Gluten Free Chocolate Donuts

These oven-baked Gluten Free Chocolate Donuts are moist, fluffy, and topped with a rich chocolate glaze and sprinkles. They are the perfect treat for any chocolate lover craving something indulgent but guilt-free. 

Just because you must eliminate gluten from your diet doesn't mean you can't enjoy sweet treats. Let me assure you, you can have your donuts and savor every bite without the tummy ache or guilt.

These gluten-free chocolate cake donuts were based on my most popular Seasonal Cravings recipe for Krispy Kreme copycat donuts. Making a few simple changes, like adding cocoa powder and changing up the simple glaze, gives you the most delicious, luscious, gluten-free chocolate donut you will feel good about serving your loved one. Or enjoy a homemade chocolate donut when you want to satisfy that chocolate craving.

If you love donuts as much as we do, you won't miss other donut recipes like these tasty gluten free Apple Cider Donuts and the lovely Gluten-Free Vanilla Donuts with Raspberry Glaze.   

Using a gluten-free flour blend makes this easy recipe very simple to make. No need to measure out several different flours and starches like almond flour and tapioca starch. It's all conveniently packaged up for you, ready to be used in a 1-to-1 application. 

I prefer Bob's Red Mill gluten-free baking flour for the best results. It's the easiest replacement for regular whole wheat flour. However, you can use your favorite gluten-free blend if you don't have Bob's Red Mill.

Don't be intimidated to make homemade gluten-free donuts from scratch. With just a few simple ingredients and a donut maker machine (or donut pan), you're on your way to the most delicious homemade chocolate donuts.

Ready to make a double chocolate donut with the most lovely sweet glaze sure to impress anyone?

Ingredients

These simple gluten-free chocolate donuts come together with nine simple ingredients and a chocolate glaze made with sugar, cocoa powder, and milk. 

For the donuts:

• Gluten-free baking flour - my favorite gluten-free flour blend is Bob's Red Mill flour; it's an excellent gluten-free alternative because you can conveniently use it to replace regular flour using a 1-to-1 ratio.
• Sugar - regular granulated sugar works great; buy organic sugar if your budget allows.
• Cocoa powder - use Dutch-processed cocoa powder for a rich chocolate flavor; also known as cacao powder 
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Cream of tartar
• Salt
• Unsalted butter - one stick (or eight tablespoons) of unsalted butter; melted and cooled.
• Eggs - egg whites and yolks separated; pull them out before starting the recipe so they come to room temperature.
• Milk - use coconut milk or almond milk as a dairy-free alternative, but regular whole milk will work also.
• Vanilla extract 

For the chocolate glaze:

• Powdered sugar - also known as confectioner's sugar; in a pinch, you can blend some by adding regular sugar to a coffee grinder and grinding it to powdered sugar consistency.
• Cocoa powder - use Dutch-processed cocoa powder for a true chocolate flavor; also known as cacao powder
• Milk - just a few tablespoons to thin out the glaze; regular milk or dairy-free milk will work. 
• Sprinkles - optional but fun to add sprinkles to donuts.

How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Donuts

This simple chocolate donut recipe has a few more steps than your favorite sweet treat, but you won't regret making these. It's not complicated as long as you follow these simple steps. The printable recipe is in the recipe card for your convenience.

Step 1.

Preheat your donut maker machine and spray with cooking spray. If using a donut pan, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius) with the rack in the center of the oven. Spray your donut pan with cooking spray.

Step 2. 

Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in a large bowl.

Step 3.

Whisk together the melted butter, milk, egg yolks, and vanilla extract in a separate mixing bowl.

Step 4. 

Make a well in the center of the bowl with dry ingredients and gently add the wet ingredients to the center. Mix gently until thoroughly combined. 

Step 5.

In a separate small bowl, whisk the two egg whites for about a minute or two with a fork. This will add more air to the egg whites, making them thicker, which will help produce a fluffy donut texture.

Step 6. 

Add beaten egg whites to the donut batter and stir gently until mixed. 

Step 7.

Transfer the batter mixture to a piping bag or pastry bag. Alternatively, you can use a large Ziplock bag, ensuring the batter is mostly in one corner. Make a small cut in that corner, cutting the tip off.

Step 8.

Pipe the donut batter into the donut maker or the prepared donut pan, filling each well half full. Take care not to cover the middle section; otherwise, your donuts won't have a hole in the center.

Step 9.

If using a donut maker, cook donuts for about 4-6 minutes or according to your donut maker's directions. If using the oven, bake donuts for about 8-10 minutes or until baked through and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Step 10.

Remove the donuts from the donut maker machine or the donut pan and allow them to cool completely on a cooling rack before glazing. 

Step 11.

Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and milk to make the chocolate glaze, and stir well. Start with two tablespoons of milk and add more as needed, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. 

