This easy gluten free apple cider donuts recipe is the cure for what ails you when you go to the apple orchard—but can't buy their sweet-smelling baked goods!
Why you'll love these gluten free apple cider donuts
Every fall during my gluten free son's young life, we'd go apple picking. And every fall, the smell of apple cider donuts would hang in the air and had the power to make my gluten free son and me downright miserable.
So we did the only thing that makes any sense at all: bring our own gluten free apple cider donuts. And pick up some more apple cider while we're at the orchard, so we can make more donuts when we get home!
For a whole batch of these baked apple cider donuts, you only need 6 fluid ounces of cider. Of course, you can use apple juice if you don't have cider, but rich, spiced cider gives these donuts the true flavor of everything that's frying at the orchard that we can't have!
How to get a cinnamon sugar mixture to stick to your donuts
When I first posted this recipe in 2012, you can see from the comments that some readers had trouble getting the cinnamon sugar topping to stick to the donuts. I find that the easiest way to get the topping to stick is to toss the donuts in the cinnamon sugar when they're still hot enough from the oven that you can barely touch them.
If that's just not comfortable for you, remember to press the donut in the cinnamon sugar mixture on all sides rather firmly when the donuts are as warm as possible. I tend to flip them over multiple times in the topping mixture until they're well-covered, and then not handle them again until they're completely cooled.
If you forget to work quickly after baking, or you're just not able to work with the donuts while they're hot, you can brush the donuts very lightly with melted butter before pressing them into the cinnamon sugar. Some simple syrup would also work.
A few words about baked donut pans
All baking pans and tins are generally not created equal. They vary in size, shape, color, and material.
Those differences affect baking in plenty of ways. But most of the differences aren't that significant, and you as the cook are usually able to sense for what sort of adjustments you need to make for your particular pans.
Donut pans vary in all the same ways, but their shape is even more significant. If you're making a fried gluten free donut, you're not using a pan to shape them. But if you're making baked donuts like these apple cider donuts, they take on the shape of the pan itself.
The shape of your donut pan wells
For properly shaped donuts, you want your pan to have a prominent raised center that reaches nearly as high as the sides of the donut. Otherwise, as the donuts rise in the oven, the hole will close on top, leaving only a divot underneath.
To combat a donut pan that has a short raised center, you can still preserve a donut-with-a-hole shape. Just fill each well about 2/3 of the way, or about as high as the center is raised.
My favorite donut pans for baked donuts are these 6-cavity nonstick donut pans by Wilton (affiliate link—feel free to shop around!). It's the pan you see in the photos.
It has the perfect shape and size, and even though it's somewhat dark in color, it doesn't bake the donuts too quickly (which dark pans have a tedency to do). I use this pan in all of the baked gluten free donuts recipes here on the blog.
Gluten free Apple Cider Donuts: Ingredient Substitutions
I haven't tried making these donuts with anything other than the ingredients specified in the recipe, which I recommend you also follow faithfully. However, in case you have additional dietary restrictions, here are my suggestions for making these donuts without other common allergens:
How to make gluten free dairy free apple cider donuts
The only dairy in these gluten free apple cider donuts is from the unsalted butter. It can most likely be easily replaced with Earth Balance buttery sticks, although I haven't tried that. Earth Balance tends to be rather salty, though, so I'd eliminate the salt as an ingredient in the donuts, though.
How to make gluten free egg free apple cider donuts
There are two eggs in this recipe, and they are responsible for a lot of the structure and texture of these soft, tender donuts. You can try replacing them each with a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel).
How to make sugar-free gluten free apple cider donuts
If you'd like to try to make these donuts with a sugar alternative, you can try replacing the granulated sugar with Swerve brand granulated sugar replacement or Lankato monkfruit granulated sweetener.
Pay attention to the texture and viscosity of the batter, though, as those alternative sweeteners tend to absorb a lot of moisture. You may need to add some more cider.
FAQs
Is cider gluten free?
Yes! Apple cider is gluten free because it's the same as apple juice, except cider is unfiltered so it contains pulp. Cider is often unpasteurized, too, so it won't stay fresh for nearly as long as apple juice.
Keep in mind that cider made from apples or another fruit is not the same thing as “hard cider,” which is made from apple juice that has been fermented with yeast. Hard cider is typically gluten free, unless the yeast is made with a gluten-containing yeast, much like beer.
Can you make gluten free apple cider donuts without apple cider?
Yes! If you can't find apple cider, you can make these donuts with apple juice.
There is, however, a difference between the two. Technically, apple cider is raw apple juice that hasn't been filtered to remove pulp (source).
For the donuts in the photos and video in this post, I used cold pressed spiced apple cider from the refrigerated section at Trader Joe's. In the past, I've made them with raw apple cider from the orchard, and also with plain apple juice. The more flavorful and aromatic the cider, the more the donuts, too.
Can I make these baked donuts without a donut pan?
You can make this baked good without a donut pan, perhaps as muffins, but you can't make this recipe into a donut shape without a donut pan.
Can I fry the batter in this recipe?
