Gluten-Free Pumpkin Donuts: My Cozy Kitchen Go-To Recipe

ByBiteJoyRecipes October 10, 2025

Pull Up a Chair: Let’s Talk Pumpkin Donuts

Is it possible for a donut to taste like a hug from your favorite jumper? Honestly, these gluten-free pumpkin donuts are about as close as I’ve ever gotten. First made these one rainy Saturday when our local donut shop was closed for renovations (tragic). I was really just craving something soft and spiced, you know? Made them once, and now it’s a proper family tradition. Which, if you knew my reluctance to fry things, is saying something! The kitchen did smell absolutely amazing though; worth every bit of the clean-up afterward… mostly.

Why I Keep Coming Back to This Recipe

I whip these out whenever autumn starts flirting with the trees (and my coffee cravings kick up a notch), but honestly—I make them year-round, just with whatever canned pumpkin I haven’t used up. My kids usually lose their minds over the cinnamon-sugar coating—sometimes sneaking extra from the bowl before I can even finish. If I’m being honest, there was a batch in the early days where everything stuck to the pan like glue—thought I’d never get the tray clean—but now? Easy peasy. (And my secret: non-stick spray. And maybe a slightly heavier hand with the oil.)

Gather These Ingredients — Or Improvise a Bit

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (butternut squash totally works if you’re out—just don’t tell my husband!)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (my gran swore by dark brown but I use whatever’s on hand)
1/4 cup melted coconut oil, cooled (sometimes just regular butter… or that one time, olive oil, when I was desperate)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (I’m partial to Bob’s Red Mill, but seriously, even the store brand’s fine)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt—I joke it’s fancy, but table salt will do the trick
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger (sometimes I skip it, depends who’s coming for breakfast)
A pinch of cloves (optional, but adds that bakery magic)

How It All Comes Together (Don’t Stress)

Preheat your oven to 350°F (that’s about 180°C if you’re not stateside). Grab a donut pan—if you don’t have one, see my workaround below in equipment. Grease it really well. Trust me, this step learned from heartbreak.
In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, melted oil, and vanilla until smoothish. If your mix looks a little lumpy, I wouldn’t fuss—donuts will still come out grand.
In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. No need for perfection; just get it combined.
Tip the dry into the wet. Stir gently. Don’t overmix—unless you fancy gummy donuts (been there, wasn’t worth it).
Spoon or pipe the batter into greased donut wells. (Actually, I usually use a big zip-top bag with the corner snipped. So much less faff.)
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until donuts spring back when you poke them—don’t be shy with your finger poke test. They’ll look a little orange, which is normal.
Cool for a few minutes in the pan (usually where I sneak my first bite), then turn out onto a wire rack.
While still warm, toss in cinnamon sugar or drizzle with a simple glaze. Or nothing, if you’re more in the mood for cake than donut. Your kitchen, your rules.

Messy Notes You Might Find Useful

Actually, I find these taste even better the next day, if you can wait that long.
If your donuts stick, let them cool a bit longer. Or just eat them straight from the pan—we don’t judge here.
Double the batch if you’ve three or more taste testers lurking about. Trust me.

Variations I’ve Actually Tried (Some Winners, Some Not…)

Swapped the pumpkin for roasted sweet potato—really tasty, almost custardy.
Made mini muffins instead of donuts (too lazy to find the pan). Turned out fine, though the crust was a tad softer.
Once tried coconut flour—don’t recommend, unless you love dense bricks. Lesson learned.
Oh! Chopped pecans mix in well if you want extra crunch; I do this for brunch sometimes.

Equipment? Use What You’ve Got

Proper donut pan makes it easiest—that’s what I use. But honestly, muffin trays with the centers built up with foil balls do work, they just look a bit funny (but hey, it’s still donuts!). Or bake as mini muffins, and call it a day.

How to Store ‘Em (In Theory…)

They keep in an airtight tin for up to three days, supposedly. Though honestly? I’ve never seen them last more than a day and a half at our place. If you do have leftovers, maybe hide a few for yourself.

How I Like to Serve Gluten-Free Pumpkin Donuts

Warm, with too much cinnamon sugar. Sometimes with coffee (okay, always with coffee). My kids have theirs with hot chocolate and mini marshmallows; my partner dunks them in chai, which honestly isn’t a bad idea. For a holiday treat, I’ll pile on some maple glaze—ridiculously good.

What I Wish I Had Known (Pro Tips, Written in Donut Icing)

Don’t rush the cooling step—once I tried popping them out piping hot and they all tore in half. Sad day.
If your batter feels too thick, a spoonful of milk helps. If too thin, add a bit more flour—the weather messes with this every time.
Sifting isn’t really worth the hassle. Just whisk your dry ingredients quickly, call it a day.

Quick FAQ, Straight from My DMs

Can I freeze these? Yep! Freeze unglazed, then warm in the oven when you want. Glaze (or sugar) after thawing.
Can I make them vegan? Probably—try flax eggs and vegan butter, but I haven’t tested it, so iffy on the texture…
What GF flour really works? For me, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 has never failed, but honestly, most blends are fine. I saw a DIY blend here that looks promising if you’re feeling ambitious.
Can you air fry these? Actually, yes! Just lower the temp a little and check early; online folks swear by it. (Check Nicole Hunn’s method—pretty clever.)
Why is my batter orange? It should be! That’s the pumpkin—embrace the color.

Random aside: the first time I used nutmeg, I grated it straight over the bowl and sneezed so hard I nearly lost the whole mix. Lesson? Go gently; that stuff’s potent.

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