These Rainbow Donuts are light and fluffy and have rainbow colors in every bite! Best yet, they are topped with a chocolate ganache icing and rainbow nonpareils! These baked donuts are so simple to make, no mixer is used at all! The batter comes together with just a whisk in less than one hour! If that wasn't enough, these chocolate frosted donuts are gluten free, nut free, eggless and can easily be vegan!
These Rainbow Donuts are something special! Not only do they taste wonderful, but each bite is filled with all the colors like with my Birthday Muffins and my Chocolate Sprinkle Cookies! My kids were having a blast eating them!
For more donuts, check out my Chocolate Sugared Donuts, my Red Velvet Donuts, Baked Apple Cider Donuts and Maple Glazed Pumpkin Donuts.
Reasons to Love these Rainbow Donuts
- Allergy Friendly- These donuts are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
- Soft & Fluffy- These donuts are so airy!
- Rainbow Nonpareils- These colorful treats are loaded with rainbow nonpareils which melt to create this beautiful coloring.
- Chocolate Ganache- They are dipped in a silky ganache to ensure you get chocolate in every bite!
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour- If you have nut allergies, use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this gluten free flour because it’s free of the top 9 allergens. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce and prevents them from falling apart.
- Cornstarch and Water- These are eggless donuts so this mixture helps bind everything together.
- Granulated Sugar- Using granulated sugar helps keep the donut light in texture and also color.
- Butter/Vegan Baking Sticks- In this recipe we actually used melted! Make sure to cool it a bit before adding it to the wet ingredients.
- Milk- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non-dairy, use a dairy-free milk of your choosing.
- Nonpareils- Make sure to use a brand that's allergy friendly.
- Chocolate Chips- To make vegan, make sure to use gluten free/vegan chocolate chips. I love these allergy friendly chocolate chips.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make these into Vegan Donuts
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure brand of the sugar you use is vegan.
- Get a non-dairy milk of your choosing.
- Only use vegan baking sticks and not butter.
- Make sure the chocolate chips you use are allergy safe and vegan.
- Read the label on your nonpareils to make sure they're gluten free, nut free and vegan.
For Regular All Purpose Flour
- Use 2 cups of packed AP Flour (336 grams).
- Only use 1 ¼ cups of milk (295.73 ml).
This recipe has not been tested with some of these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Rainbow Donuts
Here are the step by step instructions to make these sprinkle donuts!
Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and the salt. Set aside.
Step 2: Melt the Butter
Microwave the butter in 11 second increments until melted. Set aside to cool.
Step 3: Make The Cornstarch Water
In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the cornstarch and water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
Step 4: Mix The Wet Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, cornstarch water and pure vanilla extract until combined.
While whisking, slowly pour the cooled melted butter a little at a time into the other liquid ingredients.
Step 5: Mix Wet Ingredients Into Dry and Add in the Nonpareils
Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry and use a whisk to combine. If it gets too thick, switch to using a spatula.
Using the spatula, gently fold the nonpareils into the batter.
Stop when the colors begin to swirl. You don’t want to turn the batter a different solid color.
Step 6: Fill the Donut Pans
Then, put the batter into a piping bag or a zip top bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the batter into the greased donut pans and fill to almost the top.
Smooth the batter with a tiny knife or the back of a small spoon.
You can also spoon the batter into the donut pans.
Step 7: Bake and Cool
Bake the donuts in the center rack of the 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. The donuts should be risen and spring back when gently touched.
Note: If you gently poke the donuts and a dent forms, they're not done baking. You can also insert a toothpick and make sure it comes out clean.
Let the donuts cool in the pans for at least 5 minutes before taking them out and place the donuts on a cooling rack with a baking sheet or parchment paper underneath.
Step 8: Make the Icing
Heat the chocolate chips and milk in 15 second ingredients, stirring after each time, until the chips have fully melted and the milk is incorporated.
The icing should be very smooth.
Step 9: Dip the Donuts and Add the Nonpareils
Dip the tops of the cool donuts into the icing and then immediately sprinkle on the rainbow nonpareils, to make sure they stick. Place them on the cooling rack to dry.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups of flour, however when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape. For this recipe use packed cups or please read the gram amount.
- Mix in the Butter Slowly- When pouring the melted butter into the milk, do this a little bit at a time while whisking. This way the butter won't form large chunks in the cold milk. If you have small chunks, that's fine and they will melt while baking.
- Smoothing The Batter- Many gluten free flour batters have a way of staying exactly as they are placed, when baked. If you leave it misshapen after put it into the donut pans, that’s how they will remain when baked. When the batter is in the donut pans, gently smooth the top with a butter knife or the back or a small spoon.
