TL;DR: Gluten free baked sweet potato donuts are easiest to make from a ready sweet potato donut mix, because the sweet potato is already milled into the dry blend. You whisk in eggs (or flax eggs), oil, and milk, spoon the batter into a donut pan, and bake at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes. One pouch of West Food Brands Sweet Potato Donut Mix gives you 12 baked donuts in about 20 minutes, with no roasting, peeling, or mashing a sweet potato first.
Most sweet potato donut recipes online start the slow way. You roast a whole sweet potato, wait for it to cool, mash it, then measure out four or five separate flours and a binder. A mix skips all of that. Here is the fast method, plus how to bake without a donut pan, how to air fry, how to keep them vegan, and how to store them.
How do you make gluten free baked sweet potato donuts from a mix?
You whisk three wet ingredients into the dry mix, pipe the batter into a donut pan, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. The mix already contains the sweet potato and the gluten free flour blend, so there is no roasting and no measuring of separate flours.
Here is what you add to one pouch of West Food Brands Sweet Potato Donut Mix:
· 2 large eggs, or 2 flax eggs for a vegan batch
· 1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil
· 1/2 cup milk, dairy or plant based such as almond, oat, or coconut
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a standard donut pan.
2. Whisk the eggs, melted oil, and milk in a bowl until smooth.
3. Add the donut mix and stir until it just comes together. Stop as soon as you no longer see dry powder, because overmixing is the main cause of tough, gummy gluten free donuts.
4. Spoon or pipe the batter into the wells, filling each one about two thirds full.
5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops spring back when touched. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn the donuts out onto a rack.
One pouch makes 12 standard donuts or 24 mini donuts. Total time is about 20 minutes, including 5 minutes of prep. Check the back of your pouch, since exact amounts can vary by batch.
How do you make gluten free donuts without a donut pan?
You can still make them. A donut pan gives the classic ring, but the same batter works three other ways.
· Use a standard muffin tin for donut muffins. Fill each cup halfway and bake for 15 to 18 minutes.
· Use a mini muffin tin for donut holes. Fill each cup two thirds full and bake for 9 to 11 minutes.
· Pipe rings onto a parchment lined baking sheet using a zip top bag with the corner cut off, then bake for 11 to 13 minutes.
The texture stays the same. Only the shape and the bake time change.
Can you air fry gluten free sweet potato donuts?
Yes. Pipe the batter into silicone donut molds that fit your air fryer basket, then air fry at 350°F for 6 to 8 minutes. Check at 6 minutes, since air fryers run hotter than ovens and the edges set fast. Here is how the two methods compare:
|
Method |
Temperature |
Time |
Best for |
|
Oven baked |
350°F |
12 to 15 minutes |
A full batch of 12 at once |
|
Air fryer |
350°F |
6 to 8 minutes |
Two to four donuts, faster |
How do you make gluten free baked sweet potato donuts vegan or dairy free?
You swap two ingredients. The dry mix is already plant based, so it carries the recipe most of the way. For the eggs, use 2 flax eggs. Stir 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed into 5 tablespoons of water and let it sit for 5 minutes until it thickens. For the fat, use melted coconut oil instead of butter, and for the milk, use any plant milk such as almond, oat, or coconut. The donuts bake up a little more tender with flax eggs, so let them cool fully before you handle them.
Are gluten free baked sweet potato donuts healthy?
They are a lighter choice than a fried donut, mainly because baking uses a few spoons of oil instead of a deep fryer. Sweet potato adds real nutrition too. Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of beta carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A, and they provide fiber, vitamin C, and potassium, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
These donuts are also certified gluten free, non GMO, and made with no preservatives or artificial sweeteners, so they suit people with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity. They are still a treat, not a health food, so portion them the way you would any baked good. If you want the full breakdown of what goes into the blend, see what is in our mixes.
How do you store gluten free baked sweet potato donuts?
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To keep them longer, freeze them. Let the donuts cool completely, lay them in a single layer in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat a frozen donut for about 15 seconds in the microwave, or 5 minutes in a 300°F oven, to bring back the soft crumb. Glaze the donuts only after they are fully cool, and only on the day you serve them, since glaze does not freeze well.
Why are my gluten free donuts dense, gummy, or dry?
Three small mistakes cause almost every problem with baked gluten free donuts, and each one has a simple fix.
· Dense or gummy donuts usually mean the batter was overmixed or underbaked. Stir only until the dry mix disappears, and bake until the tops spring back.
· Dry or crumbly donuts usually mean too much flour or too little liquid. Measure the milk and oil with a liquid measuring cup, and do not pack the mix.
· Flat donuts usually mean the wells were overfilled. Fill each one about two thirds, not to the top.
Frequently asked questions about gluten free baked sweet potato donuts
Are sweet potato donuts gluten free?
Not always. A donut is only gluten free if every ingredient is gluten free, including the flour. Many bakery and homemade sweet potato donuts still use wheat flour. A certified gluten free mix removes the guesswork, since it is tested to contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten, the threshold the U.S. Food and Drug Administration sets for a gluten free label.
Are these donuts vegan?
They can be. The dry mix is plant based, so you only need to swap the eggs for flax eggs and use plant milk and coconut oil. That makes the whole batch vegan.
Do baked donuts taste like fried donuts?
They have a different texture. Baked donuts are soft and cakey, closer to a muffin, while fried donuts are airy and crisp on the outside. Sweet potato keeps the baked version moist, which is why it works so well in this style.
Can I make mini donuts or donut holes?
Yes. One pouch makes 24 mini donuts in a mini donut pan, or a batch of donut holes in a mini muffin tin. Mini sizes bake faster, so start checking at 9 minutes.
How many donuts does one mix make?
One pouch makes 12 standard donuts or 24 mini donuts.
Can I add a glaze?
Yes. A simple glaze is 1 cup powdered sugar whisked with 2 to 3 teaspoons of milk and a pinch of cinnamon. Dip the cooled donuts and let the glaze set for 10 minutes.
Key takeaways
· A mix is the fastest route to gluten free baked sweet potato donuts, because the sweet potato and the flour blend are already in the bag.
· Add eggs or flax eggs, oil, and milk, then bake at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes for 12 donuts.
· No donut pan is fine. A muffin tin makes donut muffins, and a mini muffin tin makes donut holes.
· Make them vegan with flax eggs, plant milk, and coconut oil.
· Stop mixing as soon as the powder disappears, since overmixing is the top cause of gummy donuts.
Ready to bake a batch? Grab the Sweet Potato Donut Mix, or compare the field first in our guide to the best vegan gluten free donut mixes.
Trusted sources
· Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, The Nutrition Source: Sweet Potatoes
· USDA FoodData Central: Sweet potato, cooked, baked in skin
· Celiac Disease Foundation: Sources of Gluten
· U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Gluten-Free Labeling of Foods
