These gluten-free gingerbread donuts are light and fluffy, vegan, free of refined sugars, and have the ever-so-sweet kick of ginger (and pumpkin spice!) to keep your immune system, digestion, and over all health in top notch for cold and flu season. And in the most delicious of ways! Perfect for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or a cozy fireside dessert, these donuts are an all-purpose, delicious, and healthy sweet treat.
I feel like there are donut people and then there are anti-donut people, and honestly, I lean pretty heavily on the anti-donut side. I hands-down prefer a savory breakfast over a sweet one, and I’ll reach for chocolate over any other sweet every single time, but once in a great blue moon (= about once every 5 years), I’ll enjoy a donut.
My first memories of donuts are from when I was in high school, eating Entenmann’s crumb donuts for breakfast as a special treat every now and then. I don’t know what kind of artificial, non-food ingredient witchcraft Entenmann’s is in to, but those donuts were damn delicious. Those crumbs on top!
But these gluten-free gingerbread donuts are donuts I could get into eating. These aren’t the kind of donuts that leave you in a sugar coma or with a belly ache.
food as medicine
These donuts are full of fiber and healthy fats, and bring a cozy and comforting warmth to the colder days of fall and winter.
They also contain a considerable amount of incredibly nutritive and medicinal spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, allspice, and cardamom. The particular spices will vary depending on the specific pumpkin pie spice blend you use.
I absolutely love to make my own pumpkin pie spice blend. Making your own is a great way to use all those herbs and spices that might otherwise sit in your cabinet for years. How often do you really use allspice? As they age, herbs and spices not only lose their flavor and/or color, they also lose their nutritional and medicinal value.
Plus, making your own is cheaper and you can customize to your liking. Try this Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend that includes a fun herbal twist that ups the nutritional and medicinal value.
equipment you’ll need
This recipe makes 12 full-size donuts. You could always make mini-donuts if desired. Either way, you’ll need a donut pan. Here are some good options:
gingerbread donuts
& molasses icing
(vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free)
Course: Sweets, BreakfastDifficulty: Easy12
donuts25
minutes15
minutesThese gingerbread donuts are the ultimate cake donut for chilly winter mornings. They can be made in a single bowl in under an hour and they’d be perfect dipped in your cup of coffee or chai latte. You could always skip the icing altogether, use your favorite glaze, or just roll the donuts in powdered sugar. Like many baked gluten-free treats, I find these donuts to be better the next day.
Ingredients
- Gingerbread Donuts
2 cups oat flour (I used this brand, or make your own*.) Ensure your oats are certified gluten-free if that is a concern for you.
1/2 cup almond flour (not almond meal)
1/2 cup coconut sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice (I used this one.)
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/4 cups non-dairy milk (or milk of choice)
3 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Molasses Icing
1/2 cups coconut butter, melted (I use this one.)
1/4 cup + 2 teaspoons non-dairy milk (or milk of choice)
2 tablespoons 1:1 monk fruit sweetener (I use this one.) (or more coconut sugar)
2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional Garnishes
crystallized or candied ginger, sliced
pecans, chopped finely
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and prepare your donut pan by coating each well in a thin layer of oil. (Coconut or cold-pressed, non-GMO canola oil are good choices.)
- To make the donuts, in a large mixing bowl, sift together oat flour, almond flour, and coconut sugar. Then add the baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt. Use a whisk to thoroughly combine these ingredients together.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. To the well, add the milk, lemon juice, molasses, and vanilla extract. Whisk together dry ingredients with the wet until thoroughly combined. The batter will be thick like cake batter.
- Carefully spoon the batter into your prepared donut pan, filling each well about 3/4 full.
- Bake for ~15 minutes. Donuts should rise and when they’re cooked through, you’ll notice the tops will crack a little.
- Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing donuts from the pan and transferring to a cooling rack to finish cooling to room temperature.
- Once the donuts are completely cool, make the icing. (It’s easiest to wait to make the icing after the donuts are completely cool. As the icing sits and cools, it thickens, making it more difficult to spread.)
- To make the icing, combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk together until thoroughly combined. If the icing cools too fast and gets too thick to work with, you can soften by sitting the small bowl of icing in a larger bowl of hot water for a few minutes until soft again. Then carefully ice each donut as you please.
- Chopped pecans and crystallized ginger make lovely garnishes. You can place the donuts in the fridge for a few minutes until the icing hardens, then you can stack the donuts for storage. Store at room temperature, in an airtight container, in a cool place out of direct sunlight. These donuts are best enjoyed within 3 days of making them. Or freeze for up to 1 month.
Notes
- * Making your own oat flour is so easy! Simply put rolled oats into a blender or food processor and process until finely ground. Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge or freezer for the most longevity. Add to smoothies, quick breads, or any number of other gluten-free recipes.
The information given in this article is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns at all, it’s always a good idea to check with your health practitioner before consuming certain herbs & medicinal foods, especially if taking any prescription medications.
