Name: Gluten-Free Baked Vanilla Cake Donuts with Glaze
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 cups gluten-free flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 1/4 tsp salt; 3/4 cup sugar; 3/4 cup milk; 2 eggs; 2 tsp vanilla; 1/2 cup oil; 1 cup powdered sugar; 2 Tbsp milk; 3 Tbsp dye-free sprinkles

As a child, my grandfather would take me and my sister to the local doughnut store. I still remember standing in front of the counter debating between a blueberry cake doughnut, apple fritter, or French cruller. That generation never ate in their car, so it was a long ride home holding the boxes of doughnuts while delighting in the smells of freshly fried treats.

Going gluten-free 15 years ago meant you were somewhat of a pioneer in the gluten-free baking realm. After going gluten-free, doughnuts became a special treat that I craved. While today, you can find gluten-free doughnuts at most grocery stores, nothing beats the taste of homemade doughnuts. I love that these are baked and not fried, but still equally delicious.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These gluten-free vanilla doughnuts achieve the perfect texture with a tender, cake-like crumb that will remind you of your favorite doughnut shop treats. The simple ingredients come together quickly, and since they’re baked instead of fried, you’ll find them healthier and much easier to make than traditional doughnuts that are fried. The recipe creates a versatile base that works beautifully with various toppings, letting you customize each batch to your family’s preferences. Using clean, wholesome ingredients means you can feel good about serving these for breakfast or as an afternoon treat. From start to finish, you’ll have fresh, warm doughnuts ready to enjoy in under 30 minutes.

How to Make Baked Vanilla Donuts

Preheat your oven to 350°F. While the oven is heating, lightly grease a non-stick doughnut pan with coconut oil or your preferred oil. This recipe works beautifully with either a standard doughnut pan or mini doughnut pans, though I prefer larger doughnuts for a more authentic doughnut shop experience.

Start by whisking together your dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine the gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt, ensuring there are no lumps. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar, room temperature eggs, vanilla, and oil until well combined. A stand mixer makes this process easier, but a hand mixer works just as well.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined – overmixing can lead to dense doughnuts. The donut batter should be smooth and slightly thick, similar to a thick cake batter.

Transfer your batter to a piping bag or large plastic storage bag – this is the easiest way to fill the doughnut pan without making a mess. If using a storage bag, cut the tip off one corner, making about a 1/2-inch opening. Pipe the batter into the prepared pan, filling each cavity about 2/3 full.

Bake for 12-15 minutes. The cooking time may vary slightly depending on your oven, so watch for the doughnuts to become lightly golden around the edges. They should spring back when gently pressed. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the thickest part – it should come out clean.

Let the doughnuts cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack or cooling rack. While the doughnuts are still slightly warm, prepare your vanilla glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth. If the glaze seems too thick, add milk a few drops at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

Simple Ingredients and Easy Swaps

Gluten-free flour: This recipe uses gluten-free flour in lieu of regular, wheat flour. You can certainly use your own gluten-free flour blend as long as it already contains xanthan gum. Or if you want to go the store-bought route, I think the best gluten-free options are Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour and King Arthur Measure-for-Measure Flour. Coconut flour and almond flour absorb liquid differently than GF flour and are not recommended as substitutes in this recipe.
Baking Powder: While many brands of baking powder in the United States have moved away from sodium aluminum sulfate (SAS), some have not removed this toxic ingredient. Rumford and Bob’s Red Mill are solid aluminum-free baking powder options.
Salt: Just a little pinch of salt is all you need to even out the leavening reaction from baking powder, preventing it from happening too quickly.
Granulated Sugar: You can substitute coconut sugar for regular sugar. However, the sweetness might be too subtle with coconut sugar. You could also try 50/50 coconut sugar/granulated sugar.
Milk: Regular milk works beautifully in this recipe as does dairy-free milk. I have made these with coconut milk, almond milk, and cashew milk, and they all taste delicious!
Eggs: It’s best to cook with room temperature eggs, as they whip up better with the other ingredients creating a slightly fluffier end product. However, if you are short on time or forget to set your eggs on the counter, straight from the fridge tastes great too.
Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract might be my personal favorite baking ingredient. I just love the warmth it brings to any baked dessert. Most donuts call for just a teaspoon of vanilla extract, but I say, be a little heavy-handed with that pour. Two teaspoons is so divine!
Oil: For health reasons, I personally try to avoid all seed oils. Coconut oil is my personal favorite oil for this recipe as the subtle sweetness is perfect for baked desserts. Avocado oil or even melted butter are nice choices. I would not recommend olive oil, as I believe the taste could overpower the donut taste.
Powdered Sugar: Regular powdered sugar is perfect for this recipe or powdered monk fruit sweetener is a great lower glycemic substitute for this recipe. Also, did you know that you can make your own powdered sugar? Just add regular powdered sugar to a blender, blend for about 30 seconds until it resembles the texture of powdered sugar. So, the next time you’re out of powdered sugar, save yourself a trip to the store and make your own!

Natural Topping Options

Instead of artificial sprinkles and food dyes, try these clean-eating alternatives for decorating your doughnuts:

Crushed freeze-dried strawberries add a beautiful natural pink color and subtle berry flavor
Mini chocolate chips provide a classic touch
A simple cinnamon sugar mixture offers timeless appeal
For a maple glazed variation, substitute pure maple syrup for the milk in your glaze recipe

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

Room Temperature: These doughnuts are best enjoyed fresh, but you can store them in an airtight container or large plastic storage bag for up to two days at room temperature.
Refrigerator: For longer storage, place them in the refrigerator for up to five days. If glazing in advance, let the glaze set completely before stacking the doughnuts with parchment paper between layers.
Freezer: Flash freeze on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once fully frozen (about 4 hours), individually wrap in parchment paper and store in the freezer until ready to enjoy. Place on the counter for about 4 hours to come to room temperature.

Recipe Troubleshooting

Consistency Issues: The next step to perfect doughnuts is understanding common issues. If your batter seems too thick, add milk one tablespoon at a time until it reaches a pipeable consistency. Too thin? Add gluten-free flour one tablespoon at a time. Remember that different gluten-free flour blends may absorb liquid differently.
Temperature Matters: Room temperature ingredients are key to achieving the perfect texture. Set your eggs and milk out about 30 minutes before baking. This simple step helps create tender, evenly baked doughnuts.
Measuring Gluten-Free Flour: For consistent results, stir your gluten-free flour blend before measuring. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup rather than scooping directly from the bag, and level off with a straight edge. This prevents over-packing and dense doughnuts.
About the Pan: A non-stick doughnut pan makes all the difference. Even with non-stick, a light coating of oil helps ensure easy removal. If your pan isn’t non-stick, be extra generous with greasing.
Mixing Methods: Mix just until ingredients are combined – overmixing is the most common cause of dense, tough doughnuts. The batter should be smooth but not overworked.