If you’ve been searching for a great gluten-free maple doughnut that tastes like the real thing, this is the recipe to try. These baked doughnuts are soft and moist—not cakey—and finished with a rich maple icing that highlights pure maple syrup.
I hadn’t had a maple-frosted doughnut in years since going gluten-free, so I adapted a highly praised baked doughnut recipe into a gluten-free, dairy-free version. I avoided yeast-and-fry methods for now because baking is quicker and less messy, but the texture still leans toward the doughy softness you expect from a fried doughnut—just without the grease.
To keep these dairy-free while staying moist, I used a non-dairy yogurt alternative. The vanilla-flavored non-dairy yogurt adds body and a subtle sweetness to the batter. If you prefer, regular yogurt and milk can be used instead and will work well.
These donuts are best baked in a standard doughnut pan. Spoon or pipe a generous amount of batter into each cavity—the batter will look full—and bake until the bottoms are golden and the tops show light browning. I usually lift one gently with a toothpick to check the bottom. Let them rest in the pan for a minute or two, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
The maple icing is simple but worth a few tries to perfect. I prefer real, pure maple syrup for authentic flavor rather than imitation pancake syrup. A small amount of maple extract can be added to intensify the maple notes, but it’s optional. Using a Grade A pure maple syrup will give you the best, clean maple taste.
I tested and tweaked this recipe across multiple batches until I was happy with both the doughnut texture and the icing. The result is a soft, tender doughnut with a maple glaze that tastes like something from a good doughnut shop—without frying.
Recipe adapted from a baked doughnut recipe found on Cooking with a Kid; icing is my own creation.
Gluten-free Maple Donut Recipe:
Gluten-free Maple Doughnuts {dairy-free}
Gluten-free maple doughnuts that are soft like a doughy fried doughnut, but without the grease.
15 minutes
12 minutes
7 minutes
34 minutes
Ingredients
Doughnuts:
- 1 cup good quality all-purpose gluten-free flour blend*
- 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum**
- 3/4 tsp. baking powder
- 3/4 tsp. baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 1 large egg
- 5 ounces plain or vanilla non-dairy yogurt alternative (or regular yogurt)
- 1 Tbsp. mild-flavored oil (corn, canola, or vegetable)
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- 2 1/2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
Icing:
- 1 1/2 cups organic powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. non-dairy milk (or regular milk)
- 1/2 tsp. maple extract (optional)
- 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Doughnuts:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly spray six doughnut cavities of a doughnut pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour blend, xanthan gum (if needed), baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, yogurt, oil, lemon juice, and maple syrup until combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined; avoid overmixing.
- Transfer batter to a disposable decorating bag or a gallon Ziploc with a corner snipped off, and pipe the batter into the six doughnut cavities. The batter will fill the cavities generously.
- Bake 11–12 minutes, until bottoms are golden and the tops show light browning.
- Let the doughnuts rest in the pan for 1–2 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely before icing.
Icing:
- Place sifted powdered sugar in a microwave-safe bowl. Whisk in maple syrup and non-dairy milk slowly until smooth. Microwave 15 seconds, whisk, then microwave another 15 seconds and whisk again.
- Stir in maple extract (if using) and vanilla extract. Let the icing cool slightly, then dip one side of each doughnut into the glaze. Place on a wire rack set over parchment to catch drips.
- Enjoy the doughnuts the same day for best texture and flavor.
Notes
*Use a high-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that does not rely solely on rice flours and does not include bean flours. The recipe was tested with a blend that performed well.
**If your flour blend already contains xanthan or guar gum, omit the added xanthan gum listed in the ingredients.
If you can tolerate dairy, you may substitute regular plain yogurt and milk for the non-dairy versions.
The maple extract is optional but enhances the maple flavor to resemble classic doughnut maple icing.
If you love doughnuts, consider saving this recipe to your favorite recipe board. Let me know when you make these—I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
This recipe was sponsored by Silk.