Donut Loaves
Chocolate Oreo Donut Loaf
A chocolate Oreo donut loaf with cookie pieces throughout, Oreo streusel in the middle and on top, and a vanilla bean glaze that sets into a delicate shell.
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Thinking out loud
A chocolate turn for my cookies and cream loaf
This started as a cookies and cream loaf, which is still coming. As I kept testing it with more dark cocoa, chocolate felt like the better fit. I love black cocoa in my Oreo bakes, and this loaf leans right into that flavor.
The brownie-like middle is my favorite part. I filmed and photographed this loaf at room temperature, before it was completely chilled. Like a lot of us, I get impatient when dessert is involved.
Ingredient notes
Key ingredients
Black cocoa powder
I strongly recommend weighing the black cocoa - 5.3 g for the streusel and 15 g for the batter. Even a little too much can make the cake chalky.
Oreos
Seven cookies go into the streusel and thirteen into the batter. Leave the filling in, and roughly crush the batter cookies so some pieces remain.
My black cocoa pick
Use the black cocoa brand you prefer.
The Cocoa Trader black cocoa
The Cocoa Trader is the black cocoa I usually buy on Amazon. I was out for this bake, so I used another black cocoa that worked beautifully too.
Step by step
How It All Comes Together
Step 1
Make the Oreo streusel
Mix the crushed cookies, flour, black cocoa, sugar, and salt. Work in the cold butter with your fingertips, leaving irregular crumbs and some larger clusters. Refrigerate while making the batter.
Have the cold cubed butter ready before you start. 
Sift the cocoa to break up lumps. 
Work everything together, keeping some larger streusel clusters. Step 2
Gather the batter ingredients
Bring the Greek yogurt and milk to room temperature. Weigh the ingredients for the most consistent result.
Keep the crushed cookies ready to fold into the batter. Step 3
Mix the batter
Whisk the sugar, oil, yogurt, milk, and vanilla bean paste until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until no dry streaks remain, then fold in the roughly crushed Oreos.
Whisk the wet ingredients together until smooth. 
Add the flour with the other dry ingredients. 
Break up cocoa lumps before mixing. 
Mix just until combined; avoid overworking the batter. Step 4
Add the first batter layer
Spread half the batter evenly in the parchment-lined 9x5-inch loaf pan.
Start with half the batter. 
Spread it evenly across the base. Step 5
Layer the streusel and remaining batter
Scatter half the chilled streusel over the first batter layer, keeping it slightly away from the edges. Spoon the remaining batter over it and spread gently.
This streusel layer sits in the middle of the loaf. 
Spoon the remaining batter over the crumbs. 
Keep the filled pan no higher than three-quarters full. Step 6
Finish the topping
Add the remaining streusel and a light sprinkle of coarse sanding sugar.
Leave some larger clusters on top. 
Finish with a light sprinkle of sanding sugar. Step 7
Bake, then tent at 30 minutes
Bake at 350°F (175°C). After 30 minutes, tent loosely with foil and continue baking. Begin checking the center at 60 minutes total; allow up to 80 minutes.
Bake uncovered for the first 30 minutes. 
Tent loosely at 30 minutes while the center continues baking. Step 8
Compare the center checks
Check several spots near the center. Look for moist crumbs, not wet batter or a paste-like coating. Mine was done at 208°F; 210-211°F is fine too.
About 205°F: mine still needed more time. 
This tester result needed more baking at about 205°F. 
208°F: this was done in my oven. 
The tester check from the loaf that was done at 208°F. Step 9
Lift the loaf from the pan
Cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes, then carefully lift it out using the parchment.
Use the parchment to help lift the loaf. 
Keep the loaf supported as you move it. Step 10
Remove the parchment and cool
Support the loaf while gently peeling away the parchment. Set it on a wire rack and let it cool completely before glazing.
Peel the paper away gently. 
Support the base so the loaf stays intact. 
Cool directly on the rack before adding the glaze. Step 11
Glaze the cooled loaf
Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla bean paste, and salt until smooth, thick, and pourable. Pour over the cooled loaf and let the glaze set.
A tray beneath the rack catches the drips. 
Pour the glaze over the cooled streusel topping. 
Let the glaze set before slicing. 
The glaze settles around the streusel clusters. Step 12
Slice once the glaze sets
These slices were photographed at room temperature, before complete chilling.
The set glaze cracks as you cut through it. 
Cut gently through the streusel topping. 
The glaze forms a thin shell around the loaf. 
Room-temperature slices have a softer center. 
Chill completely if you prefer a firmer slice. Step 13
The finished loaf
Chocolate cake, Oreo pieces, streusel, and vanilla bean glaze, ready to enjoy.
Oreo streusel runs through the middle and over the top. 
A room-temperature slice shows the delicate glaze shell. 
For a more set middle, chill the loaf completely.
Small things that matter
Tips for the best loaf
Weigh the ingredients. Volume measurements are approximate; the gram amounts are the reference.
Keep the filled pan no higher than three-quarters full. An overfilled pan takes much longer to bake through.
Troubleshooting
If This Happens
The topping is getting dark
Tent loosely with foil at 30 minutes, then continue baking until the center is done.
