Gluten-free cinnamon spice doughnuts

Is anyone up for another mini doughnut recipe? I’m seeing them everywhere, particularly in their baked form. I know they were pretty popular last year, but the trend seems to be continuing.

I’m not getting off the baked doughnut bandwagon yet, either. This time, I experimented with an allergen-friendly version so some of my gluten-, nut- and dairy-sensitive colleagues could enjoy them, too. And, well, because it just meant another fun challenge in the kitchen. I do love challenges.

Thanks to Lani at LPK’s Culinary Groove, one of my favourite bakeries in Toronto, I’ve learned to be a little more daring when it comes to gluten-free, vegan recipe development. I participated in her Introduction to Gluten-Free Baking workshop a few months ago and I simply relished my experience working in a professional kitchen alongside her, if only for a few hours.

The keys to successful gluten-free, vegan baking? Use a combination of flours that include rice, bean and two starches. My go-to mix includes brown rice flour, chickpea flour, potato starch and tapioca starch—or a similar combination like in the recipe below. Also, a combination of binding agents is often required to keep things together. For the recipe below, I’ve included both flax and Ener-G powder.

One of my favourite treats to bring to parties and to the office, these cinnamon-spice doughnuts have a lovely, fluffy crumb. The deep, spicy flavour is enhanced by the cinnamon sugar topping—a must, as far as I’m concerned. Enjoy!