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These Gluten-Free Apple Cider Donut Holes are the perfect fall treat made in just one bowl. They’re grain-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free.
Easy Gluten Free Apple Cider Donut Recipe
‘Tis the season for apple cider donuts! For many, it’s a fall right of passage to go apple picking. For me, it’s a fall right of passage to be baking up a batch of these Gluten-Free Apple Cider Donut Holes.
This gluten-free donut recipe is so easy to make. Simply whisk the batter together in one bowl, then bake the donut holes up in the oven. Once they come out of the oven, give them a quick dip in butter or coconut oil and a mixture of coconut sugar and cinnamon, then dig in.
Why is it Called an Apple Cider Donut?
Because it’s infused with actual apple cider! The apple cider adds tons of moisture and gives the donut holes a deliciously sweet, apple-y flavor.
Ingredients Needed:
This donut holes recipe is made with super simple ingredients, and just the right amount of apple cider flavor!
- Apple Cider: fresh apple cider adds moisture and gives the gluten free donut dough the best fall flavor.
- Eggs: bind the dough together so the apple cider donuts can hold their shape.
- Sweetener: either maple syrup or honey are great natural sweeteners.
- Vanilla Extract: adds flavor depth and an extra touch of sweetness.
- Flour: we’re keeping this apple cider donut recipe gluten-free with a combination of almond flour and coconut flour.
- Spices: a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt enhances the flavor of the apple cider perfectly.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: keeps the texture light and fluffy.
- Sugar Coating: we’re coating the outside of the finished donut holes with coconut oil or butter, coconut palm sugar, and cinnamon.
How to Make Gluten-Free Donut Holes
This gluten-free donut recipe takes just 10 minutes to prep!
- Make the batter: In a bowl, mix together cider, eggs, sweetener, and vanilla. Mix to combine, then add flours, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk until fully combined.
- Portion it out: Portion the batter out into a greased donut hole pan. Use a tablespoon of batter for each hole.
- Bake: Bake the donuts at 350ºF until a toothpick comes out clean, then cool them on a baking rack for 10 minutes.
- Dip and serve: Dip the donut holes into the melted oil or butter, then dip them into a mix of cinnamon and sugar.
What if I Don’t Have a Donut Pan?
You can make these in a mini donut hole pan like we did, or in a regular donut pan. Once they’ve come out of the oven they get a quick dip in butter or coconut oil and a mixture of coconut sugar and cinnamon. They’re free from refined sugars, dairy-free and SO GOOD.
No donut pan? No problem at all! Feel free to bake the batter in a regular donut pan. It will make 6 donuts.
Another option is to turn them into apple cider mini muffins. Line a mini muffin tin with parchment or silicone liners, then bake them. Once they’re cooked, coat the top in the butter, cinnamon, and sugar mixture.
Tips and Notes
- Grease the pan. Lightly grease the pan before you add the donut hole batter. This makes it so much easier to remove the apple cider donuts when they’re done baking.
- Don’t swap the flours. This recipe is the perfect ratio of almond flour and coconut flour to wet ingredients. Coconut flour in particular is way more absorbent than other types of flours. So, leave the flours and measurements as-is. Switching anything around will mess with the texture of your gluten-free donut batter.
- Measure the flour correctly. To make sure you’re getting just the right amount of flour, I recommend weighing it. This will be the most accurate. Alternatively, spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off gently with your finger to prevent it from getting too packed in.
- Check for doneness. To make sure the donuts are done, insert a toothpick into the center of one of the donut holes. If it comes out clean, they’re good to go.
How to Store
These gluten-free donut holes are best right away, but leftovers will last in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day.
More Apple Recipes You’ll Love
- Apple Cider Sangria
- Gluten-Free Apple Muffins
- Apple Hand Pies
- Gluten-Free Apple Pie
- Gluten-Free Apple Galette
Watch The Video
Gluten Free Apple Cider Donut Holes
Ingredients
For Donuts:
- 1/3 cup fresh apple cider
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup 96g almond flour
- 2 tablespoon 14g coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- Pinch salt
For Sugar Coating:
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil or grass fed butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease a donut hole pan (or donut pan).
