Gluten-Free Maple Donuts (Dairy-Free and Easy to Bake)

These gluten-free maple donuts are going to make your kitchen smell like maple heaven. They’re soft, golden, with just the right balance of sweet and spice, and they’re dairy-free. Topped with a delicious maple icing, these donuts go perfectly with a hot cup of coffee.

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Be sure to try my Gluten-Free Maple Brown Sugar Cookies and Homemade Marshmallows for more maple recipes.

How to make gluten-free maple donuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare two donut pans by spraying them with non-stick spray.

Whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the avocado oil, brown sugar, maple syrup, applesauce, eggs, and maple extract. 

Next, mix the wet ingredients into the dry and combine until well blended.

Place a gallon-sized bag into a large measuring cup and fold back the top of the bag. Then pour the batter into the bag and seal it. Cut a corner off the bag and pipe the batter into the donut cups. Fill each cup about 2/3 full. Use a paper towel to wipe up any mess around the pan if needed. 

Bake for 11-13 minutes. Press gently on top of a donut, if it bounces back, the donuts are done. 

Place the pans on a wire rack to cool for a few minutes. Then, remove the donuts and place them on a wire rack that is over a large piece of parchment paper or a large baking sheet.

Next, use a whisk or a hand blender to mix the icing ingredients until smooth. Once the donuts are cooled, dip the tops of the donuts into the icing and return them to the wire rack. 

Ingredient notes

Gluten-free flour: My favorite gluten-free and dairy-free flour blends to use are Pamela’s Artisan Blend and Better Batter. I’ve been using them both with great results. They are both a 1-1 substitute. If you use another gluten-free flour blend, make sure that it contains xanthan gum. If not, add 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup of flour.

Maple syrup: Use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup.

Maple extract: Be sure to use gluten-free maple extract. McCormick’s and Watkins Maple extract are per their websites.

Flavor variations to try

For variations of these gluten-free maple donuts, as soon as you dip the donuts in the icing, do the following:

For Maple Pecan Donuts, sprinkle chopped pecans on top.

For Maple Bacon Donuts, sprinkle crispy, crumbled bacon on the top.

How to store and freeze

Store donuts covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator. They’re best within the first two days.

To freeze: Place the donuts in a single layer on a baking sheet that will fit in your freezer. After they are frozen, place them in a freezer bag with parchment paper layered between them. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.

To thaw: Place the donuts on the counter for at least 30 minutes.