This Gluten Free Donut recipe produces soft, cake-style gluten free donuts that are baked, not fried, and rolled in a sweet cinnamon sugar coating that tastes like something straight from a farm stand bakery. Made with simple pantry staples, these gluten free baked donuts come together in minutes, and make any day feel a little more special.
With just a 9 to 10-minute bake time, you can have hot, fresh gluten free donuts on the table in under 30 minutes. It's kind of dangerous.
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Looking for More Gluten Free Breakfast Baking Recipes?
If you love these cinnamon sugar donuts, you'll love my Gluten Free Chocolate Glazed Donuts. Another autumn favorite are these Gluten Free Apple Muffins with Streusel and these Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins.
What makes this (cinnamon sugar) gluten free donut recipe so delicious?
If you've been gluten free a long time, you know how rare it is to be treated to a donut. Seriously, if I could have one cheat food and not get sick over it, I'd be making one heck of a stop to Dunkin Donuts, Krispy Kreme, Fractured Prune (if you know, you know), Donutz On a Stick, or Sandy Pony Donuts. I was the girl that sought out the donut place at every vacation destination, okay. Now I'm the one crying as we pass by.
While I do prefer the hottest and greasiest fried donuts possible, baked donuts are really easy to make gluten free and they have a pretty awesome texture too. These donuts have a nice soft mouthfeel where the crumb separates in a slow pull-aparty fashion. They also taste wicked good. Cinnamon sugar is addicting all on its own. The addition of a small amount of vinegar in this recipe adds a tangy depth of flavor, balancing the sweetness and making the donut more airy.
Cinnamon Sugar Gluten Free Donut Recipe Ingredients:
- High quality gluten free all purpose flour blend containing xanthan gum. I used Bob's Red Mill GF 1:1 (the blue bag).
- Light brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Ground cinnamon
- Eggs
- Pure vanilla extract
- Neutral oil, such as canola oil
- Milk. If dairy-free, use a neutral milk such as almond.
- Apple cider vinegar
- Salt
Variations: Instead of using ground cinnamon in the cinnamon sugar mixture, you could try adding pumpkin pie spice to the sugar for pumpkin spice donuts.
How to Make my Cinnamon Sugar Gluten Free Donut Recipe:
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Grease two six-serving donut pans (12 in total). Set aside.
- Add flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined.
- Add in the eggs, oil, milk, vanilla extract, and vinegar and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Spoon the batter into each donut cavity, filling about ¾ full (I like my donuts a little puffy) and being careful not to cover the donut hole.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the donuts are cooked through. You can test doneness by inserting a toothpick and it coming out clean.
- Allow to cool 5 minutes in the pan. Place a cookie sheet or piece of parchment paper underneath the cooling rack to catch excess cinnamon sugar in the next step. Transfer donuts to the wire rack. Tip: You may need to use a fork or silicone spatula to help them release from the pan.
- To make the cinnamon sugar mixture: Place cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl wide enough to fit a single donut at a time. Whisk until combined.
- Lay the warm donuts in the cinnamon sugar mixture, one donut at a time, and spoon over the cinnamon sugar until both sides are well covered. You may need to pat it onto the donut if they've started to cool down. You can dip the donuts in once or twice, depending on the desired amount of coating.
- Place the donuts back on the cooling rack and allow to cool, or eat warm.
- Enjoy!
How to Store Cinnamon Sugar Gluten Free Donuts:
Donuts are always the freshest on the first day, but you can store these in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
You can freeze these donuts for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm them up for 10-20 seconds in the microwave. Tip: Don't heat them up for too long or else the sugar will melt off the donut.
Equipment
To make this Cinnamon Sugar Gluten Free Donut Recipe, you will need:
- A nonstick donut pan. I love this Wilton pan because nothing ever sticks to it and it comes with two 6-donut pans.
- A wire cooling rack.
Notes
- Variations: Instead of using ground cinnamon in the cinnamon sugar mixture, you could try adding pumpkin pie spice to the sugar for pumpkin spice donuts.
- Serve these donuts with coffee or tea for the ultimate pairing!
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Gluten Free Donut Recipe - Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
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Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups high quality gluten-free all purpose flour blend containing xanthan gum I used Bob's Red Mill GF 1:1 (the blue bag)
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp milk for dairy-free, use a neutral plant milk such as almond milk
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp neutral cooking oil I used canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
For the Cinnamon Sugar Mixture:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease donut pans with butter or nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk until combined.2 cups high quality gluten-free all purpose flour blend containing xanthan gum, ⅔ cup light brown sugar, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt
- Add the wet ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk until combined.½ cup + 2 tablespoon milk, ½ cup + 2 tablespoon neutral cooking oil, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined—don’t overmix. Spoon the batter into the donut cavities, filling each about ¾ full and being careful not to cover the donut hole.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the donuts comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Place a baking sheet or parchment paper under the rack to catch excess cinnamon sugar in the next step.
- In a shallow bowl wide enough for one donut, whisk together the cinnamon and sugar.½ cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Place each warm donut in the cinnamon sugar, spooning the mixture over until both sides are coated. If the donuts have cooled, gently press the sugar on. Dip once or twice, depending on how much coating you prefer.
- Return the donuts to the cooling rack to cool, or enjoy them warm!
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