Ten gluten free donuts for every taste and appetite. From baked to fried, cake to yeasted, chocolate to vanilla and cinnamon. It’s all here. Because when you need a donut, you need a donut!
When you scroll through these ten recipes for gluten free donuts, imagine them in a glass case with a hammer alongside. On the outside of the glass, in large letters, it says “In case of emergency, break glass.”
Because if you're new to eating gluten free, you may not have experienced this just yet, but you will. And it will feel like an emergency!
You may not have eaten many donuts, or even thought you cared for them much, before you went gluten free (or before your beloved child, spouse or friend went gluten free). But at some point, it happens to the best of us: you gotta have a donut.
It's just the way it is. Maybe it's because you no longer can just wander into Krispy Kreme, Dunkin Donuts or Tim Hortons and order your favorite nice chocolate glazed. Who knows.
It just happens. And I have the reader emails (and the personal experience) to prove it. So make yourself a big, hot cup of coffee, and pull up a stool. It's time to get down to brass tacks.
Glazed gluten free donut holes. If you've ever wondered how to make gluten free donut holes from scratch, this is the recipe for you.
Put Dunkin Donuts to shame. Make the dough ahead of time, but set a bit of time aside on a weekend when you're ready to fry the donuts. You're going to want to eat them fresh.
You might even consider a neon sign to light up when they're ready, a la Krispy Kreme. They'll come running.
Gluten Free Chocolate-Glazed Donuts from Gluten Free on a Shoesting Quick & Easy: This donut recipe took forEVER to get right, and then it was so right it made it to the cover of the cookbook.
Rich and chocolatey, but still so quick and easy to throw together. Especially when you have a little mini donut machine, but they're perfect for a donut pan in the oven, too.
Don't have a donut pan (yet)? No worries. I've included instructions for how to make them muffin-shaped. Just close your eyes when you eat them and we're alllll good.
Paleo Donuts: Made with heart-healthy almond flour and absolutely no starches or other fillers, these are for my Paleo and Paleo-curious friends (count me among the latter category). They actually freeze super well.
Since they really are quite virtuous, it's worth making a double batch and stocking the freezer with Paleo donuts for busy weekday mornings.
A simple batch of gluten free biscuits is quickly cut into rounds, twisted and fried into the flakiest gluten free biscuit donut twists you've ever seen. Like the glazed donut holes above, make the dough ahead of time and freeze or refrigerate it.
Then plan to eat them right after frying because, well, they taste like cronuts. Doesn't that sound like something you'd like to enjoy immediately?
You know the smell of fresh apple cider donuts during apple picking season in the fall. Don't give in to temptation! Bake your own gluten free apple cider donuts at home with this simple recipe, and stay safe during apple season.
Gluten Free Yeast-Raised Glazed Donuts: Old-fashioned donuts like these gluten free yeast-raised babies are meant to be fried, not baked. They’re a shadow of their best selves when baked. Just be sure your oil is hot enough, and the dough won’t absorb much oil at all.
This recipe is one that you can use to make the glazed donut holes above, or you can use the recipe from GFOAS Bakes Bread. This old-school recipe calls simply for an all purpose gluten free flour blend, and not for my gluten free bread flour.
This dough is more difficult to handle, and has only one rise so much less yeast flavor development. But the recipe still works like a charm, and they're still yeast-raised donuts.
The how to video playing on this page is for these yeast-raised gluten free donuts, made in an air fryer. Amazing!
The lightest, flakiest gluten free chocolate biscuit donuts are ready in a snap when you start with a simple gluten free biscuit dough. Make the dough far ahead of time, like the cinnamon donut twists.
Homemade gluten free mini Hostess crunch donuts. These are a homemade version of the yellow cake mini donuts from Hostess that are topped with that crunchy-sweet crumb that tastes of honey and faintly of coconut. Who can resist?
These chocolate donut holes are just like chocolate munchkins, except they're better for two reasons: they're gluten free so they're safe for us to eat, and they've got a chocolate glaze.
Finally, these gluten free glazed vanilla bean donuts are soft, moist and tender, and bake up in minutes. They're basically the perfect vanilla donut. Make them with or without the seeds of a real vanilla bean.
I buy vanilla beans in bulk online (affiliate link), and then store them in a glass bottle filled with rum in a dark corner of my pantry. In about a month, you can use the rum as vanilla extract.
But I usually just use it as a preservative for the vanilla beans so I'm not tempted to buy a small jar of 2 whole vanilla beans at the grocery store for $9 or something.
Jennifer Lane says
We always have a batch of the vanilla donuts in the freezer! I think I make a batch up almost every week. So yummy!!!
Nicole Hunn says
I loooooove those, Jennifer! So glad you do too. :)
Natalie Rebelo Kelly says
I have been craving a donut for months, pretty much since i was diagnosed in August. Mind you, I never really ate donuts much before, maybe once a year. But now that I can’t have it, I saw a jelly donut and have been mourning ever since. I tried another GF yeast raised donut recipe and it was a disaster. I was left feeling very deflated. I hope to try these soon. I just bought your GFOS book but was surprised a donut recipe wasn’t in there? Is it in another cookbook of yours? thanks, natalie
Amy Z says
I pre-ordered the new book in July but Amazon told me this week that the ship date has been delayed to 12/5. What’s up with this??
