Easy Baked Chocolate Donuts (Vegan + GF)

GFVGVDFNS
Jump to Recipe
Stack of our healthy & easy to make Baked Chocolate Donuts

Did you know there’s been a donut pan saga in our home?

I’ve been contemplating making baked donuts for the blog since the very beginning, but I always had a hard time justifying a donut pan when my recipes require just standard, minimal equipment. I don’t even own a stand mixer! Yes, I take this minimalist stuff seriously.

Fast forward nearly 5 years and practically everyone has a donut pan – except me. I’ve watched as other bloggers put out the most fabulous-looking baked donut recipes, and all the while, I – a longtime donut lover – have sat idly by, thinking they weren’t for me.

Enough! I recently realized that it would be worth it if I put it to good use. Besides, what if I created a donut that was not only simple to make, but also undetectably vegan and gluten-free? Clearly, I bought the donut pan and haven’t looked back since. Friends, let’s make DONUTS (finally)!

Stirring aquafaba into our gluten-free vegan Chocolate Donut batter

This recipe is simple, requiring basic ingredients and 30 minutes to prepare! And they’re naturally sweetened and (vegan) butter-free!

The base is adapted from my 1- Bowl Vegan GF Chocolate Hazelnut Cake (hubba), only in place of the flax egg, I tested out aquafaba! No surprise – it totally worked. However, I also included some workarounds in the notes if you don’t have (or are afraid of) aquafaba.

While your donuts bake, why not make an optional (but highly recommended) naturally-sweetened coconut oil glaze? That’s what I said! Doooo it! Doooo it!

Cooling rack with freshly baked gluten free vegan Chocolate Donuts

I hope you all LOVE these donuts! They’re:

Fluffy
Chocolaty
Perfectly sweet
Quick to make
& Undetectably Vegan + GF

These donuts would make the perfect lazy weekend breakfast treat or healthier dessert! The optional glaze kind of seals the deal, in my opinion. Plus, it allows for fun toppings like cacao nibs, coconut flakes, and sprinkles!

If you try this recipe, let us know how it goes by leaving a comment, rating it, and tagging a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!

Glazed chocolate donuts topped with sprinkles, cacao nibs, or shredded coconut for a vegan gluten-free dessert

30-Minute Chocolate Donuts (Vegan / GF)

Fluffy, baked chocolate cake donuts made in 30 minutes! Gluten-free, perfectly sweet, and topped with a simple coconut oil glaze!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Stack of four homemade Baked Chocolate Donuts dripping with glaze
4.78 from 66 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 12 (donuts)
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 3 Days

Ingredients

DONUTS

  • 1/4 cup aquafaba* (the liquid in a can of chickpeas)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened plain almond milk (warmed in the microwave or on stovetop)
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup organic cane sugar or coconut sugar (donuts are fluffier with cane sugar)
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup or agave nectar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (or other hearty fruit puree, such as beets)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (plus 1 extra Tbsp as original recipe is written // if clumpy, sift)
  • 3/4 cup almond flour*
  • 1 cup gluten-free flour blend* (plus 2 extra Tbsp as original recipe is written)

GLAZE optional

  • 3 Tbsp coconut oil (melted)
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 5 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (if clumpy, sift)
  • 1 pinch sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and lightly grease two donut pans*.
  • To a small mixing bowl, add aquafaba and use a mixer (or whisk) to vigorously blend until soft peaks form – about 1-2 minutes. Set aside. (If yours doesn’t quite whip up into soft peaks, it’s OK. Just get them as fluffy as possible! A sprinkle of cream of tartar helps them firm up.)
  • Warm almond milk in the microwave. This way, it doesn’t harden the coconut oil. Set aside.
  • To a large mixing bowl, add the melted coconut oil. Then add the coconut sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and sea salt and whisk vigorously to combine – about 45 seconds. Then add applesauce and warmed almond milk and whisk once more to combine.
  • Add baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder (sifted if clumpy), almond flour, and gluten-free flour and whisk to combine.
  • Lastly, add the whipped aquafaba and gently stir/whisk in, trying to be as gentle as possible. If the batter appears too thin at this point, add 1 Tbsp each almond flour or gluten-free flour at a time until it thickens up. It should be semi-thick and more scoopable than pourable.
  • Divide batter evenly between donut tins, filling all the way full. There should be 11-12 donuts (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top appears dry and fluffy. Time will vary if you sub ingredients.
  • In the meantime, make glaze (optional). To a small mixing bowl, add melted coconut oil, maple syrup, sifted cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine. You should have a slightly thick glaze. If too thick, thin with a little maple syrup or more coconut oil. If too thin, add cocoa powder.
  • Taste and adjust sweetness if needed by adding more maple syrup. Set aside. Prepare any other toppings, such as coconut flakes, cacao nibs, or sprinkles, at this time.
  • Remove donuts from oven and let cool for 1-2 minutes. Then grab the tins with a towel and tap on the counter 2 times to loosen. Then gently invert onto a cooling rack. Let cool for 5 minutes (the longer they cool, the more they’ll firm up).
  • Dip in glaze. Then top with desired toppings, such as sprinkles, coconut flakes, or cacao nibs!
  • Best when fresh. Store cooled leftovers covered at room temperature up to 3 days or in the freezer up to 1 month (best if stored unglazed).

