This post contains my gluten-free breakfast donuts recipe and affiliate links.
I’m a little obsessed with donuts these days, so when I came across a healthy version of my favorite breakfast treat, I decided to give it a go.
These donuts are WAY healthier than the sugar-filled donuts you’d get at the store or Dunkin’ Donuts, and of course, they’re totally gluten-free.
I usually tell you how to make the donuts first, but in this blog post, I have to start by telling you how good these donuts taste. They. Are. Amazing. They are slightly sweet. Very moist. And they satisfy that bread-texture many of us gluten-free people crave so much.
In other words, these gluten-free breakfast donuts are delicious… and because they contain so many healthy and good for you ingredients, you won’t feel guilty eating one – or two – of them for breakfast either.
What You Need
You’ll need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe, however, some of these ingredients you’ll probably need to snag on your next visit to the grocery store.
(1) Gluten-Free Oat Flour: I keep gluten-free oat flour on hand at all times because I need it for my gluten-free challah recipe, but I realize many people do not keep this flour in their homes.
You can purchase safe, gluten-free oat flour from Bob’s Red Mill. I have seen it in some grocery stores, or you can simply order it on Amazon and save the trouble of searching for it. It is important that you don’t not use any old oat flour – just gluten-free oat flour.
While oats are naturally gluten-free, they are cross contaminated with wheat crops during the growing, harvesting, storing and transporting stages so they are NOT safe at all. (Read my post, Are Oats Gluten-Free?)
(2) Chia Seeds: Chia seeds are funny little things as they are small, hard seeds, but when you mix them with liquid, they become a gel-like substance. They work beautifully in many recipes, including my chia pudding parfaits and my gluten-free apple pie oatmeal.
I don’t have a brand preference when it comes to chia seeds, but I do use Salba Chia Seeds, which you can also find on Amazon.
(3) Other Ingredients: You’ll also need baking powder, Kosher salt, cinnamon, maple syrup, a dairy-free milk of choice (almond or cashew milk will work well) and vanilla extract.
(4) Donut Pan: A donut pan will allow you to bake (not fry) these donuts and give them their round and fun donut shape. You can get a six-cavity donut pan for only a few dollars on Amazon and I promise you, you’ll get so much use out of it! You can use it to make donuts and bagels (including my gluten-free chocolate glazed donuts and my gluten-free almond flour bagels).
If your budget allows it, get two donut pans. This way you can double recipes and have a dozen donuts or bagels at once. Please note this particular gluten-free breakfast donut recipe is for six donuts, so you’ll only need one donut pan.
(5) Powdered Sugar: You’ll want to combine the powdered sugar along with a little almond or cashew milk in order to make the sugar glaze to top these donuts (the glaze is totally optional but recommended). I prefer to use powdered sugar that is free from cornstarch, so I like the Wholesome brand, which is made with tapioca starch instead of cornstarch.
How to Make
This gluten-free breakfast donut recipe is quite easy to make.
You’ll simply combine all the ingredients in a large bowl (except for the ingredients for the topping) and then add the batter evenly into your six-cavity donut pan. You’ll bake them up, allow them time to cool, then drizzle them with the delicious glaze using your spoon and a flick of your wrist.
What you’ll notice is that these gluten-free breakfast donuts look a little sad, at first. But I assure you, they taste amazing. They are moist inside and slightly sweet too.
Plus, they are good for you. They’re loaded with whole grains (thanks to the oat flour) and healthy omega-3 fats (thanks to the chia seeds). Of course, these donuts are not calorie- or sugar-free by any stretch of the imagination. They are simply better-for-you than the standard donuts you’d buy at the store.
The gluten-free breakfast donuts are best when eaten right away, however, they do hold up well. Either freeze what you don’t use or put the donuts in a zip top bag. They should last for another day or two. You may want to heat the leftover donuts in your microwave for 10-15 seconds before eating.
Gluten-Free Breakfast Donuts Recipe
I hope you enjoy making and eating this recipe as much as I did. Yum!
This recipe is inspired by the Oh She Glows cookbook, a cookbook that I highly recommend for anyone looking to incorporate more vegan recipes in their lives.
No time to cook in the morning? Make these donuts ahead of time and just grab and go on a busy AM. These donuts are loaded with fiber, omega 3 fatty acids and protein. This healthy spin on a traditional donut will be a huge hit with the entire family, too!
- 3/4 cup gluten-free oat flour
- 1/2 cup chia seeds
- 1.5 tsps baking powder
- 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup almond or cashew milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 scant Tbsp almond or cashew milk
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Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly grease a 6-cavity donut pan. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, combine oat flour, chia seeds, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir together.
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Add maple syrup, milk and vanilla extract and mix together until well combined.
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Evenly spoon batter into each cavity of the donut pan. Don't be alarmed... the batter is very runny.
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Bake donuts for 22-24 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
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Cool donuts in the pan for 10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to fully cool.
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Once cooled, combine the powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp milk in small bowl until smooth. Using your spoon, drizzle the mixture over the donuts while they're still on the wire pan (put a paper towel or piece of parchment paper under the wire rack to catch the drippings).
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Store donuts in a zip top bag for up to two days. Freezes well.
You will need a 6-cavity donut pan to make this recipe. However, if you do not have a donut pan, you can use your muffin tin. Just fill 6 muffin cavities equally with the batter.
This recipe adapted from The Oh She Glows Cookbook, an AMAZING cookbook full of approachable vegan recipes.
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