Gluten-free Apple and Cinnamon Doughnuts Recipe (dairy-free option)

Gluten-free apple and cinnamon doughnuts recipe – baked, not fried and super easy to make. Coeliac-friendly, wheat-free and simple to make dairy-free too.

Gluten-free apple and cinnamon doughnuts recipe, anyone? These are incredibly easy to whip up and Allinson’s gluten-free buckwheat blend gives them a wonderful flavour that makes this recipe truly unique. Let’s talk baked doughnuts!

So many of you have been loving my baked doughnut recipes here on the blog, so I absolutely had to make another with a homemade apple filling. I’ve missed apple doughnuts so much!

But of course, there’s a little twist to these – I used Allinson’s new gluten-free buckwheat blend to make them. You can find it in Morrisons down the free from aisle.

It adds a subtle ‘nutty’ flavour that works so incredibly well with the cinnamon and apple in the doughnuts. 

Best of all, you can use it whatever bakes you like! If you’ve never tried it before, I’d highly recommend making this recipe your first test-run… you won’t be disappointed!

So what do my gluten-free apple and cinnamon doughnuts taste like?

With a crunchy cinnamon sugar coating and a golden exterior, each doughnut is super soft and fluffy inside with a light and moist crumb.

Then, the smooth apple filling is sweet, warming and reminds you of all those apple pies you wish were gluten-free!

It’s honestly everything I love and miss about apple doughnuts and after one bite, I know you’ll agree with me.

Here’s everything you’ll need for this recipe – consider this your shopping list!

Gluten-free apple and cinnamon doughnuts Recipe: Ingredients

For the doughnuts

• Allinsons gluten-free Buckwheat Blend (don’t replace with 100% buckwheat flour – it won’t work!)
• gluten-free baking powder
• xanthan gum
• ground cinnamon
• caster sugar
• butter, melted
• vegetable oil
• egg
• buttermilk

For the filling

• apples (ideally cooking apples but eating apples work fine too)
• caster sugar
• butter
• ground cinnamon

For the cinnamon sugar

• granulated sugar
• ground cinnamon
• butter, melted

Looking for the measurements? Keep scrolling until you see the recipe card for the measurements and method…

So I thought I’d kick things off with a little frequently asked questions section – if you just want the recipe, then keep scrolling.

But I’ve thrown in some tips here that will be really helpful if this is your first time baking this, or you want to adapt it. So here they are!

Gluten-free apple and cinnamon doughnuts Recipe: Frequently asked questions

Can I make this recipe gluten-free? Is it suitable for Coeliacs?

It is gluten-free, though nobody would know just by tasting it – trust me!

Bear in mind that minimising cross-contamination is hugely important if you’re Coeliac or making this for someone who is. Here’s some tips from Coeliac UK on minimising the risk of cross contamination.

Also, make sure that all ingredients used don’t have any gluten-containing ingredients. Then make that that they also don’t have a ‘may contain’ warning for gluten, wheat, rye, barley, oats (which aren’t gf), spelt and khorasan wheat (aka Kamut).

Here’s some more info from Coeliac UK on identifying safe gluten-free products.

Can I make your gluten-free apple and cinnamon doughnuts dairy free?

Yep! Simply use a dairy-free alternative to butter, like dairy-free margarine. For the buttermilk, simply add 1 tbsp of lemon juice to any dairy-free milk you fancy.

Can I make this recipe vegan?

Yep! If you follow the instructions above to make this dairy-free, then all you’ve got left to contend with is the eggs.

Here’s a few ideas you can use as egg replacements, so each of these = 1 egg.

• 3 tablespoons of aquafaba (whisked until frothy) – water from a can of chickpeas. Keep the chickpeas for a future dinner!
• Egg replacement powder – I’d recommend using Orgran as it’s gluten-free.
• 1 tablespoon of chia/flax seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water and left for 10 minutes in the fridge.
• 3 tablespoons of applesauce.

I haven’t tried all of these egg-replacement options with this recipe, but if you do, please comment below with how it goes. I personally find that a flax egg works the best.

Is your gluten-free apple and cinnamon doughnuts recipe nut-free?

Yep, this is a nut-free recipe as far as ingredients go, BUT make sure you check the ingredients label on ALL the products you use just to be safe.

Even if the products don’t contain nuts, they may have a ‘may contain nuts’ warning due to being produced in a factory that handles nuts.

You can never be too careful so always read the labels on everything first.

Is this recipe low FODMAP?

Unfortunately not, because the quantity of apple per doughnut is higher than the low FODMAP serving size of apples.

