These Gluten Free Apple Cider Donuts are destined to be your go-to fall treat! They're perfectly soft, buttery, and topped with an irresistible maple glaze and crumble topping. Have these ready to eat in 1 hour.
I resisted the urge to buy a donut pan for a long time. I just didn’t see myself making donuts enough to buy one. Then, one day, I let the urge take over, and I’m so glad I did! I’ve used it weekly since my impulse purchase several months ago, and my family has not complained once.
You may even want to try my Gluten Free Chocolate Donuts with Strawberry Glaze and Gluten Free Vanilla Bean Donuts with Lemon-Mascarpone Icing next!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- No yeast donuts! Although homemade yeast donuts are delicious, they are more tedious and there is greater room for error. These simple baked apple cider donuts are made start to finish in 1 hour and no yeast is required.
- No messy oil. Frying anything at home can be messy, intimidating and dangerous. These gluten free apple cider donuts are baked in the oven - no heating oil required.
- Kid friendly baking. Try making these apple cider donuts with the whole family on a crisp fall weekend. I promise everyone will be delighted with the final product!
Tools You'll Need
- Donut pan (for baking).
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment.
- Piping bag or zip top bag.
- Cooling rack.
Ingredient Notes
For the Batter
- Gluten-free all purpose flour - It is important to use a gluten free flour blend instead of flours like oat flour, almond flour, or rice flour. The combination of flours helps create a fine, all purpose flour-like texture and is easy to work with.
- Cassava flour - Cassava flour is made from the cassava root and is a great gluten free flour because it is great at making baked goods light and fluffy and helps create a tender crumb.
- Eggs - Eggs are essential to providing the donut batter with both moisture and structure. This is especially important when baking with gluten free flours because you do not have the structure from gluten.
- Apple cider - Please do not confuse apple cider with apple cider vinegar or apple juice. These products are completely different and cannot be substituted interchangeably. Make your own homemade apple cider if you can't find one in stores!
- Spices - I use a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves for the perfect warm, fall flavor profile.
For the Glaze and Crumb Topping
- Unsalted butter - Butter is going to make the crumb topping rich in flavor and irresistible. I always recommend unsalted butter in all baking. It is the most consistent and easy to add your own salt to taste.
- Maple extract - Maple extract is similar to vanilla extract or almond extract and gives these apple cider donuts the perfect maple glaze.
- Powdered sugar - Essential to making a donut glaze! For a perfect, smooth glaze, sift the powdered sugar before combining with the remaining ingredients.
Substitutions
- Flour substitution: Replace the gluten free flour with all purpose cake flour. Note: this will make the donuts not gluten free.
- Cassava flour substitution: If necessary or preferred, substitute the cassava flour with additional gluten-free all purpose flour with a 1:1 ratio.
- Butter substitution: I do not ever use salted butter, especially in baking, but if that is all you have, substitute it 1:1 and omit the additional kosher salt.
- Maple extract: Replace the maple extract with almond extract.
- Brown sugar: You may use light or dark brown sugar.
- Spice substitutions: If you do not have individual spices but instead have a pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice you may use 1 ¼ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
How to Make Gluten Free Apple Cider Donuts
Prepare the batter
- Cream together the sugar and butter. In a large stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the granulated sugar, brown sugar and butter for 3-4 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
Stir together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, stir together the gluten free all purpose flour, cassava flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.
Whisk together the apple cider and vanilla. In a large measuring cup, whisk together the apple cider and vanilla extract. Set aside. - Add the eggs. Once the sugar and butter is light and fluffy, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each addition.
Slowly add the dry ingredients. With the stand mixer on medium, add ⅓ of the gluten free flour mix to the bowl and mix until just combined. Stop the mixer, add ½ of the apple cider mixture, and mix again until just combined. Repeat process until all ingredients have been added to the apple cider donuts batter.
Mix for 1-2 additional minutes, or until light and fluffy (see photo above for reference).
Fill the donut pan and bake
- Transfer the donut batter to a zip top bag or piping bag. If using a zip top bag, cut a 1-inch hole at one corner of the bag .
Fill the donut pan. Pipe the batter into the donut pan (I was able to fit about ⅓ cup batter into each donut mold).
Bake. Place the donut pan in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. When ready, the donuts should spring back when gently pressed and be golden in color.
Cool the donuts. Remove the donuts from the oven and immediately turn them out onto a wire cooling rack.
Repeat the process as necessary. Depending on the size of your donut pan, you may have extra batter leftover. Bake a second or third round of donuts as needed following the above instructions.
Prepare the Crumb Topping and Glaze
- Crumb topping: Stir together the flour, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.
Sprinkle evenly onto a small, parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 6-8 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking, and bake until the mixture is lightly browned and bubbly.
