Sometimes I think I am very clever; very clever indeed. And then the universe does its best to disabuse me of this notion and show me that my ever-so-clever ideas don’t always have the expected ever-so-clever outcomes. I suppose the universe is trying to take me down a peg or two, show me a little humility and all that. Well, I am not so easily humbled, it would seem. As long as the imperfect results of my clever ideas are still edible, I am usually still rather pleased with myself. Take, for example, these low carb Chocolate Brownie Donuts. Donuts made with brownie batter! That is really quite clever, you must admit. Who wouldn’t want a donut shaped brownie? All the more reason to eat brownies for breakfast, if they are circular with a hole in middle. But they didn’t quite rise properly, although the edges rose very well, so my donuts were entirely concave on one side. Weird little circles of rich, chocolate brownie. They were still delicious, so I threw some chocolate ganache on them, shook my fist at the universe, and figured I’d tell you about them anyway.
Weirdly concave brownie donuts
This brilliant idea came to me as a way to showcase some flourless brownies I made with while away on vacation. I happened to post them on Instagram and got several requests for the recipe. I always like to be innovative, and just putting up a recipe for flourless brownies seemed kind of boring. But the same brownie batter poured into a donut pan? Brilliant! Or not. I was ever so sure of a good outcome, so it gave me pause when I saw the way they were rising. For the next set, I tried lowering the oven temperature, but that meant it just took them longer to rise into exactly the same shape.
In the end, I just had to laugh. Okay, so Chocolate Brownie Donuts is still a really clever idea, but perhaps this flourless brownie batter is not the best vehicle with which to make them. When I made the regular brownies on vacation, the sides also rose more quickly than the rest. Many brownie recipes, even conventional ones made with flour and sugar, are prone to this particular defect. All I did there was cut off the edges, to even out the brownies, before I glazed them. And I kept the deformed edges to eat as a little snack, because they were as tasty as the rest of the brownies. So perhaps I should have expected this outcome with the brownie donuts, but I did not. Aha! Perhaps I am not so clever after all. Or maybe I am really, REALLY clever, because I have now invented brownie donuts you can stack neatly into each other.
Stackable brownie donuts!
So here’s the deal. Make these as brownies or make them as donuts. Either way, they will rise weirdly on the sides and not as much in the middle. If you’re making them as brownies, you can cut the edges off before glazing and they will look perfect. Your guests will never ever know they didn’t come out of the pan that way. If you’re making them as donuts, you can claim it’s a new baking method that allows you to stack your donuts for easy storage, like tupperware. No one will care once they get a taste!
- 12 tbsp butter
- 4 oz unsweetened chocolate
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup Swerve Sweetener or other erythritol
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 large eggs
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3.5 oz high % cacao chocolate bar chopped
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Preheat oven to 325F and grease a donut pan or an 8x8 inch baking pan.
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Melt butter, chocolate and cocoa powder together in a medium saucepan, stirring until smooth. Stir in erythritol and vanilla extract. Let cool 5 minutes.
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Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Spread mixture in prepared pan or choice (for donuts, you will need to do 2 batches, as it makes about 12 donuts).
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Bake 8 to 11 minutes for donuts, and 15 to 18 minutes for brownies, until just set. Watch them carefully as they can get quite dry if overdone.
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Let cool in pan 10 minutes. For the donuts, gently loosen from pan with a knife and transfer to a wire rack to cook completely.
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For the brownies, cut off edges while brownies are still in the pan, then flip out onto a serving plate.
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For the glaze, melt butter and chocolate together in small saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth.
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Drizzle over donuts or spread over the top of the brownies.
Serves 12. Each serving has 7.2 g of carbs and 3.3 g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 3.9 g.
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says
June 17, 2013 at 7:30 amStackable donuts lol! I still think they look delicious and I would totally eat them for breakfast 😉
Floortje says
June 17, 2013 at 7:43 amNice!! And may I say I like the easyness of the recipe. Usually the pictures I really really drool over have ingredients in them that have never been seen, or heard of before in my small Dutch town. This I can do! Thank you!
Cathie D says
June 17, 2013 at 9:12 amOK, this is genius! Two of my favorite treats in one and in chocolate no less! LOL
[email protected] says
June 17, 2013 at 10:52 amThese are genius! I’m sure you’ll come up with some solution to make them work. BUT I’ll take them a bit deformed…I don’t care…it’s a doughnut! And a brownie!!
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says
June 17, 2013 at 11:00 amCarolyn, you totally amaze me with what you’re able to make low-carb and gluten-free. These are gorgeous… and I bet SO delicious! Lovely recipe!
claire @ the realistic nutritionist says
June 17, 2013 at 11:48 amThese look amazing Carolynn!
Brenda @Sugar-Free Mom says
June 17, 2013 at 2:34 pmHOLY MOLY YUM!! YOU ROCK! What stunning looking chocolate donuts and brownie no less, you.amaze.me. LOVE!
valerie says
June 17, 2013 at 4:42 pmCan they be baked in a square pan?
Carolyn says
June 17, 2013 at 7:31 pmYep! 8×8 is perfect for the regular brownies.
