Gluten Free Cinnamon Sugar Donut Holes

I wanted a gluten free donut recipe that was simple enough to make on a regular morning, not just for special occasions. This one fits the bill perfectly.

These cinnamon sugar donut holes are baked in a mini muffin tin, so there’s no need for a donut pan or a deep fryer. Just basic tools you probably already have.

The batter comes together in minutes. Mix the dry ingredients, mix the wet ingredients, combine them, and scoop into the tin. That’s pretty much it.

Once they come out of the oven, you coat them in melted butter and roll them in cinnamon sugar. That step is what makes them really special.

They’re soft, warm, and taste just like classic donut holes from a shop. Being gluten free doesn’t mean you have to miss out on treats like this.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Irresistible Cinnamon Sugar Coating – Every single bite is covered in warm buttery cinnamon sugar that melts on your tongue.

Soft and Pillowy Texture – These donut holes are incredibly tender on the inside with a lightly golden outside.

You Would Never Know They Are Gluten Free – They taste just like classic bakery donut holes and nobody will spot the difference.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 Large Egg
• 1/3 cup Whole Milk
• 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

For the Coating

• 1/3 cup Unsalted Butter, melted
• 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

How to Make

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease a mini muffin tin generously with cooking spray or butter.

Step 2

In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well combined.

Step 3

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick and slightly sticky.

Step 4

Spoon the batter into the prepared mini muffin tin, filling each cavity about three-quarters full. A small cookie scoop works perfectly for this. You should get about 24 donut holes.

Step 5

Bake for 11 to 13 minutes until the tops spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 6

While the donut holes bake, melt the butter for the coating in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon.

Step 7

As soon as the donut holes come out of the oven, let them cool for just 2 minutes in the pan. Then pop each one out, dip it into the melted butter to coat all sides, and immediately roll it in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place them on a wire rack.

Repeat until all donut holes are coated. Serve warm for the best flavor and texture.

My Tips

Use a Cookie Scoop for Even Donut Holes

A small cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon size) is the best tool for portioning the batter into the mini muffin tin. It gives you perfectly even donut holes that all bake at the same rate.

If you use a spoon instead, some will be bigger than others. The small ones will overbake and dry out while the big ones are still underdone in the middle.

If you don’t have a cookie scoop, use two small spoons – one to scoop and one to push the batter off into the cavity.

Coat Them While They’re Still Hot

The 2-minute cool-down in the pan is just enough so you can handle them without them falling apart. After that, you want to dip them in butter and roll them in cinnamon sugar right away while they’re still really warm.

The warmth is what makes the melted butter stick to the surface, and then the cinnamon sugar clings to that butter. If you wait too long and they cool down, the butter won’t coat them evenly and the sugar won’t stick as well.

Grease the Pan Really Well

Gluten free batter tends to stick more than regular batter because there’s no gluten network to hold things together. So don’t go light on the cooking spray or butter when greasing.

Hit every single cavity, including the edges and the flat surface between them. If even one spot is missed, the donut holes will tear when you try to pop them out, and torn donut holes don’t coat evenly in the cinnamon sugar.

More Tasty Recipes

• Gluten Free Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins
• Gluten Free Churro Bites
• Gluten Free Glazed Donuts
• Gluten Free Cinnamon Apple Fritters
• Gluten Free Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls

FAQ

Can I use a regular muffin tin instead of a mini one?

You can, but your donut holes will turn out much bigger and won’t have that classic bite-sized shape. You’ll also need to increase the baking time by a few minutes since the batter portions will be larger.

If you do go with a regular muffin tin, just keep an eye on them and do the toothpick test starting around 15 minutes. They’ll still taste great, just more like muffins than donut holes.