These Powdered Sugar Donuts are light and fluffy baked donuts, with a little spice, and coated in powdered sugar! They're addicting and so simple to make, no mixer is needed! They take less than an hour from start to finish and no need to wait for them to cool completely before coating in sugar! Best yet, these powdered donuts are gluten free, nut fee, eggless and can easily be made dairy free (vegan) with a few tweaks!
Growing up I loved Entenmann's soft powdered donuts and then as I got older I loved getting powdered donuts from my local farm. My daughter is donut obsessed and I did not want her to miss out! These Powdered Sugar Donuts (along with my Cinnamon Sugar Donuts) are some of her favorite donuts on the blog! Even though they're baked and not fried, the texture is still super light and airy. The flavor is sweet with a little spice (thanks to my daughter's love of cinnamon) and just so delicious! There is only a 5 minute rest time after taking them out of the oven (so they don't break apart) and no melted butter is needed to get the powdered sugar to stick! They're the perfect bfast, snack or dessert; you'll be making them again and again!
For more baked donut recipes, check out my Chocolate Sugared Donuts, my Maple Donuts, my Baked Apple Cider Donuts and my Glazed Chocolate Donuts.
Reasons to Love These Powdered Sugar Donuts
- Allergy Friendly- These donuts are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
- Soft & Fluffy- The donuts are so super light and delicious.
- Powdered Sugar- These beauties are dunked in powdered sugar! It sticks without any melted butter when the donuts are still warm, which means they don't get wet after storing them!
- Easy to Make- The batter mixes up with a whisk; no mixer is used at all.
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 donuts super light and airy.
- 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.
- Unsalted Butter or Vegan Baking Sticks- In this recipe we actually used melted! Make sure to cool it a bit before adding it to the wet ingredients.
- Cinnamon- We use it in the batter to give the donuts a little spice.
- Confectioners' Sugar- They wouldn't be powdered sugar donuts without this key ingredient!
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 the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
- Use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Only use a non-dairy milk of choice.
Make this Recipe with All Purpose Flour
- Use 2 packed cups of regular flour (336 grams).
- Only use 1 ¼ cups of milk.
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 Powdered Sugar Donuts
Here are the step by step instructions to make these sugared donuts!
Step 1: Mix The Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and kosher salt. Set aside.
Step 2: Melt the Butter
Microwave the butter in 10 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
Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry and use a whisk to combine. If it gets too thick, switch to using a spatula.
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.
Once out of the oven, let cool in the donut pans for 5 minutes.
Step 8: Dip the Donuts in Powdered Sugar
Take 1 warm donut and dip it in the powdered sugar. Coat completely.
Place each finished donut on a cooling rack with the baking sheet underneath (to prevent a big mess). Repeat these steps with the rest of the donuts.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups however, when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape.
- 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.
- Coat the Donuts When Warm- Only let the donuts sit for 5 minutes before removing from the pans. You want to dip the donuts onto the sugar when they're still warm. If you wait until they cool completely, the powdered sugar won't stick to the donut.
Recipe FAQs
These powdered sugar donuts are best the first day but yes you can make them the night before or freeze them!
Store them wrapped in foil at room temperature for 2 days or freeze for 30 days.
You may have waited too long for them to cool because the sugar will not stick if the donuts are not warm.
If this happens, no worries. Melt ¼ cup of butter or vegan baking stick and brush the butter lightly onto each donut immediately before dunking in the powder sugar.
Storing: Once the donuts have cooled completely, individually wrap them each in aluminum foil. Try to create a teepee with the top of the foil so it isn't touching the sugar as much.
Store them wrapped in foil at room temperature for up to two days.
Freezing: Once the donuts have cooled completely, wrap them each 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 Simple Donut Recipes You'll Love
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📖 Recipe
Powdered Sugar Donuts
Ingredients
- 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
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 rounded tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water
- 1.5 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, melted and cooled
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup confectioners' sugar , for coating
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 2 donut pan wells with vegetable oil. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups multipurpose gluten free flour, the 1.5 cups granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon 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 11 second increments until melted. Set aside to cool.
- In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the 2 rounded tablespoons cornstarch (26 grams) and 3 tablespoons water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 ½ cups milk, cornstarch water and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract until combined.
- While whisking, slowly pour the cooled melted butter a little at a time into the other liquid ingredients.Make sure the melted butter isn't hot because if you pour hot butter into the cold milk, it will create large chunks. If there are tiny little chunks, that's ok.
- Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry and use a whisk to combine. If it gets too thick, switch to using a spatula.
- 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 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 underneath. The next part is a bit messy.
- After 5 minutes, immediately coat the donuts (one at a time) in the ¾ cup powered sugar.You must do this with warm donuts, otherwise the sugar won't stick.
- Place each finished donut on a cooling rack with the baking sheet underneath (to prevent a big mess). Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
John says
These tastes soooo good! I can’t wait to make them again!