chocolate donut holes with oreo glaze.

Are you ready to blow to some minds today? 

Yes? Ok good. I'll help you.

These beyond simple donut "holes" are made in mini muffin tins. You can make them in a real donut pan if you have one, just adjust the baking time. 

First, you whip up some plain (but flavorful, I promise) chocolate donut batter and let 'em bake. While they are baking, make the glaze. There is an estimated ratio of milk to powdered sugar given in the recipe. Feel free to add more if you'd like to because you can always double dip those bad boys ;) Just don't forget the chopped up Oreos!

After they are out of the oven and mostly cooled, dunk 'em all the way in to that thick, yummy glaze. If they are being consumed at home, they are ready to eat! If they are going somewhere, I recommend waiting to store them until the glaze is hardened. 

I also recommend lining the cooling rack with foil/wax/parchment. This makes for a super easy clean up.  Also, please read my notes under the recipe to see my substitutions. :)

Ingredients:

For the donuts:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup buttermilk*
1 egg**
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, browned***
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Oreo glaze:
1 and 1/4 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar, sifted
2-4 tablespoons milk****

Finely chopped Oreos (I probably used 6-8 double stuffed)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a mini donut pan (or mini muffin tins) with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar. 
3. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, butter, and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into dry and slowly, stir together until everything is just combined.
4. Transfer batter to a Ziploc bag or a piping bag (I didn't do this, I just spooned it). and cut the tip off. Squeeze the batter into each mold, filling it about 2/3 full.  Bake for 7 minutes (a little longer if you are using a muffin tin, I left mine in around 10 minutes). Let the donuts rest in the pan for 2-3 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 
5. Repeat process until all the batter has been used.
6. While the donuts are cooling, prepare the glaze. In a medium-sized bowl, beat together powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and chopped Oreos until well-combined. The glaze should be thick, but still pourable. Add milk as needed to get it to the right consistency.
7. Dip the entire donut into the glaze (you won't be sorry) with a spoon or other utensil.  Place on a wire rack. Glaze will harden after some time. 

*I put 1/2 tbsp lemon juice into glass measuring cup and filled the rest of the way up with half and half. Also, you might need 1/4 cup more milk (or half and half, cream, almond milk, etc.). My batter was thick like dough but was perfect after I added more liquid.

**I didn't have an egg so I substituted 1/4 cup vanilla greek yogurt.

***I am lazy and therefore, I didn't brown my butter. I melted it.

****I used a combo of half and half and milk. The result? A thick, rich, creamy glaze.

Recipe (slightly tweaked) from Culinary Couture

Enjoy, friends & please let me know what you think!!