Glazed Pumpkin Donuts
A good Gluten Free Donut is almost impossible to find by me, and I Love Homemade Donuts. But truth be told, I try not to make them very often because they're so good, I'll just eat them all.
GLUTEN FREE BREAKFAST RECIPESGLUTEN FREE DESSERT RECIPE
Lauren Vasnelis
10/7/2026
Glazed Pumpkin Donuts
These Glazed Pumpkin Donuts are soft, fluffy, full of warm pumpkin and cinnamon flavor, and incredibly easy to make at home. And because they’re baked instead of fried, you don’t need to deal with hot oil or anything complicated to make homemade donuts.
I make mine gluten-free using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour along with a little almond flour, which gives the donuts a really nice texture. Oat flour works well in place of the almond flour too.
The glaze is completely optional, but I love it a little on the thicker side so it drips down the donuts without disappearing into them. For Halloween, I finished mine with cute Halloween sprinkles, but you can obviously change those for the season or leave them off entirely.
These are easy enough for a fall breakfast with coffee but cute enough to put out for Halloween or a fall brunch.
Servings: 6 donuts
Prep Time: About 15 minutes
Bake Time: 10–12 minutes
Oven Temperature: 350°F
Equipment
6-cavity donut pan
I use a Wilton donut pan
Mixing bowl
Wire cooling rack
Ingredient Breakdown
Gluten-Free Flour
I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour as the main flour for these donuts. A 1-to-1 blend makes gluten-free baking much easier because it’s designed to behave similarly to traditional all-purpose flour.
If gluten isn’t an issue for you, regular all-purpose flour can be used instead.
Almond Flour
A small amount of almond flour adds richness and helps give the donuts a soft, tender texture.
I use Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour, but oat flour is a great alternative. Oat flour is also an easy option if you’re avoiding almonds, although if you’re strictly gluten-free, make sure your oat flour is labeled or certified gluten-free.
Pure Pumpkin Purée
You want pure pumpkin purée for this recipe, not pumpkin pie purée or pumpkin pie filling.
Pure pumpkin gives the donuts their pumpkin flavor, color, and plenty of moisture without bringing in additional sugar and spices that could change the balance of the recipe.
Brown Sugar
Brown sugar adds sweetness while also bringing a deeper, slightly caramel-like flavor that works especially well with pumpkin and warm spices.
Cinnamon & Pumpkin Pie Spice
I use both cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice because I want these to actually taste like fall.
The cinnamon gives you that familiar warmth, while pumpkin pie spice adds more depth and makes the pumpkin flavor feel a little more seasonal.
Eggs
Eggs provide structure and help bind the gluten-free batter together while keeping the finished donuts soft.
Almond Milk
Almond milk adds just enough additional moisture to bring the batter together without making it overly thin.
Another milk can easily be substituted depending on your dietary needs.
Powdered Sugar
Powdered sugar creates the simple optional glaze. The consistency is really up to you.
I like my glaze a little thicker, so I use only enough almond milk to make it dip-able and drizzle-able without becoming watery.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Donuts
¾ cup gluten-free flour
I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
3 tablespoons almond flour
I use Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour
Oat flour can be substituted
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
¼ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
⅓ cup pure pumpkin purée
Not pumpkin pie purée or pumpkin pie filling
3 tablespoons almond milk
Splash of vanilla
Optional Glaze
¼ cup powdered sugar, plus more as needed
Splash of almond milk, as needed
Optional Topping
Halloween or pumpkin sprinkles
Instructions
Prepare the Donut Pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Lightly grease a 6-cavity donut pan. I use a Wilton donut pan, but another standard donut mold should work just fine.
Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a mixing bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, almond flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar.
Mix until everything is evenly distributed.
Add the Wet Ingredients
To that same bowl, add the eggs, pure pumpkin purée, almond milk, and vanilla.
Whisk until everything is completely combined, but don’t overmix the batter. Once you no longer see dry flour and everything has come together, you’re done.
Fill the Donut Pan
Spoon the batter directly into the prepared donut cavities.
You can absolutely use a piping bag if you want to, but I don’t bother. A spoon works perfectly well.
Divide the batter evenly among the six cavities.
Bake
Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes, until the donuts are set and baked through.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow the donuts to cool in the mold for a few minutes, just until they’re comfortable enough to handle without falling apart.
Carefully remove them and transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
Let the donuts cool completely before glazing.
Make the Glaze
Add the powdered sugar to a shallow bowl and mix in a small splash of almond milk.
