Epic Pumpkin Donuts are incredibly moist, packed with seasonal spices and pumpkin flavor. You’ll never know this Chanukah treat is gluten free!!!
How Epic Pumpkin Donuts came to be
Last year I spent a lot of time developing my Bakery Style Gluten Free Donuts. They were amazingly delicious – especially considering that they were gluten free. I couldn’t make enough of them. It was an easy leap to Gluten Free Epic Pumpkin Donuts this year.
The original Gluten Free Bakery Style Donuts!
As you know from my previous posts, this year I’m obsessed with pumpkin. I’m really not sure why except for the fact that pumpkin is awesome!
Nice to meet you! I love you already!
I think it’s the seasonality of pumpkins. They just shout Fall.
Fall weather.
Fall leaves.
Fall snuggling in blankets.
Fall recipes.
It’s wasn’t a big leap to Epic Pumpkin Donuts.
Why Epic Pumpkin Donuts?
I originally had no intention of adding the whole “Epic” thing to the title.
Epic is…well…Epic.
After making the gluten free Pumpkin Donuts, I split one in half and shared it with Dear Husband.
Our reaction…
It wasn’t just good or great. It was everything I could have wanted in a pumpkin donut.
Any donut.
It didn’t taste gluten free. At all.
It was…EPIC!
It was filled with pumpkin flavor and pumpkin pie spices. By frying the donuts they had the perfect bakery crispiness on the outside and soft bakery style inside.
Epic Gluten Free Pumpkin Donuts are crispy, crunchy on the outside, bakery soft on the inside.
I also added a crunchy, sweet, pumpkin pie spice topping that resulted in an EPIC Pumpkin Donut.
Important things to know when making Epic Pumpkin Donuts
- It’s important to make sure that your oil is at the proper temperature, which is around 350°F. I use a candy thermometer clipped to the side of the pot to ensure the correct temperature. If the oil is cooler the donuts don’t cook quickly enough and turn out oily and not sufficiently crispy. If the oil is too hot then the donuts will scorch or burn.
- I like to use peanut oil when making my donuts or when frying just about anything. Peanut oil has a high smoke point so you won’t set off the smoke detectors resulting in a visit from your local fire fighters.
- If you don’t want to use peanut oil, you can use another high smoke point oil like avocado oil.
- When coating the donuts with the pepita (pumpkin seed) crumb topping, don’t wait until the donuts cool to coat them. I tried that initially and the coating didn’t stick as well.
Epic Pumpkin Donuts coated after cooling. They come out way better if you toss them in the pepita coating straight from the hot oil. See the above image 😉
- This recipe makes around 24-25 donuts.
A single recipe makes around 24 epically delicious, gluten free pumpkin donuts.
- You can make the donuts smaller which will result in even more donuts.
- You can save the cut out centers as you make the donuts – resulting in fewer donuts plus some donut holes.
- If you don’t need two dozen donuts (why wouldn’t you???) you can always halve the recipe.
- You can freeze these donuts if you make them in advance. Just make sure to warm them before serving.
Here’s the recipe
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Epic Pumpkin Donuts – Gluten Free
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Rise Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 80 minutes
- Yield: 24 donuts 1x
- Category: Donuts
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Gluten Free
- Diet: Kosher
Description
Epic Pumpkin Donuts are incredibly moist, packed with seasonal spices and pumpkin flavor. You’ll never know this Chanukah treat is gluten free!!!
Ingredients
For the Pepita Crumb Topping
- 1/2 cup chopped pepitas
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
For the Dough
- 1/2 cup water, baby bottle warm
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup plant based margarine, melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1 cup almond or soy milk
- 4 1/2 cups gluten free 1:1 flour with xanthan gum
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- peanut oil or avocado oil for frying
Instructions
For the Pepita Crumb Topping
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped pepitas, pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar. Mix using your hands making sure to crumble any large clumps of brown sugar.
- Set aside.
