Tulo

Gluten-Free Donuts Recipe

A cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum already built in gives these donuts the structure that wheat flour's gluten would normally provide, so they hold their ring shape without gluten while baking (not frying) keeps them light instead of dense or gummy, a common problem with gluten-free baked goods.

Prep
15 min
Cook
12 min
Total
27 min
Servings
6

Ingredients

Servings6
  • 1 1/2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (with xanthan gum)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (for glaze)
  • 2 tbsp milk (for glaze)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (for glaze)

Nutrition per serving

Calories
617
Protein
4g
Carbs
54g
Fat
43g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

Need different units or a different yield? Try our Conversion Calculator →

Instructions

  1. 1Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 6-cavity standard donut pan well, including the center posts, since gluten-free batter sticks more readily than wheat batter.
  2. 2In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour blend, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg until no lumps remain.
  3. 3In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.
  4. 4Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined; the batter will be thick and closer to a muffin batter than a pourable one.
  5. 5Spoon the batter into a large zip-top bag, snip off one corner, and pipe the batter evenly into the donut pan cavities, filling each about two-thirds full.
  6. 6Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and the edges are golden.
  7. 7Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
  8. 8Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla for the glaze until smooth, adding more milk a teaspoon at a time if it's too thick to dip.
  9. 9Dip the top of each cooled donut into the glaze, then set back on the rack for the glaze to set, about 10 minutes.

Tips & variations

  • Swap the milk for buttermilk for a slightly tangier, more tender crumb, a common trick even in wheat-flour cake donuts.
  • For a cinnamon-sugar version, skip the glaze and instead brush warm donuts with melted butter and toss in a mix of 1/3 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
  • Not all gluten-free blends measure or absorb liquid the same way; if the batter looks noticeably thinner or thicker than a thick muffin batter, adjust with a tablespoon of milk or flour.

Storage & reheating

Store unglazed donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days; glazed donuts are best within 1 day since the glaze softens as it sits. Freeze unglazed donuts in a single layer for up to 2 months, then thaw at room temperature and glaze fresh.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • A disposable piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner snipped off is far less messy for filling the donut cavities than trying to spoon thick batter around the center posts.
  • Let the glaze sit for a minute after mixing before dipping; freshly whisked glaze can be thinner than it looks and runs off instead of coating.

FAQ

Can I fry these instead of baking them?

This batter is designed for baking and is too thick and sticky to hold up in hot oil; frying it would likely fall apart. For a fried version, a separate yeasted or cake-donut dough recipe made with gluten-free flour is needed.

Why do gluten-free donuts turn out gummy or dense?

Using a flour blend without xanthan gum, or overmixing the batter once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, are the two most common causes. Stir only until the streaks of flour disappear.

Can I use a muffin pan instead of a donut pan?

Yes, though the shape and bake time change: filling muffin cups about two-thirds full and baking for roughly 15-18 minutes will produce gluten-free muffins with the same flavor rather than a ring shape.

Can I make mini donuts with this batter?

Yes. A mini donut pan holds about half the batter per cavity and bakes in 7-9 minutes; watch them closely since they go from done to overbaked quickly.