Our 9 year-old, Alex, asked last night if we could make mini donuts together for breakfast for everybody today. I said yes, and dug out this recipe that I came up with a few years ago. This is a really easy but delicious recipe that also includes lots of fruit and/or veggies, since each batch contains a cup of whichever add-in you choose, such as applesauce, pumpkin or squash (which also gives them extra flavor).

Here’s the recipe, along with what I wrote about it when I posted the recipe on my green living column back then.

Since our family went gluten free, donuts are one of the things we miss most. I’m unwilling to pay $6 or $7 for tasteless, frozen gluten free donuts so we’ve been doing without.

When I saw a mini donut maker for only $15 at Aldi’s last week, I decided to try to make our own gluten free donuts (you can also find very affordable ones on Amazon (affiliate link)).

I found some GF donut recipes online and in some of my cookbooks, but they all relied on dairy, which my son is also allergic to.

I decided to create my own gluten free, dairy free donut recipe, and the results couldn’t have been tastier or easier.

We were enjoying fresh baked, delicious glazed donuts in under a half an hour.

Here’s the simple recipe.

(See the notes at the end on how to cook these as mini muffins or mini donuts in the oven.)

Quick Mix-and-Match Glazed Donuts

(gluten free, dairy free, soy free, nut free and corn free)

Makes approximately 25 mini donuts

1. Preheat your mini donut maker.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the following:

1 1/2 cups gluten free flour mix (see notes for recipes)
3/4 tsp xanthan gum (if your mix does not contain it already)
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg

3. In another bowl, whisk together the following:

1/2 cup organic shortening or coconut oil , melted
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup pureed cooked squash, pumpkin or applesauce (if using canned pumpkin, thin with a little water or non-dairy milk until applesauce consistency)

4. Combine the two mixtures, stir until well mixed.

5. Spray the wells of your donut maker with non-stick spray. Place about one heaping tablespoon of batter in the center of each donut well. Close and secure the lid, then bake for two to three minutes (depending on your model, check after two minutes) or until light golden.

6. Remove the mini donuts to a wire rack to cool, respray the pan and repeat with the remaining batter.

7. While the donuts cook and cool, whisk together the following:

1 cup powdered sugar
4 tsp almond milk or other non-dairy milk
1/2 tsp freshly grated lemon peel or orange peel (optional)

8. When the donuts are cool enough to handle, dip the tops in the glaze. Quickly flip over so the glaze is on top and transfer to a plate.

If you like, sprinkles can be added on top while the glaze is still wet.

Alternate baking directions: Preheat oven to 350 and grease a mini donut pan or mini muffin pan. Fill wells 3/4 full and bake for about 10 minutes or until set and light golden. Glaze as directed.

Gluten free flour mixes: You can use a commercial mix for this recipe but any simple GF flour combination will work well. I mix my flour mixes a little differently every time and like to play around with lots of different types of flours and starches. Two of my favorite all purpose GF flour mixes are at Cooking Gluten Free and Gluten Freely Frugal.

That said, for these donuts I used this incredibly simple (and inexpensive) mix that can be doubled and kept in the fridge: