You can whip up these gluten-free vanilla donuts in 30 minutes with one bowl—no mixer required! With a light, tender crumb and delicious vanilla flavor, these donuts are one of our all-time favorite treats.

I especially love making these gluten-free donuts for birthday mornings! They’re delicious anytime! Keep reading for all the tips and tricks you need to make perfect and versatile gluten-free donuts.

stack of 3 gluten free donuts

Did you know you can bake delicious homemade, gluten-free donuts any day of the week? It’s true!

This GF baked donut recipe is one you’ll turn to again and again. It’s quick, easy, made from simple ingredients, and comes together in one bowl. You don’t need a mixer, and the whole recipe can be made in about 30 minutes.

(PS – you also might like these gluten-free pumpkin donuts with brown sugar glaze or these gluten-free apple cider donuts!)

I love making this gluten-free baked donut recipe for my kids’ birthdays, parties, days off of school, and holidays. It’s an ideal gluten-free recipe when you need to accommodate food allergies or kids with Celiac’s disease.

Best of all, you can customize the frosting/icing and toppings any way you’d like. If you want to be a super fun parent, you can even create a “donut bar” and let kids add their own toppings, like a rich chocolate glaze, coconut sugar, etc.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

  • Light and tender crumb
  • Easy recipe (takes about 30 mins!)
  • Can be customized
  • Great for birthdays, weekends, or holidays
  • Easily made dairy-free!

For more breakfast favorites, you also might like these recipes for gluten-free pancakes, gluten-free waffles and gluten-free scones.

You also might like these recipes for gluten-free banana bread, gluten-free muffins, and gluten-free pound cake.

Want coffee with your donuts? You also might like these articles on is coffee gluten-free and Starbucks gluten-free.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this gluten free donuts recipe:

Gluten-free baked donut ingredients on a counter top
  • Gluten-free flour: I like to use a high quality gluten-free 1:1 baking flour like King Arthur Flour in my baked goods. It’s important to use a high-quality gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum for best results. 
  • Milk of choice: Any milk will work in this recipe, including whole milk, skim milk, oat milk, or soy milk. I like to use unsweetened almond milk!
  • Sugar: Granulated white sugar is essential to any donut batter! I use and recommend Domino sugar.
  • Oil: Any kind of oil will work for this recipe. I usually use vegetable oil or coconut oil.
  • Apple cider vinegar: Apple cider vinegar helps the donuts to rise and lightens the crumb.
  • Baking powder: Baking powder helps the batter rise and produce a light crumb.
  • Nutmeg: I love the unique spice a bit of nutmeg adds to this recipe. Everyone will be wondering what makes them extra delicious!
  • Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar is mixed with milk and vanilla to make a delicious icing.
  • Vanilla: Vanilla adds flavor to the donut icing. You could also use almond extract, coconut extract, etc.

How to Make Gluten-Free Baked Donuts

  • Preheat the oven to 425F. Lightly grease two 6-cavity donut pans with cooking spray.
Wet and try ingredients in a bowl, and all ingredients mixed together
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until well combined.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk until evenly combined.
Donut batter in a donut baking dish, and baked donuts in a donut baking dish
  • Pour the thick donut batter into a large Ziplock bag or piping bag. Cut a 1-inch hole in the corner of the bag and pipe the donut batter into the prepared doughnut pan.
  • Bake the gluten-free doughnuts for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a cooling rack. Let the homemade donuts cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before glazing.
Donut glaze in a bowl, and a baked donut dipped in the bowl of glaze
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract until smooth. You want the glaze to be thick enough that it coats the donut without running off the top/sides too quickly. Adjust the glaze with more powdered sugar to thicken it or more milk to thin as desired.
  • Dip the gluten free doughnuts in the vanilla glaze or sugar coating and top with sprinkles (if using.) Enjoy your homemade gluten free donuts!

