Gluten Free Apple Cider Donuts

This gluten free apple cider donuts are warm, fluffy, easy to make and packed with a rich apple cider flavor. They’re dairy free friendly and the perfect Fall treat!

I was never a big donut girl growing up, but homemade baked donuts get me every time. My vegan cinnamon sugar donuts never disappoint, but I wanted a fun Fall recipe this year! These gluten free apple cider donuts are packed with so much delicious Fall flavor, fun to make and even dairy free friendly.

They have a really rich apple cider flavor because we will simmer down our apple cider until it is thicker, darker and richer in flavor. We’ll bake them up and coat them in a cinnamon sugar mixture that also includes ginger, nutmeg and allspice for a delicious apple pie flavor.

Enjoy one of these donuts alongside a class of my apple cider sangria and try my gluten free apple crisp or maple air fryer apples next!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• PACKED with apple cider flavor
• Fun to make
• Soft & fluffy
• Baked- not fried!

Key ingredients

APPLE CIDER. The star of the show for these gluten free apple cider donuts! We’ll cook it down which is SO important for creating a rich flavor.

BUTTER. We’ll need butter in both the donuts themselves, plus to dip the donuts in after the bake so the cinnamon sugar sticks.

EGG. Just one egg will help bind all ingredients together, help the donuts rise and give them a nice fluffy texture.

SUGAR. Brown and white sugar will of course sweeten these up and the brown sugar has the added benefit of some molasses for a richer flavor.

FLOUR. I used the Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour, which I recommend, but if you prefer a different blend, just be sure it has xanthan gum in the mix!

SPICES. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice will give these a delicious Fall spiced flavor! You can swap the allspice for cloves if that’s what you have! Same with my gluten free apple bread.

How to make gluten free apple cider donuts

Add the 2 1/2 cups of apple cider to a medium sauce pan. Heat over medium heat.

Let simmer until it thickens and reduces to 1/2 cup. This will take probably about 30-40 minutes. Check it around 30 minutes and see how much is left, try to get as close to 1/2 cup as possible. It will look darker in color and thicken slightly into a more syrupy consistency.

Once done, measure it out, if you have exactly 1/2 cup, perfect! If you have slightly less, just top it off with a splash of regular apple cider until you get 1/2 cup. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and lightly flour 2 six cavity donut pans and set aside.

Whisk together all wet ingredients until combined, then whisk in the dry ingredients until well combined.

Transfer to a piping bag or large ziplock bag and cut off the tip. Pipe into the donut pan, you’ll end up using about 1/4 cup per donut.

Once all batter has been used, add to the oven and bake for 10-14 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then flip onto a wire rack. If they aren’t falling out easily, carefully take a knife and slice around just the edges of each donut, then try flipping again.

Melt the 1/2 cup of butter in a shallow bowl and then whisk up the sugar and spices in another shallow bowl.

Dip each donut in the butter, then the sugar and spice mixture. I like to coat it really well in the sugar, but just a few flips on each side is fine. Repeat with all donuts. Drizzle with my gluten free caramel sauce if desired and enjoy! Try my gluten free pear crumble or gluten free donut holes next!

How to store

Once prepared, these gluten free apple cider donuts will keep for about 3 days at room temperature.

They do best in a sealed Tupperware container, but ideally one that has a venting lid so they don’t get mushy as they sit.

This can happen when you’re using such simple and fresh ingredients like apple sauce! An alternative is to place in a container and wrap foil on top so they have some more breathing room!

I do not recommend freezing these as the texture unfortunately won’t hold up well when they defrost.

Can I make these vegan or dairy free?

You can definitely make these apple cider donuts dairy free! Just swap the butter for a dairy free butter like Earth Balance. I do not recommend coconut oil or any other kind of oil here because you really need butter for the best flavor!

I have not tested these donuts without egg, but since there is only one in the batter, you can likely sub with a vegan egg substitute with no major problem. My suggestion is to use a store bought egg replacer like Bob’s Red Mill. Alternatively, you can try 3 tablespoons of applesauce.

More Fall recipes you’ll love!

• Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
• Vegan Pumpkin Cookies
• Vegan Pumpkin Pie
• Gluten Free Apple Cake

Lastly, if you want more recipes straight to your inbox, be sure to subscribe to my email list. If you make this recipe, be sure to tag me on instagram and leave a comment below!