However, if you fill the doughnuts with jam instead, then the recipe can be made low FODMAP.

Use lactose-free milk with 1 tbsp of lemon juice added instead of buttermilk and jam for the filling and you’ll be elimination stage safe, FODMAP-wise.

Can I make your gluten-free apple and cinnamon doughnuts in a food processor or standing mixer?

This one of the few recipes where I wouldn’t recommend it at all. The doughnut batter needs to be mixed as minimally as possible to ensure you get a lovely, soft and airy texture!

Do I need any special equipment to bake your gluten-free apple and cinnamon doughnuts?

Certainly not! You will need a muffin tray – here’s the one I use. That’s it!

Do I need weighing scales to bake your gluten-free apple and cinnamon doughnuts?

In short… yes, yes and yes! And I wouldn’t advise attempting any my recipes without them.

A lot of work went into fine tuning ratios and quantities and for me, baking is all about consistency and precision. I want you to make this recipe and for it to turn out EXACTLY like mine did.

I’d recommending using digital cooking scales like these so you know you’re getting an accurate measurement and replicating my recipe as accurately as poss.

Can I bake your gluten-free apple and cinnamon doughnuts with less sugar?

For starters, I wouldn’t recommend removing the sugar from the batter at all. It’s integral to ensure that the doughnut batter works and forms something that’s actually edible!

Of course, the sugar on the outside seems like something you could easily skip. But it will definitely feel like you’re just eating a super-soft cupcake if you don’t roll them in sugar!!

Can I make this recipe without xanthan gum?

In some of my recipes, yes, but I wouldn’t recommend leaving xanthan gum out of this one. You’ll see xanthan gum in a lot of my recipes as it’s an essential ingredient in gluten-free baking.

Without gluten to bind the doughnut batter together, you can be left with a very loose and crumbly sponge texture which won’t work for this recipe.

Some people have asked if they can use psyllium husk powder instead of xanthan gum, but I’ve found that it definitely results in a denser sponge so I wouldn’t overly recommend it.

So TLDR; definitely use xanthan gum if you can!!

Can I make this recipe using other gluten-free flours like buckwheat flour or coconut flour?

No! There’s a big difference between ‘gluten-free plain/self-raising flour’ and a *singular* type gluten-free flour. When I say ‘gluten-free plain or self-raising flour’ in a recipe, I mean a BLEND of gluten-free flours, not just one, singular flour.

Allinson’s gluten-free buckwheat blend isn’t 100% buckwheat, it’s a blend including buckwheat and other starches too. Which makes it totally different!

So to replace it with just one specific type of flour… that’s not going to cut it at all. Definitely use the Allinson’s gluten-free buckwheat blend.

Where can I find Allinson’s gluten-free buckwheat blend for this recipe?

Currently, it’s only available in Morrisons. Trust me, it’s worth picking up for this recipe!

Can I fill your gluten-free apple and cinnamon doughnuts with custard instead?

Of course – just ensure your custard is lovely and thick (it’s best to make your own), otherwise it’ll be too runny and effectively dribble out when you eat them.

How long can I keep your gluten-free apple and cinnamon doughnuts for?

I’ve kept my gluten-free apple and cinnamon doughnuts for about 3-5 days in an air-tight container with no problems. If you intend to keep them any longer than that, I’d highly recommend freezing them.

But needless to say, when they start getting a little dry, they’re probably starting to get past their best.

Can I freeze your gluten-free apple and cinnamon doughnuts?

Of course! I’ve frozen them for up to 2-3 months no problem.

When you want to eat one, a couple of doughnuts should take around 3 hours to defrost at room temperature.

How can I tell when my baked doughnuts are done?

They should look nice and golden on top. You can also poke a skewer into the middle to check if it comes out clean if you fancy.

Gluten-free apple and cinnamon doughnuts Recipe: Method

Oh and here’s a printable version of my gluten-free apple and cinnamon doughnuts recipe. Please remember to give it 5 stars if you tried it and enjoyed it as it helps people know it’s worth trying too! ⭐️

Thanks for reading all about my gluten-free apple and cinnamon doughnuts recipe! If you make it, I’d love to see how it turned out so don’t forget to take a snap of your creations and tag me on Instagram!

Any questions about the recipe? Please do let me know by following me on Instagram and leaving me a comment on a recent photo.

If you want to send me a photo of how your bake turned out, you can request to join my Facebook group and post it there. Myself and everyone else would love to see it!

Thanks for reading,

Becky xxx

Oh and don’t forget to pin this for later!