These Pumpkin Spice Donuts are vegan and gluten, nut and processed sugar-free. As a special treat, they are iced with a simple blend of raw cacao, coconut oil and rice malt syrup – one of the best sugar subs there is. UPDATE: This recipe has been featured in Sarah Wilson’s I Quit Sugar Chocolate eBook alongside 70+ others!
Inspired by our recent trip to the US and the amazing assortment of pumpkins and squashes available at local stores, markets, and basically on every street corner in the form of jack-o-lanterns and other Halloween creatures, I’ve decided to bake some pumpkin spice donuts.
The basic recipe for these particular baked donuts came from a vegan cinnamon sugar version I’ve made previously. This time, however, I wanted to make them processed sugar free and gluten free as well…
It may have been a way of trying to detox after a week in the US although, with the exception of trying Stephen Colbert’s Americone Dream ice cream, a visit to a San Diego dessert bar one night and trying a ‘King’ Sundae at Searsucker – Top Chef’s Brian Malarkey’s cool dining room , we have been pretty good on the sugar front. Oh, and yes, we did try “cowboy caviar“.
I digress… This particular donut dough took a little trial and error – it can’t be overmixed or otherwise the donuts get “gummy”, so bearing that in mind be gentle as the final result is really worth it.
And the icing?
Well, the cacao icing is what really makes these donuts stand out. It is smooth, chocolatey and lightly sweet from the Pure Harvest organic rice malt syrup, which itself is recommended as the best refined sugar substitute around. Amazing taste-wise, sugar-free-wise and of course allergy-wise.
Pumpkin Spice Donuts With Cacao Icing
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Donuts - dry ingredients:
- 2 cups plain gluten-free flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tsp five spice powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 tsp ginger powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
For the Pumpkin Donuts - wet ingredients:
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin
- 1 tbsp rice malt syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup rice milk
For the Cacao Icing:
- 8 tbsp rice malt syrup
- 6 tsp raw cacao powder
- 4 tsp extra virgin coconut oil in solid form
Instructions
To prepare the Pumpkin Spice Donuts:
- In a large bowl mix together all dry ingredients.
- In another bowl mix wet ingredients until well combined.
- Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold through, but just until the ingredients are incorporated, Do not overmix.
- Pipe or spoon batter into donut pan and spread around to leave the middle (hole) exposed.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven for about 7-8 minutes, then flip the donuts and bake for a further 5 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
- Repeat the process with any remaining batter.
To prepare the Cacao Icing:
- In a bowl mix together rice malt syrup and cacao until it is smooth and has no lumps.
- Add unmelted coconut oil and mix again until the icing is smooth.
To glaze the Donuts:
- Dip each cooled donut into the icing and place on a wire rack to drip dry.
GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)
Last but not least, since these little babies are baked, I am giving away one 12-hole donut pan to one lucky Wholesome Cook reader. All you need to do is leave a comment on this post to enter and register via Rafflecopter below. Bonus entries are available for sharing via Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. Open worldwide. Giveaway closes midnight November 7 EST (click here to convert this time). Winner will be announced on this post on November 8.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway! Congratulations to Sara! I will be in touch to get your mailing details. Stay tuned for another exciting giveaway later this month (hint: ice cream).
79 comments
Yuuuum! What a great idea – love the icing!
Those look delicious and I would love to try baking them but alas I have no donut pan so I’m trying my luck at your giveaway. Thank you for this great recipe.
Beautiful photos. Must try this recipe asap. Thanks fro sharing.
GF donuts, I can’t wait to try them, it’s been 5 long years since I had a donut. Love the glaze as well! Thank you so much. I’ve also entered your comp – fingers crossed!
Good luck Rebecca, Hope you enjoy them – they can be quite addictive so you may find yourself having them often to make up for lost time… :-)
These look delicious! Will definitely be trying these! xoxo
Mmmm these look yum! :)
They look divine, yum! Donuts are my ultimate weakness so I’ve always wanted try making some at home. Thanks for the awesome recipe. :)
(I’ve just voted for you in the recipe writing comp too – good luck and hope you win! xx)
Thank you jaderose1, that’s very sweet of you. I came a close second :-)
Wow, they sound delicious and not that hard to make. And healthy too. Mmmmm
We all love donuts so much, but rarely eat them since they aren’t healthy. BUT now with your recipe, YEAH!, we can start enjoying donuts once again. Thanks a million
Yum, i could really go for one of these right now :)
Beautiful doughnuts! I really like that they are baked and not fried. Lovely photography as usual!
*blush* thank you Tessa.
I’ve voted!! Good luck, you deserve it!
Thank you Barb, much appreciated :-)
The donuts look so yummo! Thanks for the giveaway too :)
I voted for you. You’re #2 with a bullet. Good luck!
Thank you Winston, love your duck too!
You just can’t go wrong with pumpkin – it is so delicious and so versatile. The doughnuts look delicious.
I voted! Looks like a great weekend ahead – can you bring some of these doughnuts?
Hi Maureen, it was great to see you on the weekend – sorry I couldn’t bring any of these over. Maybe next time EDB is in Sydney I will. Thank you for the vote too.
Wow, those donuts look awesome! I love making sweets and treats for my hubby, friends and family! Thanks for the opportunity.