Baked Donut Variations

Feel free to get creative with the donut frosting/icing and toppings with this gluten-free baked donut recipe. You could make a variety of vanilla donuts, chocolate donuts, strawberry donuts, etc!

Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Almond Joy donuts: Chocolate glaze flavored with almond extract, coconut shreds, and sliced almonds.
  • Coconut donuts: Icing flavored with coconut extract and coconut shreds.
  • Lemon donuts: Icing flavored with lemon juice and lemon zest.
  • Orange donuts: Icing flavored with orange juice and orange zest.
  • Strawberry donuts: Glaze flavored with strawberry jam.
  • Apple cider donuts: Dip the donuts in apple cider when hot, then roll in cinnamon sugar.
  • Cinnamon sugar donuts: Roll donuts in cinnamon sugar mixture when hot.
  • Chocolate donuts: Chocolate glaze or frosting.
  • Maple donuts: Frosting flavored with maple extract.
  • Powdered sugar donuts: Roll donuts in powdered sugar when hot.
  • Colored donuts: Add your favorite food coloring to the glaze, then add sprinkles.
  • Raspberry donuts: Icing flavored with raspberry jam.

Storage Instructions

These donuts taste best the day they are made. (And they will probably disappear quickly, anyway!) But if you’d like to save the leftovers, be sure to store them in an airtight container.

Three gluten-free baked donuts on a wire cooling rack

FAQs

Does Krispy Kreme do gluten-free donuts?

No, Krispy Kreme does not offer gluten-free donuts. All of their donuts are made with wheat flour, so they do not work with a gluten-free diet. However, they do have gluten-free milkshakes, ice cream, and coffee.

What are gluten-free donuts made of?

Most gluten-free donuts are made with gluten-free flour. This GF baked donut recipe also includes sugar, baking powder, apple cider vinegar, almond milk, and oil.

Is there such thing as a gluten-free donut?

Yes, gluten-free donuts are made using a gluten-free flour blend. They can be made at home and many stores carry frozen gluten-free donuts.

Expert Tips & Tricks

  • I highly recommend these Wilton non-stick donut pans—they work amazingly well!
  • I find it easiest to use a large Ziplock bag to pipe the batter into the donut pan.
  • Preheating the oven to 425 degrees is key. The hot oven helps the donuts to rise and create an extra-light, fluffy crumb.
Gluten-free baked donuts on a wire cooling rack

More Gluten-Free Recipes

I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you try these gluten-free baked donuts, be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!

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Gluten-free baked donuts stacked on top of each other
5 from 14 votes

Gluten-Free Baked Cake Donuts

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Cooling Time 15 minutes
Servings 12 donuts
You can whip up these gluten-free vanilla donuts in 30 minutes with one bowl—no mixer required! With a light, tender crumb and delicious vanilla flavor, these donuts are one of our all-time favorite treats.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour 240 grams
  • cup granulated sugar 133 grams
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Wet Ingredients:

  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice
  • ½ cup oil

For the Glaze:

  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar 195 grams
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • sprinkles for topping

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 425F. Lightly grease two 6-cavity donut pans with cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until well combined.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk until evenly combined.
  • Pour the donut batter into a large ziploc bag. Cut a 1-inch hole in the corner of the bag and pipe the donut batter into the prepared pans.
  • Bake the donuts for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a cooling rack. Let the donuts cool for 15 minutes before glazing.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract until smooth. You want the glaze to be thick enough that it coats the donut without running off the top/sides too quickly. Adjust the glaze with more powdered sugar to thicken it or more milk to thin as desired.
  • Dip the donuts in the glaze and top with sprinkles if using. Enjoy!

