Vegan & GF Maple Doughnuts with Salted Almond Butter Glaze

Created by Laura Wright
No ratings yet
Simple baked maple doughnuts that are naturally vegan and gluten-free! We finish them with a salted almond butter glaze.
an overhead shot of a plate of small glazed donuts with a cup of tea nearby.
2 images show small glazed donuts with chopped pecans and pumpkin seeds on top.
An overhead shot shows 3 small glazed donuts in a tray next to a cup of tea.

Rather than bore you with details of the constant wallpaper scraping and other real-life, highly repetitive, and very zen activities of new home ownership (maybe I should blog about it?!), I’m going to talk about doughnuts instead. AW YEAH. Glazes and sprinkles and yums and AALLLLLL that. Let’s do it.

My bud Ashley from The Edible Perspective is an expert on the subject of doughnut making and even better, she knows her way around some higher vibe doughnut making as well. So she developed, tested and photographed a book‘s worth of content about it and the results are so, so great. I had a doughnut pan kind of languishing in the back of a cupboard for a long time. I had bought the cookbook from a very high profile bakery with the hopes of executing their doughnuts at home. So I bought the pan and tried the recipes out. Multiple attempts and totally disappointing results each time. Always such a bummer!

Then Ash sent me a copy of her book. Let’s talk about changing the game entirely. Her combination of flours makes for a pretty wonderful texture, without all the expensive gums that can be ubiquitous in gluten free baking. Her advice and approach comes from a place of experience, warmth and accessibility. I always appreciate her encouraging and authentic voice. The potential for innovative flavour combinations is showcased to the utmost through the pages. There’s doughnut cakes, savoury treats, ice cream, and! She even thought of my sweet pup with a recipe for peanut butter and pumpkin doggie doughnuts. Cute right?

I went with her vegan maple doughnuts and a version of her tahini maple glaze for topping. We were out of tahini so I went for almond butter and a complimentary fat pinch of sea salt to work its magic with the maple. So, so yummy.

Anyway, I’d like one of you to have some doughnut fun at home, so Ash is letting me give away a copy of her book, Baked Doughnuts For Everyone (plus a dope set of measuring spoons)! All ya gotta do is tell me what your favourite doughnut is in the comments. Mine? The grapefruit and candied ginger one from Pies ‘n’ Thighs in Brooklyn ranks pretty high. Prior to that, I was more of a classic raspberry jelly-filled kinda gal. But I promise if you bake me any of the goodies from Ash’s book, I’ll pretty much be your bestie for life. Yep, they’re that good. I’ll close the giveaway next Monday (the 28th), so tell me about your faves, people! (Note: giveaway is open to US, Canada + UK residents only) THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED, PEEPS :)

An overhead shot shows an open cookbook and baking ingredients on a kitchen counter
An overhead shot shows baked donuts and a small bowl of glaze nearby.
4 photos show: autumn leaves on the ground, dry ingredients for a donut batter in a bowl, glazed donuts on a rack, and plated glazed donuts with a cup of tea.
An overhead shot shows a cup of tea with 3 glazed donuts beside.

Vegan & GF Maple Doughnuts with Salted Almond Butter Glaze

Simple baked maple doughnuts that are naturally vegan and gluten-free! We finish them with a salted almond butter glaze.
No ratings yet
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: 42 minutes
Servings 10

Ingredients

Maple Doughnuts

  • ½ cup oat flour
  • ½ cup sweet rice flour
  • 2 tablespoons natural cane sugar
  • 2 tablespoons almond meal
  • 2 tablespoons coconut flour
  • 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
  • ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil (like sunflower or grapeseed)
  • 2 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Salted Almond Butter Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons almond butter
  • 2-3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • pinch of cinnamon
  • good pinch fine sea salt
  • chopped nuts and seeds to garnish, optional

Equipment

  • Doughnut Pan

Notes

  • From Baked Doughnuts for Everyone by Ashley McLaughlin
  • I went in with chopped pecans and pumpkin seeds to top mine (nature’s sprinkles!), but cacao nibs, chopped dried cherries or any other nut/seed would be lovely. Also, you need a donut pan for this recipe!

