggs), wanira (vanilla) and pata kūteretere (softened butter).
Stir it all together with a bread and butter knife until roughly incorporated.
3. Knead the Dough:
Now it is time to knead the dough.
If you are using a stand mixer, place the dough in the mixing bowl. Using a dough hook, knead for 8 – 10 minutes on low-medium speed.
If you are kneading by hand, add the dough to a lightly floured bench or table. Knead the dough with the palms of your hands (not with your fingers), for 10 – 12 minutes.
4. First Rise:
Once the dough is lovely and stretchy (see the video for reference), mould in to a ball and add it in to a clean bowl.
Cover with a tea towel or bowl cover. Rise for 1 ½ hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
5. Prepare the Chocolate:
Break all of the tiakarete (chocolate) in to single pieces and divide them in to 12 equal piles for each tōnati (doughnut).
There will be around 5 - 6 pieces per tōnati (doughnut).
I used a mix of three types of chocolate but you can just use one type. A chocolate with a gooey centre will melt best in to the doughnuts.
6. Line the Baking Tray:
Line a 30 cm x 40 cm, flat baking tray with baking paper.
7. Prepare the Risen Dough:
Once the dough has risen, punch it down and then tip it on to a lightly floured bench or table.
Divide the dough in to 12 equal pieces. Weigh each piece or just eye ball it.
8. Roll out the Dough:
Roll each piece of dough in to a 18 cm x 10 cm rectangle.
9. Fill the Dough with Chocolate:
Line up 5 - 6 pieces of tiakarete (chocolate) along the longest part of the dough.
10. Shape the GOOEY CHOCOLATE BAKED DOUGHNUTS::
Roll up the dough, encasing the tiakarete (chocolate) so there is a long log shape. Make sure the seam is underneath the doughnut.
Join the two ends together and pinch them well.
Create a circle shape with a good sized hole in the middle.
Repeat this process with each piece of dough.
11. Second Rise:
Place all of the tōnati (doughnuts) on to the prepared tray, making sure there is plenty of space between each one.
Cover the tray with a large tea towel and leave them on the bench.
Rise for 40 minutes.
12. Preheat the Oven:
15 minutes before the rising time is up, preheat the oven to 175 °C bake or 165 °C fan bake.
13. Bake theGOOEY CHOCOLATE BAKED DOUGHNUTS:
Add the risen tōnati (doughnuts) in to the oven and bake for 20 - 25 minutes.
14. Make the Glaze:
As they bake, make the simple glaze. Melt the pata (butter) and stir through the marahihi mapere (maple syrup).
15. Prepare the Cinnamon Sugar (Optional):
If you are using the huka hinamona (cinnamon sugar), mix the huka one (caster sugar) and hinamona (cinnamon) in a medium bowl.
16. Glaze the Doughnuts:
Liberally glaze the fresh doughnuts with the mōhinuhinu (glaze), straight from the oven.
Enjoy the tōnati (doughnuts) this way, just as they are.
If you are using the huka hinamona (cinnamon sugar), roll the doughnuts in to the bowl one by one, after they have been glazed.
They can be eaten at this stage too.
17. Decorate the Cool Doughnuts:
If you are decorating them, let them cool completely.
Note: This is only a guide, decorate them however you want.
Add the ranu tiakarete (chocolate sauce) in to a piping bag with a small round nozzle and pipe it on to every second doughnut.
Add the ranu karamea (caramel sauce) in to a piping bag with a small round nozzle and pipe it on to every other doughnut.
Finish it off with the ruireka (sprinkles) and give them away to someone who needs some aroha (love) today.
Store the Gooey Chocolate Baked Doughnuts:
These are always going to be best eaten fresh from the oven. However, they can be stored in a plastic bag or container on the bench overnight.
Toast them the next day or warm them in the microwave for 10 seconds.
Beyond a day, store them in a plastic bag and freeze for up to three months. Make sure to heat them to bring them back to life.
There are so many
Parāoa (Bread) Recipes
to try so jump on board and take a look.
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Gooey Chocolate Baked Doughnuts
Equipment
- 1 X 30 cm x 40 cm flat baking tray
Ingredients
The Dough - Te Pokenga
- 1 C (250 ml) miraka aromahana (lukewarm milk)
- ¼ C (55 g) huka one (caster sugar) or huka hāura (brown sugar)
- 3 teaspoon (9 g) īhi horo (instant yeast)
- 3 ¾ C (560 g) puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour)
- 1 tsp tote (salt, fine)
- 2 tsp raukikini whakauruuru (mixed spice)
- 1 tsp hinamona kuoro (ground cinnamon)
- 2 hēki iti (small eggs, size 6)
- 1 tbsp wanira (vanilla)
- 80 g pata kūteretere (softened butter)
The Chocolate - Te Tiakarete (Use Whatever Chocolate You Like)
- 250 g tiakarete pata pīnati (peanut butter chocolate) or tiakarete karamea (gooey caramel chocolate). Anything with a gooey centre is perfect.