Notes

*Aquafaba is the “egg” in this recipe. Alternatively, you can try subbing 1 1/2 flax eggs (or 1 small egg if not vegan // amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
*I’ve been preferring almond flour over almond meal because it yields a lighter, fluffier (less dense) baked good. But you can try subbing almond meal. Or, if you have a nut allergy, try subbing a 1/2 +1/2 mix of GF flour and oat flour.
*If not gluten-free, sub the GF blend for all-purpose flour. I haven’t tested it this way and can’t guarantee the results.
*If you don’t have donut pans, you can try baking these in a standard muffin tin! Fill slightly more than 1/2 full and bake for about the same amount of time or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
*Recipe adapted from my Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without the glaze.

Nutrition (1 of 12 servings)

Serving: 1 donuts Calories: 214 Carbohydrates: 27 g Protein: 4.2 g Fat: 5.3 g Saturated Fat: 5.3 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 50 mg Fiber: 3.8 g Sugar: 9.1 g

Did You Make This Recipe?

Tag @minimalistbaker on Instagram and hashtag it #minimalistbaker so we can see all the deliciousness!

If you love this recipe...

Get Our Fan Favorites eBook Here!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment & Rating!

Have a question? Use ctrl+f or ⌘+f on your computer or the "find on page" function on your phone browser to search existing comments! Need help? Check out this tutorial!

My Rating:




  1. Abbey says

    We made these in a muffin tin first to see if we liked them enough to buy a donut pan, and we loved them! We subbed lard for coconut oil, gf flour + oat flour for the almond flour, and water for milk. Haven’t tried the glaze yet but we are excited – thank you for a recipe my family can enjoy together!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! We’re so glad you and your family loved them, Abbey. Thank you for sharing! xo

  2. Diane says

    I used an egg and organic beehive flour in place of the gluten free.

    These came out great!!!

    It took me longer than 30 minutes lol but that’s just me!

  3. Kymberly says

    Stupid delicious!
    I used half cup oat and half cup coconut flour for the one cup gluten free flour. I put in silicone donut hole molds for 14 minutes at 375

  4. Atara Dahan says

    1. Are these fluffy? And taste/feel like regular donuts?
    2. How would I adjust the recipe to make them vanilla donuts? Just leave out cocoa powder and add vanilla?
    3. If I make them in a silicone muffin tray, would I still need to oil it or they won’t stick to silicone?
    4. Are these good for filling?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Atara, these donuts are quite fluffy and taste like a traditional cake donut. We wouldn’t suggest making them into vanilla donuts because cocoa powder is very helpful for the right texture. We would suggest oiling whatever tray you use just in case, and we don’t think these would be good for filling. We do also have apple cider donuts if you’re interested!

  5. Yael says

    Dear Danna
    I made these chocolate bagels and like all your artisan recipes, it’s amazing good.
    Thank you so much. You’re an incredible artist.
    Yael

  6. Sheila says

    Best GF baked donut recipe — ever!!! I have tried others that all turned out floppy and lacking substance and flavor. These were perfect and chewy and fudgy and substantial. The aquafaba made them amazing!! Next time I will incorporate some chopped nuts into the mix and maybe some chocolate chips or dried fruit. I kept them plain but will try glazing them. I got 6 hefty donuts since I have only the one pan. Plus from the left over batter, I made 3 small heart shaped cupcakes using a special old 12-heart red Wilton pan. Your recipe instructions made it foolproof. I am in awe of your directions. Thanks so much!

