The Best Gluten Free Pumpkin Donuts (No Mixer!)
Soft, bakery-style gluten free pumpkin donuts with warm fall spices and a crispy cinnamon sugar coating. These baked donuts are moist, fluffy, and stay fresh for days—no mixer or yeast required!
Ingredients
For the Donuts:
- 1 ¾ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Coating:
- ¼ cup melted butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and generously grease a 6-cavity donut pan with cooking spray or butter.
- In a large bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt until no lumps remain.
- In a separate bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla until smooth and well combined.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until just combined. Don't overmix—a few small streaks of flour are fine.
- Transfer batter to a piping bag or zip-top bag with corner snipped off. Pipe batter into donut cavities, filling each about ⅔ full.
- Bake 12-14 minutes until tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 3-4 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack.
- While donuts are still warm, brush with melted butter and immediately roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture until fully coated.
Notes
Flour Blend: Use a gluten-free 1-to-1 baking blend that contains xanthan gum (like Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur). If your blend doesn't include xanthan gum, add ½ teaspoon.
Dairy-Free Option: Replace butter with refined coconut oil and use any unsweetened non-dairy milk.
Make Ahead: Freeze uncoated donuts in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw, warm at 300°F for 5 minutes, then coat with fresh butter and cinnamon sugar.
Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
No Donut Pan? Use a muffin tin instead and bake for 15-17 minutes to make pumpkin muffins.