Step 12.

Dip donuts in chocolate icing and place on a rack to dip dry. Top with sprinkles before the glaze sets. Allow the glaze to set before eating them.

Enjoy these chocolate donuts within two days for the best flavor and texture.

Helpful Tips

These delicious gluten-free donuts are pretty simple to make. But a few expert tips may be helpful as you make this recipe.

• Use good quality gluten-free flour blend: I almost always use Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Flour. When choosing a gluten-free flour, look for the ingredient list to ensure it includes xanthan gum. This helps replace the texture and elasticity of gluten in regular flours.
• Beat egg whites: Beating egg whites separately from the egg yolks creates air pockets that give the donuts proper texture. Separate the egg whites from the yolks and whisk them with a fork, whisk, or a hand mixer with one beater until foamy and airy.  
• Don't delay adding sprinkles: Add sprinkles to the glazed donuts while the icing is still wet. The sprinkles will stick better.
• Make glaze to your liking: the glaze is a simple powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and milk blend. Tweak it to your liking. Thin it with more milk as needed; conversely, lay off the milk to make it thicker. Always start low and adjust as desired.

Storage Instructions

Gluten-free chocolate donuts are best to be enjoyed in the first two days. Store donuts in an airtight container at room temperature. If you still have leftover donuts after that, you can transfer them to the refrigerator for up to two more days. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it better to bake or fry donuts?

Oven-baked donuts are better for you than fried donuts. A glazed chocolate donut from Dunkin Donuts contains a whopping 360 calories (source). Dunkin Donuts is known for traditionally fried donuts, and they have them in various flavors with varying calorie counts. The most significant difference between fried and baked donuts is that more oil is needed to fry, and the donuts absorb that excess fat, which you then consume.

How many calories are in a baked chocolate glazed donut?

These chocolate cake donuts are baked in the oven and have much fewer calories than deep-fried donuts. This oven-baked donut sits at 111 calories. Even if you have two donuts, you still consume fewer calories than you would if you had a traditionally deep-fried donut.

Are gluten-free donuts possible?

Gluten-free donuts can easily be made at home if you use a good quality gluten-free flour blend. Make sure your flour blend contains xantham gum for proper elasticity and texture. If it doesn't, add ¼ teaspoon of xanthan gum to the dry ingredients and follow the recipe as written.

Serving Instructions

Serve these fluffy donuts as a delightful after school snack with a glass of milk or surprise your family on a slow weekend morning. The high sugar content certainly makes these a treat and not a snack, but it's still a much healthier option than storebought donuts. 

Whichever way you serve these chocolate treats, they will surely be loved by all!

Need More Gluten-Free Treats to Get You Through The Week?

• Best Ever Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Bread
• Blackberry Banana Bread
• Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie
• The Best Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
• Chocolate Covered Frozen Bananas

Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Donuts

Who doesn't love a Gluten Free Chocolate Doughnut with a sweet chocolate glaze? These doughnuts are soft, tender and just the right amount of sweet. You will never know they are gluten-free!

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: gluten free chocolate cake donuts

Servings: 24 mini

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅔ cup sugar
• 8 tablespoon unsalted butter melted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs whites separated
• 1 cup milk
• Glaze:
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 2-5 tablespoon milk
• sprinkles

Instructions

• Preheat your mini doughnut maker and spray with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the first seven dry ingredients, flour through sugar.
• In another small bowl whisk together the melted and cooled butter, vanilla, egg yolks, and milk. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients and pour in. Mix gently.
• In a separate small bowl whisk the two egg whites for about a minute or two with a fork. You are just trying to get them a bit thicker so they add some fluffiness to the doughnuts.
• Add egg whites to mixture and stir just until mixed.
• Transfer mixture to a Ziploc bag and cut the corner tip off. This makes it easy to pipe into the donut maker.
• Fill each well ½ full without covering the middle section. If you do, your doughnuts won't have a hole.
• Cook for about 4-6 minutes, according to your donut maker directions.
• Allow to cool completely before glazing.
• For the icing simply mix the powdered sugar with the desired amount of milk. More milk will make icing runny so don't add too much at one time.
• Dip doughnuts in icing and place on a rack to drip dry. Top with sprinkles before the icing sets.
• If you are using a donut pan, preheat oven to 350° and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 111kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 48mg | Potassium: 77mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 155IU | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

All nutritional information provided is an estimate. For specific dietary needs or concerns, we recommend consulting a nutrition calculator or a qualified expert.

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Karen Kelly

Karen Kelly is a nationally syndicated food and travel writer, founder of Seasonal Cravings, and co-founder of The Roam Report. She develops approachable seasonal recipes and covers travel and lifestyle trends. Her work has appeared in numerous media outlets, including Yahoo, Taste of Home, Apple News, NBC, FOX, and other national and regional publications.

About Karen