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gluten free pumpkin donuts on white plate topped with walnuts
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Meaningful Eats

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Donuts

12 donuts
Soft and fluffy gluten-free pumpkin donuts are the perfect sweet way to start fall mornings. These donuts are delicious plain or topped with cinnamon sugar or brown sugar glaze!
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Diet Gluten Free
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour 230g
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon salt

Other:

  • 1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée 340g
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil 100g
  • ½ cup brown sugar 100g
  • ½ cup white sugar 100g
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cinnamon Sugar:

  • 1/4 cup white sugar 50g
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon

For the Brown Sugar Glaze:

  • 3/4 cup brown sugar 150g
  • 1/4 cup milk or almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 175g (sifted)
  • nuts or sprinkles for topping

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375F. Lightly grease two 6-cavity non-stick donut pans with cooking spray.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, oil, brown sugar, white sugar and vanilla extract until smooth.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk to combine.
  • Fill the donut pans with the batter. The easiest way I've found to do this is to place a large Ziploc bag in a measuring cup then fill it with the batter (see the video). Then cut the end of the bag and pipe the batter into the donut pans.
  • Bake the donuts for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a donut comes out clean. Empty the donuts out onto a wire cooling rack.

For Cinnamon Sugar Donuts:

  • Mix together the sugar and cinnamon. While the doughnuts are still warm (but no longer fragile), gently shake them in a bag with the cinnamon-sugar.

For Brown Sugar Glazed Donuts:

  • Combine the brown sugar, milk, butter and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter has melted and mixture is smooth. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 1 minute then remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract and sifted confectioners’ sugar until smooth and combined. Let the icing cool for 5 minutes to slightly thicken. Dip the tops of the pumpkin donuts into the warm icing. If icing is getting too thick as you’re dipping, add a little more milk or warm back up in the microwave or on the stove to thin out. Place dipped donuts on a wire rack placed on a baking sheet so any excess icing can drip off. Top with chopped nuts or sprinkles before the glaze sets.

Video

Notes

Mini Pumpkin Donuts? You can also use a mini muffin pan to make these into mini donut bites. You'll just need to decrease the baking time to 15-20 minutes. Roll them in cinnamon sugar or dip the tops in glaze. They're irresistible!
INGREDIENT NOTES
  • Gluten-free 1:1 Baking FlourI like to use a high quality gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend like King Arthur Flour in my baked goods. Look for a blend that contains xanthan gum for best results.
  • Canned Pumpkin: Be sure to select 100% pumpkin puree rather than canned pumpkin pie filling.
  • Oil: You can use vegetable oil or coconut oil. Either works great!
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can use pumpkin pie spice or 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon + 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg + 1/4 teaspoon ginger.
STORAGE: Cover leftover donuts tightly and store at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
MAKE-AHEAD: Freeze the donuts plain for up to 2-3 months. To serve, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, then warm up in the microwave for 10 seconds. Add glaze before serving if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 314kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 326mg | Potassium: 189mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 4866IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 1mg