Gluten Free Baked Donuts Recipe
This gluten free baked donuts recipe is a cinch to make and results in fluffy, tender cake donuts—no frying required! The batter comes together in minutes (no yeast or kneading of dough), and you can transform it into cinnamon sugar donuts or glazed donuts. This easy Maple Glaze is my family’s favorite glaze, although you can use any glaze recipe you like. The cinnamon sugar donuts get brushed with apple cider before coating, helping the sugar mixture to stick, but for a richer donut you can brush them with melted butter instead. If you prefer to do a mix of cinnamon sugar and glazed donuts, make half of each topping. Be sure to check out the Tips below and this step-by-step video!
Servings: 12 donuts
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 1 cup (148g) gluten free flour OR 1 cup (136g) regular all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (55g) almond flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
Wet ingredients
- 1 cup (235g) whole milk Greek yogurt (5% fat content)
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup (100g) organic cane sugar (or regular granulated sugar)
- 1 ½ teaspoons teaspoons vanilla extract
For cinnamon sugar donuts
- 1 cup (200g) organic cane sugar (or regular granulated sugar)
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ cup apple cider
For maple glazed donuts
- 1 batch Maple Donut Glaze Recipe, recipe link in header
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚C). Spray two 6-cavity donut tins with cooking spray.
Whisk the dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cardamom.
Whisk the wet ingredients
- In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, eggs, sugar and vanilla extract.
Finish and bake
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir to combine. Using two spoons (or a pastry bag), divide the batter into the prepared donut cups, filling them three-fourths of the way full (don’t go over the center, otherwise you won’t get a hole).
- Bake the donuts until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15-17 minutes. Let the donuts cool in the pans on a rack for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack and let cool completely.
For cinnamon sugar donuts:
- In a bowl, whisk together the cinnamon and sugar. Brush a donut lightly with apple cider on both sides, then immediately dunk it into the cinnamon sugar mixture, coating it all over. Repeat with the rest of the donuts.
For maple glazed donuts:
- Dunk the top of the donuts in the maple glaze. Let the donuts sit at room temperature to allow the glaze to harden.
Notes
Do Ahead:
- The finished donuts can sit at room temperature for up to 6 hours (store the cinnamon sugar donuts on a rack so that the bottom doesn’t get soggy).
- The donuts are best eaten the day they’re made but can be frozen without the cinnamon sugar topping or glaze for up to 3 months. Bring them to room temperature, then coat them in the cinnamon sugar or glaze.
- You'll need two 6-cavity doughnut pans for this recipe (or you can use silicone donut pans). You can also use a 12-cavity mini doughnut pan (you will have leftover batter unless you use two tins). Be sure to fill the pans no more than three-fourths of the way full, otherwise you won't get a hole in the center.
- Use a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. I recommend Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour or King Arthur Measure for Measure.
- Almond flour gives these donuts a more tender texture.
- It’s important to use full-fat Greek yogurt in this recipe, as there’s no oil or butter in the batter (the yogurt is important for the texture). For dairy free donuts, use a thick dairy-free yogurt, such as Cocojune (plain).
- The base for these donuts was inspired by my Blueberry Yogurt Cake, which is another delicious breakfast option!