These yummy Gluten Free Donut Holes, covered in sweet glaze, are perfect for breakfast and dessert. They're made without yeast and baked, instead of fried, which means they're super easy to make.
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Prior to going gluten free, I would indulge in a donut from time to time. They weren't something I craved every week, but I did enjoy them several times a year.
It's amazing how much you can miss something when you can't have it anymore. I knew I had to find a way to enjoy donuts and donut holes again.
I'm not big on frying foods, but baking is right up my alley. Plus, I have a mini muffin pan that works great for this recipe.
The soft and tender donut holes with sweet glaze make a tasty treat that's great for breakfast, brunch, or any time you want a sweet snack. And baking the donut holes means a little less guilt than frying them.
Did you know that donut holes originally were made from the dough cut out of the middle of a donut? Using up all the dough meant a lot less waste. Luckily, we can now make just the donut holes and skip the rest of the donut.
Why this Recipe Works
- Using butter instead of oil gives a buttery richness to the donut holes.
- Sour cream adds a slight tang and moist texture.
- Almond extract in the batter and the glaze gives an added layer of flavor.
Ingredients You'll Need:
For the Donut Holes
- Gluten free flour blend - I use a 1 to 1 gluten free baking flour in this recipe.
- Baking powder and baking soda - Fresh baking powder and baking soda is a must for these donut holes. Check the expiration dates to make sure your baking powder and baking soda are still fresh.
- Salt - Table salt.
- Cinnamon - Ground cinnamon.
- Butter - I use unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Sugar - White granulated sugar.
- Egg - A large egg.
- Milk - I use 2% milk, but whole milk will also work.
- Sour cream - Full fat sour cream is what I use.
- Almond extract - Pure almond extract.
For the Glaze
- Powdered sugar - Also known as confectioner's sugar, the powdered sugar gives the glaze a silky consistency.
- Milk - I use 2% milk, but you can substitute whole milk if you prefer.
- Almond extract - Pure almond extract.
How to Make Baked Donut Holes - Step by Step
(For ingredient amounts see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
Make the Donut Holes:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 24-count mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes).
Mix in the egg, milk, sour cream, and almond extract until combined.
Add ½ the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients until just incorporated.
Use a 1.5 tablespoon scoop to spoon the batter into each muffin cup, filling ¾ full.
Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the donut holes in the pan for 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Glaze:
In a medium mixing bowl, add the powdered sugar, almond extract, and 3 tablespoons of milk.
Stir together with a spoon until the mixture is smooth. Add the additional ½ tablespoon of milk, if necessary, to achieve the desired consistency.
Place the cooled donut holes, a couple at a time, in the bowl of glaze. Using two spoons, coat them with glaze.
Transfer the glazed donuts to a wire rack, placed over a baking sheet, to allow the excess glaze to drip off.
Serve and enjoy.
More Gluten Free Donut Recipes
Does the Type of Gluten Free Flour Matter?
Use a good quality all-purpose gluten free flour when making this donut hole recipe. I like to use Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1. Your results may vary depending on the gluten free flour you use.
Remember to use the "spoon and level" method when measuring your gluten free flour. Simply use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup and then use the back of a table knife to level off the top.
Tools for Making this Recipe
- Non-Stick 24-Cup Mini Muffin Pan - The mini cup size of this pan is the perfect size for baking these donut holes. I like to use this mini muffin pan you can get on Amazon.
- 1.5 Tablespoon Cookie Scoop - The cookie scoop allows you to transfer the batter to the muffin cups very easily. This is the cookie scoop I use for this recipe.
- Baking Pan with Rack - Placing the glazed donut holes on a rack, set over a baking pan, allows the excess glaze to drip down without the bottoms of the donuts becoming mushy. I have two of these baking pan/rack sets and I bake with them all the time.
Recipe Tips and FAQs
- Check the ingredients of your gluten free flour mix for xanthan gum. If your flour mix doesn't contain it, try adding ½ teaspoon to the recipe. I use Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour which contains xanthan gum.
- Use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop to transfer the batter to the mini muffin cups. The cookie scoop makes the process quick and easy. If you don't have a cookie scoop, you can place the batter in a plastic bag. Cut the corner off the plastic bag and squeeze the batter into the muffin cups.
- Set the freshly glazed donuts on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet. Doing this allows the excess glaze to drip on to the pan and not your counter. If you set the glazed donuts on parchment paper or paper towels, the bottoms will get mushy.
The donuts are best enjoyed the same day they're made. They will last for 2-3 days stored in an airtight container.
Yes. I recommend freezing the donut holes before adding the glaze. Store the unglazed donuts in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months.
These glazed donut holes are perfect for breakfast, dessert, or any time you want a sweet treat. Give them a try and let me know what you think. Happy Baking!
More Gluten Free Breakfast Recipes to Try
- Cranberry Orange Scones
- Banana Blueberry Bread
- Sour Cream Coffee Cake
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cups
You Might Also Like
- Gluten Free Cinnamon Swirl Bread
- Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Gluten Free Banana Cake
- Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Scones
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Recipe
Gluten Free Donut Holes (Baked)
Ingredients
For the Donuts:
- 1 ½ cups cup-for-cup gluten free flour blend
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
For the Glaze:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 ½ tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
Instructions
Make the Donut Holes:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 24-count mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes).
- Mix in the egg, milk, sour cream, and almond extract until combined.
- Add ½ the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients until just incorporated.
- Use a 1.5 tablespoon scoop to spoon the batter into each muffin cup, filling ¾ full.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a donut hole comes out clean.
- Cool the donut holes in the pan for 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Glaze:
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the powdered sugar, almond extract, and 3 tablespoons of milk. Stir together with a spoon until the mixture is smooth. Add the additional ½ tablespoon of milk, if necessary, to achieve the desired consistency.
- Place the cooled donut holes, two at a time, in the bowl of glaze. Using two spoons, coat the donut holes with glaze.
- Transfer the glazed donut holes to a wire rack, placed over a baking sheet, to allow the excess glaze to drip off.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Check the ingredients of your gluten free flour mix for xanthan gum. If your flour mix doesn't contain it, try adding ½ teaspoon to the recipe. I use Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour which contains xanthan gum.
- Use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop to transfer the batter to the mini muffin cups. The cookie scoop makes the process quick and easy. If you don't have a cookie scoop, you can place the batter in a plastic bag. Cut the corner off the plastic bag and squeeze the batter into the muffin cups.
- Set the freshly glazed donuts on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet. Doing this allows the excess glaze to drip on to the pan and not your counter. If you set the glazed donuts on parchment paper or paper towels, the bottoms will get mushy.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information provided is an estimate and will vary based on products and brands you use. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the ingredients you are using with your preferred nutrition calculator.
This post was originally published in 2020. It was updated in 2023 with updated images, additional text and FAQs.
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