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Amy, The publication date was delayed by 1 week, to December 3. Amazon’s official “ship date” is that date, December 3. However, as I mentioned, my publisher assures me that it will ship to amazon customers the week of Thanksgiving. After that, it will get to you as quickly as the shipping method you arrange for allows. If you have expedited shipping from amazon, you should get it in 2 days from when it ships (which will be at least 1 week in advance of the publication date).
Valerie says
Hello,
Is there a variation for any of these doughnuts to be ‘fryer friendly’ too?
Many thanks!
Nicole Hunn says
Two of the recipes are for yeasted, fried donuts, Valerie.
Jennifer Sasse says
Some day, real soon, I hope to make those yeasted donuts. droolly, drooler-son!
Jennifer Sasse says
Or maybe if I’m really lucky anneke will make some for her family out of chocolate cookie guilt and drop some off for me???? Please?
Anneke says
Hmm, Anneke will have to contemplate that! Seems like something a new best friend would do . . .
Jennifer Sasse says
Yep – it totally would be!!!!
Martha Barr Horne says
I made the Apple Cider Donuts for my office co-workers this week and they were gone in a flash. I had to chuckle because someone else brought a bag of wheat flour pumpkin donuts from Sheatz the same day and mine were gone first! I didn’t have a donut pan, so I used the mini-muffin pan and made donut holes, sort of. I have also made Nicole’s Donut Muffins in the mini muffin pans and they work great for that recipe, too.
Laura says
I also pre-ordered the new cookbook and got an email yesterday saying it won’t be shipped until mid-December. I live in NH. Can’t wait to get the new book! I just love everything about your recipes and cookbooks! Thanks for all you do, and for always giving us a chuckle with your blog posts!! I am going to whip up a batch of the cider donuts to take to the Orchard with us this weekend! My kids will be SOOOOO happy to not have to miss out on that tradition!! :)
karen says
I pre-ordered it this summer and got an email two days ago saying that the book won’t be delivered now until Mid-December! What is with Amazon?
Nicole Hunn says
I can’t imagine why you would have gotten a message saying it won’t be delivered until mid-December, unless you live someplace quite remote, Karen. The production schedule was pushed back 1 week (book pub dates are always on a Tuesday), and the amazon message I got said delivery of 12/5 (yup – I preordered it too, on amazon, to keep track of such things). But it will ship the week of Thanksgiving. Never fear. :) The release date is Nov. 12, which is the date it gets shipped from the warehouse—plenty of time for amazon to receive the book, unpack it and begin shipping by later in November. :)
karen says
Thanks Nicole–my date on the email I got said 12/10 for delivery–I live in Wisconsin–near Milwaukee! far from remote! That is so weird! I should see if I still have the email. Anyway, glad it will be out soon as I love your recipes!
Nicole Hunn says
I just realized that my date is based on Amazon Prime, which is guaranteed 2 day delivery. 12/10 is most likely based on regular delivery. They both assume a ship date of 12/3. But it will go out before that. It always does from Amazon, since they don’t have to stage the books or find shelf space like a brick and mortar retailer does (that’s why the pub date is always 3 weeks after the release date). Ah, the joys of publishing!
karen says
oh that makes sense! I have Amazon cheap so it will definitely take longer! Thanks for your help!
Donia Robinson says
Karen, I’m outside Chicago, so not very far from you. My email said between 12/9 and 12/13 for delivery. I figure the longer I have to wait for it, the more I’ll love it. ;)
karen says
That’s an awesome attitude Donia! I am sure that this will be the case!
Jennifer Sasse says
I’m in MN – mine says 12/6 -12/10
Monica D. says
thank you so much! I pre-ordered and can’t wait for it to get here :)
Nicole Hunn says
Thank you so much for pre-ordering, Monica!
xoxo Nicole
Evamarie Lindaas says
My daughter came home from college this past weekend and I made her your Apple Cider Doughnuts. I didn’t read the recipe carefully and forgot to add the cornstarch – they still were DELICIOUS!!! (She tweeted a picture of them.) P.S. I’ve been a silent fan for over a year now…THANK YOU NICOLE for all of your hard work. Even my gluten eating boys love your recipes. I can’t wait to get your cookbook for Christmas. :D
Nicole Hunn says
That’s awesome, Evamarie, that she tweeted about it! I’d love to see her tweet (did it have a photo, maybe?!). Ask her to tweet it again and tag me @gfshoestring!
xoxo Nicole
Anneke says
I love making donuts, and my mini-donut maker is my friend, I have made three of these recipes many times (so easy to throw together the dry stuff the night before and whip them up in the morning). I have even been known to make donuts for breakfast on a school day, which is ridiculously early in my house!
Confession for today — my kids had cookies for breakfast. Not breakfast cookies, not healthy Paleo cookies. Chocolate cookies. And milk.
JoAnn C. says
You rock! Since chocolate is a food group, and milk is healthy too, I’m pretty sure you served a breakfast of champions. Will you be my mom?
Anneke says
Sure, JoAnn! But breakfast is at 6:00 . . .
Nicole Hunn says
That’s awesome, Anneke. No guilt! Seriously, the fact that that is worthy of mention means that it all balances out in your house. My kids get a couple small pieces of candy in their lunches every day, and most days a few big homemade cookies along with their sandwiches. Why is lunch so much better than breakfast for a cookie, I ask you? ;)
xoxo Nicole
Jennifer Sasse says
Anneke – I called the fuzz. Expect them at your place on Monday morning for their share of the chocolate cookies and milk!! :)