  7. vivian ledtra says

    these were not fluffy. i whipped the aquafaba to the max. followed the recipe to the t. didn’t omit or sub a single ingredient. donuts turned out dense and raw even though I baked them for 15 extra minutes after seeing that at the 20 min mark they were still gloop. they were also weirdly bitter. have been baking for 60 years and i decided to try a healthy recipe for my teenage granddaughter who is into healthy eating – not appreciated by either of us. sorry. maybe I use the wrong brands of things? giving them 2 stars because at least they were very easy to make. sorry.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Vivian, we’re so sorry to hear that was your experience! What brand of GF blend did you use? Is it possible you were using a product that had a bean flour in it? That could definitely make it bitter and unpleasant!

  8. Christine says

    Hi Gal! Love all your blogs recipe, I’m just wondering if I can replace the aquafaba with egg for the non vegan recipe? Thanks so much xx

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much, Christine! We haven’t tried an egg in this one, but it should work. Egg whites would whip more similarly to aquafaba and would be our recommendation. Let us know if you try it!

  9. Avalonn Wilson says

    I received your email about the carob topped donuts. I didn’t really think they would have been that hard to find when I use to buy them at that health food store. But I did notice when I went to several other health food stores, they didn’t have them.
    That person at that health food store retired years ago and shut their store up.
    But they looked just like that picture of stacked up donuts you have on this website. The only difference is you have them topped with chocolate and that was carob on the ones that I use to buy. I’ve seen them on 2 other websites but they make them for dogs. I don’t get it. If they can make them for dogs then how come I can’t get them for people. I would be willing to pay somebody to make them for me so can you make them? Or know of anybody who can?
    Thank you.

  10. Avalonn Wilson says

    Hi, I’m a songwriter, musician, vocalist and body builder. I’ve been looking for carob topped donuts. I use to buy them they several years back at a health food store that I use to shop at. I haven’t contacted them in a long time so when I looked them up not long ago, I saw they were no longer in business. Everything I’ve been finding about carob donuts so far has been all for dogs, but I use to buy them for myself. I would like to find out where I could either buy or have some made.
    Thank you.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi, we haven’t seen or tried carob donuts, but you could possibly replace the cocoa powder in these for carob powder? Let us know if you try it!

  11. Jocelyn says

    I used the metric measurements for this recipe and I think there might be an error… 3/4 cup almond flour is roughly 90 grams and 1 cup gf flour is roughly 120 grams. I dumped in the amounts written on the recipe and the batter became a dry dough. I was soooo sad; I had high hopes for this recipe. I added water until it got to a better consistency and piped it in my donut pan. They ACTUALLY WORKED! They are dense but moist and super delicious. I’m very excited to try these again with the adjusted amounts of flour. A recipe that can recover this well from that tragedy is a keeper!
    Other notes: I got 15 donuts out of this recipe. made them with beet purée and frosted them with a vegan “cream cheese” frosting for a bit of a red velvet vibe. So good!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! Thanks for the kind review and for sharing your experience, Jocelyn! We’re so glad they ended up working out and we will double-check our metric measurements. xo

  12. Anna says

    I finally made these today after making the apple donuts several months ago. I used cacao because I didn’t have cocoa. These were rich and delicious. No issues with the glaze. Keep the donut recipes coming—gotta get more use out of my donut pans. ;) Perhaps a savory donut? Anything you do will be delicious no doubt.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Anna! We’ll add more donuts to our recipe requests list =) Thanks for sharing!

  13. Nathan Barnes says

    These tasted great! Probably the best cake donut I’ve tried. I modified the frosting a bit though for more of a butter cream style, but keeping the syrup — one stick coconut oil butter, about a 1/2 cup of almond flour, tbsp of syrup, (monkfruit sweetener) and salt, and some lecithin to keep it together to save. It stayed frosting-like but also more glaze-like because of the syrup. The maple flavor works awesome with buttercream frosting in a way I haven’t thought of before..

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoyed these, Nathan. Thanks so much for the lovely review and sharing your modifications!

  14. Zen says

    These are just chocolate cake shaped like a donut. Not even a very good chocolate cake. I also had trouble getting the glaze to set up properly.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Zen, sorry to hear these didn’t turn out as expected. Baked donuts do have more of a cake texture. For the glaze, it sounds like it may have needed more coconut oil. Better luck with the next one!

  15. Jill says

    Excited to try these donuts, however I only have cacao powder on hand. I’ve tried subbing it for cocoa powder without much luck (not sure what the problem is). Would appreciate any tips you may have. Thanks in advance!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jill, what issues did you have when subbing cacao? If it was more bitter, you can increase the sugar a bit to compensate.

