These Milky Way Doughnuts are baked chocolate doughnuts topped with homemade caramel sauce and Milky Way pieces. They're easy to make and heavenly to eat!
(This recipe for Milky Way Doughnuts was originally posted in January 2014, but has been updated with new photos and content in 2019).
Back when I first made these treats in 2014, doughnuts were just taking over the food world and becoming the hot new trend, stealing the title away from cupcakes. Five years later and I still kind of feel like doughnuts are where it's at. Other treats have tried to take over (macarons made a solid effort, but I think they ended up being a bit too fancy for the average person), but none have really succeeded. I feel like tons of cupcake bakeries have closed over the years... And don't even get me started on frozen yogurt places! But doughnut shops? They're still popping up all over the place and getting tons of business.
No matter where you live, you probably have a doughnut shop close to you (I'm not talking Dunkin' Donuts because if you live in New England, I'd be surprised if you couldn't walk to one from your house... We have EIGHT in my not very large town... I'm talking "gourmet" doughnut shops) and that is a very good thing. But it's also a good thing that you can easily make doughnuts right in your own home. It's an even better thing that you can do it without making your house smell like oil. That's the beauty of baked doughnuts. Some baked doughnuts can be dry and bland... But these Milky Way doughnuts?? They're moist and chocolatey and pretty much everything you want in a doughnut.
MILKY WAY DOUGHNUTS RECIPE
This Milky Way Doughnut recipe is perfect for when you have some extra candy sitting around... But I won't lie and pretend I didn't go out and buy a bag of Milky Way Bites JUST for the purposes of making these doughnuts. I decided I really needed a baked chocolate doughnut topped with a delicious caramel sauce and chopped Milky Way pieces. They ended up being so quick and easy to make... Even the caramel sauce. But if you really don't feel like making your own, you can definitely use store-bought here.
The only "special equipment" you need for making baked doughnuts is a doughnut pan. I've owned this Wilton donut pan (affiliate link) for years and have zero complaints about it!
To get started on the doughnuts, all you have to do is whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. And then mix together the wet ingredients in a small bowl.
Then, gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined, taking care not to over-mix (over mixing will result in too chewier cake-ier doughnuts).
Spray your doughnut pan with some cooking spray and fill about ¾ of the way with batter.
Bake at 325 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. You’ll know they're done when they’re light and springy to the touch. Let the donuts cool in pan for a couple minutes and then remove to baking rack to cool entirely.
Repeat with remaining batter. And while you’re waiting for them to bake, whip up that caramel sauce for the doughnut topping!
I think there's a misconception that caramel sauce is really tough it make. It's not at all! Occasionally it can go wrong (generally from having the heat too high or not stirring enough), but for the most part, it works wonderfully and is absolutely delicious.
Put brown sugar and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Let mixture come to a boil, stirring all the while. Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream. Keep stirring.
Put pan back on heat, bring back to a boil and let boil for about two minutes.
Remove to heat-safe container. Stir in salt and let cool to room temperature, about an hour.
Once doughnuts and caramel are both cooled, spoon caramel over each of the doughnuts. And top with chopped Milky Way bars.
Let caramel harden before you dig in.
Then again, you don’t haveeee to let it harden before you start eating these bad boys. I won’t tell anyone.
If you’re a Milky Way fan, I’m pretty sure you’ll be a fan of these, too. In fact, I have to admit these were the BEST baked doughnuts I’ve made. I think it has something to do with the fact that they’re chocolate. Of course, they’re still not fried (duh), but they are totally satisfying as a doughnut and one I’d be more than happy to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert.
Have I mentioned that I hope doughnuts remain a trend for the rest of my life? Even if they don’t, I’ll still be making them (forever and ever and ever), but I’d also love for new fun doughnut shops to continue popping up. There's almost nothing I love more than finding new donut spots when I'm traveling.
Speaking of, do you spell them "doughnuts" or "donuts"?? I used to be adamant that the correct spelling was "doughnuts," but now I think it's become more commonly acceptable to use "donuts." However, when I'm updating old "doughnut" posts that use that spelling, I'm keeping it as is. I blame Dunkin' Donuts for this issue. But whether you're calling these Milky Way Doughnuts OR Milky Way Donuts, I promise you'll love them!
What's your favorite baked good trend?
If you love Milky Ways as much as I do, try my Milky Way S'MoresGranola Bars or my Milky Way Midnight Cheesecake. I also love these Milky Way Cookies from Sally's Baking Addiction!
Milky Way Doughnuts
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 4 Tbsp melted unsalted butter
- 1 cup caramel sauce (recipe below)
- 8 Fun-Size Milky Way bars, chopped (or 2 full-size)
Caramel Sauce
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees and spray doughnut pan lightly with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk eggs with milk, vanilla, and melted butter.
