Ever have a craving for a gluten free chocolate donut? Yeah, I thought so. It’s just one of those things you have to have sometimes. I understand.
When the chocolate donut craving hits, when you have some extra zucchini on hand, or when you’re looking for a tasty way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with green or Halloween with orange or Valentine’s Day with pink … (yes, I realize these are three very different occasions — this recipe satisfies them all!), I have the perfect gluten free doughnut recipe for you.
Chocolate is the canvas for lots of easy decorating ideas to make you look more creative than you might otherwise feel. I mean, icing and sprinkles can do wonders.
For example, a simple drizzle of green frosting provides the perfect excuse to eat chocolate donuts on St. Patrick’s Day !
As if this recipe could get any better, this gluten free chocolate donut recipe can be made baked or fried or even as mini muffins if you are in the mood to share with a crowd.
I doubt anyone will guess they have zucchini in them, but you will know that your chocolate doughnut craving was sated with something just a little healthier than your average chocolate treat.
And everyone will love how soft and moist these donuts/mini muffins are! Bonus: if you choose to bake instead of fry them, they’ll stay moist for days (not that they’ll be around that long because they’re sooooo yummy!).
If you’re craving some filled donut holes instead, hop to my recipe for those. If you’d rather have a straight-up old fashioned glazed or powdered sugar doughnut, I have you covered with a recipe for those too. And if you’d prefer a yummy baked donut with a pumpkin twist, you have to try my recipe for those delicious baked confections.
But don’t miss my newest gluten free donut holes recipe, too! It’s made with protein and can also be made for coffee for a real wake-up-and-face-the-day treat!
As you can see, I have gluten free donut recipes-a-plenty, so you’ll never feel like you’re missing out! There’s a gluten free doughnut for nearly any occasion!
Gluten Free Chocolate Donuts with Zucchini
Gluten Free Chocolate Donut with Zucchini
Chocolate + zucchini is a combination made in heaven. No one would really ever know the zucchini was tucked inside these lovely, light, cakey donuts. Part of the joy in knowing you're eating a bit healthier when you're enjoying a gluten free chocolate donut with zucchini.
Ingredients
Donuts:
- 2 cups shredded zucchini (about 3 small zucchini or one large zucchini - measure after shredding)
- 1/3 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- 1 Tbs. lemon juice
- 2 cups gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose FlourÂ
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- 4 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- ÂĽ tsp. nutmeg
- ÂĽ tsp. cardamom
- ½ cup mild flavored oil
- 1 Tbs. pure maple syrup
- 2 eggs (or substitute like aquafaba or applesauce)
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- Âľ cups granulated sugar or unrefined coconut palm sugar
Icing:
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted
- 1-2 Tbs. milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- food coloring (optional)
- gluten free sprinkles
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (static) or 325F (convection). Spray or lightly oil donut pan (here's a link to the one I use), or line mini muffin pans with papers.
Grate zucchini then press in a sieve or colander to release excess liquid. Spoon out onto paper towels, then cover with another layer of paper towels and press to blot remaining liquid.
Measure and mix together milk and lemon juice in small bowl; set aside to curdle.
Whisk together gfJules Flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom.
Add these ingredients together in a large mixing bowl: oil, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla and sugar, beating to combine. Slowly stir in the dry ingredients followed by the curdled milk. Lastly fold in the shredded zucchini.
Soft and moist baked donuts cooling before icing.
For Baked Donuts:
Fill donut pan with even amounts of batter, leveling with the top of the pan and smoothing the batter with a rubber spatula. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out nearly clean – start checking for doneness at 15 minutes.
(Recipe makes enough for 6 large donuts + 14 mini muffins.)
For Fried Doughnut Holes:
Prepare a small pot by filling at least 1 1/2 inches deep with oil. Heat to medium (no more than 350°F). *Note: a candy thermometer is super helpful to ensure the oil reaches and stays at the right temperature. If the oil is too hot, the doughnut holes will burn on the outside and remain uncooked on the inside.
Once the oil has reached 325-350°F, using a small cookie dough scoop or tablespoon measure, carefully drop doughnut dough into the hot oil, boil and flip as necessary to cook until browned on all sides – approximately 4 minutes total. I suggest starting with only one doughnut hole as a test, cooking with a timer and checking to see if it is cooked through so you know exactly how long they will need to cook, since size of the doughnut hole and temperature of the oil will cause variations in cook time.
Once cooked, immediately remove doughnuts with a skimmer or slotted spoon to a plate covered with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
Quickly transfer to a bowl of colored sugar and roll to completely coat the doughnuts or set aside to cool if icing later.
Once the doughnuts have cooled, prepare the icing by whisking sifted confectioner’s sugar with milk, starting with only one tablespoon milk and adding more only if and as much as is needed to spread or drizzle on doughnuts. Add food coloring, if desired. If the icing gets too thin, simply stir in more confectioner’s sugar until the proper consistency is reached.
Drizzle or spoon on top of donuts or dip doughnut holes into the icing, if you find that method easier.
For Mini Muffins:
Spoon into mini muffin pans (makes approximately 48) and bake for 15-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean – start checking for doneness at 14 minutes.
Pin for later!
These sound delicious! Can I use your new multigrain bake flour in this recipe?
Hi Karen, yes you absolutely can! Just always be sure to use the weight give for each flour blend rather than those provided in a recipe for the original gfJules All Purpose Flour. Enjoy!
~jules
Made these for the first time and they were delicious. I didn’t bother icing them and they still were fantastic
How wonderful! So glad you loved the recipe!
~jules
Dear Jules, These sound fantastic and you hooked me, but I have to do a substitute for the zucchini because of IBS. What do you suggest?
Hi Jules! In your recipe for the fried doughnut holes it says to drop them in “once the dough has reached 325-350” – are these supposed to be baked before going in the oil? Or is it the oil supposed to reach 325-350? I’m assuming the oil but figured I should check! Thank you!!! 🙂
Ooops – thanks Julia! Yes, it’s the oil! I’ll go fix that now!!! Thank you!!
~jules
Plaise les recette en français.
Is there a good substitute for eggs for this particular recipe? We are vegan too.
Hi Kim, check my gluten free and vegan egg substitutions list for ones I recommend for quick breads like this one and find one that suits your dietary needs. My first choice would not be a fruit like banana or applesauce, as the zucchini already adds moisture of its own. Flax “egg” or a commercial egg sub might be your best bet. Happy baking!
~jules
Wow, this recipe sounds incredible! I especially love the spices used. 🙂
I bet I can easily make these Vegan. I want to try them so bad. We have a slight donut addiction.
Who doesn’t?! LOL!!! I’m sure you can make them vegan – let me know which sub you try!
~jules
I love that these have zucchini in them – chocolate and zucchini are a great combo! The recipe looks A-Mazing and your pictures are so beautiful!!!