Gluten Free Donut Recipe

3 brown gluten free donuts with white glaze on white paper on gold baking sheet

4.95 from 130 votes

These yeast-raised, gluten free donuts are so soft and fluffy inside, golden brown outside, and taste just like Krispy Kreme!

Prep Time25

Cook Time15

Chilling & rising time2

Total Time2 40

Course: Bread, Breakfast, Donuts

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gluten free donuts, gluten free donuts recipe

Servings: donuts

Author: Nicole Hunn

Equipment

Stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment
Candy thermometer or electric deep fryer or Air Fryer

Ingredients

For the donuts

2 ¼ cups all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; click through for full info on appropriate blends without which the recipe will not turn out), plus more for sprinkling
1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
⅓ cup tapioca starch/flour add this ingredient even if your all purpose blend contains tapioca starch
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup granulated sugar
2 ½ teaspoons instant yeast also called breadmaker or rapid rise yeast
½ teaspoon fresh finely-ground nutmeg optional
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 egg at room temperature
1 egg white at room temperature
1 cup milk at room temperature, plus more as necessary
4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
Oil for frying or non-aerosol oil spray for Air Frying

For the glaze

1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons Lyle’s Golden Syrup (or honey)
2 tablespoons water plus more as necessary

Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the donut dough.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, place 2 1/4 cups flour, the xanthan gum, tapioca starch, salt, cream of tartar, baking soda and sugar. Whisk to combine well. Add the yeast and optional nutmeg, and whisk again to combine well.
Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment.
Add the vinegar, egg, egg white, milk and melted butter, and mix to combine. Mix on low speed until the liquid is absorbed by the dry ingredients, then turn the mixer speed to high and mix for about 2 minutes or until very well-combined. It should take on a bit of a whipped appearance.
The dough will be wet but should scrape easily off the sides of the mixer with a spatula. Beat in more milk a drop at a time as necessary to get the dough to move freely in the mixer.
For best results, spray the inside of a lidded bucket or bowl with cooking oil spray, scrape the donut dough into the container, and cover the bucket or bowl.
Place in the refrigerator to rise and chill for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 days. You can work with the dough immediately, though, if you prefer. It will just be stickier and a bit harder to handle, and will have less flavor.

Shape the dough.

Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.
When you’re ready to work with the dough, divide the dough in half and place the first half onto a lightly floured surface.
Sprinkle the dough lightly with some extra flour and turn over on itself a few times to create a smoother dough.
Press the dough into a disk, sprinkle lightly with more flour, and roll it out about 1/2 inch thick. The dough will begin as relatively sticky, so keep sprinkling lightly with more flour to prevent the rolling pin from sticking, and move the dough frequently.
Flour a doughnut cutter or biscuit or large round cookie cutter (about 7 cm in diameter), and cut the dough into donut shapes. If you’re using a large plain round cutter instead of a donut cutter, use a much smaller cutter to cut out donut holes from the rounds (about 2.5 cm).
Place the donut shapes and the holes on the prepared baking sheets about 1 1/2-inches apart from one another. Gather scraps and reroll, then cut more shapes.
Repeat with the other half of the dough either now or in a few days. The dough keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Let the dough rise.

Cover the baking sheets with plastic wrap, and place in a warm, draft-free spot and allow to rise to about 150% of their original size. They won't fully double, but instead will end up about 1 1/2 times as large as they began.
This usually takes 45 minutes to 1 hour, but it can take less time in warm, humid environments and more time in cold ones. Be sure that the dough has begun to swell before you consider it done rising, or your donuts will be dense.

Air Fryer Instructions.

Spray the bottom of the Air Fryer basket with non-aerosol cooking oil spray. Place as many donuts and holes as will fit comfortably in the basket of your Air Fryer in a single layer, without crowding.
Spray or brush the tops of the donuts generously with cooking oil, and place in the Air Fryer. Set the machine to fry at 380°F for 12 minutes. Allow to cook for about 6 minutes.
Remove the basket carefully from the fryer and, using heat-safe tongs, flip each of the donuts and holes over. Spray or brush again generously with cooking oil, and return to the fryer.
Finish frying until lightly golden brown all over. Remove the donuts and place on a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining donuts and holes.

Deep-frying directions.

In a large, heavy-bottom stock pot or electric deep fryer, heat at least 2 inches of oil to a bit more than 350°F.
Line a rimmed baking sheet or tray with paper towels, then place a heat-safe wire rack on top.
Once the oil reaches temperature, fry the donuts and holes in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown all over.
Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon and drain on the prepared wire rack and baking sheet.

Make the glaze.

Make the glaze while the first batch of donuts is hot from the oil. You want to glaze them while they're still warm.
In a small-to-medium-sized bowl, place the confectioner’s sugar. Add the syrup or honey, and mix to combine into a thick paste.
Add water, a teaspoon at a time, and mix well until you have achieved a smooth and thickly pourable glaze.
Immerse the whole donut (or donut hole), while still warm, in the glaze, covering it on all sides. Lift the glazed donut from the mixture using a fork, allow any excess to drip off, and then return to the wire rack to set.
If the glaze thickens between batches, sprinkle in a drop or two of water and whisk again until smooth. Finish the the remaining donuts.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information.

Nutrition information is per donut with glaze, calculated using an online source, and is inherently unreliable. It should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease.

Nutrition