- 100 g tiakarete parauri (dark chocolate, 50%)
The Glaze - Te Mōhinuhinu
- 50 g pata (butter)
- 2 tablespoon marahihi māpere (maple syrup)
The Cinnamon Sugar - Te Huka Hinamona
- 1 C (220 g) huka one (caster sugar)
- 2 tbsp hinamona kuoro (ground cinnamon)
The Decoration - Te Whakarākei (Optional)
- ½ C ranu tiakarete (store-bought chocolate sauce, from the ice cream aisle)
- ½ C ranu karamea (store-bought caramel sauce, from the ice cream aisle)
- ½ C ruireka (sprinkles)
Instructions
Activate the Yeast:
- Add the miraka (milk) and huka one (caster sugar) in to large bowl. Give it a good stir with a whisk until the sugar has dissolved.
- Sprinkle the īhi (yeast) on top and stir until combined.
- If you are using instant yeast, leave it for 5 minutes until the yeast has floated to the top. If you are using surebake yeast, leave for 10 minutes until the yeast has floated to the top and is foamy.
Add the Remaining Ingredients:
- Tip in the puehu parāoa (flour), raukikini whakauruuru (mixed spice), hinamona (cinnamon), hēki (eggs), wanira (vanilla) and pata kūteretere (softened butter)
- Stir it all together with a bread and butter knife until roughly incorporated.
Knead the Dough:
- Now it is time to knead the dough.
- If you are using a stand mixer, place the dough in the mixing bowl. Using a dough hook, knead for 8 – 10 minutes on low-medium speed.
- If you are kneading by hand, add the dough to a lightly floured bench or table. Knead the dough with the palms of your hands (not with your fingers), for 10 – 12 minutes.
Kneading Tip:
- Try not to add any extra flour when you are kneading. If it is super sticky, only add a tablespoons of flour at a time (up to 3 tbsp) and continue kneading.Remember, a slightly sticky dough is better than a stiff dough.
First Rise:
- Once the dough is lovely and stretchy (see the video for reference), mould in to a ball and add it in to a clean bowl.
- Cover with a tea towel or bowl cover. Rise for 1 ½ hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
Prepare the Chocolate:
- Note: I used a mix of three types of chocolate but you can just use one type. A chocolate with a gooey centre will melt best in to the doughnut.
- Break all of the tiakarete (chocolate) in to single pieces and divide them in to 12 equal piles for each tōnati (doughnut). There will be around 5 - 6 pieces per tōnati (doughnut).
Line the Baking Tray:
- Line a 30 cm x 40 cm flat baking tray with baking paper.
Prepare the Risen Dough:
- Once the dough has risen, punch it down and then tip it on to a lightly floured bench or table.
- Divide the dough in to 12 equal pieces. Weigh each piece or just eye ball it.
Roll out the Dough:
- Roll each piece of dough in to a 18 cm x 10 cm rectangle.
Fill the Dough with Chocolate:
- Line up 5 - 6 pieces of tiakarete (chocolate) along the longest part of the dough.
Shape the Gooey Chocolate Baked Doughnuts:
- Roll up the dough, encasing the tiakarete (chocolate) so there is a long log shape.Roll up the dough, encasing the tiakarete (chocolate) so there is a long log shape. Make sure the seam is underneath the doughnut.
- Join the two ends together and pinch them well. Create a circle shape with a good sized hole in the middle.
- Repeat this process with each piece of dough.
Second Rise:
- Place all of the tōnati (doughnuts) on to the prepared tray, making sure there is plenty of space between each one. Cover the tray with a large tea towel and leave them on the bench.
- Rise for 40 minutes.
Preheat the Oven:
- 15 minutes before the rising time is up, preheat the oven to 175 °C bake or 165 °C fan bake.
Bake the Gooey Chocolate Baked Doughnuts:
- Add the risen dough in to the oven and bake for 20 - 25 minutes.
Make the Glaze:
- Melt the pata (butter) and stir through the marahihi mapere (maple syrup).
Prepare the Cinnamon Sugar (Optional):
- If you are using the huka hinamona (cinnamon sugar), mix the huka one (caster sugar) and hinamona (cinnamon) in a medium bowl.
Glaze the Doughnuts:
- Liberally glaze the fresh doughnuts with the mōhinuhinu (glaze), straight from the oven.Enjoy the tōnati (doughnuts) this way, just as they are.
- If you are using the huka hinamona (cinnamon sugar), roll the doughnuts in to the bowl one by one, after they have been glazed. They can be eaten at this stage too.
Decorate the Cool Doughnuts:
- If you are decorating them, let them cool completely.
- Add the ranu tiakarete (chocolate sauce) in to a piping bag with a small round nozzle and pipe it on to every second doughnut.
- Add the ranu karamea (caramel sauce) in to a piping bag with a small round nozzle and pipe it on to every other doughnut.
- Finish it off with the ruireka (sprinkles) and give them away to someone who needs some aroha (love) today.
Store the Gooey Chocolate Baked Doughnuts:
- These are always going to be best eaten fresh from the oven. However, they can be stored in a plastic bag or container on the bench overnight. Slice them and toast them the next day or warm them in the microwave for 10 seconds.
- Beyond a day, store them in a plastic bag and freeze for up to three months. Make sure to heat them to bring them back to life.
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