Gluten-Free Pumpkin Donuts with Cream Cheese Glaze
Published Nov 02, 2022 Updated Jul 11, 2023
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What Makes This Recipe Great
Pumpkin season is all about delicious baked goods, spiced lattes, and tasty treats. But sometimes it can feel like a sugar overload. Enter, the ultimate gluten free donuts!
This recipe features an easy batter made with pumpkin puree and warm seasonal spices. Instead of deep frying, these pumpkin donuts are baked to perfection and topped with a yummy cream cheese glaze.
Low-carb, gluten-free, and dairy-free, these donuts are as delicious as the classic without all the carbs!
Ingredient Notes
Gluten-Free Donuts
Almond Flour: This is a great low-carb, high-protein flour that is also gluten-free.
Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can find this in the spice aisle. If you don’t have it on hand, you can also make your own by mixing together 3 tbsp cinnamon, 2 tsp ground ginger, 2 tsp nutmeg, 1.5 tsp allspice, and 1.5 tsp ground cloves. Then, use 2 tbsp for this recipe. Store the rest for later use!
Monk Fruit: This is an all-natural 1:1 granulated sugar substitute. It has zero carbs and zero calories and doesn’t have a bad aftertaste.
Pumpkin Puree: Use a can of unsweetened pumpkin puree. Make sure you don’t grab the pumpkin pie filling!
Coconut Oil: Greek Yogurt is a great substitute for coconut oil if you want these gluten-free donuts to be oil free.
Almond Milk: You can also use regular milk if you prefer. Other plant-based milk should work as well.
Cinnamon Sugar Garnish: Mix together monk fruit granulated sugar and cinnamon for garnish.
Dairy-Free Cream Cheese Frosting
Dairy-Free Cream Cheese: I like the Kite Hill brand. You can also find dairy-free cream cheese at Trader Joe’s, Aldi, Sprouts, and other local grocery stores.
Powdered Swerve: This is a 1:1 replacement for powdered sugar. It has zero carbs and zero calories.
Vegan Butter: Miyokos and Earth Balance make excellent vegan butter options. You can also use regular butter if you prefer. Make sure it is room temperature.
Recipe Step by Step
Gluten-Free Donuts
- Add all of the dry ingredients to a bowl and mix. Add all of the wet ingredients to a separate bowl and mix.
- Use an electric mixer on medium/high speed to completely combine the batter. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times while mixing.
- Grease a 6-hole donut pan and spray with cooking spray.
- Pour or pipe the batter evenly into the six molds. Bake 15-17 minutes until golden brown or a toothpick comes out clean. Make sure not to overbake.
- Remove the donuts and allow them to cool in the pan for 3-4 minutes then transfer them to a cooling rack.
- Once cooled to room temperature, use a spoon to glaze each donut.
- Top each donut with icing and enjoy!
Cream Cheese Glaze
- Place the ingredients into a mixing bowl and whip using a handheld mixer.
- Mix for 40 seconds or until combined and smooth.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container for a week.
Mac’s Pro Tips
Consistency: For the cream cheese glaze, add a little more or less powdered swerve to get the consistency you like. By adding more you will get a thicker consistency.
Sugar Swaps: Feel free to substitute coconut sugar for Monk Fruit sugar for Paleo.
Dairy: If you are not dairy-free, feel free to use regular cream cheese, butter, and milk.
Recipe FAQs
Each donut contains a little under 8 net carbs, making these low-carb and keto friendly!
When a toothpick comes out clean, they are done. Make sure not to overbake!
Yes! If you’d prefer no glaze, just sprinkle them with the cinnamon sugar garnish and serve!
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Gluten Free Pumpkin Donuts with Cream Cheese Glaze
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
Wet Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup granulated monk fruit
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or Greek Yogurt can also sub apple sauce or DF coconut yogurt
- 1 tablespoon almond milk
Coating:
- Extra Granulated Monk Fruit and 1 tsp Cinnamon for coating
Dairy-Free Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 oz dairy-free cream cheese I use Kite Hill
- 1 1/4 cup Powdered Swerve*
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter room temp
- 2 tablespoons almond milk unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Gluten-Free Donuts
- Pre-heat oven 350F
- Add all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix. Add all of the wet ingredients to a separate bowl and mix.Â
- Use an electric mixer on medium/high speed to completely combine the batter. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times while mixing.
- Grease 2 6-hole donut pans and spray with cooking spray. This makes 8 donuts so you will need two pans or a 12 pan mold.Â
- Pour or pipe the batter evenly into the six molds. Bake 15-17 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Make sure not to overbake.
- Remove the donuts and allow them to cool in the pan 3-4 minutes then transfer them to a cooling rack. The tops will be flatter, while the bottoms will come out like a puffy donut. I always ice the bottoms so it looks more like a real donut.Â
- Once cool, use a spoon or a piping bag to glaze each donut.Â
- Top each donut with icing and enjoy!
Cream Cheese Glaze
- Place the ingredients into a mixing bowl and whip using a handheld mixer.
- Mix for 40 seconds or until combined and smooth.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container for a week.
Video
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These are perfect with a cup of coffee in the fall! It’s my go-to fall donut recipe