  16. Vanessa says

    These were fantastic!!!! One of the best things Ive ever made, thank you! The texture was so perfect. Can I use the same recipe but take out the cocoa to give it a neutral/vanilla flavor, so I can make strawberry, blueberry, cinnamon or caramel donuts? how would I do that?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Vanessa, we haven’t tried those flavor variations, but we do think it would work with some experimentation. Maybe use a fusion of this and our apple cider donuts for inspiration?

  17. Brett Crasco says

    I have a lot of bookmarked websites part of Blogspot that I check daily for updates, but it is so annoying to click through a list. If I make an account is there some sort of feature where I can see new posts on the websites? (Sort of like Subscriptions on Xanga)?.

  18. andrea says

    These are very yummy!! I totally failed with the frosting tho. :( Not sure what went wrong. It was thick and chunky and no matter what I tried-more oil, syrup, powder- the texture was nothing frosting like.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      It sounds like you didn’t sift the cocoa powder and it was clumpy? Or your oil was expired and would no longer melt?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We haven’t tried that, but it should work. Egg whites would whip more similarly to aquafaba and would be our recommendation. Let us know if you try it!

  19. Sophie says

    These were fantastic! Took me closer to an hour start to finish. Definitely worth it! I topped them with freeze dried strawberries, coconut, and cacao nibs. Will make again, thank you!

  20. Kb says

    Hi. Can I use purely cassava flour as substitute for the GF blend you made? What will be the effect? It’s hard to find the other flours where I live. Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We haven’t tried that sub so we’re not sure. Cassava tends to sub pretty well in GF baking though, so it might work! Let us know how it goes!

      • Kb says

        Hi! :)

        I substituted the GF blend with just cassava flour and it became more of a brownie texture. It wasn’t fluffy. :(

        If I sub the GF with Bob Red Mill Gluten Free Baking Flour (blue one) do you think that will do the trick to making it fluffier and have the light donut texture? Thank you!

        • Delia says

          Cassava flour is usually much more gummy/chewy in my experience. For subbing with reg flour in baking it usually has to be mixed with another type of flour (like oat or rice) to be more neutralized.

        • Kate U. says

          I had planned to use Bob’s Red Mill GF blend (blue bag), but forgot that I’d run out. I ended up using 3 parts quinoa flour to 1 part cassava flour and it had a pretty good texture. I don’t use cassava flour for more than 1/4 of the total flour called for in a recipe for texture purposes, but I tend to use it in combination with flours that have a very strong flavor (such as quinoa or buckwheat) to help tone it down a bit. I hope that helps.

  21. Amanda says

    Hello! This recipe is AMAZING! I subbed regular wheat flour for both so I did 1 3/4 cup flour. I had to add more almond milk before I put them in the tins. I cooked them for 13 minutes and they came out perfectly following the rest of the recipe exactly

  22. Chelsea Price says

    These were a delight. Our family was having store bought doughnuts, but our 4 year old cannot eat gluten, dairy, egg or soy. I was thankful to find a doughnut recipe to accommodate him, and I chose this recipe in particular because I’ve enjoyed many Minimalist Baker recipes In the past. It’s nice to have such a trustworthy resource. This one did not disappoint. They were so light and fluffy! Such a pleasing texture and a wonderful flavor. I will definitely be using it again (and again!). I did make two changes- I substituted pumpkin purée for the applesauce, and I used half finely ground oat flour with the gluten free flour (because I ran out of gf flour). I don’t think these improved or hindered the recipe- I‘m sure it is perfect as written. In fact, my other kids smelled these coming out of the oven and ‘needed’ to try them too. They taste tested (without the glaze!) and even so agreed that these were better than the store bought ones! Victory for allergen free cooking! Thank you!

  23. Matcha Mike says

    Love this recipe! Do you have any recommendation if I wanted to make these “regular” without the cocoa powder? How would I go another adjusting the recipe?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We haven’t tried it, but maybe replacing the cocoa powder with additional flour? Let us know if you do some experimenting!

  24. Marisol says

    Hi. I used to make your chocolate peppermint vegan donut and can’t find it at all ?☹️

    Can you send it to me or repost it ? I would
    Greatly appreciate it.
    Thank you ?
    Marisol
    ?

  25. Kayla says

    Hello! My parents are oil free and I would love for them to try these donuts. Is there anything I can use to replace the oil? Thanks for your help!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Kayla, we haven’t tried it, but perhaps try subbing applesauce? Let us know if you try it!