- Pipe The Batter- You could use a spoon to put the batter in the greased donut pans but it is much easier to pipe the batter in. No piping bag? No worries! Simply put all the batter in a gallon size zip top bag and snip off a corner. Pipe the batter into the donut wells and fill almost to the top of each well. You might even want a clean piping bag for the second half of the batter because the more you squeeze the bag, the more the batter becomes one color versus that rainbow swirl of colors.
Recipe FAQs
You can make these donuts the night before without the icing, but they truly are best the same day.
If making the night before, keep the donuts in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to add the ganache.
The best way is with a zip top bag.
Place the batter in, get the air out, seal it and snip off one corner. Make sure to do half the batter at a time.
The more you squeeze the bag, the more the batter becomes one color versus that rainbow swirl of colors.
You might want a clean bag for the second half of the batter.
I would make it the same day. If made the day before, it will solidify in the fridge and you will have to reheat anyway.
If you want the donut to have a rainbow appearance, I would not use sprinkles. They will not melt into the batter therefore you won't get a rainbow swirl of color.
Storing: Once the icing has solidified, individually wrap each donut in aluminum foil. Try to create a teepee with the top of the foil so it isn't touching the icing as much.
Store them wrapped in foil in the fridge for up to two days.
Freezing: Once the icing has hardened, wrap them each donut in aluminum foil as instructed above. Pop them in a zip top bag and freeze the donuts for up to 30 days. To defrost, take them out of the freezer and leave at room temperature until soft; about 2 hours.
More Donut Recipes You'll Love
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📖 Recipe
Rainbow Donuts
Ingredients
For the donuts:
- 2 cups multipurpose gluten free flour (I use a gluten free multipurpose flour with xanthan gum already in it)
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 rounded tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons of water
- 1.5 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup rainbow nonpareils
For the Ganache Icing
- 2 cups chocolate chips (about 12 oz)
- ½ cup milk
- Extra rainbow nonpareils for sprinkling
Instructions
For The Rainbow Donuts
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 donut pans well with vegetable oil.
- Into a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups gluten free flour, the 1.5 cups granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
- Put the 2 tablespoons of butter or vegan baking stick in a small heat safe bowl.Microwave in 10 second increments until melted. Set aside to cool.
- In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the 2 rounded tablespoons cornstarch and 3 tablespoons water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch water mixture, the 1.5 cups milk, the cooled melted butter and the 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract until combined. Make sure the melted butter isn't hot because if you pour hot butter into the cold milk, it will be chunky. Some tiny chunks are fine.
- Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry and use a whisk to combine. If it gets too thick, switch to using a spatula.
- Add in the ¼ cup nonpareils and gently fold them into the batter using a spatula until the colors swirl.You want a rainbow swirl of color. You don’t want to turn the batter a different solid color.
- Put all the batter into a piping bag or a zip top bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the batter into the greased donut pans and fill to almost the top of each well.You might even want a clean bag for the second half because the more you squeeze the bag, the more the batter becomes one color versus that rainbow swirl of colors.You can also spoon the batter into the donut pans.
- Smooth the batter with a tiny knife or the back of a small spoon.
- Bake the donuts in the center rack of the 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. The donuts should be risen and spring back at you when gently touched.Note: If you gently poke the donuts and a dent forms, they're not done baking. You can also insert a toothpick and make sure it comes out clean.
- Let the donuts cool in the pans for at least 5 minutes before taking them out. If you try to take them out too soon, they will stick and break apart into a giant mess. Once 5 minutes is up, use a small spatula to loosen them from the pan.
- Place the donuts on a cooling rack with a baking sheet or parchment paper underneath. The next part is a bit messy.
For The Chocolate Icing
- Combine the 2 cups of chocolate chips and the ½ cup milk in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in 15 second increments, stirring each time until the milk is bubbling and the chips are fully melted. Keep whisking to combine until the icing is smooth.
- Dip the cooled donuts top side down into the bowl of the icing. Immediately sprinkle the tops with the rainbow nonpareils. If the donuts are not cool, you'll end up with a runny mess.
- Let dry on a cooling rack with wax paper underneath the rack so your counter stays clean. If you don't let them dry on a cooling rack, the bottoms will be soggy.
- Serve with the ganache wet and gooey or wait for a little till it begins to dry. Both ways are delicious.
Donna says
I made these cupcakes and I don’t even have children, but I love donuts and I love sprinkles. Such fun! I am fairly new to baking so I wasn’t sure how I would do, but with such detailed instructions, I did just fine. Thanks for this yummy and fun recipe
Lee says
SO glad thanks!!!!!
Steve says
Fun is the right word for these colorful delights!
Lee says
So glad!