There is one breakfast that is a treat around here and no matter what the special occasion is, I know what everyone is going to choose….Gluten free chocolate donuts!
I started this treat years ago on a certain someone’s birthday and now it has become a tradition to make on everyone’s birthday. Or on the first day of school… heck my kids would be happy if I made them on a random Tuesday!
This gluten free chocolate donut recipe is so good and uses such simple ingredients that it isn’t hard to whip up in no time!
Special equipment you will need to make gluten free chocolate donuts.
The reason these donuts are so easy is because they don’t take much special equipment. Just an old fashioned bowl and spoon will do!
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The one thing you will want to get is a donut pan so that you can get the traditional donut shape. These donuts will be a cake bater consistency so the pan is necessary to hold its shape.
The pans are inexpensive and you can use it to make homemade bagels too…. I love kitchen gadgets that have more than one use! Once you have your donut pan, you are ready to make some homemade gluten-free chocolate cake donuts.
Ingredients:
For the batter-
- gluten free all purpose flour (I like to use my homemade all purpose flour that I shared in my gluten free e-book! If you are buying from the store I like Cup 4 Cup, just note that both my recipe and Cup 4 Cup have milk powder in it)
- brown sugar (You also can use coconut sugar or white sugar)
- salt
- dark cocoa powder or cacao powder
- baking powder
- vanilla extract
- egg
- butter (use coconut oil or vegan butter for dairy free)
- whole milk (use a dairy-free milk if need to be dairy free)
For the chocolate ganache-
- chocolate chips
- milk
- vanilla
Simple steps to make delicious donuts:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
- Lightly butter or grease your donut pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients.
- In a separate small bowl, mix all the wet ingredients. Make sure to use the dairy free suggestions above if you are looking for dairy-free donuts.
- Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not over mix or you won’t get fluffy donuts! You should have a cake batter consistency.
- Using a gallon Ziploc bag, scoop the batter into the bag. Zip it up and make a small slit in one corner of the bag. You can also use a piping bag. Pipe the batter into your prepared donut pan.
- Bake in the oven for 10-11 minutes.
- Immediately remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.
- While your donuts are cooling, add chocolate chips, milk, and vanilla to a small saucepan. Turn stove onto medium and whisk together until you have melted chocolate.
- One your donuts are completely cool, dip each donut upside down into the melted chocolate. Immediately add sprinkles if desired. Place back on the wire rack to cool so the chocolate hardens.
Eat right away or store in the freezer until ready to eat. If storing in the freezer, let thaw out at room temperature before eating.
Picking the right gluten free all purpose flour.
There are a lot of gluten free all purpose flour blends out on the market. The way an all purpose gluten free flour blend works, is they combine a number of different gluten free grain flours and starches, add in some Xanthan Gum to make up a product that can be used 1:1 in any recipe.
This is a great idea however the outcome of your products changes drastically depending on the flours used in the blend. Some have a more powerful tasted grain which will leave your product tasting that way. It’s important to find a good all purpose gluten free flour blend so that all your baking turns out great!
My rule of thumb is if my non-gluten free husband will eat my gluten free baking/cooking and can’t tell, then it’s a good one!
For best results you will want to make sure you choose the right flour.
I have been making my own gluten free all purpose flour blend for a year now. I have shared the recipe in my Gluten Free Homestead Pantry E-Book. Before I started making my own, I would buy Cup 4 Cup for all my baking needs. Please note that both my blend and Cup 4 Cup have dry milk powder in them. If you need to be dairy free you will want to choose a different blend!
A good dairy free all purpose gluten free flour blend option is Bob’s Red Mill or better batter.
One thing to make sure, whatever gluten free all purpose flour blend needs to have Xanthan Gum in it. If it does not have it you will have to add 1/4 tsp per 1 cup of gluten-free all purpose flour. This is your binding agent to hold your baked goods together. All of the above mentioned flours have Xanthan Gum in them.
Tips for making gluten free chocolate donuts.
Always make sure to oil your donut pan well before adding the batter. I know this is a no brainer, but you will be surprised how many times this simple step is missed. It’s almost impossible to get your donuts out of the pan without them crumbling if this happens.
Second, the best way to get the batter into the donut pan is to pipe it. You don’t have to do it this way, but it is the easiest and cleanest. The best way to do this is by placing your Ziploc bag into a glass liquid measuring cup and then scoop your donut batter or pour it in. Then you can seal your bag and pipe your batter into your prepared donut pan.
My last and final tip, don’t try and dip your donuts in the ganache until they are completely cooled on the cooling rack. A hot donut + hot ganache = a super gooey mess. Don’t ask me how I know this.
More Gluten Free Delicious Recipes to Try For Breakfast:
Donuts are definitely a treat in our house and are always the choice for special occasions. But I do have other gluten free breakfast dishes that the whole family loves and we make weekly for every other week!
The Best Gluten Free, Dairy Free Banana Bread
Gluten Free Chocolate Donuts
Equipment
- 1 donut pan
Materials
- 1 cup gluten free all purpose flour I use my homemade blend but recommend Cup 4 Cup if buying from the store.
- 1/2 cup brown sugar Or coconut sugar if you want to stay clear of cane sugar.
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 3 TBSP melted butter use coconut oil to make dairy free!
- 1/2 cup milk Use a dairy free milk or water to make this dairy free!
For the Ganache:
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 2 TBSP milk use dairy free if needed
- 1 tsp vanilla
- sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Lightly butter or oil your donut pan; set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients. It's important to use a whisk to remove any clumps.
- In a separate bowl whisk together all the wet ingredients.
- Gently fold in the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not over mix!
- Using a gallon ziploc bag, pour batter into bag and cut off a corner of the bag. Gently pipe the batter into each donut mold.
- Bake donuts for 10-11 minutes.
- Allow donuts to cool completely on a wire rack.
Making the Ganache:
- While your donuts are cooling add chocolate chips, milk, and vanilla to a small saucepan.
- Heat on medium heat until all the chocolate chips melt and you have a smooth consistency.
- Once donuts are completely cooled, dipped each donut in the ganache and add sprinkles! Enjoy!
I buy all my ingredients in bulk on Azure Standard. This has been the best way to monthly grocery shop… If you are unsure what Azure Standard is, I have a post here explaining it all!
Remember, gluten free doesn’t have to be complicated or a means to miss out on good food. If there is a will there is a way… and I am here to help you find your way!
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