Melanie E. says
June 17, 2013 at 4:44 pmWith a cream cheese spread, you can stick two together like a bagel sandwich! Yay!
Carolyn says
June 17, 2013 at 7:30 pmOkay, now THAT is an awesome idea!
Deborah says
February 27, 2015 at 8:14 pmWhy not serve them like eclairs….flip them and fill the concave side with whipped cream, sprinkle with a bit of cocoa or shaved chocolate and voila!
Carolyn says
February 27, 2015 at 9:23 pmSounds like a great idea to me!
Regan @ Cabot Creamery says
June 17, 2013 at 4:56 pmYou could’ve told sold me on “I meant to do this” 🙂
Love the stackable idea.
Lady Jennie says
June 18, 2013 at 6:26 amAaah, I really like you (in a non-stalker way). 🙂 I cracked up at the beginning of your post … and totally related to it.
I was really skeptical about that flourless raspberry brownie when I made it last Friday but everyone scarfed it up, so it was a success. I don’t have a donut pan though. Whatever will I do? 🙁
PS. Did you notice that you have a new best friend now? Me? Over here in France? Now that I’m not doing sugar and entertain about 2 times a week on a semi-grand scale, I’m constantly scouring for ideas. Thanks for all of yours, which are now my #1 go-to source.
Carolyn says
June 18, 2013 at 6:52 amI really like you too! Mutual admiration society, and all that! 😉
Jen @ Savory Simple says
June 18, 2013 at 7:25 amI love that they’re stackable! I bet they taste amazing 🙂
Jeanette says
June 18, 2013 at 3:41 pmLooks yum, and I have all the ingredients. Only one question, are these 12 mini donuts or 12 regular sized donuts?
Jeanette says
June 18, 2013 at 4:01 pmI just saw your note about 2 batches, so I’m thinking regular sized.
Carolyn says
June 18, 2013 at 4:28 pm12 regular sized donuts.
Anne Zicari-Lopez says
June 18, 2013 at 3:43 pmHow about baking in mini or regular muffin pans? Can also add nuts to batter if not allergic and decorate with copped nuts, sprinkles, coconut, etc. Can’t wait to try them tomorrow after I purchase ingredients. Looking forward making more of you recipes, including dinner etc.
Anne Zicari-Lopez says
June 18, 2013 at 3:47 pmCan they be baked a muffins, either Minnie or larger? How about adding walnuts to batter? or decorating frosting with candy, coconut, nuts, etc. Also looking forward to your other food recipes to try.
Carolyn says
June 18, 2013 at 4:28 pmSure, all of the above.
Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. says
June 18, 2013 at 4:09 pmBrownies in any shape sound just wonderful to me! I love these and the chocolate ganache on top is perfection!
Jeanette says
June 18, 2013 at 4:21 pmHELP! Mine are full of grease (butter?). I used Unsweetened baking chocolate squares. Is this different? Everything else was as listed.
Carolyn says
June 18, 2013 at 4:27 pmI don’t think the “baking squares” would make a difference. Try adding another tbsp or two of cocoa to get it all to blend in. Are they already baked? They really shouldn’t have done that and several people on facebook said they made them and they turned out fine. I’ve made that brownie batter several times.
If it is the baking chocolate, then I suggest just getting Ghirardelli unsweetened chocolate. That’s what I usually use.
Cherise Arola says
June 24, 2013 at 12:04 amWhat kind of chocolate would you recommend for the Ganache and what kind of 4 0z for the batter. I’m new to all of this and need things spelled out 🙂 I’ve really enjoyed your blog all your recipes. I’m not real good in the kitchen but am going to try these brownies soon. Thank you!
Carolyn says
June 24, 2013 at 6:06 amIf you can get Ghirardelli unsweetened chocolate, that’s the best for the donuts themselves. For the ganache, Lindt would be fine.
Jeanette says
June 18, 2013 at 4:32 pmNot sure! Thanks so much! Still tasted AMAZING! YUM!
Carolyn says
June 18, 2013 at 7:18 pmAs long as they taste good! That’s what I always say…
Alison says
June 18, 2013 at 8:42 pmI say lay them out, fill the valley with peanut butter and then put them together with the nut butter in the middle. PB filled brownie donuts? OH YEAH!
Tanya says
April 24, 2014 at 7:33 amGenius!
Jean B. says
June 18, 2013 at 9:43 pmKnowing that they will be concave from the outset shields one from disappointment, I think. They sound great to me. What texture is the interior? Moist, I hope.
Carolyn says
June 19, 2013 at 6:19 amDense and fudgy, not cakey at all.
Sommer @ ASpicyPerspective says
June 18, 2013 at 10:12 pmStackable donuts – love it!! 🙂
Tessa @ Handle the Heat says
June 20, 2013 at 10:22 amI love brownies and I love donuts so this is a match made in heaven!! I agree, very clever 🙂
Jenny says
June 20, 2013 at 12:50 pmI would lay them concave side up and fill the channel with the chocolate ganache!