Instructions

  • Grease your doughnut pan and heat your oven to 350 F.
  • In a large bowl, combine the oat flour, sweet rice flour, cane sugar, almond meal, coconut flour, ground flax, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Whisk to fully combine.
  • In a small bowl, combine the almond milk, applesauce, oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Whisk to fully combine.
  • Pour the liquid components into the large bowl with the dry ingredients. Fold it all together with a spatula until just combined (or until you don't see dry flour bits anymore). Spoon the batter into your doughnut pan (or fill a zipper seal bag with the batter, cut off a corner and pipe it into the pan). Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into one of the doughnuts comes out clean. Gently remove the doughnuts from the pan and allow them to cool thoroughly.
  • While doughnuts are cooling, mix up the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the glaze ingredients until you have a smooth mixture.
  • Once cool, dip doughnuts into the glaze and return them to your cooling rack so the glaze can harden a bit. Press any chopped nuts/seeds etc into the glaze at this point.


23/10/2013 (Last Updated 03/08/2023)
Posted in: autumn, breakfast, dessert, gluten free, salty, spring, summer, sweet, vegan, winter

176 comments

Recipe Rating





  • Noel

    I love the classic raised, glazed doughnuts. Nothing else is quite the same.

  • Stephanie K

    I have to say my default doughnut flavor is simply chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Don’t mess with the classics! I also love pumpkin spice doughnuts around this time of the year.

  • Emily K.

    I confess – I’m a maple bar addict!

  • Rachel Brady

    Hi – this looks so good, I wonder if you could make them in another tin as I don’t have a doughnut one. BTW that Martha Stewart thing – whoa – not seen that, probably as I am a UK blogger. Really, she looks very out of tough with that attitude, and I think she’s missing the whole point with food blogging. Isn’t the point that we AREN’T experts in the traditional sense, but that we are passionate and real – and that’s the appeal? It’s a great thing that people can self publish and build up a reputation based on the quality of their content, as you have. x

  • Christina

    Do zeppoles with fresh whipped cream count as doughnuts? I think they do. Zeppoles.

  • Jasmine B

    Sorry for the second comment but I really think you should check it out! (http://www.pepplesdonuts.com)

    All of their doughnuts are 100% organic and vegan! :)

  • Jasmine B

    The Candy Cap Mushroom doughnut from Pepples Donut Farm in Oakland!

    It is the best doughnut I have ever had, and its VEGAN! I love that they promote the fact that vegan treats are delicious and are not the perceived “healthy and bland” that a lot of people suggest. The doughnut is fluffy and moist and has a strong maple flavor, with no knowledge of mushroom ever being in the mix! It’s such a treat when I visit my brother up in Berkeley. Its a must anytime I am in within 20 miles of it! I live in Los Angeles, so I am so bummed that we don’t have a version here.

    The doughnut inspired my mother and I to actually make a candy cap cookie, and it was AMAZING! The flavor really brought me back to the days I visit my brother when he is at school up north! I will always love the flavor of candy cap/maple for this reason, and maple is now always going to be my favorite flavor of doughnut. Don’t get me wrong, the deliciousness of it is in fact a reason why it’s my favorite, but the sentimental aspects really bring it to the top of my list as well :)

    I definitely think you should try out candy cap mushrooms in your recipes and on your page! It has a very strong and sweet maple flavor that could be mistaken for the real thing, yummy!

  • Christie

    my favorite donut is a classic apple cider donut enjoyed after apple picking with some hot cider! YUM!

  • Becca Entenberg

    I’m a pretty big fan of glazed doughnuts!

  • Katie

    Your pictures are gorgeous! I love chocolate glazed doughnuts, but I really want to try Ashley’s everything doughnut! Sounds delicious!

  • pretty_pathetic

    I like maple-glazed donuts the best, but I often buy Boston Cream donuts because I miss living in the Boston area.

  • Emery

    l love all things from Dixie Donuts in Richmond, VA but their Raspberry Cream Cheese and the Pumpkin Glaze both make my top 5!

  • jane

    I love your blog (even though I never comment) and I used to love doughnuts before I was plagued with countless allergies. That book will bring sunshine back to our lives ! My dream doughnut : filled with homemade pineapple jam and starfruit glazing for a Carribean flare !

  • Hailey

    The best doughnuts I’ve ever had were at Dunwell in Brooklyn, but I really very rarely have doughnuts… If I had this book I would definitely invest in a doughnut pan and make them all the time :) Thanks for the giveaway!

  • Monica

    I LOVE the honey cruler donuts at Time Hortons! They’re such a sugar bomb, but so, so good.

  • Teddi

    You know, I have to say that I just love a simple cinnamon sugar, glazed, or powdered sugar one, but I haven’t experienced much diversity in my doughnut adventures as of yet… I can’t wait to try out some of Ashley’s recipes!! I have been waiting for this book to come out forever!