  26. Courtney says

    I followed the recipe as written, except I halved it. It came out amazing! The husband and two little kids loved it. Next time I might try something different with the glaze; I couldn’t quite get it to a “glaze” consistency but I think it was something i did. It was a little thick but still delicious!

  27. Leah Piehl says

    What could be used instead of applesauce? I don’t have any – could i use banana? Can’t think of a hearty fruit I have on hand. Thanks! Can’t wait to make these with my kids – tomorrow!

  28. Sharon Friedman says

    Great recipe! I used regular flour instead of the gf substitute and it turned out great with no issues. This is the 2nd time I’ve made them and both batches turned out great. Only issue I’ve had is with the glaze. Instead of the glaze recipe, I just whisk powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and a tiny bit of almond milk. I couldn’t get the glaze recipe to work for me and this other way was a little easier for me. Thanks for sharing a great recipe!!

  29. Pip says

    I halved the batch (used one flax egg) and had to sub in regular granulated sugar (self-isolation, y’know, using what I had on hand!)
    My glaze was way too think and chunky, so I added more oil and a touch more syrup — then finally twigged that our kitchen is cold so the coconut oil was solidifying too quickly — a quick zap in the microwave solved the problem (though next time I might pre heat the bowl first)
    Mr 3 thought I was playing a trick on him when I said he could have a donut for breakfast (alongside some fruit) – he LOVED it. Will 100% be making these again!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks for sharing your experience, Pip! So glad you were able to modify and troubleshoot! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  30. Linnaea says

    What do you do when there’s a pandemic and you have a craving for vegan donuts? You make this recipe and you are in heaven!

  31. Brianna Parreira says

    Just made! Followed everything – except I used flax egg instead of chickpea juice – turned out AMAZING. Cut the cooking time to 13 mins total, as the tops were getting crisp. The glaze is delicious, thinned it out with a little bit more maple syrup, topped with cocoa nibs. Not vegan and I don’t have a gluten allergy but 10/10 would recommend!

  32. Jennifer S says

    Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! We have gluten and dairy intolerances plus an egg allergy (and a few nut allergies). Do you think grapeseed oil would work in place of the coconut oil in this recipe?

  33. Karen says

    I made this recipe exactly as direct the 1st time and they turn out amazing and delicious my family loved them.
    2nd time I made them, I decided to try adding 1 serving of chocolate protein then fill the rest of the 3/4 cup with cacao.
    Change the 3/4 cup almond flour to 3/4 cup oatmeal flour
    Change 1 cup all purposes vegan flour to 1 cup of quinoa flour
    Honestly, both recipes turn out amazing. Thank you!!
    Question?
    I’m not too sure how to calculate the nutrition for serving as I change the flours. I don’t count calories but I wonder if it is too much protein or too much carbs for one donut. Is this something should I be concern.

    • Joline says

      Nutrition information should be listed on your flour packaging. Simply calculate how many servings you used and divide by the number of donuts in your batch. That’s a rough way to calculate.

  34. Cherie Ndei says

    I can’t wait to try these. I’ve been craving donuts since I was diagnosed with the allergic condition. My struggle is that most GF flours have rice in them and I’m also allergic to rice. I found one flour that is grain free and but free but I don’t like how it turns out in anything I’ve made. I’ve also struggled with the egg replacements. I’ve never seen instructions to whip the aquafaba though. I’m thinking of blending coconut flour in with the Bob’s red mill grain free flour I’ve been using. Any other flours or suggestions? I can’t have eggs, dairy, nuts, wheat, soy, rice

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Cherie, coconut flour yields a much more dense texture than other gluten-free flours, so that could be why you are having issues with the grain-free flour blend. You could maybe try a seed flour for the almond flour and gluten-free oat flour for the gluten-free blend? But we haven’t tried it and can’t guarantee results. Let us know if you do some experimenting!

    • Kate U. says

      Quinoa flour usually makes a great texture in my baked goods (and I used 3 parts quinoa and 1 part cassava in this recipe with good results). Only downside is that quinoa does have a strong flavor (hence using cassava for 1/4 of the flour, but cassava does not do well on its own).

      Unless a recipe calls specifically for coconut flour, do not replace more than 1/5-1/4 of the total amount with coconut flour, and always add an equal amount of liquid to the amount of coconut flour you use. Coconut flour is basically a sponge and it will suck up every bit of moisture there is (but that can come in handy if you ever have a recipe that is too wet; just a sprinkle will often take care of it).

