Hi friends,
I hope you’re all doing well during this time of uncertainty going on in the world. I see many of you getting into the kitchen more and I love that! That’s why I am so excited to finally be sharing my Vegan AND Gluten-free doughnut recipe!! I got my silicon doughnut pans over 6 months ago and it literally only took a global pandemic for me to begin experimenting with them – crazy right? Don’t be like me ;). I got this 3 pack from Amazon and I highly recommend them! Silicon pans are SO easy to use and have way less mess than traditional metal pans. Having your baking stick is the absolute worst…

For these doughnuts, make sure you wait for them to cool and then flip onto a cooling rack. Also remember to put the silicon mold on top of a metal baking sheet before putting the batter in otherwise it will flop around on you as it’s quite soft and bendable. (Read: create a huge mess)

Another reason I’m super excited to share the recipe is that it took me many many tries and lots of doughnuts have been eaten in my home lately. Funnily enough the first time I *almost* nailed the recipe but the perfectionist in me wanted them to be a bit bigger in size while keeping the doughnuts vegan and gluten-free and that just set off rounds of trials to make sure the texture was perfect. The key is to make sure your batter is nice and thick without being too dry or too runny. If it is too dry, try adding a bit more almond butter. If it’s too runny, add more coconut flour. Unfortunately different brands do create differences in texture because of how much liquid coconut flour can absorb. For reference, I used this coconut flour and this tapioca starch. I love that they are both organic and available at a reasonable price!

The recipe makes 6 doughnuts, which is the perfect amount for me because we can finish them in 1 week without having to freeze any and also I am not sick of them by the time I’m done! Sometimes recipes make so much dessert that I’m eating it for weeks. Not that I mind eating that many doughnuts but let’s switch up the flavour combo am I right?

The icing is a mixture of icing sugar, vanilla extract, almond milk and vegan butter. I used the brand Earth Balance (the one in the red box so it is soy-free). If you’re not concerned about keeping it vegan, you can always substitute regular milk and butter too!

These vegan and gluten-free coconut doughnuts were a big hit with my family so I can’t wait for you to dive in too! Please tag me on socials @balancingandie when you try the recipe. I love seeing all your creations. It just makes my day.

Notes
- For the icing, I use the red box by Earth Balance for my vegan butter but feel free to substitute regular butter.
- The brands for coconut flour & tapioca starch are linked in the blog post as I do find different flours absorb liquid differently. Did you know 1/3 of coconut flour is equivalent to 1 cup of flour? Coconut flour is very dry so don't be alarmed that it absorbs all the liquid! The mixture should be thick.
- For the almond butter, make sure it is thick! So if you have a new jar, make sure to give it a good stir. If you'd like you can also swap out the almond butter for a nut butter of your choosing.
Ingredients
Doughnuts:
- 3 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 3 tbsp creamy almond butter (thick - not runny)
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca starch
Icing:
- 2 tbsp vegan butter (softened)
- 1/4 cup icing sugar (sifted)
- 1 tsp almond milk (room temperature)
- 1/4 cup desiccated unsweetened coconut (optional)
- 1-2 tbsp sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Place silicon doughnut mold on top of baking sheet (to support the mold) or if using metal doughnut pan, grease and set aside.
- In a large bowl, melt coconut oil and stir in remaining ingredients in order listed.
- Evenly divide batter into mold and smooth down top using your fingers.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until the doughnut is firm to touch on top or an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes.
- Once doughnuts are cooled, flip onto cooling rack to cool completely. Alternatively, refrigerate to speed up cooling time.
- In the meantime, whisk icing ingredients with beaters or hand whisk except for coconut flakes or sprinkles (if using) until well combined and no lumps are present.
- When the doughnuts are completely cool, divide icing on each doughnut, sprinkle with coconut and sprinkles if using and enjoy! Store any excess in refrigerator for up to 4 days.
