These gluten-free Spiced Apple Doughnuts are the epitome of what a sweet treat for fall should be, as far as I am concerned. As a fan of apple fritters and fried cake doughnuts dipped in coffee or hot apple cider, this is a perfect combination of flavors and textures. The warm spices, a bit of fried and sugary crunch, and the comfort from a tender crumb of cake. Add the little bits of apple dotted throughout eat bite and hopefully, you will find it as delightful as my family does.
Begin with the Dry Ingredients
In a small bowl, combine the gluten-free flour (this recipe was only tested with Cup4Cup brand gluten-free flour), baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and ginger. Set that aside while you work on the wet ingredients.
Then the Wet Ingredients
Cream the softened butter with sugar in a large bowl using a hand mixer. Slowly add the eggs and milk until combined well. Stir in the diced apples using a spatula. A tip regarding the apples is to cut them in a quarter-inch dice. Dab them dry with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture. The dough is wet to begin with and there is no need to add extra moisture from the apples. That could lead to soggy doughnuts and no one wants that!
Bring the Wet & Dry Together
Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients until fully combined using the spatula. The mixture may be sticky. If it doesn’t hold the shape of a ball, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it does. Or add the flour while you knead or work the dough a little on a clean surface.
Time to Shape the Doughnuts
Dust flour onto a clean surface and form the dough into a ball. Generously dust flour on all sides of the dough to prevent sticking, then flatten the dough to about an inch with your hand or a rolling pin. Then use a doughnut cutter to cut out the doughnuts. If you don’t have a doughnut cutter, you can roll into doughnut holes or cut strips to make dunking sticks.
Transfer the cut dough to a parchment-lined sheet pan for easy transport to the fryer later. Collect the scraps, rolling and cutting them again until all dough is used. Any small scraps can be turned into doughnut holes.
Time to Fry the Doughnuts
Heat at least 2 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer to 380 degrees. A candy thermometer helps monitor the temperature and adjust accordingly. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer up to 4 doughnuts at a time (depending on the size of your pot) into the hot oil.
Don’t crowd the pan and watch the temperature. The oil will cool quickly once you add the doughnuts. Ideally, keep the oil between 365-385 degrees.
Allow the doughnuts to fry for 2 minutes on each side. Use a long-handled spoon and carefully flip the doughnuts to maintain even browning. Total frying time is 4 minutes.
Remove from the hot oil and rest on a wire rack to allow the oil to drain. Continue working in batches until all doughnuts are fried. Once the doughnuts are cool enough to touch, drizzle with the spiced glaze. Decorate if you’d like with sprinkles or diced fresh apple. Let them rest for about 10 minutes for the glaze to set before digging in.
Making the Spiced Glaze
Combine the powdered sugar and dry spices in a wide bowl. Add the apple juice, a little at a time, working out the lumps with a spoon until you achieve your preferred consistency.
Drizzle the cooled doughnuts with the glaze or dip them into the glaze for a heavier coating. Allow the glaze to set up for about 10 minutes then dig in!
The Spiced Apple Doughnuts are best fresh the first day out of the fryer but can be stored at room temp in a paper bag for up to 2 days and reheated in the microwave for 10 -15 seconds before enjoying.
More Gluten-Free Doughnuts & Sweet Delights
- Mocha Glazed Chocolate Doughnuts
- Fried Eggnog Donuts
- Baked Eggnog Donuts
- Hush Puppies
- Cornbread Madeleines
Spiced Apple Doughnuts
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten-free flour with xanthan gum tested with Cup4Cup brand blue bag only
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 stick lightly salted butter softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup Honeycrisp apple or similar cored and diced to 1/4 inch
- 4 cups canola oil for frying
Spiced Glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup apple juice can sub with milk or water
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and ginger. Set aside.
- Cream the softened butter with sugar in a large bowl using a hand mixer. Slowly add the eggs and milk until combined well. Stir in the diced apples using a spatula.
- Gradually add the flour mixture until fully combined using the spatula. The mixture may be sticky. If it doesn’t hold the shape of a ball, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it does.
- Dust flour onto a clean surface and form the dough into a ball. Generously dust flour on all sides of the dough to prevent sticking, then flatten the dough to about an inch with your hands or a rolling pin. Use a doughnut cutter to cut out the doughnuts.
- Transfer the cut doughnuts to a parchment-lined sheet pan for easy transport to the fryer later. Collect the scraps, rolling and cutting them again until all dough is used. Any small scraps can be turned into doughnut holes.
- Heat at least 2 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer to 380 degrees. A candy thermometer helps monitor the temperature and adjust accordingly. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer up to 4 doughnuts at a time (depending on the size of your pot) into the hot oil.
- Don’t crowd the pan and watch the temperature. The oil will cool quickly once you add the doughnuts. Ideally, keep the oil between 365-385 degrees.
- Allow the doughnuts to fry for 2 minutes on each side. Use a long-handled spoon and carefully flip the doughnuts to maintain even browning. Total frying time is 4 minutes.
- Remove from the hot oil and rest on a wire rack to allow the oil to drain. Continue working in batches until all doughnuts are fried. Once the doughnuts are cool enough to touch, drizzle with the spiced glaze. Decorate if you’d like with sprinkles or diced fresh apple. Let them rest for about 10 minutes for the glaze to set before digging in.
Spiced Glaze:
- Combine the powdered sugar and dry spices in a wide bowl. Add the apple juice, a little at a time, working out the lumps with a spoon until you achieve your preferred consistency.