      I used aquafaba (first time!) in this recipe, but I typically use Bob’s Red Mill GF Vegan Egg Replacer to replace regular eggs or even flax or chia eggs in recipes and it works REALLY well in the majority of recipes. It did not work well in the bread maker while attempting to make GF vegan bread, but it does work great for quick breads, and I need to find the recipe for GF vegan bread that uses aquafaba to see if that works better in the bread maker.

      Best of luck to you!

  35. Sally G says

    I can’t stop making these!! Frosting donuts is so much fun, and me and my community loooove the rich chocolately-ness! I use golden coconut sugar and Arrowhead Mill’s all purpose gluten free flour.

    YUMMERS!!

  36. Krisha says

    Made these today with my new donut pan! Love how cakey they are, fluffy and moist. I used whole wheat flour and the flax egg vs aquafaba. Boy are these dense dark chocolate-tasting though! They’re a little too rich for my husband, but I love chocolate so it’s ok. I had trouble with the chocolate glaze being too thick, had to gently press it onto the donuts with my fingers because it wasn’t spreading easily. Once firmed up though it was so tasty. Overall, great recipe!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Krisha! For the glaze, you can add more coconut oil to thin, if needed. Hope that helps!

  37. Nicola says

    I’ve made this recipe multiple times and absolutely loved it!

    I was wondering if to make it nut free (family member has allergies) I could substitute oat milk for almond milk and use the oat/gluten free flour mix you mentioned?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Brenda. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  38. Emma says

    Hi there,

    With subbing the almond flour, do you use the mixture of gf and oat flour for the 3/4 cup of almond? Or for the total amount of flour? Thanks.

  39. Becca says

    Hi!!! I have to make some vegan GF donuts for a party -they are going to decorate them-
    was wondering if I could leave out the cocoa to keep them plain?
    Or if I had to add more flour?
    Thank you!!

  40. Sana says

    You have given me the ability to give my child the foods she could never have due to her allergies. It’s a gift beyond words can describe. Please know…you have a gift!!

  41. Lydia says

    Recipe is spot on, 100% pleased with the result. To avoid a store run ended up replacing applesauce with same amount of apple & blueberry puree (aka jar of baby food.)
    Thanks for permission to “use other hearty fruit puree” totally opens possibilities for next time.

  42. Igenlode Wordsmith says

    Forgot to add: I managed to fit twelve cakes into standard-size cake cases in a patty pan tin, but it is quite a squash – American muffin tins are bigger! They were ready after only 12 minutes.

  43. Igenlode Wordsmith says

    I’m not a vegan, but I wanted to find something to do with a quantity of jellied liquid left over after boiling a batch of chickpeas, so went looking for ‘aquafaba’ recipes. Nor do I have a ‘donut pan’, but then American (Dunkin’) doughnuts are nothing like English jam-filled doughnuts anyway – I thought these might make tasty chocolate cakes!

    I used home-made jam to substitute for maple syrup and fruit puree, although the result would probably have been moister with actual fruit (maybe some grated carrot would work?) Result: a dozen well-risen chocolate cupcakes. The recipe is quite extravagant on (expensive) cocoa powder, but then chocolate cakes always are.

    My adaptations (to English measurements):
    4tbsp aquafaba, plus 1 pinch cream of tartar
    5 fl. oz. milk
    4tbsp vegetable oil
    5tbsp granulated sugar
    3tbsp home-made jam (I used crab-apple jelly)
    1 tsp vanilla extract
    1/4 tsp table salt
    2 tsp baking powder
    1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
    scant 3oz cocoa powder (less rather than more)
    6 oz plain flour

  44. Stephen Sinclair says

    Thank you for the concise and perfect directions. I experienced everything you describe. The dough is really thick so it took a bit of doing to get the tops leveled off before putting into the oven. There was no need to be concerned as they evened themselves out while rising. I would suggest not to make the glaze until you are ready to use it because it thickens. So easy to make. Not to worry. Sprinkles and coconut worked great. Next time maybe some crushed peanuts. After eating one, a friend said, “Looks like a donut, tastes like a brownie, chews like cake.”

  45. kitkat says

    hi i made these w/ normal egg replacer and normal flour and they were not that good the egg replacer aftertaste was really bad. any ideas?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      So we wouldn’t recommend an egg replacer here. That is completely different than aquafaba.

    • Mark Fradl says

      No offense intended, but you might want to not leave a 3 star rating on a recipe you didn’t follow. I made these donuts following the recipe and they were great, it’s not the author’s fault you went off on your own recipe and it didn’t work :)