- Make the donut batter: Add cider, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla to a medium bowl and whisk together to combine. To the bowl, add the almond flour, coconut flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Whisk until the batter is fully combine with no lumps.
- Drop a tablespoon of batter into each hole (or if using a donut pan divide the batter to make 6 donuts).
- Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the donuts from the pan and let them cool for 10 minutes on a baking rack.
- Meanwhile place melted butter (or coconut oil) in a shallow bowl. Place coconut sugar and cinnamon in another shallow bowl and mix well.
- Dip donut holes into butter followed by dipping them into the cinnamon sugar.
- Serve immediately or keep covered for up to 1 day at room temperature.
These are AMAZING. Even my non paleo friends and family members love them!! I do not have a donut pan so I’ve only made them as muffins. I bake them a little longer than called for and they are perfect. Thanks for the recipe!!
So happy you loved!
Has anyone tried to make these nut free? If so, what did you use & how did they turn out? Thanks!
Just stumbled onto your website. Love donuts, but do not cook fried foods. So I would like to try your recipe. Can I use regular flour to make these donuts?
Hi Rhonda–We haven’t tested all purpose flour with this recipe, and can’t advise if it would work or not. But typically all purpose flour does not work as a 1-1 swap with the gluten free flours we use here. Sorry I can’t help! -Kelli
Did you make the Apple cider or is it something I can buy at the store? (Never made it or bought it before) . These look amazing – can’t wait to make them!!
Buy it at the store! Every grocery store should have it!
I’m allergic to tree nuts. Do you have any suggestions for subbing out almond flour?
We haven’t tested it, but you can try oat flour. We can’t make any promises as we haven’t personally tried that during testing.
Is the batter too fragile for whole donuts?
Nope!!
made these in a mini muffin pan and def think i need to upgrade to a donut hole pan. they were completely muffin consistency, still tasted good!
These are AWESOME! Thank you!
These sound amazing!! Think they will work in a mini muffin pan??
Can I use almond flour in instead of almond meal in your recipes. Or only when you say both? What about an all-purpose gluten free flour? (like better batters?)
I am soooo glad I stumbled onto you! I have tried a few recipes and I LOVE them! You are so talented. Thank you for this!
Yes! So glad you found me 🙂
Why not try 1/4 teaspoon vinager in place of Bahing powder?
Can I omit the baking powder?
I wouldn’t recommend that!
How bad do you think it will be? My son is following the GAPS diet and baking powder is a no-no..
Could I use cream of tarter you think??
Nevermind.. he can’t have cream of tarter either.. 🙁
Great fall recipe! The key is definitely the dipping in the coconut sugar – yummy! BTW, I did use a cake pop pan and it turned out great. They are tasty little treats! Definitely a keeper. Thanks Lexi.
I’m so glad you liked them Samantha! Thanks for sharing 🙂 I’m happy the cake pop pan worked great!
I’ve always said that donuts are the way to my heart – I just love them! So excited to see a clean recipe for them – thanks for sharing!
Totally agree Laura! {Clean} donut obsessed!
No matter what you call them these look great! I will definitely need to try these out!
Thank you Sarah! You’ll love them! 🙂
These look wonderful! I just started making baked doughnuts using oat flour, so I’ll have to give these a try!
By the way, I just stumbled upon your blog and I love all of your recipes! I’m your newest follower!
Thank you Melissa!! Love making donuts! 🙂
These could be super dangerous for me… and I can’t wait to try them! Fall is wonderful, isn’t it?
Oh wow these look delicious! I’m still in a pumpkin daze….I love fall just for the pumpkin recipes! These look fantastic…I bet you could even bake them in a muffin tin to make them muffins if you wanted.
Lexi, I love your recipes. No wonder, they are simple and clean.:) Pinned.
Thank you so much, Olena!
Would it be okay to use a cake pop tray and where can you find apple pie spice, I couldn’t find it at whole foods last time I looked..? Thanks!
I think the cake pop would be fine! Any grocery store should have it! It’s a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, ginger, and optional- cardamom.