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An easy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Donuts recipe. These baked gluten-free pumpkin spice donuts are topped with a maple cinnamon glaze. The recipe is also dairy-free.
Recipe originally published in October 2017. Post updated August 2019.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Donuts
It’s pumpkin spice season! I love all things pumpkin spice, especially when it comes to cakey things. These beauties have just the right amount of pumpkin pie spice and are dipped in a glorious maple cinnamon glaze.
Gluten-Free Donuts
My husband adores donuts and it’s one of the things he misses the most since going gluten-free. I don’t know why I did not try to make baked donuts sooner because they really are easy to make.
I am so glad that I broke down and ordered a full-size donut pan.
These gluten-free pumpkin donuts turned out amazingly soft and delicious! My whole family went crazy over these gluten-free donuts.
Don’t be intimated by the thought of making gluten-free donuts, I promise they are super easy to make. The batter for gluten-free donuts is much like cake batter, but just a little thicker.
How To Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Donuts
- Preheat your oven to 350° F.
- Spray full-sized donut pan with gluten-free cooking spray.
- In a large bowl combine the sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, canned pumpkin, and pure vanilla extract. Mix until fully combined.
- Add gluten-free flour, xanthan gum (leave out if your flour already has it), salt, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and baking powder and mix until fully combined.
The batter will be thick and sticky. - Add batter to a large plastic storage bag (or piping bag). I like to take a tall cup and put the bag inside of the cup so it’s easier to fill the bag with the batter. Close the seal of the bag.
Cut the tip-off of the bag. - Squeeze the bag carefully filling the donut pan.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes. They will be golden brown and set.
- In a small bowl whisk together the ingredients for the glaze.
- Dip each warm donut into the glaze and place on a plate or wire rack.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Pro Tip For Making Donuts
My trick for making donuts easy is to put the batter into a large plastic storage bag, then snip the end off and use it to pipe the batter into my donut pan. I take a tall cup and put the bag inside of the cup, so it’s easier to fill the bag with the batter.
Can I Freeze The Donuts?
Yes you can! Once the donuts are completely cooled place them on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. The glazed side should be facing up.
Put the cookie sheet in the freezer for 3 to 5 hours, or until the donuts have been completely frozen.
Once the donuts are frozen in a freezer bag or airtight container. The donuts will be good frozen up to three months. Defrost the donuts at room temperature or in the microwave 10 to 15 seconds.
Gluten-Free Flour
These gluten-free pumpkin donuts are made with an all-purpose gluten-free rice flour blend. I like baking with cup for cup (1 for 1) gluten-free rice flour blends. A cup for cup rice flour blend that has rice flour, starches, and xanthan gum it.
The xanthan gum helps to replace the elasticity and texture of gluten. It makes gluten-free baking so much easier!
Make sure not to add any extra xanthan gum to your flour if it already has it in it. If you do you will get gummy donuts!
I like Pillsbury gluten-free flour. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.
Tip For Measuring Gluten-Free Flour
I have found that the best way to measure gluten-free flour is the “spoon & level” method. Use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup. After you have spooned the flour into the measuring cup, use the back of a knife to level off the top of the measuring cup.
Please do not scoop the flour directly out of the bag with your measuring cup or you could get more flour than the recipe calls for.
Dairy-Free Baking
These gluten-free pumpkin donuts are also naturally dairy-free.
Some of my favorite dairy-free alternatives that I like to bake with are almond, cashew or coconut milk. If you can’t have nuts, you can also use soy milk.
I also like baking with coconut oil or Smart Balance butter.
You are going to love the way your kitchen smells when baking these gluten-free pumpkin donuts. You are going to love eating them even more! These donuts are perfect for breakfast, dessert or as a special treat.
More Gluten-Free Donut Recipes For You To Try!
More Gluten-Free Breakfast Recipes For You To Try!
- Easy Gluten-Free Pancakes {Dairy-Free & Vegan Option}
- Gluten-Free Biscuits {Dairy-Free & Vegan Option}
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Gluten-Free Baked Pumpkin Donuts {Dairy-Free}
Ingredients
Donuts:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour, I like Pillsbury gluten-free
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum, leave out if your flour already has it
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling
Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Spray full-sized donut pan with gluten-free cooking spray.