No! This batter only makes baked donuts, not fried. This batter would not hold its shape at all during frying.
And remember, if you can't bring a batch of these donuts with you to the orchard, you can make them fresh as soon as you get home!
Gluten Free Apple Cider Donuts
Equipment
- 2 6-cavity nonstick aluminum donut pans I recommend the Wilton brand
Ingredients
For the donuts
- 1 ½ cups (210 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; please click thru for appropriate blends)
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- ¾ cup (6 fluid ounces) apple cider
For the topping
- ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease 2 standard-size 6 well donut pans and set them aside.
- In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well.
- Create a well in the center of the flour mixture, and add the butter, eggs, and cider, and mix to combine. The batter will be very soft.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a plain tip or to a squeeze bottle.
- Squeeze the batter into the prepared doughnut wells until they are each about 3/4 of the way full. Shake the pan back and forth horizontally until the batter is in an even layer in each well.
- Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the tops of the donuts spring back when pressed gently (about 12 minutes). The underside will be browned, but the tops will still be relatively pale.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the donuts to cool for about 3 minutes, or until they are no longer hot to the touch.
- While the donuts cool slightly, place the cinnamon sugar topping ingredients into a small bowl.
- Gently remove the slightly cooled (but still warm) donuts from the doughnut pan with your fingertips and turn them around in the cinnamon sugar until they are well-coated on all sides.
- Place the finished donuts on a clean sheet of parchment paper. Serve immediately, or at least within a day or two stored uncovered at room temperature.
- Freeze any remaining leftovers in a sealed, freezer-safe container.
Notes
Gluten Free Apple Cider Donuts
Equipment
- 2 6-cavity nonstick aluminum donut pans I recommend the Wilton brand
Ingredients
For the donuts
- 1 ½ cups (210 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; please click thru for appropriate blends)
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- ¾ cup (6 fluid ounces) apple cider
For the topping
- ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease 2 standard-size 6 well donut pans and set them aside.
- In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well.
- Create a well in the center of the flour mixture, and add the butter, eggs, and cider, and mix to combine. The batter will be very soft.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a plain tip or to a squeeze bottle.
- Squeeze the batter into the prepared doughnut wells until they are each about 3/4 of the way full. Shake the pan back and forth horizontally until the batter is in an even layer in each well.
- Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the tops of the donuts spring back when pressed gently (about 12 minutes). The underside will be browned, but the tops will still be relatively pale.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the donuts to cool for about 3 minutes, or until they are no longer hot to the touch.
- While the donuts cool slightly, place the cinnamon sugar topping ingredients into a small bowl.
- Gently remove the slightly cooled (but still warm) donuts from the doughnut pan with your fingertips and turn them around in the cinnamon sugar until they are well-coated on all sides.
- Place the finished donuts on a clean sheet of parchment paper. Serve immediately, or at least within a day or two stored uncovered at room temperature.
- Freeze any remaining leftovers in a sealed, freezer-safe container.
Alison says
Amazing! This is probably the best baked good I’ve made since my family had to go gluten-free two years ago.
Nicole Hunn says
That’s high praise, Alison! I hope you find more things to make on the blog.
Maria says
AWESOMELY DELICIOUS! EVERYONE loved them!
Lisa says
I just made these this morning (11/13/23) and love them! So easy, and they taste wonderful and the texture is nicely spongey. I will make one change the next time I make them – I will cream the butter and sugar together and add with the liquid ingredients to the flour mixture. My butter was definitely room temperature, but did not mix easily with the rest of the batter. I think if I do this, the batter will squeeze out of the zip lock bag more consistently, with no little separate chunks of butter. The end result today was still wonderful!
Sylvia says
Made these for the first time. The ones made like you described turned out perfect! I used some of the left over batter to make some in the mini donut maker. These turned out tasty, but were a little over cooked and I could not get the cinnamon sugar to stick. So, recommend making them as you described only.
Laura says
One more question, can I use JulesGF All Purpose Flour in your recipes?
I appreciate your response.
Laura
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Laura, no I’m afraid Jules blend contains a really significant amount of Expandex modified tapioca starch, which is an ingredient I love in certain circumstances, but certainly not in all. Sorry. You’ll find all the information on all purpose gluten free flour blends that will work in my recipes on this page, which is linked in every recipe that calls for a blend.
Laura says
Hi –
I am excited to make these donuts! Can you replace the 3/4 c apple cider with 3/4 cup of boiled cider?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Laura, if boiled cider is a syrup, like I think it is, then no. It isn’t an appropriate substitute for apple cider, which is a true liquid with significantly more moisture than a syrup.
David P says
Terrific recipe! Thank you. I didn’t have cider so I used a microplane on an apple and used that pulp and juice along with enough apple juice to fill 3/4 cup. Turned out very appley.
Barbara says
Very happy with these donuts! I made them using my Sunbeam Donut Maker …. They are not as large as the donuts you buy at a donut shop but maybe that is a good thing as they taste so good its not hard to eat several at a time …. LoL!!