Start with very little milk. You can always add more.
Mix until you reach your preferred consistency. I like mine on the thicker side so it coats the donuts rather than immediately running off.
Glaze the Donuts
Once the donuts are completely cool, dip the tops into the glaze.
I actually like letting some of the glaze drip down the sides because I think it looks cute.
Let the first layer of glaze sit for a few minutes to begin setting. You can also pop the donuts into the refrigerator briefly if you want to speed this up.
If you have extra glaze remaining, drizzle it over the tops for another layer.
Finish with Halloween or pumpkin sprinkles while the glaze is still tacky enough for them to stick.
Let the glaze set and enjoy!
Lauren’s Tips 💛
Don’t Overmix the Batter
Once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, stop mixing. There’s no benefit to continuing to beat the batter after everything has come together.
Skip the Piping Bag
You absolutely can pipe the batter into your donut molds if that makes you happy.
I use a spoon.
It’s six donuts. I’m not dirtying another thing if I don’t need to.
Make the Glaze Thick
I prefer a thicker glaze because I actually want to see it on the donut.
Start with your powdered sugar and add almond milk in very small amounts. It’s much easier to thin a glaze than to fix one you’ve accidentally made too watery.
Let the Donuts Cool Before Glazing
Don’t dip warm donuts into the glaze. The heat can melt the glaze and cause it to disappear into or run straight off the donuts.
Let them cool completely first.
Double-Glaze Them
If you have glaze left after the first dip, don’t waste it.
Let that first coating set for a few minutes and then drizzle the remaining glaze over the tops. You get a prettier finish and, more importantly, more glaze.
Notes
This recipe makes 6 standard baked donuts.
Use pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie purée or pumpkin pie filling.
Oat flour can replace the almond flour. If you’re strictly gluten-free, verify that the oat flour you’re using meets your dietary needs.
Regular all-purpose flour can replace the gluten-free 1-to-1 flour if gluten isn’t an issue.
Another milk can be substituted for the almond milk.
The glaze is completely optional.
Glaze consistency is adjustable. Add additional powdered sugar for a thicker glaze or a tiny amount of additional almond milk to thin it.
Allow the donuts to cool completely before glazing.
Sprinkles can obviously be changed depending on the season. Halloween sprinkles are what I used for this batch.
Store leftover donuts covered once the glaze has set.
Please check ingredient labels carefully. While all of my recipes are designed to be gluten-free, not every product I use is certified gluten-free. Always verify ingredient labels to ensure they meet your dietary needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these donuts baked or fried?
They’re baked.
The batter goes directly into a donut pan and bakes at 350°F, so there’s no frying or hot oil involved.
What’s the difference between pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie filling?
Pure pumpkin purée is essentially just pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling or pumpkin pie purée is typically already sweetened and seasoned.
For this recipe, use pure pumpkin purée so you control the sweetness and spices yourself.
Can I use regular flour?
Yes. I make mine gluten-free with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, but regular all-purpose flour works if gluten isn’t an issue.
Can I replace the almond flour?
Yes. Oat flour is my preferred alternative.
If you’re making the recipe gluten-free, make sure your oat flour is appropriate for your dietary needs.
Can I use another milk?
Absolutely. Almond milk is simply what I use. Another dairy-free milk or regular milk should work.
Do I need a piping bag?
No.
A piping bag can make filling the donut cavities very neat, but I spoon the batter directly into mine and it works perfectly well.
How do I know when the donuts are done?
They should look set rather than wet on top and should spring back slightly when gently touched, but be careful.
Because they only need about 10–12 minutes, start checking them toward the lower end of that range.
Do I have to glaze the donuts?
No. The glaze is completely optional.
You could eat the pumpkin donuts plain or even give them a light dusting of powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar instead.
Why is my glaze too thin?
You probably added a little too much liquid.
Add more powdered sugar until it thickens back to the consistency you want. When making the glaze initially, add almond milk in very small amounts because powdered-sugar glaze thins quickly.
Why is my glaze too thick?
Add another tiny splash of almond milk and stir.
Go slowly. It takes surprisingly little liquid to change the consistency.
Can I glaze the donuts while they’re warm?
I wouldn’t. Warm donuts can cause the glaze to melt and run off rather than creating that nice coating.
Let the donuts cool completely first.
Can I make these without Halloween sprinkles?
Of course. The sprinkles are just decoration.
Leave them plain, use fall sprinkles, cinnamon sugar, chopped nuts, or change the sprinkles for whatever holiday or occasion you’re making them for.