Carole says
June 21, 2013 at 6:11 pmLovely work, Carolyn! Would you be happy to link it in to the current Food on Friday which is collecting snacks and treats? This is the link . I do hope to see you there. There are already quite a lot of links for you to check out. Cheers
Kristin says
June 24, 2013 at 12:53 amSince the doughnut brownies are concave on one side, that would leave room for a chocolate/cream cheese/swerve like filling OR chocolate/whipped cream/swerve filling. Mmm not bad.
Melanie says
July 8, 2013 at 9:16 pmDo you think these would cook OK in a cake pop maker?
Carolyn says
July 9, 2013 at 6:19 amNo idea! It’s worth a try, but it doesn’t rise as much as regular batter so it may not work.
Lisa says
November 19, 2013 at 8:11 pmI have unsweetened chocolate but I’m not a fan of dark chocolate at all. I have erythritol and stevia glycerite. How much sweetener should I add?
Carolyn says
November 19, 2013 at 8:31 pmAdd the same amounts as I have for Swerve and stevia. I think that should be about right.
Lisa says
November 22, 2013 at 4:02 amI actually meant for the icing. Does the butter reduce the bitterness of the chocolate? Also, what is the percentage of calories from fat? 🙂
Kelly says
December 3, 2013 at 6:33 pmDoes anyone have a low carb/sugar free sour cream donut with glazed recipe?. I love the dunkin donuts sour cream donut, but I can not have that anymore.
Gin says
January 18, 2014 at 2:28 pmAs a baker/decorator of regular (carby) cakes, might I suggest a baking strip around the pan of brownies? It’s soaked in cold water, excess water is gently squeezed out and the strip is wrapped snugly around the pan and pinned to stay put. Keeps the outside from baking up too quickly and makes for a more even cake, which is good for decorating. They aren’t terribly expensive – Walmart has them – and they can be used for other baking applications where the more evened out baking is desired.
Carolyn says
January 18, 2014 at 3:04 pmWish they had one that insulated a donut pan too 😉
Anita says
March 16, 2014 at 4:27 pmI would tip these concave beauties upside down and let the natural “well” hold the glaze…no drippy mess and all the more to enjoy in every bite!
Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files says
April 24, 2014 at 7:24 amBrownies and donuts and low carb?! I cannot wait to make these and not share with anyone!
Holli says
July 9, 2014 at 1:04 amCarolyn,
Do you think it would work to use coconut oil in place of butter for the brownies? Is coconut oil used as a substitute for butter? Thanks.
Carolyn says
July 9, 2014 at 5:10 amYou can, but I have noticed that the oil tends to separate out more in the batter than butter does. If you find that happening, a little xanthan gum (like 1/4 tsp at most) can help bring it all back together.
Holli says
July 10, 2014 at 7:30 pmIs there a difference between the unsweetened chocolate in the batter and the high cacao chocolate bar in the ganache?
Carolyn says
July 11, 2014 at 6:29 amYes, the high % cacao is sweetened. Choose 85 or 90% for lower carbs.
Kara Skrabacz says
August 7, 2014 at 12:33 pmI bet if you baked them in a water bath that they would rise evenly. Sounds like the outside edge of them is getting hotter than the middle.
Carolyn says
August 7, 2014 at 2:35 pmYup, I think you’re right.
Ruth says
March 15, 2015 at 4:02 pmHow full do you fill the donut sections?
Carolyn says
March 15, 2015 at 7:42 pm2/3 full
Nicole says
July 8, 2015 at 2:27 pmOMG I had no idea how many donut recipes you had! lol. I have a donut craving, so I came to your site because I knew you would have a good recipe. Little did I know, you have several, and now I can’t decide! lol Do you have a favorite? 🙂
Carolyn says
July 8, 2015 at 7:04 pmI really, really like the coconut flour ones and the samoas.
Sandy says
May 25, 2016 at 5:52 amI halved the recipe because 6 seemed like plenty. I added 1 tsp baking powder and they puffed up perfectly, no concaves. I had 100% cacao and it is very bitter, I haven’t tasted or worked with it before and don’t think I’d buy it again lol. I think this would have been perfect had I had maybe 50% cacao as I’m not a dark chocolate lover at all. It satisfied my chocolate craving and I’ll make these again.
Dawn says
November 16, 2016 at 9:29 pmI have made these twice with the same results. Perfect and not as concave or flat as yours. I replaced about 1/3 of the swerve with zylo sweet (That does add a few more carbs per batch), and I beat the batter with an immersion blender until it resembled chocolate pudding. Thank you so much for this recipe and your blog is fantastic!
Amanda Collins says
December 15, 2017 at 6:35 pmI just made these and fixed then for you:
Melt the 12 oz butter and 4 oz chocolate in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Remove from heat and add 1/3 cup Pyure, dash salt, and 1 tsp vanilla. Mix in 4 eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Add 1/3 cup almond flour and 2 Tbs. plain Isopure; mix well. Pour into donut pans and bake 16 min. Let cool slightly in the pans and then move to a wire rack to chill completely.
These are not concave and come out just like brownies!
Carolyn says
December 16, 2017 at 9:31 amThanks!