Gluten free chocolate donuts topped with an edible cookie dough frosting make this the best gluten free chocolate donut recipe I have ever made!
I hope you're ready for a special treat because these gluten free chocolate donuts are hard to resist. I bet these mini chocolate donuts are a decadent dessert your whole family will love.
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Today is special for two reasons. It is National Donut Day and, even more importantly, my son's birthday! I have no idea where the years have gone, but I suddenly have a 5'8 growing teenage boy. My son loves gluten free baked chocolate donuts, and I hope he will love this new chocolate donut recipe.
With two very important occasions today, I wanted to celebrate his birthday with a treat he will remember for years. He loves chocolate.
He is also VERY guilty of trying to steal cookie dough anytime I am baking. I am not kidding....he never gives up. (He gets this from Mr. Fearless Dining...it must be genetic!)
Today, I am combining both of his favorite sweet things into one special dessert! Here is the Gluten Free Edible Cookie Dough Frosting recipe.
This easy cookie dough frosting recipe is quick and easy and is delicious on any baked item...or eat it by the spoonful!
Why these donuts are great:
The rich, deep chocolate flavor in a moist baked donut...topped with a cookie dough frosting. Who can say no? These donuts are quick and easy to make in about 15 minutes!
If you love chocolate, this is a great recipe to make next. You can make these in a donut maker or a donut pan.
Don't forget to check out my most popular gluten free donut recipes...they are all hard to resist!
This is one of my favorite gluten-free flour blends for cookies, cakes, pie crust, biscuits, and muffins! (Do not use this flour blend for yeast recipes.)
Ingredient notes:
- Gluten free flour blend - Gluten free flour blend - I tested this recipe using Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend and King Arthur's Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. That doesn't mean others will not work; I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- Butter - Use unsalted butter.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
- Almond flour - I highly suggest using almond flour and not almond meal. Almond meal is more coarse and will make your donuts grainy.
Fun swaps:
(Feel free to add some fun mix-ins to these donuts!!)
- Mini chocolate chips
- Walnuts or other nuts
- White chocolate chips
- Caramel chips
Recipe step-by-step instructions:
Step 1: Add the dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk to blend. If your gluten free flour blend doesn't contain Xanthan Gum, make sure to add 1 teaspoon to your dry ingredients.
Step 2: In a smaller bowl, add the wet ingredients and whisk to blend.
Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients and whisk to blend. Pour the wet ingredients into a bowl and mix well.
This is what your chocolate donut batter will look like when mixed.
Let your batter sit for 10 minutes. This helps especially with the more gritty gluten free flour blends. Also, do not overmix your batter...your donuts will be fluffier if you barely mix the batter.
Step 4: Add the batter to your donut maker. Note this is an older model Babycakes Donut Maker, the new donut maker has a more square body shape. Cook for 4-5 minutes until done. I love this donut maker because it makes the outside of the donut a little crisp, like a fried donut!
Step 5: Allow cooling, then frost with the cookie dough frosting. (Recipe above) You can also top with this edible gluten free chocolate cookie dough. You would need to add 2 tablespoons of additional butter to the cookie dough recipe to make it spreadable.
If you don't have a donut maker, you can easily use a donut pan if you prefer to bake your chocolate donuts in the oven. Baked donuts are a lot healthier than fried donuts!!
Frosting or Glaze?
This cookie dough frosting works so well with this doughnut recipe. Of course, this gluten free edible cookie dough is also good enough to frost a cake like this Simple Gluten Free Layer Cake recipe.
You can also make a glaze for your gluten free donuts with powdered sugar and a little water. (2 cups powdered sugar to 3 tablespoons almond milk.) Just dip your donuts in and then set them on a rack to dry.
And just in case these chocolate donuts with cookie dough frosting aren't enough, here are a few more of my most popular donut recipes to get you through your day.
What cocoa powders are gluten free?
There are quite a few great gluten free cocoa powders out there. I haven't tried many new brands that I see online. My favorite cocoa powders for gluten free baking are:
- Anthony's Organic Cocoa Powder is certified gluten free (and their price is really great on Amazon!)
- Ghirardelli is in most grocery stores.
- Hershey's (I don't use this as often, but it is probably the easiest to find in stores.)
- Nativas Fair Trade Cocoa Powder is also on Amazon, but I saw it at Sprout Market as well.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ:
You can make this recipe dairy-free by substituting the butter for either coconut oil or vegan butter.
Yes, you can omit the almond flour and add ½ cup additional gluten free flour blend. Keep an eye on the moisture level; you may need to add more dairy-free milk because of the additional flour.
(Almond flour doesn't absorb as much liquid, so make sure the batter has a consistency similar to my photo above.)
These donuts will last up to 4 days in an airtight container or up to 4 months in the freezer.
More gluten free donuts to make:
- This is my sneakiest donut recipe...these are healthy donuts, but nobody can tell! Super Healthy Breakfast Donuts are great, and kids love them!
- If you love lemon, these Gluten Free Lemon Donuts are pretty amazing!
- For those who have some ripe bananas on hand, this delicious Gluten Free Banana Donuts recipe is crazy good!
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Chocolate Donuts with Cookie Dough Frosting
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup almond flour * see note
- 1 cup gluten free flour blend * see note
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup non-dairy milk * see note
Cookie Dough Frosting:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- dash salt
- ¾ cup gluten free flour blend
- mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat Babycakes Mini Donut Maker or Preheat your oven to 350º F.
- Spray coconut oil in the mini donut pan if that is what you will use for this recipe.
- In a large bowl, add all donut dry ingredients and whisk to blend.
- In a smaller bowl, add all donut dry ingredients and mix well.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix.
- Put dough into each cavity of the donut maker or donut pan.
- Follow directions on donut maker.
- If using a pan, bake for 10 minutes, check to see if done.
- Remove from the donut maker or pan and allow to cool on a cooling rack.
For Cookie Dough Frosting:
- Mix all ingredients and put in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to cool.
- Spread onto cool donuts. Top with sprinkles, more chips, etc.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF, Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend, and Authentic Foods Multi Blend. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
- I highly suggest using almond flour and not almond meal. Almond meal is more coarse and will make your donuts grainy.
- To make this recipe nut-free, omit the almond flour and substitute an additional ½ cup gluten free flour blend.
- I used almond milk but other dairy-free kinds of milk will work but I do not recommend canned coconut milk.
- These donuts will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn't test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
Fearless Dining
Simplifying the art of baking and cooking gluten-free recipes.
(This post was updated from a July 2016 post with more cooking information)
Sabrina
hello! how long do i have to bake it if i use regular size donut pan? i dont have a mini one, thank you!
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Sabrina, what size is your donut pan? Are the donuts going to be mini or normal size? Baking time is based on several factors.
Healthy World Cuisine
That is super creative!Cookie dough covered donuts. The best of both worlds in one delicious little gluten-free bite. Saving to all of our favorite boards.
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you so much 🙂
Julie
Donuts are my kryptonite and I'd love diving into about 6 of those!
Sandi Gaertner
I can send some your way 🙂
Heather Kinnaird
this is a teens dream come true 🙂 my kids would flip for these after school
Mila Leyzerovich
Can I make this recipe in muffins tin. I don't have a Donuts Maker?
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Mila, you can try it. I haven't tried it. Please come back and let us know how they turn out 🙂