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Wow, these look so yummie, got to try them soon! I hope I can find a way around the donut pan, since I haven´t got one and they´re not available in this part of Germany…
Good luck Miri, I didn’t realise this.
Those doughnuts look awesome!
I’m always lured in by the doughnut recipes, then saddened when I remember the pretty little rings require a special pan. These are so tempting!
My son LoVeS donuts but I hate the processed ones you buy in stores. I would bake him some homemade donuts I am sure he would love! Great giveaway
So craving these right now.
This would be so much fun!
Those doughnuts look totally delicious – yum! :)
Those look wonderful!
Oh my! we were just talking about pumpkin donuts today in my lab! delicious
These look gorgeous, especially that cacoa topping! I also had no idea Stephen Colbert had an ice cream flavour, that is soooo cool hehe
Both Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon had an ice cream at some point and Stephen’s has won the public over. It’s really yum (full of sugar, etc) but yum.
your donuts look great, thanks for the great giveaway ive always wanted a donut pan just never really had the founds.
These look delicious! Fingers crossed :)
Wow! Yummy! Thanks for hosting this giveaway!
Those look yummy!
Looks amazing!
I don’t think I’ve eaten baked donuts much, but they sound much healthier than fried! Good luck to everyone in the competition :)
Everytime I go into a cookware store, I find a donut pan, but never buy it :( (unemployed!)
I’d love to win and make some gluten-free donuts :) (PUMPKIN ones!)
By the way – are you Polish? ;)
Yes I should probably clarify that in my bio. Powodzenia w konkursie! :-)
WOW, I just made these for breakfast and they are amazing! The spices are perfect and the doughnuts have the perfect soft on the inside, yet crunchy on top consistency. YUM!
I needed to use about 1/2 c more liquid to get the dough to form, but I guess that really depends on the moisture of your pumpkin and the flours you use (I used part coconut flour).
Thanks so much for sharing this winner with us, Martyna!
Thanks for trying the recipe and the tips Laura, glad you liked them!
those donuts sounds so good. i knew i shouldn’t have looked at them before going to bed. now i just want one.
Thankyou for the opportunity; this would be very welcome in my household!
You always have amazing food photography to entertain us whenever we visit your blog and it’s been so much fun. I love donuts and pumpkin spice + cacao icing seem like a perfect donut flavor that I’d enjoy with my coffee! Really nice!!!
Yummo! Thanks so much :)
Argh! This would make gluten free doughnuts so much easier to make! I have tried making them before and cutting with a glass, but it was very tricky and the dough got stuck everywhere. :S Those pictures of your pumpkin spice doughnuts look edible themselves!
Wow these sound amazing. with a toddler who is allergic to just about everything these will be amazing. will try them tomorrow!!!
It looks so yummy. My little is gonna love it!
That looks delicious! definitely going to try that out((:
Oh, my gosh. Those donuts look AMAZING! It’s probably for the best that vegan donuts are not widely available where I live, but I still wouldn’t mind an occasional indulgence! :) Thanks for the cool giveaway!!
I would love me a pan (: !!! Lovely + simple icing recipe!
I will definitely make these if I have a donut pan. Donut pan added to wishlist.
Thank you for this recipe! Can’t wit to try it! ღ (◠‿◠) ♥
These look so amazingly delicious!!! I’m always in need of pumpkin. ;)
Thank you so much for this recipe and giveaway!
I was just talking to my friend about how we needed donut pans! I love baked donuts much more than fried, anyway. ;) Thanks for putting on this giveaway!
Pumpkin, chocolate, AND vegan?? I think I’m in love!
I’m definitely going to give this recipe a try!
I’m just excited to know these pans exist. Love what you did with it!
As always your recipes are so tempting, the picture says it all
Yes! Finally, a good opportunity and an easier way to make more yummy stuff!
Yummy Martyna… now if it wasn’t for all the indulgence at #EDB2012, I could eat one of these right now. Great to meet you, BTW!
Brilliant give away – thanks
Suits our lifestyle perfectly, brilliant!!!!!
Probably the only way my kids would eat pumpkin!
oh these look so good and pumkins a hit in our home my kids just love pumkin soup and pie so ill be trying these :)
Wow..a healthier donut option, they look fantastic, I bet the kids wouldn’t even know pumpkin was in them!
that looks absolutely fantastic! great photos as always
Those doughnuts look very tempting! I love those flavors. So autumnal.
Cheers,
Rosa
The doughnuts look awesome! What sort of gluten-free flour did you use? Does it matter if I use rice flour or buckwheat flour?
Many thanks,
Gary
Hi Gary, I used a pre-mixed gluten free flour (White Wings brand here in Australia). Most pre-mixed plain gluten free flour blends can be used. You could mix your own by using 2 parts rice flour + 1/3 parts tapioca flour + 2/3 potato starch. :-) Happy baking!
Hi Martyna, I am going to make these – they look absolutely delicious!
What can I substitute for the apple sauce? I am on a low FODMAP diet and can’t tolerate apples :(
Thanks!
Hi Jacki, I would probably go with either the same amount of blended banana (which may not work for you on FODMAP), or potentially just the same amount of water or [non-dairy] milk… Bear in mind that sweetness will decrease so you may need to add about 1/4 tsp Stevia drops into the batter.
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