  • cm jackson

    Wow, I’ve never seen such incredible looking doughnuts from home!! I terribly miss the glazed donuts — haven’t had a single donut since having to go gluten & egg free due to multiple allergies — I have pinned this one to try, oh wait, I have to go buy a donut pan first!

  • kim warsheski

    Even though Voodoo Doughnuts is right in my backyard here in Portland, I miss incredibly the warm apple cider doughnuts from the farm stand my family visited every autumn growing up in New England. Super simple, no glaze, holy shit so good!

  • lacey

    Maple glazed always. And almond butter is pretty much my favorite food. Soooo, these are right up my ally :)

  • tiffany

    oh my, vegan eggnog for sure!! fingers crossed, this book looks amazing!

  • emily

    My very favorite donuts are the plain or cinnamon-sugar-topped “cake” donuts that you can only get in the fall at a cider mill. I have to eat them while dunking them in cider. The best!

  • Alicia

    pumpkin spice donuts are my favorite <3

  • Becki @ Bites 'n Brews

    I’ve always loved freshly baked apple cider donuts with a steaming mug of spiced cider on the farm after apple picking. Ah, the joys of growing up in the Midwest!

  • Jessica

    Holy yum, those look delicious!!! Apple fritters are my fave!

  • Kathryn

    My life is been sorely lacking in good doughnuts. I need to rectify that asap and branch out from my usual (filled with strawberry jam and dipped in sugar)

  • Jeni

    I love a classic cinnamon sugar doughnut.

  • Carolyn

    Sour cream glazed doughnuts are my weak spot. We live in the UK (for another 3 weeks) and doughnuts aren’t really a thing here!

  • Karly K

    I’m a sucker for the good old fashioned glazed cruller. Also, I’ve never been here before but your site is beautiful! Consider The First Mess added to my feedly :)

  • Natalie

    krispy kreme original glazed, hot out of the oven; or my guilty pleasure: dunkin donut munchkins (shame)

  • Emily

    I had my first ever cider doughnut last week while apple-picking, and I have to say it is my new favorite. These ones look wonderful!

  • Bianca @ Sweet Dreaming

    chocolate frosted!

  • Molly B

    As a child I woofed down custard donuts. Nowadays I’m more of a blueberry cake kinda gal. Although, there is a local shop making some killer frosted cinnamon raisin donuts!

  • Gaby

    Apple Cider Doughnuts!!

  • Emily

    I stick with the classic Homer Simpson doughnut–pink frosting and sprinkles.

  • Sherri@ The Well Floured Kitchen

    Plain donuts dipped in chocolate

  • Stan

    I enjoy fresh bear claws from Tim Hortons. But yours seem equally delish.

  • Kelly G.

    I love, love, love the cream-filled, chocolate-covered donuts from Ronald’s Donuts in Vegas. Their bear claws are pretty awesome too!

  • Haley

    Oh god all mighty, I want one of these so bad right now! Donuts are always good (for the soul, not always the body), but VEGAN donuts are just something extra special. Those pumpkin spice ones are kind of calling my name, by the way. Back before the Great Switch (cough veganism cough) I was totally into plain glazed donuts. Especially after doctor’s visits (like I said, good for the soul, man). Hoping to make these soon so I’ll have a new favorite!

  • NicT

    Good old fashioned cake donuts with plain old glaze! It lasts about 2 seconds in my hands.

  • Julia

    My favourite doughnut would have to be chocolate gingerbread! I just love chocolate mixed with some good spices.

  • Ali H.

    I love the cream cheese doughnut from Munchers Bakery in Lawrence, Kansas.

  • Jessica

    I love Apple fritters! That’s a donut, right? If it isn’t, then I love a cream filled donut! yummmm

  • Helena

    I love classic cinnamon-sugar.

  • Debra Lee

    I just made a batch of blueberry cake doughnuts with a lemon glaze that were delicious!

  • Deena

    I love the sweet-salty combo. These sound amazing! I’m a fan of chocolate and plain cake donuts.

  • fabie

    chocolate donut from Chez Boris in Montreal

  • Rebecca

    I love chocolate/salted caramel donuts that can be found at a local shop here in Minneapolis. Thanks for having this giveaway!

  • Fresh and Foodie

    I have a soft spot for apple fritters, but I recently discovered a buttermilk old fashioned donut from a little shop here in Chicago (called Do-Rite Donuts http://doritedonuts.com/ ) that I love, love, love.

  • punkrockmartha

    my favorite will always be the chocolate “ice rings” my dad would buy me at mister doughnut. thank you!