- In a large bowl combine the sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, canned pumpkin and pure vanilla extract. Mix until fully combined.
- Add gluten-free flour, xanthan gum (leave out if your flour already has it), salt, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and baking powder and mix until fully combined.
- The batter will be thick and sticky.
- Add batter to a large plastic storage bag (or piping bag). I like to take a tall cup and put the bag inside of the cup so it’s easier to fill the bag with the batter. Close the seal of the bag.
- Cut the tip off of the bag. Squeeze the bag carefully filling the donut pan.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes. They will be golden brown and set.
- In a small bowl whisk together the ingredients for the glaze.
- Dip each warm donut into the glaze and place on a plate or wire rack.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
- Place leftovers in an air-tight container. The donuts can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
- My trick for making donuts easy is to put the batter into a large plastic storage bag, then snip the end off and use it to pipe the batter into my donut pan.
- I like Pillsbury gluten-free flour. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.
- Store in an air-tight container.
- The donuts can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Using this for a class project. I hope it turns out well. Thank you for posting it.
Amazing easy to make donut! No gluten-free dense or gritty taste.
Amazing!!! This is my first recipe from Mama Knows and she delivered! I’m making these for a friend who needs gluten free and dairy free. I do not and now I will! This was just fabulous!
Oh my god, this is by far my favorite recipe for doughnuts so far! This is also the first recipe blog that uses pillsbury gf flour, so that made me even more excited I added some extra pumpkin spice in my glaze, and I had to resist not eating them all 😅 Im definitely adding this to my go to for doughnuts!! Thank you so much for making this recipe!
Perfect donuts… my husband loved them! I made a few modifications to adapt to my dietary preferences: substituting melted coconut oil for vegetable oil, and using a 50-50 ratio of granulated sugar and monkfruit sugar in the batter. I skipped the glaze, opting to roll them in a mixture of powdered sugar and monkfruit powdered sugar with half a teaspoon of cinnamon. Since I’m reducing sugar, I will try to use all monkfruit sugar next time. The pumpkin purée make these incredibly moist. We had avoided eating donuts because they tend to be unhealthy, so I am excited to have this delicious recipe on hand to make a donut where I control the ingredients.
I am new to gluten-free eating, but I was desperate to find something that would help my digestive issues and chronic acid reflux. After a week of eating this way, I definitely feel better. So happy to have stumbled on your website and finding recipes that I am excited to try. Thank you!
Perfect! Perfect! Perfect in every way! Easy and moist and no signs of tasting Gluten Free! I froze them and after defrosting, I brushed with melted butter and coated in a cinnamon sugar mixture and yum! Just like harvest time in New England!
I just made these donuts for the first time today and they are AMAZING!! I have tried to do some gluten and dairy free baking with other recipes from elsewhere and nothing has been as good as these are. My husband said they tasted like they came from a donut shop!!!!! They were moist and much like a cake donut. The glaze was superb. I cannot wait to try other recipes from your site. I made mine with Better Batter GF flour if that is of interest to anyone trying these. They are worth a try. 🙂
I missed donuts so much and this recipe is amazing. All of her recipes I have tried have been amazing! I highly recommend
Thank you so much Karen for the wonderful recipe review, it really made my day! I am so happy that enjoyed the donuts and they were amazing and you have enjoyed the other recipes you have tired. Thank you again!
So good! I used 2 flax eggs in place of the eggs and it worked really well. Definitely recommend! Thanks for sharing it 🙂
Thank you so much Sarah for the awesome 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the pumpkin donuts. Than you for sharing that you used flax eggs and they worked well. I know that will help others. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family. Thanks again!
I made these this morning for breakfast and they turned out fantastically! My husband and I each had 3 and the kiddos had 1 each. Delicious! I can’t wait to get my cookbook!!!
Thank you so much Kara for the awesome 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that your whole family enjoyed the pumpkin donuts. Than you so much for your support, it means the world to me! I hope you enjoy the recipes from the cookbook as well. Thanks again!
I wanted to correct my review about using half almond flour/Stevia and my statement that it was “equally delicious” – I meant considering it was a bit lower carb content. Did not mean to imply it matched It Audrey’s original recipe. It did not – her recipe is a stand out. I should have worded that better, sorry.
Hi Ruth! Thank you for sharing your modifications to the recipe. I get lots of questions about almond flour and Stevia, so it’s a good resource for others. No apology necessary friend!???? Thank you again for the wonderful 5-star recipe review and your kind words and encouragement Ruth. They really mean a lot to me.
Crazy good donuts ! Chocolate ones were so good I decided to try the pumpkin. First time I tried pumpkin donuts, I followed recipe exactly and they were divine. Second time I substituted half gf flour blend and half almond flour and some Stevia to replace half of the sugar. I wasn’t sure second recipe would work, so I poured into 8×8 cake pan for ease. The cake was equally delicious with half almond flour. Thanks for these great recipes.
Thank you so much Ruth for the awesome 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed both the pumpkin and chocolate donuts. I am glad to hear that the recipe turned out well using almond flour and Stevia. Thank you for sharing that with me. You are so welcome I love sharing what I make for my family. Thank you again!
We have made this recipe in a bundt pan and it is amazing! Moist and not grainy at all. Family loved it at Thanksgiving and my 9 year old says it is his exclusive dessert!
Thank you so much Theresa for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! It makes my heart so happy to hear that your family enjoyed it! I’ve never tried the recipe in a bundt pan, I’ll have to give it a try. Thank you again!
I have made these several times and they have come out great every time! I have used King Arthur measure for measure flour and almond flour. They both came out tasty! I also add candied pecans, butterscotch chips, chocolate chips to my donuts to give them texture. Thank you for such a great recipe!
Thank you so much Lisa for the amazing 5-star recipe review! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed the pumpkin donuts! I love that you added candies pecans, butterscotch, and chocolate chips! Talk about taking the donuts to the next level. I’m glad to hear that the recipe worked with both the King Arthur and almond flour. I need to try the King Arthur flour. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family. Thank you again!
Hi! I’m going to make these later today…
My question is, how can I get them super fluffy? Some Pinterest photo comments show them as coming out quite dense and flat. Any recommendations on preventing that?
Thanks!
Hi Sara! The best way to make sure that your donuts turn out just like mine, which is moist and fluffy, is to follow the directions exactly. I highly recommend that you use Pillsbury gluten-free flour. I buy it at Walmart for less than $5 a 2lb bag. The gluten-free flour that you choose to bake with makes a huge difference in the taste and texture of your gluten-free baking. I hope you enjoy the pumpkin donuts.
Hello! I have a mini donut maker, could I use that instead of baking them?
Hi Hailey! I’ve never tried it in a mini donut maker. If you try it can you please let me know how they turn out?
I made these in my mini donut maker. It worked beautifully. Love this recipe!!
Hi Katie! I am so happy that you enjoyed the donuts and that it worked with the mini donut maker. Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe review!
Super excited to make these. I’m wondering if I can substitute applesauce in the place of the eggs. Anyone tried it?
Hi Autumn! I have not tried any egg replacements in this recipe. If you try it can you please let me know how it turns out? I hope you enjoy the pumpkin donuts. Thanks!
These are wonderful!! My son hasn’t had a donut since he was a child. He said yum! Best complement we can get! Thank you.
Thank you so much! That makes my heart so happy! I love sharing what I make for my family.
What is xanthan gum? Thank you for the bag tip!
Hi Cleone! “In gluten-free baking, we rely on xanthan gum to provide elasticity and stickiness in our doughs and batters. Since we don’t have gluten present, we need something that acts as the binding agent for the flour, helps hold onto some moisture, and helps give the baked good some structure.” this is taken from https://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2015/08/05/xanthan-gum/. I found this article explained it so much better than I could. The bag tip makes making donuts so much easier!
I just made these. They are fabulous! Thanks for the idea. I dipped a few in Halloween sprinkles. Happy fall!
Thank you so much Beverly! Sprinkles always makes donuts better.