Gingerbread is no longer reserved to the houses and men. Though as adorable as they might be, a tower of Gingerbread Donuts is just as cute! This holiday spice is expanding and branching out to flavor all the goodies that it can and mini donuts are not excluded.
I’ve been stuck in my house for the past month trying to make this cookbook deadline on time (did you know how tedious it is to convert every item to the metric system? But I have to be good to my international readers so I do it with love). Inevitably, I’ve been neglecting the holiday cheer because I haven’t had the time to celebrate.
I just really needed these donuts today–I needed to fill my house with the smell of gingerbread and get me ready for Christmas. You guys, I haven’t even done any of my shopping (unless you count the 7 stuffed animals I won at the arcade claw game during Matt’s company party on Sunday night. That’s right, I kicked Claw butt and won SEVEN! Hopefully my nieces and nephew aren’t reading this because this year they are probably going to get a teddy bear with a Giants jersey on it). Making these was such a needed break and instilled enough joy to get me through the day. If you too need a little holiday oomph, make these cocoa-kissed Gingerbread Donuts. Or even put them on the menu for Christmas morning!
Gingerbread Donuts
- Yield: 14 1x
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 c. Cara’s GF Flour Blend
- 1/2 c. brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. xanthan gum
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 c. non-dairy milk
- 1/4 c. oil
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
For the Vanilla Icing
- 1 1/3 c. powdered sugar
- 1/4 c. melted coconut oil
- 2 Tbsp. hot water
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a mini donut pan.
- Mix dry ingredients together until fully combined.
- Make a well in the center of the bowl. Add all the remainder of wet ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until just incorporated.
- Grease a mini donut pan.
- Place batter into a large plastic baggie. Cut a 1″ slit in the corner and use as an opening to squirt the donuts into the pan.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Allow to sit in the pan briefly to cool and then transfer to a wire rack to fully cool.
- In a small, shallow bowl, vigorously mix all ingredients for the icing until it is smooth. It should be a thicker paste but if it becomes too difficult to mix, add 1 tsp. hot water and mix.
- Gently dip the tops of the donuts into the icing and drizzle with non-dairy melted chocolate.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 donut
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 97mg
- Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 0.6g
- Protein: 1.6g
Hi! I just saw this recipe and was wondering if it would work if I were to pour the batter into a cake pan instead? Thanks for letting me know!
Would it completely ruin the recipe by leaving out the Apple Cider Vinegar?
The apple cider vinegar is part of the egg replacer–it counteracts with the baking powder, so yes it would alter the recipe. Hope that helps!
Hey Cara,
Do you think this recipe would work with a donut tray that makes 6 reular sized ones?
You got it, Naadia! Either 12 minis or 6 regular ones 🙂
If I use regular whole wheat flour for this recipe can I leave out the xanthan gum (which I don’t have) or do I have to substitute something for it?
Yes Janet, precisely! The only purpose xanthan gum provides is a mimic of gluten when you are baking with gluten-free flours. There is absolutely no need to use it if you replace with normal flour. Hope that helps!
These look fantastic. Definitely agree, gingerbread is something that’s so adaptable, I love the idea of making a donut version! Fantastic photos. Oh, and the claw success?? Unmatched! I’ve never won anything from those darn things!
Yum! They look great! They are the kind of thing that could help me abide cake donuts instead of yeast. 🙂
A gingerbread scouring pad!! I love all things gingerbread.
Well, these are like the cutest things EVER! Happy holidays Cara, we need to celebrate the end of writing your cookbook soon.
Wow looks Yummy!!! =) beautiful pics too =)
These look SOOO much better than Dunkin’ Donuts! I can’t wait to try these on Christmas morning– I’m sure they’ll be a hit. Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful! I am a sucker for gingerbread anything.
These look divine! I adore anything gingerbread!
these look absolutely beautiful. almost too good to eat! i’m excited for your cookbook. i know it will be amazing 😉
Hello friend! I’m so sorry I haven’t been very good at keeping up with you! Life is crazy. But your life sounds so awesome/crazy/stressful/exciting/ican’twaittoseeyourcookbook! Let’s catch up soon, shall we! Merry Christmas my dear!
Sounds awesome! A must try on m y list.
Wow! Awesome!!!! Do you have a good substitute for Teff flour? I might try oat flour because I don’t have any Teff and I live in the boonies.
Hi Megan, I wouldn’t even worry about the teff flour–I always like using just a little bit in the mix because of the color it gives and that is all. If you cannot access it, simply omit it 🙂 Hope this helps!
Just let me get out my crenellated donuts pans so the archers are safely situated while their tower is devoured from the base up.
You know Cara, I really needed something else to add to my holiday baking list. Um, thanks. No really, these’ll probably make a nice surprise for my FIL’s birthday. He can have a cranberry cake any ole time. xoxo
You can always send ME the cranberry cake. Just saying… 😉
Niiiiice! =) I love the flavors in gingerbread. Your claw prowess is almost as impressive as my son’s. When he was 3, we walked past a claw game in the lobby of Wal-Mart or some other super-type store. He wanted to play and I said, “Sure” because just pushing buttons is enough for a kid at that age to feel like they have played something. Turns out, someone had left a quarter in there and he won a stuffed dog!
Sounds like your son and I are destined to have a claw-off. Though his skills sounds quite impressive, I’m getting a little nervous.