These baked coffee donuts have a moist, cake like texture and are dunked in a rich, espresso glaze for the ultimate breakfast treat! They're a coffee lovers dream!
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray donut pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add in the eggs and vanilla and whisk until fully incorporated.
Mix half of the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, then add in the brewed espresso. Once incorporated, add in the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Transfer the batter to a piping bag, then cut of the tip and pipe into the donut pan, filling about halfway. You can also just spoon the batter into the pan if desired.
Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Invert the donut pan on a cooling rack, and the donuts should slide right out!
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, espresso powder, and melted butter. Slowly mix in the milk until your desired consistency is reached. The glaze should be thick but still pourable.
Dip the coffee donuts into the glaze and place back on the cooling rack so the excess can drip off. The donuts are easy to glaze if they are cool, but they taste amazing when they're warm, so it's up to you!
If desired, top with chocolate covered espresso beans!
Notes
These donuts are best eaten the same day, but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
To make brown butter, melt unsalted butter over medium heat, stirring frequently. Watch closely for the butter to develop brown specs and a nutty aroma. Once you start seeing brown specs, let cook for just a few seconds longer (watch very carefully or it will burn). Remove from the heat and pour into a small bowl so that it doesn't continue to cook. Set aside and let cool for at least 20 minutes. Note: For every ½ cup (1 stick or 113g), you'll lose about 1 tablespoon (14g) to evaporation while cooking. So you can either add in an extra 1 tablespoon before browning, or if you're browning big batches, just make up the weight difference in your recipe with regular unsalted butter if needed.