I love these baked Cookies and Cream Donuts. The batter includes crushed Oreo-style cookies and is baked, not fried, resulting in fluffy, non-greasy cake donuts. After baking, they’re dipped in a rich chocolate ganache for a decadent finish. If you enjoy cake donuts and cookies-and-cream flavor, this recipe is a must-try.
Cookies and cream combines dark chocolate, crisp cookie pieces, and creamy vanilla filling. These baked Oreo donuts elevate that classic pairing with a silky chocolate ganache topping. If you like variations, try the Oreo muffin version mentioned in the original post.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No frying required—no hot oil or extra grease in the kitchen.
- Crushed chocolate sandwich cookies are folded into the batter for authentic cookies-and-cream flavor.
- Topped with a smooth chocolate ganache for a restaurant-style finish.
- Simple to prepare and great for serving at breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
Ingredients
- Vanilla flavor from both vanilla extract and a cultured dairy (the original uses vanilla kefir) helps keep the donuts tender and moist.
- Baking powder provides lift; the recipe pairs acid and leavening for good oven rise.
- A neutral oil (vegetable or canola) keeps the cake-like donuts soft.
- Use chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreos or a favorite brand), crushed into small pieces and folded into the batter.
- Heavy cream combined with good-quality chocolate makes a glossy, sturdy ganache.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Garnish the ganache with extra crushed cookie pieces for added texture.
- For an extra-sweet twist, fold in or top with chopped cookies-and-cream candy bars.
- If you don’t have a vanilla cultured milk product, plain kefir, buttermilk, or thinned Greek yogurt can be used as substitutions.
- Adjust cookie type based on preference—any chocolate sandwich cookie works well.
These are suggested swaps; results may vary slightly with different ingredients.
How To Make Cookies and Cream Donuts
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a donut pan.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, lightly whisk the egg, then stir in the cultured milk (or buttermilk), oil, and vanilla.
Step 3: Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined, then fold in the crushed cookies.
Step 4: Pipe or spoon batter into the greased donut pan, filling each cavity about 3/4 full. Bake at 350°F until the donuts spring back to a gentle touch and a toothpick comes out clean (about 20–24 minutes).
Step 5: For the ganache, place chopped chocolate or chips in a bowl. Heat heavy cream to a simmer (do not boil) and pour over the chocolate. Let sit 3–5 minutes, then stir until smooth.
Step 6: Dip cooled donuts into the ganache and top with extra cookie crumbs if desired.
Expert Baking Tips
- To crush cookies cleanly, seal them in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin or similar tool to break them into small pieces.
- Use a piping bag (or a sealed plastic bag with the corner snipped) to fill the donut pan neatly and consistently.
- Even non-stick pans benefit from a light greasing; this helps the donuts release cleanly and promotes even browning.
Recipe FAQs
No. Heavy cream has the higher fat content needed to properly emulsify and thicken ganache. Using milk or half-and-half will produce a runnier glaze.
They’re best the same day, but you can freeze cooled, unglazed donuts and thaw them later. Add the ganache after thawing for the best texture.
Dry donuts usually result from too much flour. For accuracy, weigh dry ingredients if possible and avoid packing measuring cups.
Storage
Room Temperature
Unfrosted donuts: store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator
Glazed donuts: best eaten the same day but can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Place parchment or wax paper between layers to protect the ganache.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze unglazed donuts in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature and finish with ganache if desired.
More Recipes You’ll Love
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Orange Chocolate Cake with Ganache
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Chocolate Donuts with Sprinkles
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Easy Almond Coffee Cake
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Recipe
Cookies and Cream Donuts with Chocolate Ganache
Equipment
- Donut pan
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons and cups or a scale
- Whisk and spatula
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
Cookies and Cream Donuts
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (66.7 g) granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 g) vanilla cultured milk (or buttermilk/plain kefir)
- 1/4 cup (54.5 g) neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 crushed cookies (about 72 g), e.g., Oreos
Chocolate Ganache
- 1/3 cup (79 g) heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup (85 g) high-quality chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (>60% cocoa recommended)
Instructions
Cookies and Cream Donuts
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a donut pan.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
- In another bowl, lightly whisk the egg. Stir in the cultured milk, oil, and vanilla.
- Fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined, then fold in the crushed cookies.
- Pipe or spoon batter into the greased pan, filling each cavity about 3/4 full. Bake 20–24 minutes, or until donuts spring back to the touch. Cool on a wire rack.
Chocolate Ganache
- Place chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream until it simmers, pour over the chocolate, and cover for 3–5 minutes.
- Stir until smooth to form ganache.
- Dip cooled donuts into ganache and sprinkle with extra cookie crumbs if desired.
Notes
Donut Pan: Yield and bake time vary by pan depth. A deep donut pan is assumed; shallow pans may yield more donuts and reduce bake time.
Storage: Best the same day. Unfrosted donuts refrigerate up to 3 days at room temperature or freeze for 1 month. Glazed donuts keep in the refrigerator for 2–3 days.
Nutrition: Nutrition values are estimates per donut (based on 6 donuts) and are not guaranteed.
Carbohydrates: 37 g |
Protein: 5 g |
Fat: 21 g
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.