This black chocolate vegan brioche donuts dough is so fun to work with! Vibrant black dough makes for some fun and spooky special treats!
We absolutely love donuts and even if you are vegan you still deserve to have amazing donuts! These black chocolate vegan brioche donuts are hands down some of the best donuts that we have made to do.
A delicious black chocolate dough is fried to perfection and then stuffed with a vegan chocolate cream filling.
If you love Halloween, or spooky season to some, then these are perfect for breakfast. You could also stuff with an orange buttercream or vanilla frosting for an orange and black theme! So may possibilities!
This recipe was inspired by Edd Kimber’s non-vegan version.
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Black Chocolate Vegan Brioche Donuts INGREDIENTS:
Below are notes about the ingredients before we get into the full recipe located lower in this post on how to make these Black Chocolate Vegan Brioche Donuts:
- flour – we use bread flour for the recipe to give it the perfect texture
- vegan sugar – Cane sugar is what we are using. If you want to learn more about why your sugar may not be vegan, you can learn more by clicking on the link.
- yeast – we are using instant yeast so that the recipe goes as fast as possible
- pumpkin puree – this is acting like an egg in the recipe, but also helping with moisture and texture
- black cocoa powder – to get that uber dark black color on the donuts, we are using a black cocoa powder (click link to purchase)
SUBSTITUTIONS AND VARIATIONS:
- flour – you can use all purpose flour
- vegan sugar – swap with date or coconut sugar
- yeast – you can use active dry yeast but it will take longer to rise
- pumpkin puree – swap with puree potato or sweet potato instead
- black cocoa powder –can use regular cocoa powder but it will not be the same color
Frequently Asked Questions:
The easiest way to fill a vegan donut is to use the end of a chopstick or a small metal funnel tip. Move it around to break up the dough inside.
Then use the tip or a rough piping tip with piping bag to fill the donuts. Pull out as you fill until it’s no longer inserted.
It’s not as easy, but it is possible.
You could tip a small tip off a zipped sandwich bag and try your best to get it directly into the hole
Another option would be to use a straw inside a sandwich bag like a piping tip
There is flour, dairy free milk, and vegan butter in this recipe.
If you are completely Top 8 Free, use an alternative dairy free milk like oat or hemp for this recipe. You could also use water.
For the vegan butter, use a soy free version like Flora or Earth Balance soy free.
We cannot recommend a gluten free flour to use with this dough at this time.
These fried vegan brioche doughnuts will last for up to 2 days when stored in an air tight container.
Best if warmed for 10-15 seconds if not eating immediately.
They can be stored at room temperature and do not need to be refrigerated.
Yes! Regular white potatoes or sweet potatoes can be used. Sweet potatoes will continue help give it that orange-yellow color that you see.
This purpose of using this is to be the “egg” in the recipe. So you can use any of these in a similar manor.
Instant yeast rises faster and less of an issue. However, you can still use active dry. It typically will take longer to rise.
No, not at all. We prefer it, but it’s not a requirement. You can make this recipe with a bowl and a silicone spatula. But the kneading by hand will be the hardest part.
What other vegan donut ideas could I make?
If you love donuts as much as us, then you may want even more recipes! Here’s some more ideas!
Yeasted Donuts
Cake Like Donuts
- Vegan Chocolate Donuts
- Vegan Maple Donuts
- Glazed Vegan Donuts
- Vegan Eggnog Donuts
- Vegan Apple Cider Donuts
Also try our Vegan Apple Cider Donut Cake!
Pin these black chocolate vegan brioche donuts for later!
🥳 Get the Full Recipe
Black Chocolate Vegan Brioche Donuts
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup warm water
- ¼ cup vegan cane sugar, + ½ cup more for coating
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (this equals 1 packet)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (or pureed yukon or sweet potatoes)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 ½ -4 cups bread flour, divided
- ½ cup black cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ cup vegan butter
For the Chocolate Custard Filling (or swap with homemade chocolate frosting – recipe below in notes)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup dutch processed cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups non dairy milk, divided
- 4 ounces vegan chocolate (either chocolate chips or finely chopped chocolate)
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Additional Ingredients
- 1 quart vegetable oil, for frying
- ½ cup cane sugar
Optional Filling (if you don't want to make custard)
- store bought chocolate frosting
Instructions
For the Dough
- In a stand mixer bowl, with a paddle attachment, (or a large bowl) add the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Mix together. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add in pumpkin and vanilla. Combine again.
- Turn stand mixer to low and add 2 cups of flour, black cocoa powder, salt, and nutmeg. When almost all combined add 1 more cup of flour and combine again.
- Switch to a dough hook and add ½ cup more of flour and mix just until combined. Add in butter 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing completely after each.
