Gluten-Free Baked Doughnuts Recipe

By
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
An internationally recognized culinary authority, Kristina Vanni is well-known for her recipe development, food photography, and experience as a TV show host.
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Updated on 05/22/22
Gluten Free Donuts

 The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 16 mins
Total: 26 mins
Servings: 9 to 18 servings
Yield: 18 donuts

If you struggle to find gluten-free donuts in your favorite bakery or coffee shop, don't fret! It's easy to make a homemade version of gluten-free donuts in your own kitchen.

Start by stocking your pantry with certified gluten-free versions of essential baking ingredients. There are wonderful gluten-free all-purpose flour options nowadays that measure cup for cup the same as traditional all-purpose flour. Instead of making your own blend using rice flour, tapioca flour, cornstarch, potato starch, and xanthan gum, gluten-free flour blends are already formulated for successful baking.

These gluten-free donuts bake up beautifully in a donut pan. They're dipped in vanilla glaze and topped with sprinkles for a fun-looking treat no one can resist. Everyone will love them, even if don't follow a gluten-free diet.

Ingredients

For the Cake Donuts:

  • 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 3/4 cup milk, or non-dairy milk alternative

  • 2 large eggs, room temperature

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil

  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Vanilla Glaze and Decorations:

  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar

  • 1 tablespoon milk, or dairy-free milk alternative

  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1/2 cup gluten-free multicolored sprinkles

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Gluten Free Donuts ingredients
    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

  2. Preheat oven to 425 F. Grease the doughnut pans and set aside.

  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the gluten-free flour blend, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

    Gluten Free Donuts dry ingredients
    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

  4. In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla.

    Whisk together the wet ingredients
    1/2 cup vegetable oil

  5. Add the milk and egg mixture to the flour mixture and whisk until combined.

    mix together the dry and wet ingredients
    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

  6. Spoon the batter into the prepared doughnut pans filling about 1/2 full. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until the doughnuts are set. The doughnuts are done when a toothpick inserted into one of the doughnuts comes out clean.

    donut batter in donut pans
    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

  7. Remove each doughnut from the pan and cool on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter.

    Gluten Free Donuts cooling
    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

  8. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. Additional milk or confectioners' sugar can be added to achieve the desired thickness.

    Vanilla glaze in a mixing bowl
    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

  9. Dip the top of each doughnut into the glaze, allowing the excess glaze to drip off before placing it back on the wire rack. Decorate with sprinkles while the glaze is still wet. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts.

    Gluten Free Donuts decorated
    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

  10. Store doughnuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.

Tips

  • When it comes to baking powder, most options you will find in the grocery store are already naturally gluten free. However, there are some brands where wheat flour is used as a stabilizer. If you follow a strict gluten-free diet, make sure you keep a baking powder in your kitchen that is produced without any wheat products.
  • Vanilla extract is another baking ingredient that could contain minute traces of gluten. It is made from alcohol which is usually made from grain. The distillation process removes almost all traces of gluten, but if you are highly sensitive it is still possible to react to these trace levels. If this is a concern, be sure to read labels carefully and choose a vanilla extract that uses corn, potato, or sugar cane instead of grains to produce their products.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
201 Calories
8g Fat
29g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 9 to 18
Amount per serving
Calories 201
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 11%
Saturated Fat 1g 4%
Cholesterol 22mg 7%
Sodium 185mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 29g 11%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 49mg 4%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 39mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)