These incredible gluten-free pumpkin donut holes are true fried donuts. They are soft on the inside and crisp on the outside if enjoyed immediately! You can glaze them, dip them in cinnamon sugar, or simply dust them with powdered sugar to keep it simple and old-fashioned.
They are made with gluten-free flour, pumpkin puree, spices, and a few other common baking ingredients. This recipe is easily made dairy-free and vegan with dairy-free milk.
True donuts are made from leavened fried dough, not baked. And while I love a good baked donut, I am super excited to finally share a real gluten-free donut with you.
Fall is the best time to enjoy these gluten free pumpkin donut holes! I love making them to share as a snack in October when we are well into pumpkin season. They are perfect to munch on while decorating the house for halloween, to surprise kids when they get home from school on a Friday, or when having friends over for coffee or gluten-free beer!
These pumpkin donuts were inspired by my amazing Gluten Free Apple Fritters and baked Paleo Pumpkin Donuts! Both are absolutely delicious and fun variations of this recipe.
For more amazing gluten-free pumpkin treats, check out my Homemade Pumpkin Spice Creamer, Pumpkin Spice Latte, Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread, Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes, and Almond Flour Pumpkin Muffins.
Ingredients Notes + Substitutions
One of the best things about this recipe is that it uses only a few ingredients. They are very allergy-friendly since they are naturally vegan in addition to gluten-free!
The full ingredients are listed in the recipe card. In this section, you'll find helpful notes about selecting ingredients or making substitutions.
- Gluten-free All Purpose Flour - I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Flour which is a rice flour blend that contains xanthan gum. Most other 1-to-1 gluten-free flours should work just fine. If using regular flour (not gluten-free), use 2 cups or measure by weight to 250 grams.
- Sugar - While some of my other pumpkin recipes use brown sugar, I recommend regular white sugar for this one. With the maple syrup, I thought the flavor was too strong when using brown sugar.
- Gluten-free baking powder - In the USA, Clabber Girl and Rumford brands are gluten-free. Always double check the label for additives.
- Pumpkin pie spice - I recommend my own Homemade Pumpkin Spice Recipe.
- Pumpkin puree - These donuts have the best texture with a thick pumpkin puree like Libby's brand. Some of the organic brands are watery, and you may need to decrease the amount of milk if using these brands. Check the step-by-step photos in the "instructions" section below to match my batter texture.
See the recipe card for full ingredients and quantities.
Variations
Since this recipe is very simple and already gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-friendly, I don't have many variations to recommend.
If you have questions about specific substitutions, please leave a question in the comments and I'll get back to you within two business days.
- Regular All Purpose Flour - If you're making this with regular flour (not gluten-free), see the notes in the recipe card or the ingredients section above for a simple adjustment. If you're wondering why I would include this on a gluten-free blog, it's because these recipes are well-loved by friends and family that do eat gluten! I think it's awesome to make gluten-free recipes easy to share with everyone when possible, to help spread awareness.
- Apple Fritters - If you're looking for a different flavor variation, this recipe is very similar to our amazing Gluten Free Apple Fritters!
Instructions
This recipe uses one bowl plus a frying pan or dutch oven for cooking the donuts. It's a very simple must-make Fall recipe!
- Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, add the gluten-free flour, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Whisk together.
- Wet Ingredients: Add the pumpkin puree, milk, and maple syrup to the dry ingredient mixture. Stir until just combined. The batter will be sticky.
- Oil: Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a large deep fry pan or dutch oven.
- Form the Donut Holes: Use a melon baller or tablespoon to scoop the batter and place it into the hot oil. Add 6-8 donut holes to the pan at a time, leaving some space between them. After about a minute, use a spatula to gently slide under each donut hole so they don't stick to the bottom.
- Fry: Cook the pumpkin donut holes for 3-5 minutes total, flipping or rolling with a spatula, until they are crispy and a deep golden brown on all sides. Meanwhile, put a wire cooling rack on top of a baking sheet.
- Cool: Transfer the cooked pumpkin donut holes from the oil to the wire cooling rack using tongs or two forks. Allow to cool for 7-10 minutes before sprinkling with powdered sugar if you like. Enjoy!
Hint: You can save the frying oil for up to 2 months or 8 uses in a cool dry place. To do this safely, use a fine strainer, or nut milk bag placed over a strainer, to filter out any leftover food particles. Then seal it in an airtight container. Always check for a rancid smell before future uses.
Topping Ideas
Here are three fun ways to top your gluten-free pumpkin donut holes!
- Powdered Sugar - This was our favorite topping when eating the donuts fresh! It's simple and classic, and a fine dusting of powdered sugar maintains the crispy outside we love. With just powdered sugar, these donut holes have a traditional homespun charm.
- Cinnamon Sugar - If you plan on eating the donuts later, it's nice to coat some of them in cinnamon sugar. You can use either powdered or granulated sugar. Mix ½ cup of sugar with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Place the cinnamon sugar in a large food storage bag. Then add the donuts a few at a time and shake gently until covered.
