Description
This Gluten-Free Vanilla Bean Cake Donuts recipe offers a delightful, tender, and lightly sweet treat that’s perfect for pairing with your favorite cup of tea or coffee. Made with a gluten-free flour blend and infused with real vanilla bean, these baked donuts are beautifully topped with a classic vanilla glaze, creating the perfect balance of sweetness with a moist crumb. Ideal for those seeking a wholesome, gluten-free indulgence, these donuts are simple to prepare and baked to perfection in just 45 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Blend (with xanthan gum)
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt (for batter)
Wet Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled
- 1 Large Egg, room temperature
- ½ cup Whole Milk or Buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract (for batter)
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste or seeds from ½ vanilla bean
Glaze Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Powdered (Icing) Sugar, sifted
- 3 tablespoons Whole Milk or Heavy Cream
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract (for glaze)
- Pinch of Fine Sea Salt (for glaze)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease your donut pans with butter or non-stick spray to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour blend, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk melted butter, room temperature egg, milk or buttermilk, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean paste until smooth.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold until just combined. Avoid overmixing; stop when no dry streaks remain.
- Rest the Batter: Allow the batter to rest for 5–10 minutes to hydrate the gluten-free flour, which helps improve the texture of the donuts.
- Fill Donut Pans: Transfer batter into a piping bag or a sturdy zip-top bag with a corner snipped. Pipe the batter evenly into the donut cavities, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10–12 minutes, or until donuts spring back lightly when touched and edges appear faintly golden.
- Cool Donuts in Pan: Remove pans from the oven and let the donuts cool in the pans for 5 minutes before carefully inverting them onto a wire rack.
- Cool Completely: Allow donuts to cool completely on the wire rack for at least 10 minutes before glazing.
- Prepare the Glaze: In a shallow dish, whisk together sifted powdered sugar, milk or cream, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding small amounts of milk or sugar as needed.
- Glaze Donuts: Dip the top surface of each cooled donut into the glaze, lift, and allow excess glaze to drip off.
- Set the Glaze: Place the glazed donuts back on the wire rack and let the glaze set for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Resting the batter is essential for hydration of gluten-free flour, leading to a better texture.
- Use a piping bag or zip-top bag for easy and even filling of donut pans.
- Ensure donuts are completely cooled before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting off.
- Adjust glaze thickness by varying powdered sugar and milk amounts to your preference.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days; glazing might soften over time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: gluten free donuts, baked donuts, vanilla bean donuts, gluten free baking, vanilla glaze donuts, dessert donuts, easy donut recipe
