Gluten Free Glazed Donuts

There’s nothing quite like a warm, freshly glazed donut. And just because you eat gluten free doesn’t mean you have to miss out on that experience.

These gluten free glazed donuts are soft, fluffy, and coated in a simple vanilla glaze. They taste like the real deal because, well, they are the real deal. Just without the gluten.

The dough uses a yeast rise, which gives the donuts that classic airy texture you want. It takes a little patience, but the process itself is very straightforward.

After frying them to a deep golden brown, you dip them in a smooth glaze and let it set for a few minutes. That’s really all there is to it.

I’ve made these many times and they always disappear fast. Let me show you how it’s done.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

They Taste Like Real Donuts – These gluten free donuts are fried and glazed just like classic bakery donuts so nobody will know the difference.

Yeast-Risen and Pillowy – Using real yeast gives these donuts that airy and fluffy texture that cakey gluten free donuts just can’t match.

Simple Pantry Ingredients – You only need basic baking staples and a bag of gluten free 1-to-1 flour to pull these off.

Ingredients

For the Donuts

• 2 1/2 cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp Instant Yeast
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
• 3/4 cup Whole Milk, warm
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, melted
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• Vegetable Oil, for frying

For the Glaze

• 2 cups Powdered Sugar
• 1/4 cup Whole Milk
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

How to Make

Step 1

In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, combine the warm milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until a soft, sticky dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Step 2

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface using gluten free flour. Gently pat it out to about 1/2-inch thickness. Use a donut cutter or two round cutters (one large, one small) to cut out donut shapes. Gather the scraps, pat out again, and cut more donuts. Place the donuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Step 3

Cover the cut donuts loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let them rise for another 30 minutes, until slightly puffy and pillowy.

Step 4

Heat about 3 inches of vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot to 350 degrees F. Carefully lower 2 to 3 donuts at a time into the oil. Fry for about 1 to 2 minutes per side, until deep golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and let them cool for a few minutes.

Step 5

While the donuts cool slightly, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and pourable. If the glaze is too thick, add milk a teaspoon at a time.

Step 6

Dip the top of each warm donut into the glaze, letting the excess drip off. Set them back on the wire rack and let the glaze set for about 5 minutes before serving.

My Tips

Get the Milk Temperature Right

The warm milk you mix into the dough needs to be around 105-110 degrees F. If it’s too hot, it will kill the yeast and your donuts won’t rise at all. If it’s too cool, the yeast will barely activate and you’ll be waiting forever.

A good trick is to heat the milk until it feels warm on the inside of your wrist but not hot. Think baby bottle temperature. If you have an instant read thermometer, even better.

Use a Thermometer for the Oil

Keeping the oil at a steady 350 degrees F is the single most important part of frying these donuts. Gluten free dough absorbs oil faster than regular dough, so if your oil drops too low, you’ll end up with greasy, heavy donuts that taste oily instead of light.

If the oil gets too hot, the outside burns before the inside cooks through and you get a raw, doughy center. Use a clip-on candy or deep fry thermometer and adjust your heat between batches to keep it steady.

After you drop each batch in, give the oil about a minute to come back up to temperature before adding the next round.

Flour Your Surface Generously

Gluten free dough is way stickier than regular dough. When you pat it out, dust your surface, your hands, and your cutters with plenty of gluten free flour. If the dough sticks to the cutter, the donut shapes will come out uneven and messy.

Don’t try to roll this dough with a rolling pin. Just use your hands and gently pat it to half an inch thick. It’s softer and more delicate than wheat dough, so being gentle keeps it from getting dense.

More Tasty Recipes

• Gluten Free Beignets
• Gluten Free Churro Bites
• Gluten Free Cinnamon Apple Fritters
• Gluten Free Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins
• Gluten Free Crispy Funnel Cake

FAQ

Can I bake these instead of frying them?

You can bake them in a donut pan at 350 degrees F for about 12-15 minutes, but the texture will be quite different. Baked versions come out more like cake donuts rather than the light, airy, classic yeast donuts this recipe is designed to make.

If you do bake them, grease your donut pan well and fill each cavity about two-thirds full. The glaze works the same either way.