- Let knead for 8-10 minutes on medium speed or until it doesn't stick to the bowl. It should pull away from the bowl. Still slightly sticky but not sticking to your hands. Use the remaining ½ cup of flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed.
- Spray bowl, form into a ball and place ball inside. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes in a warm, draft free place.
For the Custard Filling
- While dough is rising, make custard filling. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt. Slowly whisk in ½ cup of the non-dairy milk until completely smooth, making sure no dry pockets remain in the corners. Whisk in the remaining milk.
- Cook until thick and bubbling: Place over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly and scraping the bottom and corners of the pan. The mixture will begin to thicken after several minutes. Keep cooking until large bubbles break through the center, briefly pausing your whisking to check. Reduce the heat as needed to prevent scorching, then cook for 1 full minute, whisking constantly. The custard should be thick and glossy, with whisk marks that remain briefly visible.
- Finish the custard: Remove from the heat. Add the chopped chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Whisk until completely melted and smooth. If any lumps remain, immediately press the warm custard through a fine-mesh sieve.
- Chill thoroughly: Transfer to a shallow heatproof container. Press plastic wrap directly against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool for about 20 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until cold and fully set.
- Smooth and fill: The chilled custard will look quite firm. Whisk by hand just until smooth and creamy; avoid whipping in lots of air. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a donut-filling tip. Pipe into completely cooled donuts, using about 2½–3 tablespoons per donut.
To Make Doughnuts
- After 30 minutes, lightly flour a surface and roll out dough to be about a half an inch thick. Then using a 3.5" donut cutter, cut out your donut shapes. Fold dough back up and then roll out again to cut out more donuts until no dough remains.
- Place each cut out on a baking sheet and then cover and let rise again for 15-20 minutes.
- Heat oil up to 350-375˚F. Fry for about 1 minute on each side (*Use a timer since this is black dough to make sure it's cooked properly). Carefully remove donuts from hot oil and place on a cooling rack with a sheet pan under it to catch the oil or a towel lined plate.
- Once cool to touch, add ½ cup sugar to a bowl and toss donut in sugar to coat. Repeat until all donuts are cooked and coated.
- Once donuts and filling are completely cooled, use a piping bag and a narrow piping tip fill the inside of the doughnut, pulling back as it fills until it's out. Repeat with all doughnuts. *If you do not have a narrow pipping tip, use a skewer or chopstick to poke a hole through the length of the donut. Then, use any pipping tip and fill in filling on both sides.
- Serve immediately or let cool to room temperature and store in an air tight container for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Look for bubbling, not just thickening. Taking the custard off the heat as soon as it thickens can leave you with an undercooked starch flavor and an unreliable set.
- Use chopped chocolate from a bar when possible. It generally melts more smoothly than chocolate chips.
- Start with soy milk for testing. Its body works well here. Other plant milks can change the richness and texture; avoid canned coconut milk as a direct swap.
- Don’t thin it before stirring. Cold custard often looks too firm straight from the refrigerator but loosens as you whisk. It should hold a soft mound on a spoon without pouring off.
- Make ahead: Refrigerate the filling for up to 3 days. Keep filled donuts refrigerated and serve them the day they’re filled for the best texture.
Video
Nutrition
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This post was originally written in October 2021 and updated October 2026 to make custard filling easier.
Suggestions for making them gluten free?
I’m sorry we don’t have suggestions for that at this time
Is there any way to sub out the vegan butter? Would apple sauce work? Also, I know the taste would change but is it possible to bake these?
Oh, and they look amazing!
Thanks!
It would make these more dense, but it will for the dough. For the custard filling, not so much.
Can the dough be made ahead of time?
Yes! Make up until you have a dough, do not let it rise. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and store in the fridge up to 48 hours. Remove and start where it says to rise until doubled (it will take a bit longer to rise since it’s cold)
Half failed the first time making it, the custard part because I didn’t have the right ingredients, but still taste delicious! Such a great recipe and not as difficult as I originally thought it would be to make, will definitely try again!
Glad you figured it out and enjoyed!
I made these. They’re amazing. I tried one without tossing and sugar and filling and didn’t think they were sweet enough. Once they were coated and filled they were amazing!!!
So glad you enjoyed them!
These were really good. I love the pumpkin in there. I did the custard as directed, but after putting them in the fridge I had to reheat and add 2tbsp more to make it thicken…was that a typo? Otherwise recipe was delicious thank you!!
So glad you enjoyed these. We have updated the custard to work better.
I have never been interested in vegan anything much, but baby those look so good. OMG! I need more recipes, please.
Thanks! We have over 500 recipes! Check them out
Hi! Is the donut cutter absolutely necessary or can I replace it with something else?
Biscuit cutter, cookie cutter, you just need something that helps cut 🙂