Remove from the oven. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes, then gently move the crumb topping around until pea-sized pieces form. Once cool enough to handle, crumble the mixture a bit more by hand.
Place in a bowl, and set aside.
- The maple glaze: In a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, maple extract, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt.
Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is the consistency of sticky maple syrup.
Dip the donuts. Gently dip the top of each donut into the glaze, then immediately dip the donut into the crumb topping mixture.
Place the donuts on the wire cooling rack, crumb topping side facing up, and allow any excess glaze to drip. - Enjoy immediately while moist and buttery!
Serving Suggestions
As with most donuts, these apple cider donuts are best enjoyed right away! Serve them up right after dipping in the glaze and crumb topping.
FAQs
These gluten free apple cider donuts are best enjoyed fresh, however, leftovers can be stored at room temperature in an air-tight container for 1-2 days. Avoid refrigerating these donuts - doing so will make them dense.
Although donuts in general are not the healthiest go-to breakfast choice, these baked gluten free donuts are healthier than traditional fried donuts. They're made with significantly less oil and fat. You can also control the amount of glaze and crumb topping you add to each donut. Plus, enjoying a treat every once in a while is healthy if you ask me!
I have personally not tried it because I love the taste of freshly baked apple cider donuts. If you would like to attempt to freeze these donuts, I'd recommend freezing them without the glaze or crumb topping and instead making the topping fresh once they have thawed.
No, these gluten free donuts contain eggs and butter. For vegan friendly treats, try my Strawberry Banana Breakfast Cookies (just substitute the honey for maple syrup).
Tips and Tricks for Success
- Please use the piping bag! It is not only much easier and faster to pipe the donut batter into the pan, but it is significantly less messy, too. If you do not have a large zip top bag you can use a smaller one and either refill it or use a couple.
- Make sure the donuts are completely cool before dipping in the glaze. If you dip too early and the donuts are still warm, the glaze will melt and drip right off the donuts. They will still taste good, but it will be quite messy and you'll lose a lot of the glaze.
More Breakfast Recipes You May Like
Gluten Free Apple Cider Donuts
Ingredients
Donut Ingredients
- ½ cup light or dark brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature (1 stick)
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour 1:1 ratio
- ¼ cup cassava flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch ground cloves
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Crumb Topping Ingredients
- ½ cup gluten free all-purpose flour
- ½ cup light or dark brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted (½ stick)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
Maple Glaze Ingredients
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons maple extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
- 2-3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease 3 donut pans with nonstick cooking spray. NOTE: If you have only one donut pan, simply bake the donuts in batches.
- Place brown sugar, granulated sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment. Cream together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, stir together gluten free all purpose flour, cassava flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Set aside. In a large measuring cup, whisk together the apple cider and vanilla extract. Set aside.
- Once the butter and sugar is creamed together, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each addition. Next, add ⅓ of the gluten free flour mixture, and mix on medium speed until just combined. Stop the mixer, scrape down the bowl, and add ½ of the apple cider mixture. Repeat the process with another ⅓ of the gluten free flour mixture, remaining apple cider mixture, and finally add the remaining gluten free flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl one more time, and beat the mixture on medium speed for 1-2 more minutes, or until fluffy.
- Place the batter in a large zip top bag or piping bag, and cut about a 1-inch hole at the corner (if using a zip top bag) or end (if using a piping bag). Divide evenly among the donut pan, placing about ⅓ of a cup of batter into each donut mold. Place the donuts in the oven, and bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, or until the donuts spring back when gently pressed and are lightly golden. Remove the donuts from the oven, and immediately turn out onto a wire cooling rack. Repeat the process with remaining donut batter, if needed.
- While the donuts bake, make the crumble topping. Stir together the gluten free all purpose flour, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly onto a small, parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 14-16 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until the mixture is lightly browned and bubbly. Remove from the oven, and let cool for JUST 2-3 minutes. Using a fork or small spatula, gently move the mixture around until pea-sized pieces form. Once cool enough to handle, crumble the mixture a bit more by hand. Place in a bowl, and set aside.
- Once the donuts are baked and cooled completely, make the glaze. In a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, maple extract, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt, until well combined. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is the consistency of maple syrup. Gently dip the top of each donut into the glaze, and immediately dip into the crumb topping mixture. Replace donuts onto the wire cooling rack to allow any excess glaze to drip. ENJOY!
Notes
- You may use regular all-purpose cake flour if you do not want to use gluten free flour.
- Donuts can be made ahead of time, and frozen for up to 2 weeks! To thaw, remove from the freezer and let sit for 1 hour. Make the crumb topping and glaze while the donuts thaw.