Laissez les bon temps rouler! Let the good times roll with these delightfully sweet king cake donuts. A gluten free alternative to your normal king cake dessert.

Gluten-Free King Cake Donuts

Purple green and gold just makes me smile. Those Mardi Gras colors reminds me of so many fun memories hanging out in New Orleans on the parade route. There are many days that we are out there the WHOLE day and night catching parade after parade. Waiting for the floats to pass by so we could scream our little heads off for some beads and trinkets. Then, in between parades, we would eat Popeye’s chicken, king cake, cookies, and other yummy treats we would bring to hold us over on another day enjoy Mardi Gras. (because Mardi Gras calories don’t count, right?!)

These baked donuts are perfect for those early mornings staking your spot out on the parade route or just for breakfast around the house.

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I love that these were simple to make! My silcone donut pan has been a lifesaver! I love using silcone baking supplies now and I don’t think I’ll ever go back! They are flexible and so easy to clean! I never have to worry about scrubbing a mess out of them or them rusting! It’s been wonderful!

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How to Make a King Cake Donut

These king cake donuts are like your own personal king cake. One that is totally ok to share with friends and family. (Also, no judgments if you keep them all for yourself!) I love that these are baked and not fried, so you can add extra goodness in other things like the icing 🙂

In a medium bowl, mix most of your dry ingredients together, (gluten free flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and baking soda). I use a hand whisk mix it. This is to ensure there is no clumping and each bite gets the same amount of flavor and texture. Set this bowl aside.

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In a large bowl, cream the butter, oil, and sugar together till combined. I soften my butter to make sure it incorporates well with the sugar. Add in eggs one at a time and then add vanilla. Add in dry mixture slowly until combined. Add a little milk in between adding the dry mixture. You can use the milk of your choice. I used unsweetened almond milk. You dough should be fairly thick but not one you can mold with your hands. You can pipe dough into the doughnut pans or spoon it into the pan.

How to Make King Cake Icing

Some king cakes have just colored sugar on top, others have icing and sugar crystals. Here in New Orleans, we never do anything halfway, we go all out! So, icing and sprinkles it is! I made this icing the other day and fell in LOVE! It’s the perfect king cake icing and works just as well on these tasty donuts.

In a medium bowl, pour condensed milk into the bowl. Add powdered sugar a cup at a time, mixing thoroughly in between. When you get to the last cup, add a half cup at a time to get the correct consistency. You may not need all of the last cup of powdered sugar.

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If it becomes too thick, add milk or a little more condensed milk. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar.

Add lemon juice, vanilla and pinch of salt. Mix thoroughly. I made my icing more on the thick side so it didn’t run too much down the sides. But if you don’t mind the mess, let that icing drip all over the donuts for added deliciousness!

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How to Make Colored Sugar

You can always buy colored sugar, but what fun is that? Of course, you will get a more vibrant colored sugar that way, but it’s not hard to make these colored sugar crystals and they look just as pretty.

Liquid colors are easier to use than the gel colors. I have gel colors that work better for icings, cakes, frostings, but for the sugar, the liquid works best. It’s easy to incorporate.

For the yellow, I used 5 drops

For the green, I used 5 drops

For purple, I used 3 blue to 2 red drop.

Pick one color sugar and sprinkle on 1/3 of the donut, add the next color in another 1/3, and then the last color on the last 1/3.

Now, devour the goodness! 🙂

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5 from 2 votes

Print

Gluten Free King Cake Donuts

A taste of Mardi Gras for breakfast or dessert! This gluten free king cake donuts has swirls of cinnamon sugar topped with icing and sprinkles. A fantastic treat that taste just like a king cake. 

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 23 minutes

Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

King Cake Donut

• 1/2 cup butter unsalted
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 cup gluten free flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp xantham gum if flour doesn’t include it. If your flour already has it, omit.

Cinnamon Swirl

• 1/4 unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Icing

• 1/4 cup condensed milk
• 2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp milk of your choice

Colored Sugars

• 1 cup granulated sugar divided
• 5 drops yellow food coloring
• 5 drops green food coloring
• 2 drops red food coloring
• 3 drops blue food coloring

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 425F.  Grease donut pan and set aside. 

2. In a large bowl, combine butter, oil, and sugars. Add in eggs one at a time, and vanilla. Set aside. 

3. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg). Mix together. 

4. Slowlly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, alternate adding milk in between until everything is fully incorporated. 

5. To make cinnamon filling, combine melted butter with cinnamon and sugar. 

6. In donut pan, pipe or spoon in dough until halfway full. Add in sprinkles of cinnamon sugar filling. Using a butter knife, swirl cinnamon filling in the dough. Add remaining dough on top until 3/4 full. Smooth dough on top. 

7. Bake for 8-12 minutes untill toothpick comes out clean. Allow them to cool before adding icing. 

8. To make icing: combine condensed milk, powdered sugar, milk and lemon juice. and stir. It should be on the thicker side. You can make it thinner to cover the whole donut, but I prefer a little thicker as it drips down the sides anyway. 

9. To color the sugar: divide sugar in 3 different bowls. I add 5-7 drops of color to the different sugars. 5-7 yellow in one bowl, 5-7 green in another bowl, and the red and blue in another bowl to make purple. To make them darker add more color. Spoon sugars on top of doughnut in 3 different sections. Enjoy! 

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