Notes

Ingredient Notes
  • Gluten-free flour: I like to use a high quality gluten-free 1:1 baking flour like King Arthur Flour in my baked goods. It’s important to use a high-quality gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum for best results. 
  • Milk of choice: Any milk will work in this recipe, including whole milk, skim milk, oat milk, or soy milk. I like to use unsweetened almond milk!
  • Oil: Any kind of oil will work for this recipe. I usually use vegetable oil or coconut oil.
Recipe Notes
  • I highly recommend these Wilton non-stick donut pans—they work amazingly well!
  • I find it easiest to use a large Ziplock bag to pipe the batter into the donut pan.
  • Preheating the oven to 425 degrees is key. The hot oven helps the donuts to rise and create an extra-light, fluffy crumb.

Nutrition

Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 181mg | Potassium: 137mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 42IU | Vitamin C: 0.001mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg

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Hi, I’m Erin!

BS Food Science,

MS Nutrition

I believe you can make amazing, gluten-free food with everyday ingredients that everyone will enjoy. I’m here to share my tried-and-true recipes with you!

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Comments

  1. Made these for my hubby because he can never get enough donuts. I’ve made several online recipes but he wasn’t thrilled with any of them. These he absolutely loves! Thanks so much for the great recipe!

  2. 5 stars
    Some, 60 years ago, my mother would make doughnuts with nutmeg. Sometimes she made doughnuts with a spot of lemon or lemon zest, others bits of apple and cinnamon. Her mother made them before that. Your nutmeg in the doughnuts brings back wonderful memories. Thank you

    1. That is such a wonderful memory! I’m so glad the donuts reminded you of her. Thanks for the comment 🙂

  3. Hi Erin
    Can I substitute lemon juice for the app!e cider vinegar?
    Love your gingerbread cake and banana bread recipes. Would like to try this donut recipe, can’t have vinegar.

    1. Yes that will work great! Lemon juice and cider vinegar can be use interchangeably in my recipes.

  4. 5 stars
    These donuts were perfect! Most recipes I’ve made have come out dry but these were perfectly moist! Thanks for sharing.

  5. 5 stars
    I have been GF for 16 years and your recipe is the first time I have ever enjoyed a GF donut! It was better than any expensive GF bakery donut I’ve tried. Thank you so much for your simple and delicious recipe. My family is dreaming up variations for our next batch of donuts!

    1. Butter won’t yield the same texture as oil unfortunately! You can always try it but the donuts won’t have the same crumb.

  6. How would you recommend tweaking the recipe for make these chocolate donuts (not just glaze but the donuts themselves)?

    1. Great question! I think you could easily make these chocolate donuts by reducing the flour to 1 1/4 cups gluten-free flour and adding 1/3 cup cocoa powder. I hope this helps!

  7. Hello,
    I haven’t tried this recipe yet but I am sure it will be amazing since all the other recipes I have tried from you have been wonderful. Can’t wait to try this recipe out! I believe you mentioned that we can also make chocolate donuts and strawberry donuts (not just the icing/frosting/glaze) using this recipe as well? Did I read the instructions correctly? If so how would I go about to make chocolate or strawberry donuts? And what about a chocolate glaze? Not sure if you already have recipes for this posted or not. Have not had a chance to go through everything yet. Thank you.

    1. Hey Stephanie! I’m so glad you like the recipes! I don’t have a recipe for strawberry or chocolate glaze on this post. But these donuts work well as a base for any glaze recipe you can find! I hope you enjoy them!

  8. 5 stars
    I tried a few other recipes and they were not light, they were dense and wet. Your recipe is awesome, my 2 1/2 year old grandson helped me make them, quick easy and delicious. Thank you!

      1. These are wonderful, baked the donuts for 10 minutes, might have been just a little long, we live at 6000 feet, and a couple stuck to the baking pan. However a Chef has told me that altitude really doesn’t impact baking time. Will make these again, so easy.

  9. 5 stars
    My husband was diagnosed Celiacs a year ago and misses his cake donuts I have tried a few donut recipes and none were satisfying til I just made your recipe. It will be the only one I bake from now on. I glazed them while hot as he prefers a glazed, not frosted donut. Delicious! I wish I could show you a photo of my cooling rack. A doz were glazed 10 minutes ago but there is no longer a dozen there!

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