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–+ servings
Stack of warm donuts with light crumbs scattered around.

Soft Gluten-Free Pumpkin Donuts

Soft gluten-free pumpkin donuts made with pumpkin purée, gluten-free flour, warm pumpkin spice, brown sugar, and optional cinnamon sugar or brown sugar glaze.
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Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Soft Gluten-Free Pumpkin Donuts
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 12 donuts

Ingredients

For the Donuts

  • 1 ½ cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour 230g
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • Or use ¾ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp nutmeg, and ¼ tsp ginger
  • 1 ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 ½ cups pumpkin purée 340g
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup vegetable oil 100g
  • ½ cup brown sugar 100g
  • ½ cup white sugar 100g
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping

  • ¼ cup white sugar 50g
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon

For the Brown Sugar Glaze

  • ¾ cup brown sugar 150g
  • ¼ cup milk or almond milk
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar 175g, sifted
  • Chopped nuts or sprinkles for topping

Instructions

Preheat the oven.

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Prepare the donut pans.

  • Lightly grease two 6-cavity non-stick donut pans with cooking spray.

Combine the dry ingredients.

  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free 1:1 baking flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until evenly combined.

Combine the wet ingredients.

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, eggs, vegetable oil, brown sugar, white sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.

Prepare the batter.

  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Whisk until fully combined and a thick batter forms. Do not overmix.

Transfer the batter to a piping bag.

  • Place a large zip-top bag inside a measuring cup or tall glass. Spoon the batter into the bag, seal it, and cut off one corner to create a piping bag.

Fill the donut pans.

  • Pipe the batter evenly into the prepared donut pan cavities, filling each cavity without overfilling.

Bake the donuts.

  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a donut comes out clean.

Cool the donuts.

  • Carefully remove the donuts from the pans and transfer them to a wire cooling rack. Allow the donuts to cool slightly before adding the desired topping.

For Cinnamon Sugar Donuts

    Prepare the cinnamon sugar.

    • In a small bowl or bag, combine the white sugar and cinnamon until evenly mixed.

    Coat the donuts.

    • While the donuts are still warm but no longer fragile, gently shake them in a bag with the cinnamon sugar or roll them in the mixture until coated.

    For Brown Sugar Glazed Donuts

      Prepare the glaze base.

      • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, milk or almond milk, butter, and salt. Stir until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth.

      Simmer the glaze.

      • Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Allow it to simmer for 1 minute, stirring as needed.

      Add vanilla and powdered sugar.

      • Remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk in the vanilla extract and sifted powdered sugar until smooth and fully combined.

      Allow the glaze to thicken.

      • Let the glaze cool for approximately 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

      Adjust the glaze if needed.

      • If the glaze becomes too thick while dipping, add a small amount of milk or warm it briefly on the stove or in the microwave until it reaches a smooth dipping consistency.

      Glaze the donuts.

      • Dip the tops of the pumpkin donuts into the warm glaze.

      Add toppings.

      • Place the glazed donuts on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to catch excess glaze. Top with chopped nuts or sprinkles before the glaze sets.

      Serve.

      • Allow the topping to set slightly, then serve.

      Notes

      This recipe is already designed to be gluten-free, but it is important to use a certified gluten-free 1:1 baking flour blend for best results.
      Confirm that the baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and all other packaged ingredients are certified gluten-free.
      Use plain pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, and verify that it is labeled gluten-free if preparing the recipe for someone with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
      Check that the brown sugar, white sugar, milk or almond milk, butter, nuts, and sprinkles are gluten-free and free from cross-contamination warnings.
      Use clean donut pans, mixing bowls, measuring tools, cooling racks, and utensils to prevent cross-contamination.
      If using a shared kitchen, line work surfaces with clean parchment paper and avoid using tools that have recently touched wheat flour.