For the Dough
- In a small bowl, whisk together the warm water, granulated sugar and yeast. Set aside.
- Place the eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat the eggs on medium speed using a whisk attachment for four minutes.
- Add the yeast mixture, melted margarine, pumpkin puree and almond milk to the eggs. Mix on low speed for two minutes to combine.
- Add the flour, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar and granulated sugar to the liquid ingredients.
- Switch the whisk attachment to a dough hook attachment. Mix for two minutes until a dough ball forms.
- On a large pastry board, sprinkle a little bit of gluten free flour. Pat/roll the dough to around 1/2-inch thick. Cut out the donuts and set aside on the pastry board or baking sheet.
- Cover the donuts with plastic and let rise for 20 minutes.
- Place a large cooling rack over a baking sheet covered with paper towels. Set aside.
To Finish
- Heat the oil in a deep fryer or large Dutch oven to 325°F – 350°F. Use a candy thermometer clipped to the side of the pot to maintain the temperature.
- Fry the donuts on each side for around 2 minutes until lightly browned. Immediately coat in Pepita Crumb Mixture.
- Set each coated donut on the prepared cooling rack. Serve immediately.
Equipment
Skimmer Slotted Spoon kitchamajigs Strainer Ladle Heavy Duty 304 Stainless Steel
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Pumpkin Seeds Roasted Unsalted, Pepitas
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Baking Donut Cutter with Handle
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Rolling Pin With Thickness Rings and Silicone Baking Pastry Mat Set
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Pyrex 8-piece 100 Years Glass Mixing Bowl Set (Limited Edition) – Assorted Colors Lids
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I’ve made the donuts letting the dough rise for 20 minutes before forming instead of after. Either way works well.
It’s important to make sure that your oil is at the proper temperature, which is around 350°F. I use a candy thermometer clipped to the side of the pot to ensure the correct temperature. If the oil is cooler the donuts don’t cook quickly enough and turn out oily and not sufficiently crispy. If the oil is too hot then the donuts will scorch or burn.
I like to use peanut oil when making my donuts or when frying just about anything. Peanut oil has a high smoke point so you won’t set off the smoke detectors resulting in a visit from your local fire fighters.
If you don’t want to use peanut oil, you can use another high smoke point oil like avocado oil.
When coating the donuts with the pepita (pumpkin seed) crumb topping, don’t wait until the donuts cool to coat them. I tried that initially and the coating didn’t stick as well.
You can make the donuts smaller which will result in even more donuts.
You can save the cut out centers as you make the donuts – resulting in fewer donuts plus some donut holes.
If you don’t need two dozen donuts (why wouldn’t you???) you can always halve the recipe.
You can freeze these donuts if you make them in advance. Just make sure to warm them before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Donut
- Calories: 182
- Sugar: 7.1 g
- Sodium: 125.4 mg
- Fat: 5.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 30.1 g
- Protein: 3.3 g
- Cholesterol: 14.9 mg
Here are some more fabulous Chanukah recipes
- Bakery Style Gluten Free Donuts
- Fried Mac & Cheese Balls – Gluten Free/Dairy Free
- Chopped Steak Pastries with Horseradish Cream
- Pumpkin Hash Brown Latkes
- Shipshewana Fried Amish Pies
- The Tater Tot Casserole Experience
Looking for the Perfect Chanukah Gift?
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While Shabbos Under Pressure is not specifically a gluten free cookbook, nearly every recipe in the book has a method for making it gluten free. The recipes and tips in Shabbos Under Pressure work for every brand of Electric Pressure Cookers.
Over 70 time saving recipes and full-color photos
Suggestions and advice for using your Electric Pressure Cooker
Clear instructions with highlighted portions, so you don’t miss an important step
Comprehensive terms and tools in super-useful sections for all users
Lay-flat pages for easy reading and use
“Shabbos Under Pressure” is your solution for pressure-less meal preps for Shabbos, holidays, and everyday!
You can find “Shabbos Under Pressure” on Amazon.
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