Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Donuts

Believe me, you will never be able to tell these Gluten Free Vegan Donuts are indeed vegan and gluten free. They taste that good. With their rich chocolate flavor and soft, cakey texture, these gluten free vegan chocolate donuts are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth and impress your friends and family.

Plus, they're simple enough to whip up on a whim, so you can enjoy fresh, homemade donuts anytime you like. And did I mention this is a small batch recipe?

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten Free Flour: I experimented with this gluten free vegan donut recipe using both my own Gluten-Free Flour Blend and Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Flour Blend. Both gluten-free flour blends yielded a delightful texture for this cake. If you decide to use a different brand, I strongly suggest incorporating a mixture of various gluten-free flours and a binding agent such as xanthan gum. Please note that this recipe has not undergone testing with almond flour (almond meal) or coconut flour.

Dutch Processed Cocoa: I suggest using Dutch-processed cocoa for this recipe as it will provide a richer and fudgier flavor. While this recipe can still work well with natural cocoa powder since it uses baking soda, the color of the donuts may turn out to be lighter and the donuts may be dry.

Peanut Butter: Peanut Butter not only provides flavor but also fat in this recipe. I prefer baking with “conventional” peanut butter such as Jif or Skippy. Conventional peanut butter is made with fully hydrogenated vegetable oils, which help stabilize the peanut butter and prevent it from separating. In my opinion, it’s more reliable in baking than natural peanut butter (which is perfect for snacking!). Can be replaced with almond butter or sunflower seed butter.

Instant Espresso: Including instant espresso powder in this recipe enhances the chocolate flavor, making it a highly recommended ingredient. However, it is optional. As an alternative, you can replace the hot water with hot coffee (and eliminate the instant espresso powder).

Vinegar: The added vinegar activates sodium bicarbonate found in the baking powder which helps the gluten-free chocolate cake rise. I use White Vinegar but Apple Cider Vinegar will work as a substitute.

How to make Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Donuts

This recipe for vegan gluten free donuts is incredibly easy to prepare. All you need is a small mixing bowl to sift the dry ingredients and a large mixing bowl to mix the batter in. You also need a whisk, a flexible rubber spatula, and ONE Non-Stick 6-Cavity Donut Baking Pan. As well as a piping bag or a ziplock bag to pipe the donut cake batter into the donut pan.

Step 1: To prepare, preheat the oven to 350F and position the oven rack in the center. Spray the Donut Baking Pan with nonstick spray and then set it aside.

Step 2: Sift the dry ingredients (including sugar) together in a mixing bowl, This will prevent the formation of pockets of cocoa powder or leavening agents in your vegan cake batter.

Step 3: In a separate bowl combine the peanut butter, vinegar (white vinegar or apple cider vinegar - both work fine here), vanilla extract, and hot water. Whisk together until the peanut butter is fully dissolved in hot water.

Step 4: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Quickly whisk together until the vegan chocolate donut batter is fully combined and smooth.

Step 5: Transfer the donut batter to a piping bag or a ziplock bag. One easy way to transfer cake batter to a piping bag is to use a large, sturdy glass or pitcher. Insert the piping bag into the glass or pitcher, folding the edges over the rim to create a stable base. Then, use a spatula to transfer the cake batter into the piping bag, being careful not to overfill it. Once the batter is in the bag, carefully lift it out of the container. Twist the top of the bag to seal.

Step 6: Fill each well with the donut batter. You can totally fill them all the way to the top. Just make sure not to cover the center of each donut.

Step 7: Place the donut pan in the oven and bake for 9-11 minutes or until a cake tester/toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 8: Remove the doughnut pan from the oven and allow it to cool for about 1-2 minutes on a cooling rack.

Step 9: Remove the gluten free vegan donuts from the pan. Place them on a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.

Vegan Chocolate Glaze

This is a vegan adaptation of the Dark Chocolate Glaze I use for my Gluten Free Chocolate Bundt Cake. The corn syrup will also ensure the glaze will stay soft and not crack when you cut the cake. Just like when you make the chocolate ganache for my Dark Chocolate Truffles.

To make the dark chocolate glaze, combine the dark chocolate chips, unsalted non-dairy butter, kosher salt, and corn syrup in a heat-proof bowl. Place it on top of a small saucepan with hot (not boiling) water. Allow the heat of the water to melt the ingredients together. If you like, add some instant espresso powder to bring out the chocolate flavor. Make sure the instant espresso is like a powder or the glaze will have a grainy texture.

Once fully melted, use a small whisk and whisk all the ingredients together until a smooth and shiny vegan chocolate glaze has formed.

How to Glaze and decorate Gluten Free Vegan Donuts

Once the gluten free vegan chocolate donuts are completely cool, place the wire rack with the donuts on top of a sheet tray lined with a piece of parchment paper.

Take each donut and gently dip it into the bowl of glaze, making sure to cover the top of the donut completely. Lift the donut out of the glaze and allow any excess glaze to drip off.

If you want to add any toppings to your donuts, such as sprinkles, chopped nuts, or coconut flakes now is the time to do it. Simply sprinkle the toppings over the top of the chocolate glaze before it sets.

Coat the remaining donuts in chocolate glaze one by one until all of them are fully covered. After decorating all the donuts, let the glaze set for 10-15 minutes at room temperature.

Serve and enjoy your delicious gluten-free vegan chocolate glazed donuts!

Storage & Freezing

Keep Gluten-free vegan donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you want to store them for longer, you can freeze them for up to 2 months.

To store donuts at room temperature, place them in a single layer in an airtight container. Keep the container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

If you want to freeze the glazed donuts, lay them out on a parchment-lined sheet tray in a single layer. Once frozen, place them in an airtight container. If you must stack them, make sure to place a piece of parchment paper in between. To thaw, simply remove the desired amount of donuts from the freezer and let them come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before enjoying them. Freeze plain donuts in an airtight container or a ziplock bag.

It's important to note that gluten-free vegan donuts tend to dry out more quickly than traditional donuts, so it's best to consume them within a couple of days or freeze them for later use.

FAQ - Gluten Free Vegan Donuts