- Gently stir wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined, taking care not to over-mix.
- Fill each cavity of prepared doughnut pan about ¾ of the way with batter. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until doughnuts are light and springy to the touch. Let cool in pan for a couple minutes before removing to baking rack to cool completely.
- Spoon caramel sauce over each of the doughnuts and top with chopped Milky Way bars. Let rest for a bit so caramel can harden.
Caramel Sauce
- Put brown sugar and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Let mixture come to a boil, stirring all the while.
- Remove saucepan from heat and stir in heavy cream. Keep stirring. Put pan back on heat, bring back to a boil and let boil for about two minutes.
- Remove mixture to heat-safe container. Stir in salt and let cool to room temperature.
Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic says
Those little Milky Way bites are dangerous! Those, and the mini Kitkats and mini Rolos 🙂 I think the best way to start 2014 is with something sweet like this. Have a wonderful new year!
Shannon says
talk about starting off on the right foot 🙂 we kicked off 2014 with eggs and avocadoes this morning. although that's just normal!
Tandy | Lavender and Lime says
These look wonderful! I am always asleep before midnight - lights out around 10pm for me 🙂
Kathy says
Yeah Nespresso ! I love presents after Christmas. I'm so excited and can't wait to join the Nespresso club delivery. Thank you so much !
Odetta says
I love that you start the year off with this. In the middle of all the healthy recipes out there I want these!
Kelly Senyei | Just a Taste says
We also had doughnuts! But they didn't look anywhere as good as these beauties!
Leah | So, How's It Taste? says
Yum! Milky Way is such an underrated candy bar I think. Glad you started your year off with donuts. I've unknowingly always made scones for the past few years. Need a little decadence to start the year off right!
Simply Life says
These look like a fabulous way to start off 2014!
Shashi @ http://runninsrilankan.com says
Wow - these sound and look mouthwatering!
ATasteOfMadness says
Holy moly, this looks SO good! I haven't made doughnuts in FOREVER.
Rachel says
It's refreshing to see some dessert recipes on January 2, rather than being told how I need to eat healthy things only 😉 These look awesome! Must get doughnut pan...
Michelle Lahey says
These look delicious! If I only had cocoa powder, I'd be baking these today...
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
Oh goodness, these look amazing! Craving donuts like crazy!
lynn @ the actor's diet says
I'm a big fan of incorporating candy into other sweets. Now I need a donut pan!
Amy (Savory Moments) says
Wow -- these look so decadent and delicious. I love the caramel sauce. I definitely need to get myself a doughnut pan!
Jenn says
Oh my gosh.. did you know that I got doughnut pans for Christmas? I mean this is just evil... and when I say evil I mean oh sooooo incredibly good!!! I cannot wait to make these.. yum!!
Velva says
Doughnuts are a fabulous way to start the year! I needed a few salads at the start but, I am ready for something like this now.
Happy New Year to you! May be everything you hope for-
Velva
Megan says
Genius. I'd so much rather kick off the new year with doughnuts than salad!
Monica says
Funny enough, I'm debating whether to make some donuts with my little one tomorrow. Blizzard underway here and school's closed tomorrow. We bought the donut pan months ago and have been meaning to give it a try - I think this was a sign. : )
Lexi says
OMG. Please come to DC and bake these with me!
Layla @ Brunch Time Baker says
These doughnuts looks delicious! I love that you added milky way, my daughter is going to love these!
Alyssa says
We started off 1/1 with a cinnamon roll recipe that was an unlikely success (whew!), and ended it with grilled goose in a delicious red wine/soy marinade courtesy of my boyfriend.
Look at those donuts! I think my donut pan is in for some action this weekend...
Lawyer Loves Lunch says
I saw these on Pinterest and ran right over! I love Milky Way bars and can't even begin to grasp the deliciousness of these donuts 🙂
Joanne says
I am TERRIBLE at responding to emails also! It's really bad. And I also need more sleep. We're like resolution twins. MMMMM doughnuts!!
Aimee @ ShugarySweets says
Woah, yes please! These sound amazing!
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says
Ugh, these look so good! I wish I could reach through the screen and grab one (or two).
Tamara Coleman says
Oh my! Drool* Im a LOVER of donuts and this looks insanely delicious!
Laura Dembowski says
These doughnuts looks amazing! I love your whisk too! Totally agree that anything is possible this year. Oh, and sleep is so important. If I don't get my 8 hours . . . you don't want to be near me 😉
Gia Grossman says
Ohhhh yum. Can I get one of these for breakfast this morn??
Claire says
Yum! Donut pan! Would be fun to do with my kids who are true donut connoisseurs!