I got 17 donuts ….. took them out of the cooker and sprinkled them with a cinnamon sugar mixture right away …. It stuck to the donuts just fine.
I’m going to make them again and put some finely chopped dried apples in the batter.
I am in Canada and I used President’s Choice gluten free all purpose flour and let the batter sit for 30 minutes before baking so it would hydrate.
Definitely a winner!! 😋 THANK YOU for sharing this recipe!
Doreen says
Nicole,
These are a Real Winner!! Followed the recipe to the T. They came out Perfect! Better than store bought! Will be keeping those donut pans for a long time! Thanks for the recipe!!
Have a Great Day!
Doreen says
Hey Nicole,
Got all my ingredients ready, looking forward to these donuts…..One of my fave fall things! Just have to pick up my second 6 donut Wilton Pan! Will let you know how they come out! Baking tomorrow……..
Happy Fall!!
Carmen says
These saved my autumns when I found this recipe a few years ago. I don’t have to be jealous of other people who buy our grocery store’s amazing apple cider donuts or brag about the amazing donuts they got at the orchard. I love, love, LOVE these donuts! I use monkfruit/erythritol in the recipe and use the real deal sugar with evaporated cane juice sugar and cinnamon for the coating. Thank you for this recipe. I love finding amazing gluten-free alternatives to foods I “gave up.”
maria ortega says
I made these with Cup4Cup. I’m still trying to figure out baking and cooking gluten free. I felt like they were too dense which a frequent issue I have been running into. Do you sift the flour?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Maria,
Unless I specifically specify sifting the flour (which is rare), you don’t need to sift. My guess is that you are overmeasuring your flour if you’re measuring by volume, not weight. I highly recommend measuring by weight with a very simple and inexpensive digital kitchen scale.
Sara Leibowitz says
Hi Nicole,
So excited to try these. How important is the cream of tartar? Is there any way to sub it for something else?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Sara, the cream of tartar helps to activate the baking soda in the recipe to provide more lift. You can try replacing it with lemon juice. Hope that helps!
Nancy Gillespie says
I made these for the first time tonight. Apple cider doughnuts are not well known in the UK but I’ve seen them while on vacation in the US. They turned out perfectly and my husband thinks he’s died and gone to heaven. Thank you so much for all the great GF recipes
Nicole Hunn says
Aw, that’s so awesome, Nancy! I smell a UK trend coming… ?
Brittany says
I made this tonight with flax eggs, coconut oil and coconut sugar and it came out so beautifully and so delicious. Thank you for the recipe, even though I had to make some substitutions to make it vegan. It was delicious.
Nicole Hunn says
Thanks for letting us know that your substitutions worked, Brittany! So glad you enjoyed them.
Nicole says
So excited to try the recipe. I moved from Massachusetts many years ago and lament the loss of apple cider donuts every fall. Now that I’m GF I’m baking up a storm so thanks for having this! Ordering the pans now.
Nicole Hunn says
Aw, Nicole, I feel your pain! So glad you can bring that back.
Valentina RealItalianKitchen says
You have some amazing recipes in here and i would love to read more articles, but your website is crowded with ads, it’s jittery and it’s difficult to navigate.
Thanks for the recipes though, I hope you can figure out your configuration.
Nicole Hunn says
There are actually only a few ad slots on my blog, Valentina, and the ads all load after the content (it’s called “lazy loading”) so they don’t interfere with the content-viewing at all. My configuration is fine. The ads are essential to my continuing to provide nearly 1000 recipes for free.
Lorraine says
Oh Nicole I made these last night and they were delicious! Even my husband who is not GF and VERY fussy, said “MMMMMmmmmmm!!!!!”.
One thing I found was that the sugar/cinnamon wouldn’t stick very well. I even took them right of the pan with some and rolled them thru it and it wouldn’t stick. Then I tried brushing with a bit of veg. oil and then rolling them and still no luck. Am I doing something wrong?
Levka says
I made these tonight to keep me distracted from the election news. I did some minor substitutions (I know!) using King Arthur GF Flour (I know, you don’t like it) & dairy-free butter replacement. Perhaps because I used KA flour, the batter was less runny and more thick, so I spooned them in instead of piping them. I made them in a full-sized doughnut pan & miniature muffin tins, and baked them about 10 minutes. Instead of cinnamon sugar I mixed up sugar & pumpkin pie spice. They came out COMPLETELY AMAZING. I might have a new favorite doughnut, which is hard for me, I was completely in love with the cinnamon doughnuts you posted on Living Without, but these come out so light and cakey, it’s like a whole new game. Thanks for this recipe so much.
Sandra Elsner says
I just made these with the help of my kids. We used a mini muffin pan and I substituted tapioca starch for the corn starch. I cooked them a bit longer because I still haven’t gotten that silly oven thermometer and i know that it runs low. I put the cinnamon sugar in a baggie and tossed to coat the donuts a few at a time. My son called them cinnamon muffins but i could tell the “donuttyness” of them. It only came out to 2 WeightWatchers points per donut/muffin which is right up my alley. Thanks for the recipe!