Gluten-Free Doughnut Holes Recipe [GF Timbits!] - Beyond Flour (2024)

These Gluten-Free Doughnut Holes are great even in their most basic form - Vanilla - but are super customizable - Many variations included!

As a Canadian living in the USA, I've had to endure powerful cravings for Tim Horton's "Timbits" every once in a while... and discovering my gluten issues didn't do anything to stop those cravings.

So - back in 2012 - I cobbled together a gluten-free donut holes recipe, utilizing commercially available all-purpose gluten-free flour.

They were pretty ok - good, even - but were definitely not the real deal.

After much in the way of tweaking the recipe, I'm proud to present this gluten-free version. It makes about 30, and it’s HIGHLY customizable - more on that in a bit!

Looking for the regular, full gluten version? It's on Celebration Generation -Homemade Doughnut Holes.

Gluten-Free Doughnut Making Technique

There are a few different ways you can make these doughnut holes:

Deep Fried

This recipe was originally developed as a recipe using a deep fryer.

As such, the doughnuts are relatively free-form, and the final shape will depend on how you get them into the hot oil.

Shaping, The Easy Way

Using two teaspoons, scoop out approximately 1" balls of dough, carefully dropping them into the hot oil.

Dropping the doughnut holes as described is the quickest, cleanest version - but the resulting doughnut holes will be irregular in shape, and have a bumpy surface.

Shaping, the Slightly Messier Way

To get nicely smooth, round doughnut holes - as pictured - carefully roll the blobs of dough between moistened hands before gently adding to the hot oil.

I like to keep a small bowl of water on hand for wetting my hands after every few balls.

The moisture helps prevent them from sticking, as you smooth the surface out by rolling.

Baked Doughnuts

Not into the whole deep-fried thing? You can also bake these!

There are two main ways to make these gluten-free doughnut holes without a deep fryer:

Doughnut Machines

As I'd mentioned on my Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Mini Doughnuts, I'd bought a Mini Doughnut Machine, and LOVE IT.

Well, that same company makes a Cake Pop Maker, if you're looking to make doughnut holes!

You can use the batter from this recipe - and any of the variations - in either machine. I like to spoon the batter into a pastry bag to pipe it into the mini doughnut maker - it's just quicker, easier, and cleaner than trying to spoon it into the machine directly!

Doughnut Pan

While I haven't used them myself - I like the machine option! - I've heard great things about this Two Piece Silcone Mold. It's for baking "cake pops" - so, donut holes.

Nordic Ware their own version, as well... though it's aluminum, not silicone.

If you're not married to the idea of your doughnut holes actually being spheres, there are a couple other options:

I own a set of silicone baking molds for such things - this 24 piece set - though I haven’t gotten around to using it yet. It would make super cute doughnuts, IMHO.

Additionally, nonstick pans - such as the Wilton Mini Donut Pan, are hugely popular in food blogger circles when it comes to making mini doughnuts.

Much like with the machine, I'd recommend piping the batter in with a pastry bag, rather than spooning.

Gluten-Free Doughnut Holes - Variations

These gluten-free doughnut holes are great even in this recipe’s most basic form - vanilla, unglazed doughnuts - but half the point of doughnut holes is variety.

With just a few extra bowls and a small amount of effort, you can turn a basic batch of doughnut holes into a feast for the eyes AND stomach!

Doughnut Glazes and Coatings

Vanilla Doughnut Glaze

½ cup Water
½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
Pinch Salt
3+ cups Icing (powdered)

Whisk together water, vanilla, and salt. Add powdered sugar, a cup or so at a time, whisking until thick (but still “dip-able”) and completely smooth.

Transfer to a coffee mug or other narrow/tall vessel. Use a couple of forks to dip each (completely cooled!) donut hole – one at a time – turning to coat completely.

Allow excess glaze to drip off doughnut before placing on parchment paper to dry.

Chocolate Doughnut Glaze

½ cup Water
½ teaspoon Vanilla
Pinch Salt
⅓ cup Cocoa powder
2+ cups Icing (powdered) sugar

Whisk together water, vanilla, and salt. Add cocoa powder, whisking until smooth.

Add powdered sugar, a cup or so at a time, whisking until thick (but still “dip-able”) and completely smooth.

Transfer to a coffee mug or other narrow/tall vessel. Use a couple of forks to dip each (completely cooled!) donut hole – one at a time – turning to coat completely.

Allow excess glaze to drip off doughnut before placing on parchment paper to dry.

Honey Dip Doughnut Holes

⅔ cup Liquid honey
¼ cup Water

In a medium saucepan, whisk together honey and water until honey is fully dissolved in water.

Bring to a boil, turn heat down, and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, allow to cool completely before dipping cooled doughnut holes.

Sugar coated

Roll hot doughnut holes in granulated sugar... or roll cooled doughnut holes in powdered sugar.

Cinnamon sugar

½ cup Granulated sugar
2 tablespoon Cinnamon (or to taste)

Mix sugar and cinnamon together, place in a shallow bow,

After rolling hot doughnut holes on paper towels - but before allowing them to cool - roll in doughnut holes in cinnamon sugar.

Toasted Coconut

Place 1 cup or so of shredded coconut in a dry, nonstick pan.

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the coconut is as toasted as you like. Keep an eye on it, especially if you’re using sweetened coconut - the sugars can burn!

Once you’re happy with it, remove from heat and transfer to a shallow bowl.

Dip fully cooled doughnut holes in vanilla glaze. Allow excess glaze to drip off, before rolling it in the coconut.

Place coconut coated doughnut holes on parchment paper to dry.

Filled and Powdered

Fit a pastry bag with a fairly wide (¼"-½") metal piping tip.

Fill the bag with jam, pudding, or pie filling of choice.

Jab metal tip into the side of a fully cooled doughnut hole, squeeze a small amount of filling into the doughnut.

Roll in powdered sugar to finish.

Other Gluten-Free Doughnut Hole Variations

Gluten-Free Dutchies

Add ¾ cup (175 ml) raisins to batter, before frying.

Allow fried doughnuts to cool completely before dipping in vanilla doughnut glaze

Chocolate Glazed Doughnut Holes

Add ¼ cup (50 ml) cocoa in place of ¼ cup of the sorghum flour in the batter.

Allow fried doughnuts to cool completely before dipping in vanilla or chocolate doughnut glaze

Gluten-Free Apple Fritters

Add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) cinnamon and a pinch of cloves to the dry ingredients.

Peel and chop (about ¼" pieces for doughnut holes, ½" for larger fritters) 1 small apple, add to batter after wet and dry ingredients have been mixed together.

Gluten-Free Chai Doughnut Holes

Add 2 tablespoon (30 ml) instant black tea, ½ teaspoon (2 ml) each of cinnamon and cardamom, and ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) each nutmeg, and ground cloves to the dry ingredients in the batter.

These are great as-is, or rolled in powdered sugar (after cooling).

Sometimes I’ll add a bit of each of the spices to the powdered sugar, before rolling.

Related posts:

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Mini Doughnuts

Gluten-Free Lemon Drizzle CakeGluten Free Brownies

Gluten-Free Paska