- Old Fashioned Glaze - To make a simple glaze, mix 1 cup of powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of milk or water. Sift the powdered sugar to keep the glaze smooth, and add more milk or water as needed to reach your desired consistency. Dip the donut holes in the glaze then set them on a wire cooling rack over a baking sheet to dry.
Storage + Reheating
Wait for them to cool completely, and then store leftover gluten-free pumpkin donut holes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
The best way to reheat these donut holes is in an air fryer, convection oven, or regular oven. Set the temperature to 350 degrees F. Place the donuts on a wire rack if possible. If using the oven, set the wire rack on a baking sheet. Let the donut holes heat through. This took about 7 minutes in my oven. They should be warm and soft on the inside and the outside should crisp up again!
Top tip
Be very careful not to over-mix the batter! All baked goods get a squishy glue-y texture when over-mixed. I think it is even more of a problem with gluten-free baked goods.
Unless stated otherwise in the recipe, always mix wet and dry ingredients until just combined. It's better to have a few flour lumps than to over-mix!
Recipe FAQs
Don't see your question? Leave yours in the comments and we'll get back to you within two business days!
You can make a simple deep fryer with a dutch oven on the stove, so there is no need to have a special deep fryer for making donuts. It is helpful to also have a cooking thermometer to monitor the temperature of the oil.
Donuts will burn if the temperature of the oil is too hot, if they are not turned soon or frequently enough, or if they are sticking to the sides or bottom of the fryer.
More gluten-free pumpkin puree recipes to try...
Looking for related gluten-free treats? Check out these other easy favorites:
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card or comment field below. Thank you!
Gluten Free Pumpkin Donut Holes
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons gluten-free all purpose flour (250 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup pumpkin puree (295 ml)
- ¼ cup milk of choice , unsweetened if using dairy-free milk (60 ml)
- ½ cup maple syrup (120 ml)
- 7 cups vegetable oil , for frying (1600 ml)
- optional: powdered sugar to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, add the gluten-free flour, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Whisk together.
- Wet Ingredients: Add the pumpkin puree, milk, and maple syrup to the dry ingredient mixture. Stir until just combined. The batter will be sticky.
- Oil: Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a large deep fry pan or dutch oven.
- Form the Donut Holes: Use a melon baller or tablespoon to scoop the batter and place it into the hot oil. Add 6-8 donut holes to the pan at a time, leaving some space between them. After about a minute, use a spatula to gently slide under each donut hole so they don't stick to the bottom.
- Fry: Cook the pumpkin donut holes for 3-5 minutes total, flipping or rolling with a spatula, until they are crispy and a deep golden brown on all sides. Meanwhile, put a wire cooling rack on top of a baking sheet.
- Cool: Transfer the cooked pumpkin donut holes from the oil to the wire cooling rack using tongs or two forks. Allow to cool for 7-10 minutes before sprinkling with powdered sugar if you like. Enjoy!
Notes
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat in the oven, place the donut holes on a wire rack on a baking sheet and set the oven temperature to 350 degrees (using a convection setting if possible). Allow them to warm through and watch carefully to make sure they don't continue cooking. I prefer reheating them using the air fryer set to 350 degrees. You can also make this recipe ahead of time and reheat before serving.
- Pumpkin Puree: I like using a thick pumpkin puree like Libby's Brand. The batter will be thinner if you use thinner organic pumpkin brands. In this case, you may want to decrease the amount of milk. Check the photos in the step-by-step instruction section of the blog post to see the best batter consistency.
- Oil Temperature: It's best to keep the oil temperature between 320-350 degrees F. The temperature will drop slightly every time a new fritter is added to the oil. Using a heavy pan or dutch oven helps maintain heat. Allow the temperature to return to 350 degrees F between each batch.
- Cinnamon Sugar - If you plan on eating the donuts later, it's nice to coat some of them in cinnamon sugar. You can use either powdered or granulated sugar. Mix ½ cup of sugar with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Place the cinnamon sugar in a large food storage bag. Then add the donuts a few at a time and shake gently until covered.
- Glaze - To make a simple glaze, mix 1 cup of powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of milk or water. Sift the powdered sugar to keep the glaze smooth, and add more milk or water as needed to reach your desired consistency. Dip the donut holes in the glaze then set them on a wire cooling rack over a baking sheet to dry.
- With regular all purpose flour: If using traditional All Purpose Flour that is not gluten-free, use 2 cups of flour. Gluten-free flour is more dense than traditional flour so this is still 250 grams. I'm including this note for my non-gluten-free friends who love this recipe and want to make it at home with what they have on hand.
Callen
Finally fried gluten free donuts and these are SO easy! I made them in under 30 minutes and my friends and family loved them too. I stuck with simple powdered sugar as a topping. Please make an easy krispy kreme copycat next!