These gluten free baked donuts with brown sugar glaze are soft, cinnamon spiced, and finished with a rich, buttery glaze. No fryer needed, just a donut pan and your oven. They come together with simple pantry ingredients in about 30 minutes.
This glaze doesn't actually contain maple syrup, but the combination of brown sugar and butter gives it a flavor that's remarkably close to a maple bar.
These donuts are perfect with a cup of coffee or tea, and they'll be on heavy rotation at our house every fall.
If you are looking for more gluten free treat recipes try my Gluten Free Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Chocolate Glaze, my Gluten Free Gingerbread Scones, my Gluten Free Air Fryer Apple Fritters or my Gluten Free Bagels.
You can find all of my dessert recipes here: Gluten Free Dessert Recipes
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- No frying required, just bake and glaze
- Rich brown sugar glaze with a flavor similar to a maple bar
- Simple pantry ingredients
- Ready in about 30 minutes
Ingredient Notes
- This glaze doesn't contain maple syrup, but the combination of brown sugar and butter gives it a flavor very close to a maple bar.
- To make the glaze dairy free, swap the butter for coconut oil as noted below.
Storage
Store the donuts in an airtight container for up to a week. If frosted, they're best enjoyed within a few days for the freshest glaze texture.
Top Tip
The glaze doesn't have maple syrup in the ingredients list, but tastes very close to a maple bar. One warning though, this glaze needs to be used while it's warm or it will harden and be impossible to work with. Prepare the glaze when you are ready to frost the baked donuts. Be sure to use the glaze fairly quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Baked donuts have a cake like texture. Since they aren't deep fried they aren't crispy, but are soft and dense. I like baked donuts best with frosting.
Yes! You can definitely freeze baked donuts. I would freeze them without frosting and frost them later. Frosting will break apart and fall off the donuts in the freezer.
First, make sure you've greased your donuts pans with butter or coconut oil so the donuts come out of them easily.
Spoon the gluten free cinnamon sugar baked donut batter into a gallon plastic bag. Snip the corner of the bag with scissors. Press the batter out into the donut pans like you are frosting a cake.
This method will allow you to get nice circles into the donut pans. I've also tried spooning the batter into he donut pans, but it's time consuming, messy and you don't always get a nice donut shape.
Yes. Baked donuts are made with a cake type recipe that will rise in a donut pan in the oven. They aren't fried like donuts you may purchase from the store.
Skipping the frying makes baked or cake donuts a healthier option. They still have a great donut flavor, but with fewer calories. Plus there isn't an oil mess to clean up either.
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If you don't have a baked donut pan I like this one: Wilton Donut Baking Pan
Gluten Free Baked Donuts with Brown Sugar Glaze
- Total Time: 33 minutes
- Yield: 9 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These gluten free baked donuts with brown sugar glaze are soft, lightly spiced with cinnamon, and topped with a rich glaze that tastes similar to a maple bar. No frying required, just bake and glaze for an easy homemade donut.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Gluten Free Flour
- 2 tsp. Baking Powder
- ½ tsp. Sea Salt
- 2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
- ½ tsp. Ground Nutmeg
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar
- ⅓ cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce
- ⅓ cup Almond Milk
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 2 large Eggs
- ¼ cup Coconut Oil, melted
Glaze:
- ½ cup Brown Sugar, packed
- 4 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter (coconut oil for dairy-free)
- 3 Tbsp. Apple Juice
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Grease donut pans with butter or coconut oil.
Place sugar, apple sauce, almond milk, vanilla, eggs and coconut oil in the bowl of a stand mixer and blend together.
In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, sea salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Then slowly add to the wet mixture. Blend all ingredients together until smooth.
Bake donuts for 18 minutes or until they are golden brown and spring back when you touch them.
Let donuts stand for 10 minutes and then remove from the pans. Let cool completely before glazing.
To make the glaze in a saucepan heat the brown sugar, butter (or coconut oil), and apple juice on medium heat until melted together. Add these melted ingredients to the powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
Use this glaze immediately! If you let it stand for too long it will harden and you won't be able to get it on the donuts. If this happens you can reheat the glaze over a water bath on the stove top.
If you made this recipe please leave a star rating and comment below. It helps other readers find this recipe and means so much to me.
Notes
For a dairy free version replace the unsalted butter with coconut oil in the glaze.
If the glaze hardens reheat it over a water bath on the stove top until it is spreadable.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
I'd love to hear how these gluten free baked donuts with brown sugar glaze turn out for you! Leave a comment and star rating below, and let me know if you try the dairy free version. Don't forget to pin this recipe so you can make it again all season long.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Grease donut pans with butter or coconut oil.
Place sugar, apple sauce, almond milk, vanilla, eggs and coconut oil in the bowl of a stand mixer and blend together.
In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, sea salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Then slowly add to the wet mixture. Blend all ingredients together until smooth.
Bake donuts for 18 minutes or until they are golden brown and spring back when you touch them.
Let donuts stand for 10 minutes and then remove from the pans. Let cool completely before glazing.
To make the glaze in a saucepan heat the brown sugar, butter (or coconut oil), and apple juice on medium heat until melted together. Add these melted ingredients to the powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
Use this glaze immediately! If you let it stand for too long it will harden and you won't be able to get it on the donuts. If this happens you can reheat the glaze over a water bath on the stove top.
Lifestyle of a Foodie says
I love love love the glaze on these gluten free donuts!
smallfarmbiglife says
Thank you so much! Me too. I've used it on bundt cakes too.