The tester has a paste-like coating
Continue baking and check several spots near the center. The intended fudgy texture should not be confused with wet, unbaked batter.
Before you slice
Texture and serving notes
Let the glaze set before slicing. Enjoy at room temperature for a softer center, or chill completely for a firmer, brownie-like slice.
Recipe FAQ
Questions that come up
What makes this loaf so fudgy?
The batter includes 13 crushed Oreos, filling and all. That filling bakes into the batter and helps create the fudgy texture I love. Honestly, I can't wrap my head around throwing away the centers.
Why does the middle look raw?
A fully baked loaf can look raw if you slice it before it sets. Just like brownies, it needs time to firm up into that fudgy texture. Follow the center checks below the baking photos to confirm it is done; cooling cannot finish an underbaked loaf.
Can I use natural cocoa instead of black cocoa?
Stick with black cocoa for the dark Oreo-style flavor this recipe was developed around.
Will it turn out the same if I use volume measurements?
Often, yes - but not always. Flour and other ingredients can weigh differently from one cup to the next depending on how they are filled or packed, and even humidity can make a difference. That is why I recommend using a scale when you can. These loaves are easy to make, but their ratios are precise. Baking ingredients are expensive, and there is nothing more frustrating than a loaf that does not turn out as expected. Volume measurements are included for convenience, but weighing gives you the closest match to the recipe I tested.
More donut loaves to try
- Prep
- 30 min
- Bake
- 60-80 min
- Total
- Up to 1 hr 50 min, plus cooling and setting
- Yield
- One 9x5-inch loaf
Measurement note
For the closest match to the recipe I tested, use grams. Volume measurements are included for convenience, but cups can vary, so I cannot guarantee the exact same result when measuring by volume.
Ingredients
Tap each ingredient as you use it.
Volume measurements use US cups and level spoons and are approximate. Spoon flour and powdered sugar into the cup, level, then sift if directed. For cocoa and freeze-dried fruit powders, scoop the unsifted powder and level without packing, then sift if directed. Measure sprinkles loosely and level. Pack brown sugar. For ingredients marked "weigh for accuracy", use the listed grams.
Oreo streusel
- 7 Oreo cookies, crushed
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 5.3 g black cocoa powder
- 47 g granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 80 g cold butter, cubed
Chocolate Oreo loaf
- 220 g granulated sugar
- 120 g neutral oil
- 200 g plain unsweetened Greek yogurt, room temperature
- 160 g milk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 260 g all-purpose flour
- 15 g cornstarch
- 15 g black cocoa powder
- 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 13 Oreo cookies, roughly crushed, filling included
Vanilla bean glaze
- 220 g powdered sugar
- 45-52 g milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Pinch fine sea salt
Before baking
- Coarse sanding sugar, for sprinkling
Pan used
Use a 9x5-inch aluminum loaf pan.
I recommend aluminum for this loaf and my other donut loaves. In glass, the outside can brown and look finished before the center is ready. If using glass, tent early as needed and watch the center carefully.
Removing the parchment
Support the loaf while gently peeling away the parchment. Set it on a wire rack and let it cool completely before glazing.
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and fully line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- 2Combine the crushed Oreos, flour, black cocoa, sugar, and salt for the streusel. Work in the cold cubed butter with your fingertips until you have irregular crumbs and some larger clusters. Do not overwork it. Refrigerate while making the batter.
- 3In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, oil, Greek yogurt, milk, and vanilla bean paste until smooth.
- 4Add the flour, cornstarch, black cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk just until combined, with no dry streaks remaining.
- 5Fold in the 13 roughly crushed Oreos, including their filling.
- 6Spread half the batter in the prepared pan. Scatter half the chilled streusel over it, keeping it slightly away from the edges.
- 7Spoon the remaining batter over the streusel and spread gently without disturbing the middle layer.
- 8Add the remaining streusel and a light sprinkle of coarse sanding sugar. Keep the pan no higher than three-quarters full.
- 9Bake for 30 minutes at 350°F (175°C), then tent loosely with foil. Continue baking and begin checking at 60 minutes total; allow up to 80 minutes. Mine needed more time at about 205°F and was done at 208°F. It can reach 210-211°F and still be good. Check several spots near the very center because cookies and streusel can give uneven readings. A tester may have moist crumbs, but wet batter or a paste-like coating means the loaf needs more time.
- 10Cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
- 11Whisk the glaze ingredients until smooth, thick, and pourable. Pour over the cooled loaf and let the glaze set before slicing. Enjoy at room temperature, or chill completely for a firmer center.
Helpful notes
- I strongly recommend weighing the black cocoa - 5.3 g for the streusel and 15 g for the batter. Even a little too much can make the cake chalky.
Meet the baker
Angela Heckler
Angela Heckler is the recipe developer, baker, and photographer behind Obsessed Cakes. Her Old-Fashioned Donut Loaf series is a growing collection of cake-donut-inspired loaves with soft, deeply moist crumbs, buttery streusel, and crackly glaze. Angela develops and tests every recipe in her Arizona kitchen. Follow Obsessed Cakes on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
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